The rain came pounding harder and harder, I bowed my head down to keep the rain from blinding me, yet I ran stumbling and trying to keep running as my shoelaces were left sloshing after me and the tires of my luggage bumped up and down hitting the back of my shoes with each step. 

They were coming after me.

I had tried running from them before, but they knew my every whereabouts, they would threaten to sneak into the house when I was asleep to kill me,  or sell me off to someone who could put my body to good use, they would know when I arrived at school, and when I was  riding the school bus.

My whole life I had been running, trying to find a way out, but everything I tried wouldn't work. At times I would ask myself, am I important, and why I am alive. But I couldn't do that to myself knowing I had a whole life ahead of me.

Looking back towards the people chasing after me I saw they were dressed in all black wearing  had hooded cloaks. One of them suddenly lifted their head as if noticing me watching them crookedly smiled at me, and began to run faster with more determination leaving his comrade behind.

I began to take on a full on sprint, dragging my luggage after me looking out for cars that would help me reach my freedom. Yet there were none, I continued running ignoring the consistent pounding of rain on my head.

Breathing heavily through my mouth I spotted a black Sedan car coming through the highway.

Should I trust the person behind the wheel?

A thousand of what if questions pondered through my mind, but I pushed them out my mind and listened to my gut.

I began to wave frantically hoping the car would slow down slowing my luggage to a halt beside me. The car was less than five feet away. Slowing down to a jog, the car suddenly stopped and parked belong side me. Behind him I saw two silver white Maserati cars that looked like it was chasing the black Sedan car. 

The driver of the black Sudan car rolled down the windows and frantically motioned for me to get inside the car.  Hurriedly opening the doors I jumped in, threw my luggage in the back seat, without even waiting to put on the seat-belt, the car lurched forward speeding down the streets passing the captors that were chasing me.

I realized I hadn't thanked the person for helping me in situation. I turned my head to get a good look at the person driving. I also realized the driver was a male who looked in his late-teens, he had a 5' o-clock shadow with a chiseled jaw that perfectly fitted his face. 

The driver as if catching me in my act cast a sidelong glance at me, running his eyes up and down my body, then in a mere second his eyes were back on the road. 

He kept glancing at the rear-view mirror and was making a lot of left and right turns probably trying to get rid of them. He seemed to know the road like it was the back of his hand. 

The car ride was in complete silence except for the sound of rubber and concrete coming together making a loud squeaky sound and the constant sloshing of rain pounding on the windows.

Quickly jumping to the realization of of my body still wet against the car seat, I involuntarily shivered and turned my head towards the stranger.

"I'm sorry for making your car seat wet."

He seemed startled to hear me talk then soon regained his composure only to mutter a gruff reply:

"It doesn't matter."

 I silently turned to face the window again silence filling the car again. I glanced at the rear-view mirror on my side to see no more cars following us.

I once again turned my head towards him saying:

"They stopped following us."

He sighed and took a glance at me, our eyes locking, then he reverted his eyes back on the road, without warning he sped up as we entered into interstate I-10 for what seemed into eternity he pulled over to a nearby hotel. 

I gazed at our surroundings not familiar with anything, because my parents forced me to be a hermit, except not because of religious purposes.

I got out the car, following him as he was entering the building. He opened the door for me, showing he at least has some manners as I quietly said thank you as he grunted back to me.

I let out a sigh as the warm building engulfed my body with heat I realized I was still wet. Ignoring the stare the receptionist gave me I trudged after him.

I bitterly shook my head knowing I probably looked like a homeless person living off the streets seeking shelter.

As the stranger accompanied me to the receptionist desk he gave me a stare as if he wanted to see right through me. Turning away he sighed and turned back to the receptionist and said: "Room for two, please"

I snorted to myself at the thought of sharing a room with a complete stranger, and to make it worse, I don't even know his name.

He took the key from the receptionist muttered a thank you as she replied: "Have a good day."

I snorted once again and trudged after him now noticing he had a suitcase rolling after him. We soon arrived to room 312 as he took another glance at me, then muttered something incomprehensible.

I walked in and saw two beds on the far side of the room one near the bathroom the other near a another bathroom.

He made his way towards the one near the closet, slowly unpacking his suitcase. I made my way towards the bed, then stopped myself. I was still wet and I left my suitcase in his car, I turned towards him, and cleared my throat-

"I left my suitcase in your car, I'm sorry I didn't meant to, I just forgot, I hope I'm not bothering you, I don't want to waste your time, I hope I'm not a burden--"

I was rambling and I couldn't stop, I always do that when I'm nervous. I mentally cursed myself as he looked at me curiously before shaking his head and left the room. 

Sighing, I sat on the floor with my back against the wall waiting for him to come back.

I wondered to myself what have I done to deserve this. 

My life is a mess.

My own parents hate me, and even want to kill me.

And I have no one to go to, no one to support me or comfort me when I'm crying or to share  my happiness when I'm happy.

I had no one look after me.

I had no friends.

It was one of those days were you question: why am I even alive?

And the answer to all of those questions is always I don't know.

Tugging my hair in frustration I sighed to myself not knowing what to do anymore.

Not realizing he was back I jumped at the sound of the click of the door. 

"Oh, it's just you" I muttered to myself.

He made his way towards me and put the suitcase next to me before making his way to his side of the room.

Thanking him I slowly unzipped the contents of my bag. Onto the floor, my clothes crumpling because of its wetness.

He came back over to lend me a shirt, now seeing I had not clothes to wear except what I had on.

Going to the bathroom, I changed out of my sticky mess, not before having a shower, and tried to tie my hair up into a ponytail. My long brown hair was unforgiving as I tugged until I successfully pulled it into a decent ponytail.

Stepping out on the bathroom I saw him on his bed, with his hands covering his face.

I softly asked, "Are you OK."

He did not answer and instead picked up his clothes and headed into the bathroom.

Sighing I sat on the bed as I tried to untangle the heap of clothes. Before long, he came out of the restroom with a white shirt hanging loosely off his chest and a pair of sweatpants that lead towards a happy trail. 

I quickly turned away heat rising into my cheeks, at the thought of me checking out a complete stranger, he is hot though, I said wistfully to myself.

I got up from the bed to put my luggage by the wall but not before a note slipped out from the unzipped luggage.

In scrawly tiny letters were the words: Help Me.

The note I written before I met my abusive adopted parents.

Crumbling the paper in my hand, I felt my body slowly tremble as I took slow deep breaths.

I got up pulling my shirt down with me just so he wouldn't see anything he's supposed to see.

Turning around with my head towards the floor, I walked back towards my bed, not noticing him in my way, I bumped into his hard chiseled like chest and put my palms down on his chest to prevent the dizziness from rushing into my head. 

He grabbed my elbows, as if knowing I needed assurance. 

He said to me, "Are you OK?"

It was my turn not to reply then, and instead slipped past his hold, and went to put the crumpled paper in the wastebasket. I returned back to my bed, still finding him rooted in the same place. 

Embarrassed I lifted my eyes to meet his, now noticing his eyes swarming in caramel. He broke contact to rake his eyes up and down my body and back up to my eyes again. Now flustered I realized the proximity of him close to me and took a step back then walked around him back to the bed.

He sighed, sounding frustrated, raking his hair with his hands, walked back to his bed.

Knowing none of us were asleep, I sighed to myself before saying, "Thank you for today, If it weren't for you I would probably be out there, somewhere."

Grunting in reply, He asked, " What's your name?"

"Emily, Emily Roberts"

Silence filled the room, the silence was killing me so I softly said, " I hope you know that you saved a life today."

Silence once again filled the room as I turned to face the wall so I could finally sleep in peace and harmony, but not before hearing him utter-

"The name's Blake, Blake Ryder"

Author's Note:

So what do you think of the first chapter?  I'm so proud of myself of actually writing so much. So far, I think this book will go off on a great start. 

The first chapter alone is so awesome, imagine how the rest will be like. I'm not going to lie to you, it's going to take a long time to update, especially because this chapter is like 2,000 words.  I want to keep the chapters long and I hope you guys agree with me. 

I'm thinking of exchanging this book for Red Heart, because that book is not going to end up well. I was looking back on my 11-year-old self, like, what were you thinking. Either exchange it or rewrite all the chapters into something different than some bull load of potion drinking and true love, I'm not going to lie to you though one way or another Red Heart is going down for real. ( I was thinking of the song GDFR when I wrote this.) 

But thanks for giving this book a chance, I hope you guys continue to read it. I'm sorry if some things don't make sense, or if the word is not spelled correctly, but hey I tried, OK. Also, If you don't like my book, I'm sorry. Just don't fill up my mailbox with hateful and hurtful comments over how I write, or why my book is sh!t. 

If you don't have anything good to say to me, then don't say it all. I'm not saying I can't take criticism, I can take constructive criticism just think about what you're going to say first.

And last but not least, enjoy the book while you're at it, Aye mate.

 ( *Laughing when I wrote this*) 

See you later, my lovely readers

~Starlight87

Originally published March 5, 2017.