Prologue

I pushed my now bruised legs to move faster, my feet felt numb yet kept on moving even when my mind was anything but.

My heart thud hard against my chest, breath coming out short and in puffs with my burning chest, trying to pump in as much air as possible.

I could hear their distant calls trail off with the wind, the same which threaded into my slightly wet long curly hair, that landed at my mid back. I couldn't think straight, my head fuzzy while I tried to block out what I'd been running away from.

How could they do this to me?

I've done nothing wrong, yet tonight made it seem otherwise .

I should have listened to my dad when he told me to stay, but stupid naive me believed him when he said it would be fun.

Fun my foot, when I was at the receiving end of their joke. I'll never take anyone's word ever again.

This would be the last of the joke and I'd get the last laugh.

I was done with this, I was done with all of it.

'It's dangerous out there in the woods,' my father had said.

No father, the woods are one less thing to worry about right now. Everything about tonight matters, the now matters, because the now is all I've got.

Adrenaline slowly drains from me as I pull to a stop, close to the edge. I've entered dangerous territory, a way forward is a road to no return.

I'm bruised and hurting, but nothing could compare to the pain in my heart. It had been years since anything came close to affecting my heart, like the one night years ago, that changed everything for me.

The water at the bottom calls one to attention, the edge of the hill daring. My bruised hands clench into fists on my sides, my torn red dress dancing around my skin in it's own rhythm.

My bare feet take slow and easy steps forward, each one matching my heart beat. I don't want to prolong this, the decision has been made, it's finalised, a done deal.

I'm not turning back from this. I can't. I won't.

The wind slightly shoves me forward, encouraging me to end this. My eyes automatically close, my lashes brushing against my skin.

'It's better doing it with eyes closed.' He'd said.

Him, the one who's name I'm afraid to even mention. I don't even know why my thoughts have taken me back to him. Guess he never really left this half heart of mine.

I'll never see him again, but that doesn't mean I won't allow him to be part of this moment, the moment we dared each other to have once grown. But I'm here, all grown and alone.

I've always been a counter and I won't stop now.

' 1, 2, 3....'

' Sweet?' A voice says from behind.

My heart stops, my eyes pop open and all I can think is, he's here.

I must be hallucinating already, my mind making up things just to mock me.

Well not even you, with your teasing can do any more harm.

I'm putting an end to it.

A surge of adrenalin hits me at a go, unexpectedly. With my mind set, my shoulders squared and head tilted up with my last dignity intact, I take my final step.

' Sweet!'