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My door was locked and no doubt someone will try and reason with me into going back, instead. I threw the backpack over my shoulders and took the safer route in going down the ground level. Before running towards my bike, top speed.

Never before did I rush into getting my bike moving, but in that moment was I already readying the motor as I yanked down the helmet over my eyes. Ripping the contents of this barn's dirt floor to a maximum before pushing my foot up to solidity my escape.

And the first thing I did when I managed to get to the road was a scream in anger.

No sort of cars or people for miles, I don't know where I was taking myself.

Until I stopped at the empty dirt path.

I made it to the sight Daryl showed me and smirking to my subconscious for remembering the directions clearer than I could have managed if I wanted to come here. Funny how the mind does go into fight or flight mode even when I don't wish upon it.

I fought Jaclyn and yet she still managed to talk down to me, even when everyone around her thought otherwise.

With my bike parked and my backpack over my shoulders, do I make it through the underbrush. Just as I remembered from Daryl's guiding walk, the stumbles were normal considering I still have no clue if this even the right direction.

But as it grew lighter, and the sound of moving water came through. I chuckled the moment I cleared my view from the blocking bush.

I made it.

Dragging my feet to make it to the very last spot, was I just moments away from the clear relaxing air. Laying down with a bottle of vodka from my bag, and just my head resting in the grass.

All the time I prepared myself for the fucking holiday was wasted, I haven't run away in such a long time, and when I did back in the foster homes. It was to earn extra money for myself and the other people within the house.

They never cared enough to stop me, I was taking care of myself and they only provided the littlest bit of a meal and a roof over my head. Everything else came from my own work ethic, bikes, and whatnot.

"Cheers Kate...I miss you." I said, raising the bottle to my lips and chugging it down my throat. It was a need to get drunk rather than for a fun purpose, that and because it gives myself an excuse in not going home right away.

Drunk driving is never the answer.

With my throat burning, and my stomach warm. I hummed to the song of my phone constantly ringing, but by now I shut it off. Just wishing everything away like that, especially now that it's getting too dark for me to find my way back to my bike.

And even if I did, I wouldn't be able to drive back home. Not that I'd want to anyhow. 

I just wanted the sense of being alone, and here was the best place to do it. Just the added bonus of a drink and the odd amount of cigarettes I've already smoked through, but the weakness of me not standing up for myself any more than I already did isn't controllable.

Jacklyn might not have the power to kick me out of the family, but she can make my life a living hell.

It was in this second, did I hear a rustle within the bushes. At first, I came to ignore it, thinking it was a squirrel or anything in that category. But as the bushes made the parting nose, I slowly rose up. One hand leveling my body up from the ground as I held my knife in the air.

Guess the joy in this would be ruin someones smoking spot as well. I chuckled even more as I tightened the grip on my knife even more. "Who's there?!" Was all I could muster, losing my balance for a split second before regaining it to see the darkened figure pop on out. 

But I knew that rusty chuckle anywhere, so falling back down onto my ass did I just sit there. Caught no doubt. "The hell ya doin' Blake?!" Taking the top of my bottle did I rise it on up, making him just shake his head in disappointment. 

"I don't blame you...I ruined Christmas..." I mumbled, taking one last swing of the drink. In that moment did he sit down beside me, as my hand offered the drink he shook his head again. What shocked me more than I could even begin to think, how was he so judgmental at a time like this.

"How'd ya manage that?" I chuckled, finishing my last sip. Before muttering my response, "My fucking existence." Was all I slurred on out, but once he reached for the bottle. I made the pathetic grab for it, knowing full well he was taking it away from me.

"Was it full?" I hummed my response of a 'yes' making him let out a loud sigh.

Don't know what he knows, or why he's here...Yeah, that's a good question.

"You come out here for a walk...?" My eyes didn't blink simultaneously, not one bit. I felt each one feel heavier and heavier with each passing moment.

"Nah, Shawn gave ya brother my number...Told me he couldn't find ya...Ran away without tellin' nobody Blake." I released one solid cold laugh into the air to alone a puff comes from my lips, just showing how cold it truly was right now. "That's why it's called running away."

He didn't shake his head this time, almost like he agreed to what I said in regards to it all. Better than sitting there all alone, and instead did he take the object in my hand. Unbinding my bent fingers to reveal my knife.

"Got yaself a nice one here..."
"Thanks." Grabbing it back from his hold and stuffing it into my pocket. Rising up my knees to rest my head on them, looking into the distance now. 
The moon reflecting on the water, and as much as I wanted to throw a rock and diminish the sleep cycle of everything in there. I kept my arms wrapped around my knees instead, until his arm reach over my shoulder. Making me leave my steady position to fall on top of his chest, making me giggle at the feeling of his jacket.

"I like your jacket..." I whispered, stuffing my face to hide myself. I couldn't hide my laughter, it just came out and didn't see any sign of stopping. "Yeah...a pretty girl gave it to meh." 

As much as I tried to compose myself, my cheeks blushed to high heaven. Perhaps he couldn't see, but like everything else in these woods. He could see, especially when he fixing my position to lay my head onto his chest.

No longer looking to the moonlight and to his side, it was either head planted down or looking to him. "What happened in the Christmas of hell? Ya brother yelled on into the phone like I had ya." Mumbling an apology did I not respond to anything else in the sort, his body and his hold around me was so warm. In comparison to just the damp ground to lay against, this was better.

Much better.

"His grandparents think I'm a bad influence, didn't talk to me all day...And...Kept calling me something." My mind was racing, I wasn't going to tell him my name. Not today, I was drunk, but this want and need to keep it hidden was enough for me to have alarm blaring in the back of my head to shut up.

"Yeah, Jarod said it got pretty heated."
"Grandma had it out for me and my mother." Feeling his nod up and down, followed by a possessive growl. Making me smile up even more. "Come on...I promised I take ya home." 
As much as my head hurt to move it, or dizzy I really was. I moved away, sitting up straight as I could just to get out of his hold. 

He found me to bring me back, and in that moment. I did something I never thought I'd do in front of him...And that would be crying. "I can't go home."
"And ya can't stay here, Blake, listen to me...Ya stayin' out here lets 'em win. Probably ain't no fun drinkin' by yaself anyhow."
"Never needed a reason to get lit before, bout time I had one." It was one remark after that another, not even a moment a silence until I shared what I needed to. I couldn't go home, not yet anyway. Drunk and my family doesn't mix that well.

In reality, it was a single tear. But it was enough to make me look weak in front of him, the added addition of my lip quivering at the thought of him taking note was enough, I thought I fit in up until this point. 

"Alright...How's 'bout we go somewhere else? It's gettin' cold and you ain't wearnin' anythin' warm." He rose to his feet now, whipping the back of his pants from the dirt he believed was on there. Offering my a hand, but I just shook my head in retaliation.

"We ain't goin' to ya house Blake, we're goin' to mine." That is when I smiled, taking his hand the second time. Stubbing upwards as I pointed to my backpack a few feet away, guess I liked the view over here opposed to anything else.

Throwing it over his shoulders as he took my arm over his, leading me through the woods as if I were injured. And my ego was, especially now as he carried me back to the parking lot. 

"Are you mad?" He scoffed, taking the whiff of air as I was probably heavier than he imagined. Or shortness on breath on either of our smoking habits, guess it's finally getting to us.
"Mad at what? I ain't mad...I'm mad that ya didn't call me...Don't want ya drinkin' alone no more...Got it?" I chuckled, especially when I saw his pick up instead of his brother's bike.

To be honest, I can just stay in the back the entire night. Sleep right on in there as if nothing ever happens.

"How did my brother get your number?" I questioned, holding my head as he left me standing. Funny bit was, I completely forgot about my bike until he rolled it on over to lift on up into the bed. "Called Shawn...It was a mess, do ya even have your phone on ya?" Patting my jacket's pockets do I hold it on out, pressing down the button as I turned it back on. 

Making the little annoying sound, but it was soon cut off as it froze by the numerous amount of people are calling it. "Yeah, don't blame ya for that one." Declining all the calls did I see the number of texts, voicemails that each of my family members had given me.

Even Dixon before me.

Clicking it did I bring it up to my ear at full volume to hear, but he must have seen what I was doing.
"Blake where the hell are ya? I got your brother textin' and callin' me. What the hell did ya get yaself into?"
Clicking the second one did I chuckle at his defeated expression before me, as he slammed shut the truck's stomping on over and making a reach for my phone. 
But my finger was quick to point to him, especially when his past self-came back into play.
"Christ Blake, they're 'bout to call the cops on ya. Got me worried, please just...Just call me back."
Licking my lips in pure amusement as the man before me just opened the door of the pick up for me. "Worried were you?" I questioned, but it was more of antagonizing. Especially when he placed the backpack down at my feet and just slammed the door shut. 

Rushing over to the drivers seat to get the truck started, and at this time did I realize how brutally cold it turned. Fairly quick too, as I rubbed my hands and enclosed them in my thighs. "Shit sorry Blake, the heaters broke...Gotta blanket 'round here somewhere." He must have found it considering his expression, and soon the wool like stitching draped over my shoulders and around. Inhaling the sweet smell of nicotine that managed to stay trapped in the fibers of this fabric.

"Comehere. Ya freezin' cold hun." Him taking me under his wing once more as he managed to drive the truck as well made me smile and giggle without so much as a thought.

But it was my heart skipping a beat to him calling me 'hun,' never was one for full words, or even full sentences. But that right there, that nickname was enough to make me smile, even if all I wanted to do was frown.

"How did you know to come find me here?" I asked. It has been silent for a good while now. Just the humming sound the truck managed to make for a time being, even then was it slowly putting me to sleep at how constant it was. And how warm his hold around me was, so I asked the question to keep my brain moving and aware.

"Don't got too many hangout spots, this was the third stop."
"What were the other two?" His arm moved from securing my position, to make me lie further down in his lap. "Shsh, we're almost there." The rusty accent was so devilishly persuasive, even with him stroking my loose ends back into pace behind my ear I couldn't stay awake much longer.

I must have fallen asleep, or something because when I opened my eyes, we were already turning into the driveway for me not to question why it took so long to get to his house. But as I counted the seconds did I realize that his road wasn't as bumpy or as long as this one is.

He took me home.


Daryl took me home.

Removing myself from his hold did I just go straight towards the window, and in doing so did I push away his offering hand once more. "Asshole took me home anyway?!" I yelled, all while trying to aid a growing headache and keep my distance, he parked in his regular spot behind the garage opening the barn door to put my bike on the back.

But what he failed to understand was me coming out of the car, leaving the blanket at the seat to just throw my bag behind some unused tools.
"That's it? Not going to talk? So it's okay for you to stay here when you can't go back to your house?!" I yelled, and he just sighed. Lifting my bike back down to the floor to roll it on in.

"That ain't remotely the same...Ya got a family who wants ya home, my dad don't give no shits."

I hit home the way his voice sounded, but it was a thought in my mind that came and left. Especially when the vodka was still fresh and warm in my stomach.

"Daryl?!" I heard a yell in the distance, and I just held myself and walked on into the bar. Shaking my head in disappointment as I shoulder butted the man before me. Blocking my pathway and took my drink away from me.

All in one day too.

"She alright?" I heard my brother yell, the steps echoed in my head. Even if the room was spinning as loudly as ever, did it not matter if I sat down, stood up, or laid on down to the dirt floor.

It felt like the world was rocking back and forth.

"Bro gotta calm down, she's pissed cause I promised to take her somewhere else...She had one too many...She'll be aight." Daryl sold me out to my brother, especially when I turned back to look and see Jarod wide eyes and desperate to give me a hug, which I was slow in reacting to. 
And hesitated as he inhaled my jacket, probably the sign of everything I took today and the weeks prior. "Where did she get vodka?"
"Had it when I found her, best get her inside. Those assholes ain't still here...right?" My brother shook his head as he too took my arm over his shoulder, and as my teeth gritting down to crease my jawline.

Enforcing me to pull away from his unnecessary hold.

"Thanks again man...Sorry to bother you on christm-" "Don't mention it, just...Here's the keys to the bike. Might wanna hold on to 'em." 

My mouth gawked, however in the world he had got them. Did my brother now own them, and in all terms did my stepdad own this bike...Guess it was in my own fault that I could have something of my own that I love, without it getting ripped away from me too.

"You thinking I have one key is on you." I muttered, leaving the barn again as I went on outside. Not bothering to speak to Daryl anymore tonight, not how he betrayed me like that.

I needed time away, and a few hours just didn't cover it.

"This'll blow over soon man, don't worry."
 "Tell me how she's doin' tomorrow will ya?"
 Some odd shake must have occurred due to the clapping of hands before the footsteps emerged on out to lock the barn, and instead of turning around. Did I feel the interlocking touch of Daryl holding my hand before letting go.

"'m sorry." He whispered, almost like a growl as he squinted his eyes even more than normal. Before going back to his truck. 
"Like the jacket!"

I couldn't even hold that laughter in, especially when Daryl snickered all the way up until he was in the confinement of his truck. 

Boys will be boys.

The walk back was nerve wrecking, every ounce of my well being just wanted to run back to my bike. Hotwire it if I have to, anything to get away from this god damn fucking house. 

It was right then my brother took off his lounge jacket, to hand off to me. Assuming that I smell that badly of vodka I removed mine to throw it on. "They're gone...Hopped on a plane an hour after you left." Again, it was as if my mouth was sewn shut, not bothering to give him the satisfaction of speaking or anything.

Just the amount of times I looked on back to see Daryl's truck slowly leave the property line, did I grit my teeth the moment he left. How could he just turn me in like this? I...I honestly thought he cared. 

Jarod passed by me to unlock the door where both my mother and step-father were sitting, Mickey just sitting on the couch slapping down his new toy as they all looked on off towards.

I looked at them both until my eyes were glued to my feet, watching them step one after the other up the stairs as I ran away again. Finally making it to my room, the door unlocked, no doubt they have a key to it as well.

Much like my captive bike key.

Stripping off everything that I wore today, down to the bra and panties did I throw them into the hamper. Grabbing the first given pajamas I could find before settling into bed, this time though. I left the door unlocked.

How else was I going to instill trust with the parents downstairs, because this signal burning factor still drained me inside, or perhaps it is still the vodka talking as my eyes grow heavier and heavier.

What sort of battles went on before I came here? 
And what does Jaclyn know compared to Jarod? 

All these remained unanswered, even when my body was asleep. But my mind was still wired, lucid dreaming or whatever sort of fancy way of describing it is. I knew when someone moved into a different room of the house, or when the door creaked on open to peek on it.

It was a game of guess and tell, continuing all throughout the night as I tried to go to sleep. But it wasn't possible, not when it was dark out. But the second the light hit our horizon, my mind triggered something that craved sleep, and I was finally in the rest of it all.

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Date Posted: 01-21-18 // Time: 3:11
Word-Count: 3459
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