If I Chose You Instead

   All of a sudden, a blood-curdling scream was heard from the kitchen, and the sound of three gunshots.

   "What was that?" I asked Marra.

   "I...I think it's a g-g-gunshot," Marra said to me. She looked at me with an expression of complete horror. Marra had always been incredibly scared of guns ever since the...incident.

   "Well, then what the f.u.c.k are we doing just standing here?! We need to find out what is going on!" I shouted at her.

   Yet another shot was heard again as we were racing to the kitchen. This time Marra stopped dead in her tracks and turned back to me. When she saw me, she placed her hand over her mouth and tears formed in her eyes.

   Marra raced over to me. "Baekla!" She looked down. I followed her gaze to my stomach. Blood was seeping through my clothing, making them all bright red. I had been shot twice in the stomach.

   I placed my hands over the wound, applying pressure to it. I lifted my hands up. They were all covered in dark, sticky blood. The sight of it made me nauseous. I fell to the floor, and started throwing up. Marra bent down next to me, but whatever she was saying, I couldn't really hear what.

   My vision was fading and everything was blurry. The last thing I heard before I blacked out were police sirens, and someone shouting, "Two are dead! They're dead!"

       * *           * * *  *

I opened my eyes slightly, the bright light blinding my eyes. I tried to raise my hand to shield them but something was keeping me from doing so. Blinking my eyes rapidly, I looked down to my arms and wrists. Rough rope was tightened on my inner forearm cutting into my skin. I laid my head back, too sore to even wonder where I was and what had happened.

It took a second for my eyes to adjust to the lighting in the room, but when I did, I noticed a man standing in the corner, staring at me. He looked at me, light reflecting of his eyes. He walked toward me, and when he put his hand on the bed, was when I started to freak out. I tugged desperately at the rope, hoping to wriggle free.

The man saw me struggle and placed his hands on my arms, holding me there. He shifted toward the light and lightly placed his hand on my mouth.

"Be quiet," he said whispering. "They can't find us. You're safe." He slowly, and gently removed his hand.

I looked up at him. There was something familiar about his face, from his eye color to his face shape.

"Shawn?!" I asked staring up at him.

Shawn looked back behind him. "You need to listen to me. We're not safe here. You're not safe at your house," he said in a fast panic.

*    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

If I'm gonna be completely honest, the night I tried drugs, Alestra didn't just beat me. She had also completely messed up Shawn for what had also gone down.

It was the night when I had first taken the drugs with Shawn. I haven't been completely honest to myself about what had happened. I have tried to forget what happened, but it feels like it's branded into my mind.

Me, Shawn, and Marra were just dancing outside with everyone. That's what I remember so vividly. Me and Shawn just dancing each others hearts out. Sure we were high on drugs, but it felt amazing nonetheless. I just really wish I had been able to change that night for the better.

"Baekla!" I turned around and Marra had shouted to me. Once we had eye contact, she used her hand to gesture me over.

I looked back at Shawn real quick. He was still trying to make me dance, and he sure did look goofy. "I'll be right back!" I yelled to him.

"Ok but, I will only let you leave, if, and only if, you promise you will dance with me after," he said, looking a little shy as he said it.

I giggled a little and said, teasingly, "We'll have to see." Then I walked off to where Marra was waiting for me.

"Hey Mar--" I started but she grabbed my arm and gripped me tight. "W-what are you doing?" I asked a little frightened at her sudden aggressive behavior.

She looked at me with gritted teeth and said, "We are leaving. Right now." She tried dragging me off but I stood my ground. The look she gave me then was one that said, do not mess with me right now or you'll regret it.

"But what about Shawn?" I asked, hoping she'd stop.

"He doesn't love you," she said without looking back.

"Wha...what do you mean?"

Marra let out an exasperated sigh and looked at me. "Don't ask me any questions. That little bastard can go burn in the depths of hell."

"What's going on in here?" Me and Marra turned around and saw Shawn leaning against the wall, fists shoved into his pockets.

Marra loosened her grip on me. I could see the pure hatred in her eyes as she stared at him.

I saw my chance to escape her grip and did. By then Shawn was already behind me. When I backed up into him, he immediately wrapped his arms around me. I was still thinking about what Marra had said about Shawn. I thought that she thought he was a great guy. The fact that she would say anything like that, actually scared me.

Shawn felt me shiver close to him. "Are you ok?" he whispered to me. I nodded and he looked back up at Marra. "What the hell is wrong with you? I thought you were Baekla's friend. Now you're over here, scaring the crap out of her. I can't believe you."

I looked up at Shawn, an alarmed look in my eyes. Marra may have been a little much, but I didn't hate her. I didn't want her to get hurt. I should've said told Shawn that.

Shawn wasn't done yet. "Baekla and you are no longer friends if you're gonna keep on doing that. You might as well just kill yourself."