The rest of the day passes and as everyone else is walking out I'm walking to the locker room for basketball practice. It smells the same as always: like sweat and sewer. The coach isn't there yet so I start our stretches and sprints around the gym. We run through the plays and the rest of practice is a scrimage.
After two hours of practice I step outside and scan the line of cars. Tasha waves and I slip into the passenger seat. Once we get back I hit the shower, wanting to avoid the others. I know Bree will want an answer to her question at lunch if she has to squeeze it out of me. At the desk before a window overlooking the yard I sit doing homework when a knock sounds and Bree pops her head in.
"Hey," she flops onto the bed. She lays there while I finish and put it all away into my backpack before stating, "You were going to tell me something today during lunch." I inhale sharply, even though I knew it would come up sometime.
"Was I?" I try to play it off.
"About why you don't want to date," she says. There is no more pretending with Bree.
"It's...complicated," I begin softly. "I had two boyfriends. The first was alright but he broke up with me a few months in. The second one, Jacob, seemed perfect. He was polite, respectful, and athletic, funny."
"Sounds like a great guy," Bree offers.
"Yeah, until he started being overly protective and obsessive. He was always texting me and if I didn't respond he got angry, saying he was worried something happened. After a while I got sick of it and broke up with him.
"But he would send me these pictures of him holding a gun and threatening to hurt me or someone I knew if we didn't get back together. My parents and I got a restraining order and he backed off for about two months.
"One day when I was on a jog this car pulled up, someone jumped out and threw me in the trunk. I couldn't see who they were because they were wearing these ski masks. They didn't think of checking me for a phone. I called the cops and texted my mom that I loved her. When the car stopped Jacob opened the trunk and dragged me by the hair into this old building. He tried to... he..." my voice breaks and I shake my head, trying to clear the pain and terror from my mind. Bree crawls up and wraps her arms around me as I sniffle.
"The police had tracked my cell phone and arrested them. But not before he..." I trail off and wipe my face with the back of my hand. "I was so scared, Bree. I didn't know what was happening or if I would see tomorrow."
She hugs me tighter and without looking I know she's crying with me. "I am so lucky you made it out," she tells me. "Who else would be my best friend and know me as well as you do?" This causes me to cry harder.
"Thank you," I manage to choke out between ragged breaths.
"Hey, what are friends for? I will always cry with you," she says, squeezing me tighter. Tears roll down both our faces.
Thank you for being patient with me and my slow updating. This hopefully explains the rating of my story a bit. I rated it M to play it safe. I hope you like it and please review!