My eyes flashed open and I felt the heavy breathing come on. It was there. It was real and my skin touched it's pulling and taunting surface. I had another dream, but one with a visual. I saw my cove and the evil waters I loved that over flowed with demeaning welcome and suspicion.
The last thing I could grab from the clouded dream was my self slowly luring towards the tide line with ease and grace, I then took one more step forward as the water came up closer and closer. It matched my pulse again and it lingered nearer every breath I took and beat my heart let escape. And then the tide line effortlessly flowed to my feet and then the water turned black and the sky grew smaller. Then I awoke.
Words couldn't describe that dream. If I could even call it that. I slowed my breathing and calmed myself down with a few moments to relapse last nights events. The earth quake.
I supported my body with my elbows as I lay half up in position but my weak legs still strewn across the sheets. I had to get up and leave for agonizing and ungrateful people, I had to leave this comfort zone. One of my very last. I pushed the sheets aside with a moan out of pain and lack of sleep. My feet touched the floor and I flinched as the dream fled back. It wasn't the black water, it was just the wooden floors of my bedroom. I shook my head and tried to make the black water in my head become distant and forgotten.
The morning went as usual and I took a hot shower to will my soul to go to school and put up with hatred and fear, it was clear that it was not ready to spare me yet. Or never. It seemed waiting for a 'yet' was impossible.
I dressed and dried my long dark curls, leaving them down as usual to hide my story. Or at least keep it more plausible. The curls fell to my face as I took the horrific drag down the stairs and found the living area and most contents of the house thrown about. It was more intense than I thought. There wasn't that many damaged stuff but that memory of me in the dark, trying to fight the rush of objects and surprise came to me in a way I didn't want to remember or let alone think about.
I made my way down the stairs and picked up some of the fallen items. I picked up a picture of me, Peyton, and my father. It was one of us with the house in the background. I could tell my mother had taken it, we all were so young and happy. I felt tears forming. Out of anger I threw the already cracked picture to the wall and watched the frame shatter even more. I didn't care though, I gulped and abruptly stood up.
By force of habit I found myself in the garage again, staring at the pick up truck and nothing else. After all there was nothing else in there to look at. No BMW. He was not here anymore and he was not coming back. None of them were. They all left me in different ways and they were all untrustworthy. Just like the black water.
I turned around and slammed the door. I went to the front entrance and retrieved my bags for school. I didn't get breakfast from my lost appetite that reoccurred much later.
I stood outside not sure if I was getting picked up or not. Troy came to my mind and I let the thought of him flow. And for some reason it eased me.
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Troy's POV
I looked at the dark morning skies as I exited my house to my car that parked outside. The dark reveals of the sky reminded me of Gabriella's dark eyes. The way the looked when I questioned her was so indescribable. It was as if she were hiding the world away from everyone and she feared me. I couldn't make sense of it.
But I knew I was worried. Why was she so scared all the time? She hinted around to things and seemed so lost in her thoughts and crucial expressions that when reality came to her she had no idea what tomake of it.
She didn't answer me. She wouldn't. It churned and built up in my mind and allowed no rest, it convinced me that something was wrong. Terribly wrong.
Would I confront her or let it go?
I unlocked my rover and got in. throwing my bags into the passenger seat and starting the engine up as to leave. I couldn't why she was so afraid to tell me. Does Chase know?
Man, if he knew something was wrong with Gabriella he would probably freak out and lose his temper like he always did at night practice. He had the worst temper. Anyone could tell that he did. I felt bad for Gabriella that she had to live with his terrible attitude. It must be hard for her though. But maybe she was smart for not telling him what was wrong. Ugh what am I doing?! I'm sure she is fine. I always think the worst.
I tried to stop it but my mind wondered off more and more as the drive to school took place. I couldn't seem to control it as it grew on more powerful then ever.
I let it take over and left it to travel to Gabriella. My eyes focused on the road but my mind in a completely different area, surrounded by her. And only her. Until my worries flooded into the day dream and it became clouded. It festered harder and longer until it was all thrown to a halt and I froze at the wheel.
To the right of my car I saw a small figure that caught my gaze and stayed fixed upon her. It was Gabriella. She seemed to be walking to school, but why? Didn't Chase always take her? The thoughts of her turned into questions and then I saw her look up and change demeanors abruptly. She didn't move.
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Gabriella's POV
I stared at the car to my left and stood still. Not even my thoughts came to move. His eyes were filled with another expression that I never got but he always seemed to portray towards me. Sympathy.
He then rolled the window down and started to speak slowly. It took me a while to answer so he repeated himself.
"Do you need a ride to school?" His lips moved to the words but I felt strangely confused.
Then I opened my mouth and uttered a small word. He leant closer and asked me what I had said. I was too quiet to speak up and a little frightened by his presence. I slowed down my thinking that rapidly sped up again and answered with a faint nod. But it was not what I wanted to do. What if he asked me more? What if he pulled up my sleeve again?
It was risky but I had to get out of this neighborhood in case chase did show up and got angry. I hated when he got angry. It only resulted in one thing, if he got angry; he got me.
I was helpless and he lived to keep it that way.
I dragged myself around to the passenger side of Troy's car and opened the car door with a lot of effort and pain. But I did it. Once in the car he put it back in drive and we drove the endless path to school. Publicity.
I started to breath differently and my vision became blurry and I couldn't regain the feelings that took off so fast that they left me wondering. He noticed and looked at me with his deep curious eyes that made me silence and forget. They caught your attention and after a glance you can't let go. Like a grudge. Once made never broken. Once seen never forgotten.
"Are you okay?" he asked after a couple minutes of us not speaking arose. I shifted in my seat and searched an answer. How many times have I been asked that by…anyone? It always seemed to come up. How could one really answer that without breaking down? I eased up and let out a deep breath.
"Mmmhhhm" I murmured and attempted a nod. It was the least it convincing but I said nothing more. I kept cringing and trying to calm down as thoughts of what chase was gonna do came to me. Why didn't he come this morning?
"Ok you just seem a little scared or something, you can tell me if something is wrong?" he hinted and looked deeper into my dark eyes. I stayed in that trance but quickly turned my head to the window and broke the powerful gaze. What's going on?
I didn't answer him. I couldn't but he went no further and kept on to the drive to school. I am not going to be forced to talk about what happened. It scarred me enough that he found out that even the smallest bruise lied there but now if he figured out how it came to be there, I couldn't stand it. The secret made me stay quiet and compose a someone that was not me. But had taken over me. It took all the effort that I had yet to give. The person was like a monster but no worse than chase. It didn't grab my wrists and keep me in sight just to torture and become helpless.
My eyes followed the road outside of the moving car and they only averted when troy asked me another question.
"Did you feel the earthquake last night? I bet they had a lot of those back in California?" his manner seemed different this time. But he was friendly and welcoming. I wasn't used to it.
I froze as he brought up California but I held the tears in as much as possible. God I missed it.
"Um yeah they did" I whispered and let some small tears escape. My cove came flooding back like the rushing water of the ocean and it swept me into in again. This was much more powerful then the feeling that got the best of me or the beating s I received. It grabbed my soul and tightened it's grip. God please don't let go.
I am sooooooooooooooooo sorry that I have not updated in forever!! This and TOS have been on hiatus for now, and some other stories in the works! I love u all tho so much! Vote for "beauty and the tragedy" for missefron15's poll! Its such a good story!! Love and peace!
