Chapter11:Explainations
By the time they had reached the end of the street, Terra had to lean on Charlie for support. She could only remember feeling the drained after practice, that's why she had stopped. She did not know where she was going. "Huh?" Asked Terra. "You said something...didn't you?" Terra was barefoot, and cold. She had left her shoes and coat at Charlie's. Charlie looked up at Terra and shook his head.
"Earlier today, you said "'No! Not again!' What did that mean? And you did say that you would tell me everything when you saw me next." Terra groaned and shuddered. She shuffled up the house steps. "Come in. My mom is not home. I will tell you...in..side.." She held the door open and he walked inside. She went inside and passed many rooms, and stopped at the one in the back of the house. She unlocked the door and held it open for Charlie. She walked inside and flipped the light switch. A red light filled the room.
"Okay," Terra hopped onto her bed, pulling the covers up to her chin. "To answer your first question...I will have to tell you the whole story. I have only told my mom, and she thought I imagined it all. She has me seeing counselors and therapists and I have to go to your school, to escape the gossip at my old school. See why I am a little reluctant to tell you why? Even though I just met you today, I feel that I owe this to you..."
"Are you..okay? You seem a little tired...and drained.." Charlie's voice was full of concern. Terra shook her head at his statement. "No, I am..fine..I think.." Charlie stood up and said, "I think I should go home. We both need out rest..especially you. You can tell me everything tomorrow." He turned on his heel and took two steps before Terra cried out to him.
"No! Don't go...I don't want to be..alone.." Charlie stood riveted to the spot. He looked around the room at all the music posters and drawings around the room. He turned and sat down on the floor, facing Terra. There were shadows underneath Terra's eyes. She tried to smile, but she was too exhausted.
"O..kay. At my old school, I met a guy. We went to that bar. And we ran into some trouble. We were underage, but they said they would let us in and do anything and drink anything we wanted, if I would...hah..If I would be theirs for the night. I did not know about this. And he didn't tell me until he had to leave. He left me there for the night. We had been drinking, because that's what you do at bars. I started to walk out, but these two big men stopped me. They said that they hadn't been paid for all their trouble, and I wasn't going anywhere until they were paid. So I handed them $40, and I thought that would cover it, but they took the money and laughed."
By now, Terra was short of breath, but she kept talking. She had to tell Charlie her story, and why she kept running. Charlie was sitting, listening intently to her relate her tale. "...I slipped past them, and started walking out of the bar. I hit a light pole, but kept on walking. They followed me out. So, I ran for it! I ran into traffic, and was almost hit by a truck, but..you..saved me. I had hoped I had lost them, but they followed me any way. I ran for it again, and they chased me down." By now tears were starting to form in Terra's eyes, but she wiped them quickly away. ".. I ran into someone's house and called the cops, and when they got there I was on the ground with two big me on top of me. One ran for it, and the other was taken to jail. Anyway, the one who ran for it put that flier up in the window of me being missing. I ran and ran, I ran until I could not breathe anymore. I wanted to come back, but he was there. He told me that he had been following me, and next time he meets me, he will not be nice. I am so sorry that you know this, and it is all just..so..I don't know. All I know is that I am scared, and I am sorry. And I wish I had never met Danny. It is all his fault."