Chapter Four: I'm Sorry

Warning: Characters are a little OOC

I finally ceased my running when I reached the river on the opposite side of the forests of the construction site. My legs were burning and my skin was coated in a thin layer of sweat. Exhausted, I settled down on a fallen log laying across the width of the river. I couldn't take it; the look in Beatrice's eyes when she saw me. It hurt very, very much.

Idiot. How can you let Beatrice get to you?

I hissed under my breath and dipped my toes in the water below. A shiver of hatred shifted my spine.

Why am I so afraid?

Curling up and drawing it back, I slammed my fist down on the tree, splintering the wood and cutting my hand. I could feel chips shove themselves into my skin, but I ignored the pain. The deep throbbing in my broken heart was too great.

I can't stay here. But I can't leave the owls to be buried alive. What the hell am I gonna do?

I sighed, shoved myself off the log and headed back to Coconut Cove. My feet were near bleeding once I reached the town and I went to the nearest convenience store to get some snacks for breakfast.

The bell made a cute little ding when I pushed open the door. The smell of spilt soda and burnt pizza met my nose, and it took all my strength not to cringe. The cashier, a girl of early twenty wearing too much making up and chomping on bubble gum, was staring at me as if I were a bug of some sort and was deciding whether she should squish me or not. I shot her a look that announced I am a rabid squirrel and I want my cookies!

I slid into the aisles until I found my treasure: Oreo Cookies! (available six in one pack!) I snatched two packs off the shelf and went to the counter.

"Is that all?" the woman drawled in a bored tone.

"I believe so," I muttered, narrowing me eyes as she eyed me up and down. "You got a problem?"

She smiled, revealing teeth that I knew were bleached with household products. "It's a shame you have to buy cookies when you can't buy respectable clothes."

My eyes widened for a second then relaxed. "Well, it's a shame you have to wear so much make-up it scares away the clientele." I felt a smirk plant itself on my face as the cashier's mouth puckered and she rang up my items.

"Two sixty-eight."

I reached into one of the pockets of my shorts and easily slid a five dollar bill out. I handed it over and the woman gave me my change. "Thank you," I said in a overly-cheerful voice and a fake smile. I fought back laughter as she tried, keyword TRIED, to smile back. I swiped the cookies off the counter and left the store without another word.

As soon as I stepped back into the sunlight my cookies left my hand.

"Hey!"

"Thanks for the cooks, cookie dough."

Whipping around, I came face to face with a behemoth of a kid wearing baggy pants, which were probably falling off his butt, and a rather tight neon green shirt. His skin was bright red as if he was hanging out in the sun too much. In one of his beefy hand were my cookies, possibly smooshed to oblivion.

"Yo! I didn't buy those for you! Hand'em over!"

His smiled; I almost threw up. "Now, why would I give you my cookies, doll?" He gestured to my body with his other hand. "You don't need them if you want to keep that very, very sexy figure."

My mouth dropped open halfway and was lopsided, like an open-mouth smirk. "Excuse me?"

He smiled wider. "I'm sorry. You're right; sexy does not even begin to cover-"

His words were cut off by my fist in his stomach. I withdrew my fist as he doubled-over and blasted me with breath that smelled like a rotting roadkill. I swallowed the bile that was rising in my throat. Taking the chance, I snatched my cookies from his weakened grasp and took off running.

(Thirty Minutes Later)

I was sitting on the dock that was closest to the ocean looking out over the big blue puddle, cookies long gone. I had bandaged my hand, which had began to promptly bleed about fifteen minutes ago. My feet were dangled over the edge and my toes barely skimmed the water when I swung my feet.

Brushing the cookie crumbs off my shorts, I hastily rose to my feet and stared at the ocean. I spotted a small group of dolphins shooting out of the water several hundred yards from the shore. Unconsciously, I wondered what it would be like to live with the dolphins; I'd never be alone, always had someone by my side, had plenty of food and water, and could sleep wherever I wanted.

Have friends by your side no matter what.

I brushed a tear away from my face and sighed softly.

Soft footfalls behind me caught my attention for a moment, but I continued to watched the big puddle. I was shocked into alertness when an arm wrapped itself around my waist and its partner snaked right under my chest.

"Why did you run?"

I almost smiled at the familiar voice. It was him, my dolphin, my friend. "I had to."

"No you didn't." Warm breath caressed the skin when my neck fused with the rest of my body. "You could have stayed." Soft, plushy lips rested against the base of my neck. "I wouldn't have let her do anything to you." Another gentle kiss on a bare part of my shoulder. "You know that."

What is he on? I have never seen this side of him before. "What have you been smoking?"

He laughed quietly, his warm breath cascading onto and over my shoulder. "Nothing." The hand that was closer to my jeans lifted my tank up a couple inches and gently stroked the bare skin. "You're warm," he commented, rubbing my sensitive skin with his fingertips.

"Hmm..." I leaned into his touch, my back resting against his chest, and reached a hand back to bury it in his blonde hair. "Where's your sister?" My fingers wove into his blonde locks, tugging playfully, and I leaned my head on his shoulder. I lifted my chin and placed my lips on the underpart of his jaw.

"Not here," he whispered in my ear.

I closed my eyes.

"I'm sorry."


A/N: Okay! I posted this at 1 in the morning (be happy). Just because I promised you guys would get this today (technically yesterday, but who cares)! My teeth feel weird... Oh sorry, just got my braces off and I got my retainer... Enough about the teeth! The 5th chapter will be posted a few moments after this! Yes, I'm that nice (actually, I thought the 5th chapter was part of the 4th... Oops)