Chapter 11.

The ride to group on Monday was nerve-wracking, even with Brandon at the driver's seat. Callie wished she could pinch herself and wake up in her own bed, safe and comfortable. Liam had sent her a text an hour earlier: "See you at group." He almost always dropped Sarah off, and he knew she'd be there, too.

When they pulled up in front of the counseling center, Brandon turned to her. "Do you need me to pick you up?"

"Sure," she replied, smiling. "Thanks!" She tried to sound cheerful, as if it was an ordinary day. Brandon didn't know about the message from Liam. She hadn't told him. He was the kind of person who reacted with his heart first, head second. There was nothing wrong with that. He was a sensitive, loving guy, and she wouldn't have him any other way. But his reaction to Liam's last text worried her, because she didn't know what Liam was capable of, and she didn't want to put Brandon in danger. She cared about him too much.

Brandon reached between them and took her hand. "Good luck, Cal. I'd give you a kiss, but you know..." He reached into his shirt pocket and took out something small. "Here. Take this instead." He placed a foil-wrapped chocolate kiss in her hand, winking.

Callie almost gagged, but managed to hold it back. "Thanks," she smiled. Brandon's gesture was cute and thoughtful, and she loved him for it, but it hit a little too close to home. Callie was probably the only girl in America who hated chocolate. It wasn't that taste she disliked, but the memories it brought back. Liam would often hide candy bars for her, in her jacket pocket or her backpack, so she'd think of him when she found them. Chocolate still had the same effect on her, a sickly sweet remembrance of the boy who robbed her of her innocence. But Brandon had no way of knowing that, so she couldn't blame him for the gesture. The only time she ever mentioned it was in group a while back, when she was trying to convey a message to Sarah. Still and all, the candy made her sad. She never wanted to associate her sweet Brandon with that disgusting child-molester that was Liam.

"Are you okay, Cal?" Brandon asked, raising an eyebrow. She was there in body, but her eyes were a million miles away.

She blinked, coming back to the present. "I'm fine. Just spacing out..." She squeezed his hand. "Save the real kisses for when we get home." Maybe eventually, she'd tell him about chocolate, but not just then. His heart was in the right place, and she didn't want to hurt his feelings. She glanced at the time on her phone. "I better get going now. See you later."

"Okay," Brandon said, smiling. "I love you, Cal."

"I love you, too," she told him. "Bye."

Once the car was out of sight, Callie looked down at the candy in her hand. She's been grasping it so tight that it was melted. Quickly, she dropped it down a grate in the street. When she turned to face the building, she saw Liam's Jeep pull up at the curb. Quickly, she ducked behind a tree, and watched Sarah hop out of the car, waving goodbye before she ran inside. Callie wished she never met Sarah sometimes. The fourteen-year-old girl was nice enough, and she felt it her responsibility to protect the younger girl from her own sad fate. However, it was because of Sarah that Liam was able to harass her. Only she could've given him her number, whether she realized the repercussions or not. Callie waited in her hiding spot for Liam to take off, but he didn't. He got out of his car, and stood near the doorway of the building, leaning against the wall. He looked around every once in a while, and Callie knew by the cocky smirk on his face that he was waiting for her.

Just then, she lost her nerve. She couldn't go to group. There was no way she was she going to walk past Liam to go inside. The building where group was held was in a bad neighborhood, and the street was practically empty. He could easily grab her, drag her into an alley, and no one would ever know what happened to her. When he had his head turned, she made a dash for it, desperate to get as far away from the counseling center as possible. The world around her was a blur as she flew past restaurants and stores, ignoring the strange looks people gave her as she jogged by, and calling out the occasional "sorry" when she nearly ran into someone. She didn't know she could run so fast. When she finally stopped running, holding her side and gasping for breath, she surveyed her surroundings, and found herself on a busy street in an unfamiliar part of the city. She wandered around aimlessly for a few moments, trying to get her bearings and recognize something, anything. With a sinking feeling, she realized that she had no idea where she was, or how to get home.

To Be Continued