I STEP OUT OF AIDEN’S TRUCK, him trailing behind me as I walk toward the front door.
“Thanks for taking me,” I say, my key starting to unlock the door. Aiden takes my arm, and I turn toward him, his eyes watching mine. He waits for a moment before he asks me the simple question.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asks.
It’s a simple question that I can’t answer.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I say, watching Jeremy’s Jeep in the driveway, hoping he’s not watching or listening to us.
“You’re positive? Because Ali’s just… a little crazy, you know?”
I laugh. She’s crazy alright…
That would explain how she knows something when everyone else around me doesn’t.
“Tell her I’m fine. Really.” I smile as I start to open the door.
“I’ll come by and pick you up later,” Aiden says before I walk inside. I nod.
“Alright. I’ll be here.”
I close the door, wait for the sound of the engine, the truck driving down the street. Then, before I can turn around, someone yanks me by the hair, pulls me upstairs.
“How was your date?” Jeremy asks as he pushes me into my room. I stare at him, my body frozen in place as he closes my door, makes his way toward me.
“It wasn’t a date,” I say. Anger appears in his eyes, frustration, and smack goes his hand right across my face. I stand up straight, my cheek throbbing as his hands start to ride up my shirt.
“Have you forgotten about Anna? Or Michelle? You really don’t take me seriously, do you?”
“Visiting Aiden’s family shouldn’t be a reason for you to do that.”
“It’s not, but you acting like it’s nothing is a problem…” he hesitates, “I’ll forgive you, though. You know what to do.”
I stare at the ceiling as he does what he wants, a thought running clearly through my head. Every time I’m with one of them, whether it be his parents or his brother or sister… I forget about what Jeremy does to me, forget that he’s here waiting to do what he does, to constantly try to break me down. I forget where my razor blades are, how fun it would be right now to use them on myself (or Jeremy), how it helps the pain go away, gives me more control.
I forget about Mark and Jessie and how they’re going to get married in a few months, how Mark’s never home and how he leaves me with Jeremy every night…
I forget about everything bad in my life, the things that cause me to spiral down… and I remember the place I grew up in, the only place I can really call home.