Free Enough by Briana Pacheco Page A

God Bryan, just let me go. I don’t want to talk about it. Just forget about what happened right now. Forget about me. I only mess up people’s lives.” I snapped.
    I opened the front door as Bryan’s mom stopped short.
    “Emily… ? What a nice surprise. Are you staying?” She asked.
    “Hi …Mrs. Vincent. No. Sorry. I can’t. I just came by for a few minutes. I have to go.” I said. I need to leave this house.
    “Yes of course, tell your mom I say hello.” She said.
    I let her walk in then I walked out. Wendy’s nice…she must think I’m nuts…I never walk out of their house like that. I closed the door behind me and went down to the driveway.
    I just now remembered it was dark outside. Shit!
    I wasn’t going back in that hou se though.
    Someone grabbed my shoulder and I jumped. “Hey, it’s only me. Emily, talk to me. How do you expect me to see you like that and not worry?” Bryan said. I looked down at the ground but he tilted my chin up to face him. “What happened?” I turned to walk away. I can’t do this. I’m a water fountain now. The tears just keep coming out. What was about to happen with Bryan was going to be amazing and I just ruined it. The stupid cut ruined it. “At least let me give you ride. It’s dark and if something happened I don’t know what I would do.”
    If only he knew that something already happened.
    I reluctantly got into his car.
    It was the quietest five minute drive to my house ever.
    I stopped him f rom saying something when he turned of his car.
    “ Bryan, don’t. I said I don’t want to talk about it. I know that you’re very protective but you can’t…you couldn’t this time. I’m sorry.”
    He held my hand and turned towards me.
    “What happened at my house…that was real. I care about you. You can trust me. If you don’t want to talk about it then don’t. I won’t pressure you. But I will find out sooner or later. If someone hurt you, I will find them and–”
    “Don’t try and get hurt for me.” I said. He stared at me with those eyes. “I’m not worth it.” Before I could say anything else, Bryan’s lips were on mine. It was probably two seconds but I didn’t mind.
    “You are worth it. ” He said.
    I opened the passenger side door and g ot out.
    “Ju st forget what you saw, Bryan.” I said.
    He was about to say somethin g else but I walked towards my house, turning my back to him.
    I ca n’t look at him and not tell him everything.
    Someone already kno ws what happened and let’s hope that he doesn’t tell anyone.

4 . The Truth
     
    As I walked inside the house, Declan was about to walk into the kitchen but turned my way instead. “Hey, you’re home late. Where were you? School ended two hours ago. Oh and Tiffany came by and asked for you, too.” He said.
    I headed up the stairs.
    “If anyone comes by, tell them I’m not here.” I said.
    “Di d you get into a fight with your friends?” He asked concerned.
    Sorry, big brother. I’m not in the mood.
    “Yeah, something like that. Don’t tell them I’m here, okay?”
    “Yeah, what ever you say.”
    I walked up to my room and closed the door. I made sure my iHome was on, my window curtains were closed, checked my closet and then I laid in bed.
    Christina Perri’s The Lonely played. I cried to it because how it relates to me. The lyrics really hit home but I just couldn’t find the strength to get up and turn it off.
    I can’t take what happened today. S chool, Bryan, everything. At the end of the day, all that was on my mind was what happened to me. I don’t want to talk about it with anyone. Not even Alex. Especially because he saw part of it. I just don’t want anyone to feel sorry for me or to say that I deserved it because of the rumors. But in the back of my mind, I feel like I do deserve it. People see who I show them. Do I come off as a whore?
    I got a few texts from Bryan but I turned my phone over and closed my eyes. I can’t do this right now.
    ***
    It’s