Chapter 2

1993

Tate walked down the street towards his house. He stopped in front of the neighbor's house. Addy, his sister sat on the lawn admiring the house as always. Tate walked over to her and sat down.

"It's looking pretty again." Addy said.

"Yeah. You can't see that a cheating man's wife burnt herself and their children in there." Tate replied.

"You can if you're inside." Addy smiled slyly.

"I bet you're right" Tate said and stood, heading towards their house next door.

Tate walked into their house and up the stairs to Beau's room. He cringed when he heard the chains rattle on the wood floor. He opened Beau's door and caught the ball just before it rolled out the door.

"Hey Beau." Tate sat down and rolled the ball back.

"Play." Beau said excitedly as he caught the ball and rolled it again. Tate played for half an hour, as was his habit every day. And like every day, when he stood to leave, Beau stood too and was held back by the chains.

"Tay." Beau complained just like every day and Tate fought against tears.

Tate paused outside Beau's room until he settled down. He heard glasses clink together and laughter coming from down stairs. He walked into the kitchen, finding Constance and Larry drinking champagne.

"What's going on?" Tate asked.

"We're celebrating. Come here, Tate." Constance said and Tate knew that the glass she had in her hand, hadn't been her first. He walked closer slowly and stood across the table from her.

"God, you're not getting married, are you?" Tate asked bluntly.

"Not quite yet, no." Larry poured another glass. "I asked your mom to move in with me, and…"

Tate cut him off. "Let me guess. She said yes?"

"She did!" Larry exclaimed and raised his glass. Tate flicked his hand, and slapped the glass out of Larry's hand, before racing out the back door.

He started running as far and fast as he could. He ran until he didn't even know where he was. He ended up in a park. The sun was setting behind a bunch of trees and a few children were playing on the faraway jungle gym. Tate walked breathless along the trees and stopped at a picnic table to catch his breath.

"Tate?" a soft voice called out. Tate ignored it.

"Tate." The voice said again from right behind him. He turned around and was surprised at the face he saw. He looked her over. He recognized her long black hair, her crystal blue eyes and her sickly pale skin.

"Are you okay?" she asked and he finally recognized her voice.

"How do you know me?" he asked and walked past her.

"I'm Hope Murphy. I sit behind you in Home room." She followed him.

"I know who you are; I just didn't think you'd know me."

"I noticed you." She said nonchalantly. Tate stopped at a tree and sat down on the grass, leaning against the trunk. Hope sighed and sat down next to him.

"What happened to you?" Hope asked and reached out and touched his hands. They were slightly bloody from tar scrapes. He gently pulled his hands away and started wiping them off on his shirt when she grabbed his wrists and handed him a few tissues.

"I fell."

"While you were running away from the devil?" she teased.

"Something like that."

She smiled and Tate was mesmerized.

"I've never seen you smile before." He said

"You've never even looked at me before."

"I've noticed you." Tate echoed her words and smiled with her.

Hope grabbed a few more tissues and wiped the dirt off his face.

"Why do you have so many tissues?" Tate asked when he saw more than any one person needed in her bag.

"I get nose bleeds." She said simply. "Do you want to go wash up at my house? It's right over there." She pointed at her house and Tate saw where he was. He ran through several neighborhoods, beyond his school, and familiar places. He ran all the way to the beach. Hope's house was one of the few with their own beach backyard.

"Yeah, okay."

Tate stood and held his hand out to Hope.