Categories > Original > Drama > Beat of Their Own Drums
She Walked Away
0 reviewsOllie can't take living in that house any longer. She leaves, abandons her family, her friends, everything she knows. Song used: BarlowGirl's "She Walked Away"
0Unrated
A/N: This one's a little different from all the rest, 'cause this time I got into two characters' heads instead of just one. It might be a little confusing, so I'll just tell you how it works; starts with Ollie, then the next verse, and it transitions into Kevin.
Disclaimer: I do not own the lyrics to "She Walked Away"
Song Used: BarlowGirl's "She Walked Away"
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Fifty-Five: She Walked Away
Puppets: Olivia Rokit and Paul Jonas Jr.
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She couldn't take one more day,
Home was more her prison now,
Independence called out,
She had to get it...
It was hard being the eldest.
No matter how many younger siblings there were, it was always hard being the eldest. They had to look after the younger ones and make sure they didn't hurt themselves or get into trouble, and were expected to 'set a good example' for them. More often than not, they were held in higher regard than what was fair, both by their parents and by other outsiders.
I knew that all to well. I had always been the oldest; originally, I was just Charlie's older sister. But then my dad got his divorce and remarried, and I eventually met two more youngsters; my stepsisters, Izzy (fourteen at the time) and Faith (who was six).
An unmentionable series of events led to me and my brother having to stay with them, my cowardly father, and my timid though kind stepmother for a little while. Our mom claimed she 'needed a break,' and just left Charlie and I with them.
It was ridiculous, really. I was 18 and Charlie was 16. We could take care of ourselves and, technically, I didn't have to go. But my brother didn't want to have to stay there by himself, and though I didn't blame him and chose to stick with him.
Until, that is, until Faith killed my cat.
A fight was all she needed,
To give her a reason,
She slammed the door with no goodbye,
And knew that it was time...
“Wait...what happened?!”
“I don't know!” Charlie cried from the other line, “All I knew when I came in was that Faith was crying and the cat was dead! Izzy thinks they were playing and that maybe Dusty's collar got twisted around her fingers and the cat suffocated itself trying to wriggle free...”
He kept talking, saying something about the scratches on Faith's arm. I knew it was horrible of me to not care about the little girl, but I found myself more worried for Ollie. Dusty was the sole breathing thing that the redhead seemed to love; no doubt she would be distraught by the grotesque way in which her pet had died.
“Is Ollie okay? Does she know?” I asked.
“That's what I called you about,” her younger brother said carefully, “um...there's not any chance she's over there, is there?”
Now she's driving too fast,
She didn't care to glance behind,
And through her tears she laughed,
It's time to kiss the past goodbye...
There was something about driving that made me feel better, no matter how upset or angry I might've been. Which was why it was so surprising when jumping into my Barracuda and racing away from that Goddamned house didn't make me feel any better at all.
I tried gassing it a little more, not caring if I got pulled over. Fury made me even more reckless then I already was; fury and grief, which were both very powerful motivators if given the chance. But the funny thing was, it wasn't really even about the stupid cat. Dusty, though a valued friend, was only an animal and was no substitute for human contact.
No, it wasn't about the cat at all. It was about the manner in which the cat died.
I knew I should've felt bad for it, but I hated Faith right now. I hated pretty much everyone, actually. I hated Faith for being dumb enough to be playing with Dusty's collar in the first place. I hated Izzy for trying to make it seem like some science experiment gone wrong. I hated Charlie for telling me the news. I hated my stepmother for not keeping an eye on her daughter. I hated my dad for divorcing my mom and creating a situation like this. I hated my mom for sending Charlie and I away.
Hell, I hated myself for being stupid enough to bring Dusty in the first place.
Hot tears of rage trickling down my face, I decided that Charlie was just going to have to learn to deal on his own.
I wasn't going back.
I'm finally on my own,
Don't try to tell me no,
There's so much more for me,
Just watch what I will be...
“I'm not coming back!”
I tapped my fingers anxiously against the strings of my guitar, which I'd been playing until this whole scenario exploded into my life. I didn't like Ollie's tone; it sounded like she'd made up her mind, and when Olivia Rokit made up her mind, pity any man, woman, or creature that stood in her way. “But what about school?” I tried desperately.
“I don't know,” she replied, though there was a certain inflection in her voice that told me she was distracted; probably driving, “I haven't planned anything just yet.”
“Ollie...”
“Don't try to convince me to come back, Kev,” she commanded, though she wasn't really unkind about it, “I'm done. There's a lot more room in the sky for me to do my tricks if I'm flying solo.”
She walked away,
Couldn't say why she was leaving,
She walked away,
She left all she had believed in...
I drove for a long time, and by the time I'd even considered stopping was when streetlights started to flicker on and the sky was darkening for the second time since I'd left. I wasn't sure where I was and only that I'd been going west, which meant I was probably just getting into Pennsylvania. Nothing looked familiar to me, from the street signs to the little shops lining the road.
That was good.
I didn't want anything to do with those people. I didn't know how long this was going to last, or even if I was eventually going to forgive them, but that didn't matter. They'd been holding me down, crowding me out, taking my freedom, but now I was free to do as I wished.
I was on my own. I didn't have to look after anyone. I didn't have to please anyone.
I didn't miss them. It was only my second day out, but I didn't miss them. I was glad to be rid of them; Charlie with his knack for pushing everyone's buttons, Izzy with her know-it-all attitude, Faith with her annoying shrieks of laughter, my dad with his glass-green eyes avoiding mine every time I talked to him, my stepmother with her nervous eyes whenever I was in the room...
I stopped at a light and was suddenly struck with a thought.
I kind of missed Kevin, despite everything. He was a good friend and I felt a mite sorry for him for the way I just left, but it wasn't enough to make me turn around and head back.
Not a day goes by,
For the ones she's left behind,
They're always asking “why?”
And thoughts of her consume their mind...
Ollie had been gone for almost a month and I was worried sick. I wasn't quite sure why it hurt so much, that thought. I'd been counting the days ever since she'd told me she wasn't coming back, but I wasn't sure why I made myself go through that.
Some days I was so furious at her that I wanted nothing more than to literally smash something to vent some steam. How could she just leave her family like this? Leave me? Didn't she know that we loved her and wanted her back?
Other days, like today, I just wanted to give her a big hug and tell her how much everyone missed her. I was worried about her, after all; how was she getting around? Had she brought some money with her? Where was she? Why hadn't she called? Was she okay? Was she hurt? Was she sick? Was she happy? Did she miss us, too?
I wondered. Everyday, I ended up wondering. It was only today that a thought suddenly slapped me right across the face. I love her.
God please let her know,
The love we tried to show,
We'd promise anything,
If You'd just bring her home...
It was hard, I decided, pretending like I didn't have any family. A lot harder than I'd originally thought it would be.
The getting along part actually wasn't as bad as I'd thought it would be. I just did odd jobs here and there, and though I'd been mistaken for a hooker (which was dumb, considering I didn't look like one) a couple of times, it wasn't so horrible. I didn't want to run back home like my mom always threatened I would should I leave; I could tell her that when I talked to her again.
I frowned softly. If I talked to her again, that is.
It was strange, really, the way their faces kept popping up in my head. I wouldn't even be thinking of anything remotely related to them and all of a sudden, wham! I'd have this image of a glum Charlie or a forlorn Faith and would feel a strange wave of guilt I'd never had before. And Kevin... I missed him more and more every day, it seemed.
It was almost like they were doing it on purpose somehow.
With a sigh I stared out the dark windshield of my car, which had become my one truly faithful friend over the course of my absence. I felt torn between two different worlds, and it certainly wasn't the first time. This had been happening more and more since I'd passed my one month marker.
I drew in a deep, decisive breath, started the engine, and drove.
She walked away,
Couldn't say why she was leaving,
She walked away,
She left all she had believed in...
She was gone.
She had to have been. It had been so long since she left, and she hadn't called or mailed or tried to contact anyone back home since the day she drove off. She'd forgotten about us. Abandoned us. Left us to grieve for the girl who might as well have died.
I wished I could've been a help to her family, but I was dealing with my own issues. My best friend was gone and was never coming back, and it was only after I lost her that I realized just how precious she really was. Guilt, anger, and sorrow haunted me all day like shadows I couldn't ignore, and I was beginning to think that they would never go away.
Would she have stayed if she knew how I felt?
I asked myself that question every day, but I would never get an answer. It was too late. She'd already walked away.
Tell her we love her,
Tell her she's wanted,
And one more thing God,
Tell her please, come home,
Please, come home...
“Oh my God! Kevin! Get down here!”
I cringed slightly at Joe's harsh yelling that was practically right in my face, but I didn't say anything. I was too anxious to fight, anyway. My stomach felt like it'd been tied in every sort of knot possible and I was seriously reconsidering my choice. I'd even almost done it, too, when a haggard Kevin Jonas peeked through the doorway and stopped me. At last; a familiar face!
His hazel eyes found my green ones and instantaneously his jaw fell slack, his sharp gasp audible when he realized who was standing in his doorway after all this time. “Ollie?”
I nodded and shrugged sheepishly. I didn't know why I'd chosen to come to him first. I guess I was afraid of how my family was going to react. “Hi.”
For a few seconds I was afraid he was going to slam the door in my face. I was, after all, the whiny little bitch who'd run off and left her entire family to wonder what on Earth had happened to me. If I were him, I would've been angry enough to shoot myself.
“You're back!” He cried jubilantly, flinging the door wide open and giving himself plenty of room to jump through, clutching me tightly to his chest as if he had to check just to make sure I was real.
I was too surprised to say much, but he kept whispering those two words, 'you're back,' over and over.
She walked away,
Couldn't say why she was leaving,
She walked away,
She left all she had believed in,
She walked away,
Couldn't say why she was leaving,
She walked away,
She left all she had believed in...
Even after I'd convinced myself that she wasn't just some cruel trick of the mind, I held onto her tightly, not wanting to lose her again so soon after getting her back. “You're back,” I murmured for the last time, “I missed you so much...”
She must not have minded my hold because she didn't try to squirm away like I thought she might. “I missed you too, Kev,” she mumbled back, “I missed you too...”
I didn't know what was going to happen now, but she was home. That was all that mattered.
The choice is yours alone now,
Tell me how this story...ends.
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A/N: Hmm. I realize that this song has a Bible verse at the end of it, and I make it a point not to write religious stuff (I try my best to be politically correct, see). But I think anyone can relate to this. I love this song, by the way. Sometimes it makes me wanna cry.
Disclaimer: I do not own the lyrics to "She Walked Away"
Song Used: BarlowGirl's "She Walked Away"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fifty-Five: She Walked Away
Puppets: Olivia Rokit and Paul Jonas Jr.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
She couldn't take one more day,
Home was more her prison now,
Independence called out,
She had to get it...
It was hard being the eldest.
No matter how many younger siblings there were, it was always hard being the eldest. They had to look after the younger ones and make sure they didn't hurt themselves or get into trouble, and were expected to 'set a good example' for them. More often than not, they were held in higher regard than what was fair, both by their parents and by other outsiders.
I knew that all to well. I had always been the oldest; originally, I was just Charlie's older sister. But then my dad got his divorce and remarried, and I eventually met two more youngsters; my stepsisters, Izzy (fourteen at the time) and Faith (who was six).
An unmentionable series of events led to me and my brother having to stay with them, my cowardly father, and my timid though kind stepmother for a little while. Our mom claimed she 'needed a break,' and just left Charlie and I with them.
It was ridiculous, really. I was 18 and Charlie was 16. We could take care of ourselves and, technically, I didn't have to go. But my brother didn't want to have to stay there by himself, and though I didn't blame him and chose to stick with him.
Until, that is, until Faith killed my cat.
A fight was all she needed,
To give her a reason,
She slammed the door with no goodbye,
And knew that it was time...
“Wait...what happened?!”
“I don't know!” Charlie cried from the other line, “All I knew when I came in was that Faith was crying and the cat was dead! Izzy thinks they were playing and that maybe Dusty's collar got twisted around her fingers and the cat suffocated itself trying to wriggle free...”
He kept talking, saying something about the scratches on Faith's arm. I knew it was horrible of me to not care about the little girl, but I found myself more worried for Ollie. Dusty was the sole breathing thing that the redhead seemed to love; no doubt she would be distraught by the grotesque way in which her pet had died.
“Is Ollie okay? Does she know?” I asked.
“That's what I called you about,” her younger brother said carefully, “um...there's not any chance she's over there, is there?”
Now she's driving too fast,
She didn't care to glance behind,
And through her tears she laughed,
It's time to kiss the past goodbye...
There was something about driving that made me feel better, no matter how upset or angry I might've been. Which was why it was so surprising when jumping into my Barracuda and racing away from that Goddamned house didn't make me feel any better at all.
I tried gassing it a little more, not caring if I got pulled over. Fury made me even more reckless then I already was; fury and grief, which were both very powerful motivators if given the chance. But the funny thing was, it wasn't really even about the stupid cat. Dusty, though a valued friend, was only an animal and was no substitute for human contact.
No, it wasn't about the cat at all. It was about the manner in which the cat died.
I knew I should've felt bad for it, but I hated Faith right now. I hated pretty much everyone, actually. I hated Faith for being dumb enough to be playing with Dusty's collar in the first place. I hated Izzy for trying to make it seem like some science experiment gone wrong. I hated Charlie for telling me the news. I hated my stepmother for not keeping an eye on her daughter. I hated my dad for divorcing my mom and creating a situation like this. I hated my mom for sending Charlie and I away.
Hell, I hated myself for being stupid enough to bring Dusty in the first place.
Hot tears of rage trickling down my face, I decided that Charlie was just going to have to learn to deal on his own.
I wasn't going back.
I'm finally on my own,
Don't try to tell me no,
There's so much more for me,
Just watch what I will be...
“I'm not coming back!”
I tapped my fingers anxiously against the strings of my guitar, which I'd been playing until this whole scenario exploded into my life. I didn't like Ollie's tone; it sounded like she'd made up her mind, and when Olivia Rokit made up her mind, pity any man, woman, or creature that stood in her way. “But what about school?” I tried desperately.
“I don't know,” she replied, though there was a certain inflection in her voice that told me she was distracted; probably driving, “I haven't planned anything just yet.”
“Ollie...”
“Don't try to convince me to come back, Kev,” she commanded, though she wasn't really unkind about it, “I'm done. There's a lot more room in the sky for me to do my tricks if I'm flying solo.”
She walked away,
Couldn't say why she was leaving,
She walked away,
She left all she had believed in...
I drove for a long time, and by the time I'd even considered stopping was when streetlights started to flicker on and the sky was darkening for the second time since I'd left. I wasn't sure where I was and only that I'd been going west, which meant I was probably just getting into Pennsylvania. Nothing looked familiar to me, from the street signs to the little shops lining the road.
That was good.
I didn't want anything to do with those people. I didn't know how long this was going to last, or even if I was eventually going to forgive them, but that didn't matter. They'd been holding me down, crowding me out, taking my freedom, but now I was free to do as I wished.
I was on my own. I didn't have to look after anyone. I didn't have to please anyone.
I didn't miss them. It was only my second day out, but I didn't miss them. I was glad to be rid of them; Charlie with his knack for pushing everyone's buttons, Izzy with her know-it-all attitude, Faith with her annoying shrieks of laughter, my dad with his glass-green eyes avoiding mine every time I talked to him, my stepmother with her nervous eyes whenever I was in the room...
I stopped at a light and was suddenly struck with a thought.
I kind of missed Kevin, despite everything. He was a good friend and I felt a mite sorry for him for the way I just left, but it wasn't enough to make me turn around and head back.
Not a day goes by,
For the ones she's left behind,
They're always asking “why?”
And thoughts of her consume their mind...
Ollie had been gone for almost a month and I was worried sick. I wasn't quite sure why it hurt so much, that thought. I'd been counting the days ever since she'd told me she wasn't coming back, but I wasn't sure why I made myself go through that.
Some days I was so furious at her that I wanted nothing more than to literally smash something to vent some steam. How could she just leave her family like this? Leave me? Didn't she know that we loved her and wanted her back?
Other days, like today, I just wanted to give her a big hug and tell her how much everyone missed her. I was worried about her, after all; how was she getting around? Had she brought some money with her? Where was she? Why hadn't she called? Was she okay? Was she hurt? Was she sick? Was she happy? Did she miss us, too?
I wondered. Everyday, I ended up wondering. It was only today that a thought suddenly slapped me right across the face. I love her.
God please let her know,
The love we tried to show,
We'd promise anything,
If You'd just bring her home...
It was hard, I decided, pretending like I didn't have any family. A lot harder than I'd originally thought it would be.
The getting along part actually wasn't as bad as I'd thought it would be. I just did odd jobs here and there, and though I'd been mistaken for a hooker (which was dumb, considering I didn't look like one) a couple of times, it wasn't so horrible. I didn't want to run back home like my mom always threatened I would should I leave; I could tell her that when I talked to her again.
I frowned softly. If I talked to her again, that is.
It was strange, really, the way their faces kept popping up in my head. I wouldn't even be thinking of anything remotely related to them and all of a sudden, wham! I'd have this image of a glum Charlie or a forlorn Faith and would feel a strange wave of guilt I'd never had before. And Kevin... I missed him more and more every day, it seemed.
It was almost like they were doing it on purpose somehow.
With a sigh I stared out the dark windshield of my car, which had become my one truly faithful friend over the course of my absence. I felt torn between two different worlds, and it certainly wasn't the first time. This had been happening more and more since I'd passed my one month marker.
I drew in a deep, decisive breath, started the engine, and drove.
She walked away,
Couldn't say why she was leaving,
She walked away,
She left all she had believed in...
She was gone.
She had to have been. It had been so long since she left, and she hadn't called or mailed or tried to contact anyone back home since the day she drove off. She'd forgotten about us. Abandoned us. Left us to grieve for the girl who might as well have died.
I wished I could've been a help to her family, but I was dealing with my own issues. My best friend was gone and was never coming back, and it was only after I lost her that I realized just how precious she really was. Guilt, anger, and sorrow haunted me all day like shadows I couldn't ignore, and I was beginning to think that they would never go away.
Would she have stayed if she knew how I felt?
I asked myself that question every day, but I would never get an answer. It was too late. She'd already walked away.
Tell her we love her,
Tell her she's wanted,
And one more thing God,
Tell her please, come home,
Please, come home...
“Oh my God! Kevin! Get down here!”
I cringed slightly at Joe's harsh yelling that was practically right in my face, but I didn't say anything. I was too anxious to fight, anyway. My stomach felt like it'd been tied in every sort of knot possible and I was seriously reconsidering my choice. I'd even almost done it, too, when a haggard Kevin Jonas peeked through the doorway and stopped me. At last; a familiar face!
His hazel eyes found my green ones and instantaneously his jaw fell slack, his sharp gasp audible when he realized who was standing in his doorway after all this time. “Ollie?”
I nodded and shrugged sheepishly. I didn't know why I'd chosen to come to him first. I guess I was afraid of how my family was going to react. “Hi.”
For a few seconds I was afraid he was going to slam the door in my face. I was, after all, the whiny little bitch who'd run off and left her entire family to wonder what on Earth had happened to me. If I were him, I would've been angry enough to shoot myself.
“You're back!” He cried jubilantly, flinging the door wide open and giving himself plenty of room to jump through, clutching me tightly to his chest as if he had to check just to make sure I was real.
I was too surprised to say much, but he kept whispering those two words, 'you're back,' over and over.
She walked away,
Couldn't say why she was leaving,
She walked away,
She left all she had believed in,
She walked away,
Couldn't say why she was leaving,
She walked away,
She left all she had believed in...
Even after I'd convinced myself that she wasn't just some cruel trick of the mind, I held onto her tightly, not wanting to lose her again so soon after getting her back. “You're back,” I murmured for the last time, “I missed you so much...”
She must not have minded my hold because she didn't try to squirm away like I thought she might. “I missed you too, Kev,” she mumbled back, “I missed you too...”
I didn't know what was going to happen now, but she was home. That was all that mattered.
The choice is yours alone now,
Tell me how this story...ends.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Hmm. I realize that this song has a Bible verse at the end of it, and I make it a point not to write religious stuff (I try my best to be politically correct, see). But I think anyone can relate to this. I love this song, by the way. Sometimes it makes me wanna cry.
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