Prompt: Runaway by Matt Webb

"Just give me the keys, Matt!" I yelled, pissed off beyond belief and crying my eyes out. He grabbed me by my upper arms.

"Alexis, no! Give it up. Don't run away, I'm your friend for a reason. Just tell me what happened!" Matt's grip on my arms only let up when I collapsed against his chest, sobbing. I was probably getting my eyeliner all over his shirt, but he didn't say anything, if he cared. He held me and smoothed my messy, dark blonde hair. "Talk to me honey. What happened?" He asked, once I had calmed down a bit.

"He… he left me. Just told me it was over. He dropped me off a block away and drove off. IN MY FUCKING CAR!" I screeched, pounding my fist against his chest as a new wave of sobs overcame me.

"Shh, calm down. It's gonna be okay." He said, holding me and letting me beat him up. "But what were you doing out at this time of night anyway?" He asked, looking down into my green-blue eyes.

"We've been fighting, all the time. About just the stupidest things," I said, sniffling. He led me over to the couch and sat down, pulling me into his arms. I hadn't realized it was late, almost midnight. Matt's brown hair, usually messy, was absolute chaos. He was in sweatpants and a tee shirt that looked old. Shit, I'd woken him up. The poor guy just gets back from a sleep-deprived tour and here I am, waking him up when he needs his sleep the most. "Oh gosh, I didn't realize how late it was. I should go, you need to sleep."

As I tried to stand up, he held me closer, wiping a few tears from my cheeks. "No, stay here for the night. You're falling apart," He said. I still tried to pull away, still crying slowly.

"I'm fine, I need to go. He's probably looking for me by now," My motivation to leave was totally gone by now, but I didn't want him to think he had to keep me here. I didn't need pity, I needed to borrow his car so I could get home. "Just let me borrow your car, I'll bring it back tomorrow morning."

"Stop lying to yourself. It's not fine. I don't understand why you even stay with him. He's so horrible to you. I'm sick of watching you fall over and over and over again. Did you ever stop to consider how hard it is to watch you do this to yourself? Because it totally sucks. I'm supposed to protect you, but how can I do that when you just go back to what hurts you? I can't just turn away, I'm trying to help but you just keep lying and telling me its fine. And when you realize it isn't going to be okay, then what?" He said, standing up and walking away from me. He grabbed his keys and left the room. I stood up and walked to the door, biting my lip and trying to keep my composure.

I'd never tried to see things from his point of view. How would I feel if this was the other way around? Of course, it never would be. Matt wasn't an idiot like me. I'd stayed with the same asshole for months, and Matt always told me I could do better. He just didn't understand, there was no better. I didn't want another fight though. I didn't want Matt to hate me, I couldn't live without him. I figured I'd better leave before I made everything worse. I opened the door to leave, hoping he'd just hear me.

"Where are you going?" I turned around to see a very confused Matt looking at me, head cocked to one side.

"I'm leaving. You're pissed and I don't need another fight tonight," I said, my voice shaking. I had stopped crying, but I was still shivering.

"Oh, God, no. No no no, that isn't what I meant! Come back here," He said, walking up to me and taking me into his arms again. "I just wanted to move the keys so you wouldn't mortally wound me with them in an escape attempt."

I laughed, hugging him back tightly. "You're such a good friend. I never want to lose you."

"I know, I'm pretty much the best person I've ever met," He said, laughing and stepping away. "Do you want me to drive you home quick? I'm making you stay here and stay up with me all night, but I doubt you want to sleep in that," He said, looking down at me. Even in heels I was shorter than him. Downside of being 5'5 and hanging around tall guys.

I laughed, a real laugh.

"Only if you promise not to hog the bed again."