Chapter forty.

I scowled at Nora as I wrapped Phoebe's bathrobe around me, she didn't know that I had shorts on but what she don't know can't hurt her.

Stupid, stupid, stupid bet. Why did I have to kiss him knowing that this would be the outcome? She clapped her hands together evilly. I flipped her off before turning and walking out the bedroom door, I could hear her laugh as I walked down the stairs.

"I don't get why you're worrying about this, the boys have seen you in a bikini; how is underwear any different?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know why, actually." She had a point, girls are always fussed about guys seeing them in their underwear but they can walk around the beach in a barely-there bikini. I sighed and ran a hand over my face. "I hate you for this."

"I love you, too, sweetie," she hugged me and walked through the door with a wink. I heard her say something to the others but I was too busy looking out the window. It was just gone sunset, they let me pick the time since I had to run through the Johnson garden in my underwear that they got to choose.

"Are you going to stand there all day or come outside and face the music?" I didn't turn but I held my finger up for James to see.

He chuckled and joined me at the window. "It' looks beautiful out."

"Yeah, remember when we use to watch the stars and sunset as kids?" I looked up at him, a small smile on my face. "I miss those days."

He frowned and put his arm around my shoulders, resting his head on mine he said; "Those days can still happen, you know."

"But they can't, James." I moved so I could see his face. "Things have changed; everyone is too grown up to do any of the stuff we use to do... No one cares anymore..." I bit my lip to stop the tears from spilling over. I felt like the truth suddenly hit me. The boys and I were growing up, we don't have fun like we use to - our fun now consisted of feeding each other’s misery, getting drunk or getting laid. "Tell them I'll do the dare another time," I whispered to James as I grabbed a random top off the table and pulled it over my body, after I took the bathrobe off, and running out the door.

I could hear James calling after me but I didn't want to go back, I needed to think. Had we all really forgot how we use to be?

I mumbled curse words under my breath as I realized I only had socks on - not to mention short shorts and a random Johnson boy top. I let one tear fall down my cheek before keeping the rest of them in, I looked around me after I stopped running. I collapsed onto the bench, I ended up in the closet park, I looked around me, not many people were here - which was good, I didn't want people to see me right now.

A dog barking made me jolt upright on the bench, the sky was now pitch black and if it wasn't for the street lamp a little while down I wouldn't have remembered where I was.

"Are you okay?" I tried to see the person holding the dog on a lead but it was too dark. I shook my head; I was so stupid; how could I fall asleep in the park?

"Yeah, I'm fine, thank you." I stood up and tried to shake off the uneasy feeling.

"Are you sure?" They pressed, I couldn't tell if it was a boy or girl but I was starting to get a little freaked out.

"Yes, I'm sure. I best be going now," I quickly walked towards the exit. My ears perked up at the sound of footsteps, the shuffling of the dog through leaves made me hasten my pace - I was getting beyond freaked out now. I patted my shorts pockets carefully, trying not to give the person a hint I was worried. An image of me placing it on the side flashed through my mind, how could I not have my phone with me in my time of need?

It would take me over ten minutes to get back, the streets were deserted and I didn't know what time it was. Hearing a twig break behind me sent me running, the heavy footsteps of the person behind me made me speed up to my limit. My chest was moving rapidly as it tried to keep up with my heart, my legs were aching and my feet were covered in dirt and cuts from only wearing socks.

I was a few roads away from my house when I felt my legs give up on me, I fell to the ground and instantly I felt blood touch my knees. Biting my lip to stop the cry escape my mouth, I tried to stand up, the sound of running footsteps egging me on.

Why was this person following me?

I gasped as pain shot through my leg, I had hit my knee on the curb and it was now oozing blood from a rather large cut. I kept praying that I could make it to the Johnsons house before the person got to me, since my dad wouldn't be in, I might as well see if Phoebe could help me out.

I gritted my teeth and dodged the person as their arm shot out to grab me; I let out a strangled scream and sprinted the best I could towards the house. I got to their front garden before the dog started barking at me. I almost tripped over one of their bikes since it was lazily thrown on the pathway; I braved it and looked over my shoulder. A man was staring back at me; he had blood-shot eyes, a fuzzy beard, a bottle of beer in one hand and the lead to his Rottweiler in the other.

Hammering on the front door, I called out their names, praying to God that they were in and didn't go out.

"God, calm down - Mitchie?" James squinted his eyes at me then followed my frantic look over my shoulder. "Trent, Kurt, Robbie!" He called his eldest brothers and they appeared seconds later, I felt tears roll down my cheek as the man stared at me - what did he want?

"Mitchie, Mitchie, what happened?" I could just about hear Nora's voice through the ringing in my ears. "I thought you went home? How the hell did you end up bloody, bruised and stalked?"

"I - I went to the-"

"Come here, girly." My head snapped towards the man. Did he just call me 'girly'?

"Back off," James stepped towards the man. "What do you want with her?"

"If she comes with me, it will all be fine."

"Mitchie, do you know this guy?" Tony whispered as he appeared next to me.

"No, I've never seen him before in my life!" I hissed back, my head felt funny, spots of black kept appearing in my vision making me fall forward.

"Whoa there, are you ok - your knee!" I felt Tony try to hold me up but he was failing, I just wanted to fall to the ground and have it swallow me whole. My body was in pain and my mind wasn't even trying to keep me alive.

"Mitchie, come on, stay awake." My eyes fluttered open as Sean appeared next to me. "You know you can't fall asleep, it's not good."

"Trent, call her dad, no matter what she says, she would want him to take care of her." I wanted to argue with him but thought better of it, my energy would be wasted for nothing.

"Dude, you better leave before I call the cops." James and Kurtis were still trying to get rid of the man but he wasn't moving. If a bunch of guys, one frantic girl and a half unconscious teenager on the front lawn didn't scare him away, I don't know what would.

"Mitchie? My little Mitchie, what happened?" My father appeared next to the boys, silently gesturing for them to move out the way. "Tony, what happened to her?"

"I don't know-"

"What do you mean you don't know? She was here the whole time with you immature boys-"

"Dad, stop." I tried to sit up but resulted in coughing, the fast beating heart and lack of breath from running still not subsiding - it felt like I was having a panic attack. "I left, accidently fell asleep in the park and someone followed me..." I barely finished before my father spun around and faced the man.

"Well, hasn't it been awhile?"

"Steve?"

"Why hello, Jeremy, how you been lately?"

We all stared at my father in confusion, I doubted my look was anything past pained but I hoped he understood and told me.

"Mitchie, this is Daisy's ex, Steve."

"The one she left for you?" I mumbled in a low voice.

"Isn't that sweet, you told her she left me... No, dear, your father stole Daisy from me."

~

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