I felt shaking against my shoulder. I turned around and snuggled against the pillow. 

“C’mon Chloe, we have to get back.  Your parents are probably worried sick,” Reese said.

“I highly doubt it, now move,” I muttered pushing his hand off and ducking my head under the covers. Please go away Reese. 

“Chloe.” he pulled the covers from my head. I felt the bed dip and an arm go around my waist. My once closed eyes shot open. 

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Waking you up, of course.” I felt his lips against the base of my throat and instantly shot out of bed. “I’m awake! I’m awake,” I said running into the bathroom and locking the door behind me. 

I heard Reese’s deep chuckle through the door. Looking in the mirror I realized how bad I looked. My hair was everywhere and I had bags under my eyes. Splashing water on my face, I felt my senses wake. I stretched and fixed my clothes before going back out.

“Lets go asshole.”

“What’s your address?” Reese asked as we pulled up into my neighborhood. 

“Take me to Amber’s”

He stopped the car and turned to me. “Why don’t you want to go home?” He asked me searching my eyes. Ugh. Nosey much?

“My cars at Ambers remember. I’ll drive myself home,” I said running my hands through my hair. He narrowed his eyes at me, like he didn’t believe me, but took me anyway. 

“Turn left at this stop sign. Her house is the second on the right,” I said unbuckling my seat belt. He did as directed and pulled at a stop in front of Ambers house. He turned off the engine and faced me. 

“Listen, I’m so sorry, ok. I’m so sorry that I pulled a gun out on you and I’m sorry that I can’t talk to you again. But it’s for your safety. It was nice getting to know you or at least attempting to. You’re amazing,” he said smiling at me. 

I nodded my head and got out the car. “It was nice getting to talk to the bad boy I guess, see you around Reese, my boy.” 

I was halfway up Ambers driveway when Reese honked his horn making me turn around.

“What,” I called out. 

“Be safe and stop smoking. Its an ugly habit and you are way to cute for it.” Then he was gone. 

I watched him speed down the road and disappear. Stupid, Reese Parker. 

“Where have you been? Where’s sexy Reese Parker?” Amber asked once I entered her room. “Gone, in the wind girl.” 

“Fabulous,” We said at the same time, laughing.

“So, where did you two go yesterday? Did he take you some where romantic? Was there candles,” Amber asked looking dreamy at me. 

“He took me to waffle house, I got sick off the syrup, passed out and he brought me to the nearest Motel that he could find so I could rest,” I easily lied. 

She nodded and tossed me my keys. “Go home and let your parents know you’re alive. They haven’t seen you in two days,” she said. 

 I got up and stretched. “Not like they care,” I said picking up my keys and walking out. 

I haven’t seen my parents since the dream. I drove on my familiar street and into my driveway. I stared at my house. On the outside it looked normal. Like a happy family could be in there. A family that loves each other. 

If only they knew. Inside that house is was everything except normal. We weren’t a happy family in there. I didn’t even know if my parents cared about let alone loved me. 

I got out of my car and grabbed my bags from the backseat. 

“Chloe is that you,” my mom said rushing towards the front door. She wrapped her arms around me and sighed. “Jesus, where have you been the past two days? Do you know how worried we have been. Don’t you ever just up and disappear without calling.” 

I stared at her shocked. She cared?

“You care,” I asked. She pulled back and looked at me, confusion in her eyes. She looked kind of hurt too. Like she couldn’t believe I had asked such a thing. “Yes, I care. You’re my only child Chloe, why wouldn’t I care,” she asked. My dad chose that time to round the corner, relief flashing in his eyes when he sees me. 

“Well, you and dad are always arguing. You never notice me anymore. Its like you don’t care. You never ask me how my day has been or what’s going on in my life! For goodness sake guys you don’t even notice that I smoke,” I said.

I pulled out of my mom’s embrace and shook my head at them. “Do you guys even love me?” I asked. They looked at me, my dad with his mouth hanging open, my mom with tears gathered in her eyes. 

I ran up the stairs and into my room, locking the door behind me. I didn’t have time for them today. I just wanted to take a shower and be done for the day. Stupid parents.

“Look Chloe! I didn’t slam your door this time!” Amber said skipping over to my side and pulling me out the car.

“Super,” I muttered. I slipped my book bag over my shoulder and walked up the main sidewalk and inside my school. 

“Parents again?” Amber said linking her arm through mine. “Yes, I told them how I felt and every since I woke up this morning, I’ve been feeling bad. I should have handled it better.”

Amber laid a gentle pat on my back and led me to my locker. “Its ok,” she said. I nodded and unlocked my locker. “Hey, can I put my stuff in your locker for today? I really don’t feel like going upstairs to mine.” I nodded and moved out of the way so she can have access. 

I leaned my back on the locker beside mine and looked around. Where was Reese? He usually always walks down this hall at this time. I looked around and didn’t see him. I wonder if he’s ok. I hope those guys didn’t get him.

“Looking for a sexy bad boy?” I turned my head towards Amber and shook my head. “No, just looking.”

Reese wasn’t in class when I got there. Not like I care though. We weren’t friends anymore. We never were friends.  As I sat in my seat and glanced over at the empty seat beside me, I kind of did miss his annoying ass. 

It’s weird how a person I have only known for two days, can have a such a strong pull to me. I don’t understand. Shaking off the thoughts of Reese, I sat in my seat and looked forward, and guess what I see. A group of girls looking at me and laughing. 

I suppose they believe since the last they seen of me, I ran out of class with tears in my eyes, and I’ve slipped from my game. I think not.

Smirking, I stood from my chair and walked over to them. “Hello, ladies.” I smiled at them, narrowing my eyes slightly. They looked at me and laughed. “What no tears today,” one of them asked. The class got silent. She was the first to ever confront me.

I laughed loudly and threw my head back. I guess I confused them, because they looked pretty loss.

“No. No tears today, but what I do have is anger problems. You see, yesterday I was having a personal debate whether I should beat your ass or leave you alone and it lead me to the point of insanity. I just had to cry because every time I seen you I wanted to reach over and punch you in the throat but I couldn’t so I left the room, but today, I have no personal debate.” I reached my hand back and landed it in her mouth. He head cocked back and the other girls moved away quickly. 

I reached around and tied her hair around my knuckles and pulled her head back so she was facing me. Her mouth was bleeding, but that only brought me joy. “ You should know not to mess with me, sweet heart.” I let her hair go and leaned her chair back until she fell and hit the floor. I heard moaning on the ground and saw her friends run to her aid.

“Don’t let my slip up yesterday change your way of how you view me. I will beat everyone asses in here with tears coming out of my eyes and snot dripping from my nose. Don’t forget that,” I sneered at everyone in the class. 

The teacher choose that moment to come in the class. He looked at the bloody mess behind me, my bloody knuckles, and my shook up classmates before connecting his eyes to mine. It was silent so I decided to say something. 

“Well, you’re late. Where the hell have you been?”