A/N: not really happy with how this turned out, but i thought all of you who reviewed deserved another chapter. so here it is --don't be TOO cruel, but criticism is appreciated:)
Disclaimer:you know the drill; Britni is MINE though! "Runaway" belongs to the extremely talented BON JOVI!!
.Runaway.
"Bad day?"
Eve was sitting at the kitchen table draped across Michael's lap. Her fingers were tangled in his blonde hair and her black lipstick was smeared across Michael's lips. Britni blushed in embarrassment, but to be truthful that was what she wanted. Except the boy whose lap she wanted to be cuddled into was currently entertaining a silly sixteen year old.
"Urgh. Sorry to interrupt…" She averted her eyes and headed to the pantry.
"Hey. What's wrong?"
Michael was always getting worried about her. He noticed something about her that others didn't: a sort of fragility that was threatening to break with only the slightest pressure. And right now, she seemed closer to that point than ever.
Britni sighed. Sometimes she hated how some people just had a gift with knowing when she was trying to hide something.
"Nothing. I was going to talk to Eve, but you guys are busy, so…"
Michael made a move to leave, but Britni stopped him in his tracks: "Its fine. I just need to think, okay."
Turning her back on the couple, Britni walked into the pantry and into her sanctuary.
********
No one really knew what this hidden room was, but where the rest of her housemates shrank from it, Britini embraced its mystery and foreboding. It was like a kindred soul calling to her.
Michael had only ever used it as a hiding place, but when Britni moved in her had taken it under wing as a way to get away from her housemates and a place to think and be herself. No pretensions were needed here; she was free to cry or yell and no one would hear her. All her emotions that she had suppressed would come bubbling up and, in this room, she would let them tear from her chest like harbingers of her previous life.
The stone walls and floor was covered in carpet. Blankets and pillows littered the floor with a smattering a mis-matched lamps that gave off a comforting feeling that others sought in a hug. But Britni would hug no one. No one could get that close. Close meant love and love always hurt you. Loving was a weakness. And she was not weak.
Books lined the walls, notebooks stacked precariously with sketch pads weeping out of the corners. Britni smiled to herself as the secret door closed behind her. She was safe now. No one could hurt her here.
Britni moved over to her makeshift bed and sank into the plush comforters. Clutching a pillow to her chest, she let a tear slip from her eye as she remembered her old life.
She had loved her family. She had loved her life. Sure, no one else cared much for her, but she was happy. She was use to that world; had built a wall around her to protect her from the world that had taught her to be strong and unafraid; a world that didn't come out of nightmares and horror her novels. In her old world, she was safe; nothing could hurt her. Except for something more deadly than Death. Something even Death feared and evaded. Everything had changed and now…now. Nothing would be the same again.
She wanted to be happy again.
She wanted to smile and mean it.
To love outrageously.
To have Shane love her more than his stupid video games:
More than Claire.
But she couldn't get that picture of the two of them, curled together on the coach, out of her tortured mind.
A soft, hesitant knock sounded on the wall.
"Hey…you in there?"
Shane.
His beautiful voice floated through the heavy stone. The room might keep sound in, but she could hear everything outside; especially Shane.
Allie wiped her eyes and pinched her cheeks, trying to bring color back into them. Slowly, she made her way to the door, tripped the switch, and tried to put on a smile as Shane's gorgeous face came into view.
"What d-do you need…?"
Dammit. Stupid voice shaking all the time…
Shane kept his eyes on his feet as he struggled to bring words to his lips, "I thought…we could…hang out…or something…talk…?"
Britni bit back a snort. Shane was never so incoherent. Maybe he did care for her…
"Claire was worried that you hated her, or something stupid like that, and I just, you know, wanted to make sure there was no hard feelings or anything."
…or not.
Britni's eyes went cold as she dug her nails into her palms. "Why ever would you think I disliked her?"
Shane's head jerked up in shock at the callous in her voice just in time to step back to avoid the stone wall crashing closed. Maybe she did hate Claire…?
Britni felt a fresh flood of tears flood her eyes and cascade down her pale cheeks, as she flung herself onto her bed. No, nothing would be the same ever again. She would never be the same again. And it was all their fault.
On the street where you live girls talk about their social lives
They're made of lipstick, plastic and paint, a touch of sable in their eyes
All your life all you've asked when's your Daddy gonna talk to you
You were living in another world tryin' to get your message through.
No one heard a single word you said.
They should have seen it in your eyes
What was going around your head.
Ooh, she's a little runaway.
Daddy's girl learned fast
All those things he couldn't say.
Ooh, she's a little runaway.
A/N: PLEASE review! like i said...i'm not really sure where i want this to go, so please help me out!
