I HAD a normal life...(part I)

“Common! Hurry, my parents will be here to pick me up at 7:20, which means we have about 2 minutes to get there if we want to be able to stay and…do well…stuff!! Now pick up the pace and run! Man, you guys are out of shape…” Sarah one of my best friends yelled back at Kimberly, and her sister (who was a year younger then us all) Sherri.

I chuckled, “I told you we should have left at 6, but no one ever listens to me.” I smiled at the scowl I earned from her. I checked the time, 7:10. I began to run a little faster and just made the traffic light. I stopped and turned, laughing at Sarah as she waited impatiently at the corner. I began to walk, waiting for them to run up from behind me and jump on me or push me. Ha ha ha and my family thought I always got hurt just because I was accident prone, little do they know I have cruel friends! Heh heh not really, I love them, they just tend to be…a little…rowdy. What can you expect from a large group of teenagers?

The light had changed and I turned to see them catching up quickly and making no move to slow down as they neared me. “Oh shit!” I began to really run then, as I looked back to see them right on my heels I narrowly missed a shopping cart that was left in the middle of the side walk.

“Ha ha ha! We saw that!” Sherri laughed.

I made it to the grassy field where kids could play, that was right next to the play structure, and Skate Park. I felt hands on my shoulders. “Fuck…” I breathed as toppled to the ground with Sarah on top of me. She laughed.

Rolling over so I was on her, I pushed her face into the ground aggressively. “Not laughing now? Huh?!?” I jumped off quickly when she swung at me and ran towards the Skate Park’s fence.

It wasn’t supposed to be opened yet, but that didn’t stop anyone, I grabbed onto it and began to climb like my life depended on it…but with Sarah chasing me…it did.

I saw confused looks as I jumped from the top of the fence. I would take her a little longer to climb it…I had some time.

“Shit, shit!!! Somewhere to hide…hide…” looking around frantically I saw her halfway up the fence.

“Mandi! Don’t run…I just want to talk to you, sweetie!” Sarah had wiped her face clean but there was still grass and who knows what else tangled in her shoulder length auburn hair. She looked utterly insane, climbing the fence as fast as she could with a demonic smirk plastered onto her face, her eyes wild with fury.

“Like hell! Stay the fuck away from me!” I took a couple steps back. I turned and saw a boy who had stopped skateboarding to watch. I grabbed onto his arm, he was ok looking one of those emo or scene boys…

“Please don’t let her get me!” I plead.

His eyes grew wide, “I-I-uhh…” he stammered.

I heard her land, she stood, “Mandi…common ill be nice…” she smiled, and it made me flinch and take a couple more steps away from her. I ran to the skating pool thing. She stepped closer, the boy moved in front of her.

“L-leave her.” His voice cracked and I smiled to myself.

Sarah sneered, “Move.” She pushed him aside.

She was 5 feet from me then, I turned and jumper into the pool, it was probably about 8 feet deep…

I landed roughly on the bottom; I wince and looked to my stomach, I had rocks imbedded in it, pulling down my shirt and standing slowly to take inventory I saw Sarah at the pools edge.

“Come and get me!” I laughed, groaning and clutching my abdomen, blood fell from my arm as well. “Crap…” I sighed.

“Pfft like hell I’m going down there, you punished yourself, look you’re all cut up…again…”

“Yeah…but, Uhmm one problem…how am I going to get out?” I called up at her.

“Run up the side the side and grab onto my arm I’ll pull you out.” Sherri offered.

“K, ready?” she nodded. I ran as fast and far as I could then grabbed her arm. Sadly she waited to long and I just hung there, she couldn’t pull me over the side and out…

“Crap…k let go when I tell-“. She released my arm and I slid back in on my knees…

“Fuck I didn’t finish! I was going to say when I tell you!!!!” I curse getting up. I had holes in my black Dickeys… “You’re going to pay for a new pair!! These were my favorite ones…but I’m still stuck” I mumbled.

“Let me help…try it again and I’ll catch your arm k?” this voice was different…the boy was so…sexy!!! I nodded.

“Go.” He called I ran and he grabbed my arm and pulled me up easily.

“Thanks!” I smiled and walked to my friends, “Hey what’s up you gu-. Oh! She was trying to kill me because I smashed her face in dirt…after she tackled me” I explained to the confused looking crowd. They nodded and murmured.

I walked to the boy who’d tried to stop Sarah, “thank you, not many people would stand up to her” I pat his shoulder. “I’m Mandi by the way. The crazy on is Sarah, the wimp who couldn’t help me out is Sherri, and the girl who just made it over the fence is Kimberly” I smiled.

“Jasper, nice to meet you.” He answered.

“What’d I miss?” Kimberly asked huffing.

“Jeez you really are out of shape, huh…” I shook my head, “this is Jasper Kim.”

“Hey…you’re kind of hot…” she smiled. He looked shocked

“Uhh thanks?”

“Kim be nice, k?” I smiled. I felt something drip from my finger tips; I saw a crimson pool begin to form. I looking down at it perplexed. Then it hit me…I was cut… I lifted my jacket sleeve and saw the large abrasion; it went from my wrist almost to my elbow on my left arm.

“Oh fuck!” I cursed… “man I'm screwed…” I sighed. I check the time, 7:15… “Hey you guys start going back; you parents will be at Kim’s in 5 Sarah. I’m going to see if Jerry is home, maybe he can help…” I sighed looking back at my arm.

“You can’t go alone, I’ll stay with you” Kim offered.

“No, you can’t stay; it’d be suspicious if you and Sherri aren’t there when she gets picked up…don’t worry about it I’ll be fine, it’s not that far.” I smiled reassuringly.

They nodded and left.

“Would it be ok if I walked you?” I turned and saw the guy that helped me out,

“No worries, I’ll be ok.” I answered.

“Just to set my mind at ease?”

“Well…I guess, oh your name?” I asked as I made my way to the fence.

“Damien.” He followed.

“Oh! Jasper, can I have your number? Kim will want it…” I smiled.

“She already got it…” he blushed.

I laughed, “That’s just like her…see ya around then, thanks again!” I waved climbing. I jumper down and felt my leg burn…man I was really falling apart…

I walked with Damien, we were both rather quiet.

I got to his house, “Wait here please, he gets a little weirded out when people he doesn’t know come to his house.” I said turning to Damien.

He nodded and waited behind a tree about 15 feet from the front door.

I knocked my heart pounding. Truth be told I had crush on Jerry…have for awhile…one time he got drunk and…well, kissed me… he’s changed a lot since then, he’s a total asshole… and every time he has seen me since then, he tries to go a little farther. I always refuse, and leave…but I can’t deny that I still kind of like him. Sick isn’t it?

He opened the door, “Hey bud how you doing?” he smiled

“I’m a little cut up…could I borrow some gauze and alcohol?” I asked

He grabbed my face, “what no hello kiss?” he asked with a grin.

“Jerry? Who’s at the door?” a female called from inside.

“No one, Yuri.” He yelled back

“Your girlfriend is there let me go…” I sighed

“I won’t tell her if you won’t…” he purred.

I pulled away, “Don’t Jerry.” I warned, I heard footsteps then, I turned to see Damien running towards us. When he got to us he pulled me into his arms and smashed his face into my neck, he let out a spout of hot air and it made me shiver.

“Mandi! Thank goodness you are alright! Kim told me what happened!” he pecked my lips looking relived. “Play along…” he whispered into my ear.

“Who the hell are you?” Jerry snarled.

“Well, the real question is who the fuck do you think you are, because I’m her boyfriend!” he pulled me away from Jerry.

Jerry looked to me then back at Damien “that’s a lie she can’t be your girlfriend….” He said dumbfounded.

“And why not? She’s not yours. Get over yourself she’s moved on and found someone who’s better and will treat her great. She doesn’t need your crap.” Damien answered smug.

“Whatever… just leave you whore.” Jerry snorted at me.

I pulled away then and punched Jerry in the gut, he bent over and gasped, and grabbing his hair I kneed him in the face. “Shut the fuck up you piece of shit bastard!!”

“Crazy bitch!” he managed to wheeze.

Damien pulled me away, “Just be happy she did it before I did…” he growled lowly. “Stay away from her, if I hear you even look at her again, I’ll come back personally.” His voice startled me; it was cold, and fierce.

He led me away, “My house isn’t far from here let’s get you cleaned up.”

I nodded, “Hey…thanks for that…” I smiled weakly.

“No prob. You really don’t need that shit. You deserve better.”

“Shut up,” I laughed “You hardly know me.”

“I know you deserve better.”

“Yeah, yeah. Now how much farther is your house? My leg is killing me…”

“Right there, it’s the dark brown one.” He pointed.

“Nice house, will your parents mind?” I asked

“I live alone…so no” he smiled down at me.

He unlocked the door and led me inside, his house was nicely furnished but it was a little empty…

“Nice place. Now…where’s the bathroom?” I asked

“Thanks, and I’ll take you there and help.” Moving down a dark hall he switched on a light and led me into the room, “Sit down on the edge of the tub. Ill be right back.”

I did as he said and waited… “Don’t move.” He ordered as he kneeled to my side and held the long knife to my shoulder; with a single movement he had sliced open the sleeve of my jacket, then the other.

“Aww man my jacket….only one arm got cut…” I sighed at my loss.

“Sorry, I wanted to make sure, and not make you take it off over the wound. Now…the pants…” he made one cut along the front on either leg.

As he cleaned and dressed my knees I turned to my arm, making sure he wasn’t looking my way I licked the cut, wincing a bit. Heh heh… I did it again…then more.

“What the hell are you doing?” he asked sounding repulsed.

“Uhmm...licking my cut…? I mean I can get all the dirt off and clean it that way right?”

He sighed, “Let me clean it, so that you won’t end up with dirt and rocks and who knows what else in your mouth…”

I nodded feeling like a little kid that just got caught trying to take an extra cookie and got scolded.

He laughed…”You’re something else…like a little kid…it’s nice, I feel like your innocent and need to be protected…then you open your mouth and it shatters everything… makes me laugh. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind, especially when you’re with me ok?” He smiled thoughtfully.

I nodded vigorously.

“Well all done your nice and cleaned up. But…your clothes are bloody and a little cut up…” he smirked

“Gee I wonder how that happened…” I said sarcastically rolling my eyes. He laughed.

“Call your friends to tell them that I’ll take you home so they won’t worry.”

“Nahh I’ll get home fine on my own, I’m staying with them…for awhile.” I waved off his offer.

“When are you going to learn to just nod and say yes?” he smiled

“Uhmm…probably never.” I grinned. “You see nodding has never been an easy thing to do…one time when I was trying to skateboard-“

“Don’t even finish that sentence…I don’t want to hear it” he closed his eyes and shook his head.

I stood and pat his head, “I was just messing with you.” He stood.

“Could I have your phone number?” he asked.

“No.” I smiled.

He looked shocked and took a small step back. “Wh-what? Did you say ‘no’?”

“Yup that’s exactly what I said” I smiled again. “You get to walk me home, then that way if you want to see me you go there, I don’t give my phone number out. But a word for the wise, I’m leaving in 2 days. Oh and Kim or Sherri won’t give it to you.”

“You are cruel…” he laughed.

I wince then remembered I had scraped my stomach…lifting my shirt a little sure enough…only it was getting a little purple around the edges of the wound.

“Geez you think you’d jumped in front of a speeding car or something…” he said pulling out more gauze and alcohol.

Once he finished he walked back to Kimberly’s and Sherri’s house with me.

“Thanks a lot for everything…and remember, 2 days.” I smiled when he groaned.

“Goodnight.” He breathed

“Night.” I pat his head and was closing the door when he stuck his foot in the way. “What’s up you forget someth-“ I was cut off as he kissed my cheek quickly and left before I could say something.

I smiled…goodnight Damien…