Free It Was You by Ashley Beale Page A

serious amount of consequence to all this. He and I both know it.
    A part of me wants to run to Kyler and beg for his forgiveness, only for the sake of not being as harmed later on, but I don't. I can't seem to move at all.
    Robin snaps me out of my thoughts by getting in my face as close as she possibly can. "Are you okay, Ravyn? I'm so sorry. I didn't realize this would happen."
    "I'm fine," I tell her. My voice monotone and emotionless, as it usually is.
    Her eyes widen, like she understands things now. "I… I… I'm sorry," she whispers once more.
    "Come with me," Jaron orders, pulling on my arm.
    He stops pulling on me once we round the corner but I continue to follow him until we're at the front door. He peaks over at me, and from the look on his face I'd say he is more than pissed. I'm not sure if at me for being with Kyler, or at Kyler for doing what he did, or a little of it all. It shouldn't matter to me- and it shouldn't matter to him either.
    After a second of silence he finally asks, "How many times has he hit you?"
    I don't answer that. I won't. Instead I look over towards the road. It's about an hour walk home, and I could use the time to think. I whisper out a thanks to Jaron, then I head home on foot.

Chapter Seven
     
     
     
    I don't make it far before the rumbling of his motorcycle echoes behind me. He pulls up next to me, letting the bike remain idol. "Will you get on the bike?" he asks frustrated.
    "What's the point? So you can tell me I'm an idiot for being with him?" I can't even look at Jaron. I have to look forward, feeling embarrassed for being caught in the midst of everything.
    "Ravyn." He says my voice kindly. Almost like he doesn't want to be upset with me. He just wants my attention. It takes more effort than it should, but I turn to face Jaron, allowing him to see the tears brimming in my eyes. "Will you please get on the bike?"
    Nodding my head to answer, I climb on the bike behind Jaron, hanging onto his strong body. He doesn't have a helmet with him this time, but I don't care. I like the freeing feeling it gives me as we race down the road. I don’t have a clue where we're going, but it’s okay, I want to be anywhere but here.
    I'm not sure how much time passes by but I know it has to be a few hours. We're in an entirely different region. My legs start to throb from the constant vibration. Jaron finally pulls into a motel parking lot while I was contemplating on asking him to stop, killing the engine once we're in a parking spot.
    "What are we doing here?" I ask, glancing up to the neon vacancy sign.
    "Don't worry, I'll get two beds," he says before tapping on my knee to get up.
    He's a difficult person to understand. He's reserved yet kind, a bit controlling without being a complete asshole. I haven't figured him out yet and I'm not sure I ever want to.
    Climbing from the motorcycle, I look around to find familiarity. I don't leave Arlington often, I have no need to really. There have been the few occasions with Dawn though. Nothing about where we are is familiar, I recognize completely nothing. "Where are we?" I ask Jaron as we head into the motel lobby.
    "Vermillion."
    "As in... South Dakota?"
    "Yup." He opens the door and allows me to go in first. I don't walk though, instead I stare at him with question. Why are we in a completely different state over two hours from home? At a motel no less. He has a life, as do I, we can't just run away.
    Lifting his brow, he asks curiously, "Are you coming in or not?"
    "Uh, yeah," I answer after a second before finally walking through the door.
    The air conditioner makes it twice as cold in the lobby than it is outside. A lady in a maroon polo shirt greets us from the other side of the desk, a large smile on her face when she notices Jaron. "Hi, can I help you?" Her eyes never once fall upon me, they remain glued to Jaron while he orders a room for the night, with two beds like he claimed. I swear I watched the ladies smile widen when he