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Chapter 17: Anywhere But Home

JOEYS POINT OF VIEW:

I ran and ran until my lungs begged me to stop. I tried to catch my breath, but I couldn't. I wiped the sweat from my forehead. I found a tree and leaned against it. I sighed, and roughly let myself fall to the ground. I looked around where I was. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. I just had to get the hell out of there.

I was in the forest, by a fresh, flowing river. The noise of the water flowing and birds chirping were relaxing, but not relaxing enough. I had to distract my mind. I couldn't leave it with my poisonous thoughts. I just couldn't. I was on the verge of tears, but refused to give in to the pain. I just sat down, my eyes shut as if I could block the world out. I felt like I was going to explode with all this pain in my heart.

Nothings not what it seems. Never. Looks can be deceiving.

I just wanted to run until I couldn't run anymore. Where was I going to run to? I had no clue. Maybe it's for the best. Sure, I only have my debit card on me that only has five hundred bucks from working at A&W...but soon I'll get a better job, and I'll go from there. No one needs to know that I left. Besides, probably no one will notice. But...I couldn't help but miss Klaus, Amy, Kenny and Megan...oh, Megan, I'd probably miss her the most. I loved them all, but I'm so pissed off at my parents right now.

A crumbling of the dead leaves on the ground, made me jump in surprise. I quickly rubbed my eyes, not sure if they were red or not from holding my tears back. I knew there was a person, and I didn't want them to know I was about to cry like a little baby.

"Joey?" A soft, gentle voice called out.

I didn't respond.

"Joey?" The voice asked again when I didn't respond.

And that's when those sapphire blue eyes came into sight. It was Megan. She sighed, as she put a hand on her heart. Her eyes were red. I knew she was crying.

"There you are!" She cried out. "The boys, Amy and me been looking all over for you!"

"It's supposed to stay that way," I said coldly.

Megan looked hurt. "Mind if I sit beside you?"

"Free country."

She sat down, and began to speak "Joey, I called your mother when you didn't show up for practice. I know what happened. I'm always here if you need to talk, you know?"

She put her hand on top of mine for comfort. "You don't understand," I said, shaking my head. "How would you feel if your parents were getting a divorce? Always fighting in front of you, fighting over who gets you?"

Megan looked hurt. "I wouldn't know. My father ran away with another women when I was a baby and my mother's dead. You're lucky at least you still have them both."

"I'm sorry, Megan," I apologized, realizing how insensitive I was. "It's just I hate my parents. Why can't they get along?"

"Joey, do you think this divorce is for the better?" Megan asked me. "I mean, you want everyone to be happy, not more fighting, right?"

"Right."

"So, this divorce will probably stop it. Please, come on, Joey, we all miss you. I was crying when your mother told me you ran out of the house. I was crying, Joey."

I pulled Megan into a hug. She laid her head onto my shoulder, letting her tears drench my shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Megan," I said, almost crying, too.

"Please, come home!" She cried out. "Please!"

"I have nothing to go back for."

"What about for your parents? Just because they fight doesn't mean they love you less. What about Kenny? Klaus? Amy?....Me?"

"Oh, and what would Klaus say about that?"

"Joey, shut up!" She shouted with frustration, "I told you. I don't even know if Klaus and me are dating. I'm just as confused as you are. But running away like a chicken with it's head cut off isn't going to get you anywhere. I'll tell you that. Now stop feeling sorry for yourself and think logically!"

All in vein, I ran away. All in vein, I cried. Maybe the divorce was for the better. Maybe no more fighting.

"Come home, Joey, please," Megan pleaded.

"I don't know."

"Joey, if you leave, you're leaving everything. You're ditching your dreams, you're ditching the contest, you're ditching My Sanctuary, your friends, your family...are you willing to lose all of that just because of parent's divorce? You're strong, Joey, I know you are. I know you can make it through this. Just, please, hang on."

"You're right," I agreed.

Megan stood up first, then grabbed my hand to help me up. I liked holding her hand, even though it was only for a moment to help me up. It was so soft. Megan pulled me into a hug, and I returned it. It was so comforting to me.

"It's us against the world, Joey. We all need each other." Megan whispered.

We both starred into each others eyes. Our lips got closer, and closer, till...Megan raised her hand, forcing me to pull back.

"I'm sorry, Joey," Megan said, pushing back in discomfort. "As much as I want to, I'm confused about my love life right now, ok? Klaus thinks I love him and I think I need to deal with that first."

"Do you?"

"I told you, I don't know! But there's different types of love, Joey. And I want our love to stay how it is. Please don't pressure me into doing something I don't want to do. If you did "loved" me in that way, you wouldn't do this to me."

"Sorry." I apologized, feeling like an idiot.

"You promise to come home?" She asked me.

"I promise."

"Glad to have you back, Joey. Your mother and father were really concerned about you. So was the band and Amy. We were all looking for you. I better go call their cell phones and say the Joey hunts over!"

I laughed. "Are you going hunt me now?"

"Maybe," She joked.

We both laughed, as we both walked home.

TO BE CONTINUED...

xxDarkness' Kidxx