• "No hug for your father, Leni?" He asked, throwing one of his arms out to grab me. "Not even a simply 'hello'?"

    I was shaking. This man was not my father. I couldn't believe something like that and yet I had to because it was true. I didn't want to hug him or speak to him or anything. I just wanted to go.

    I wanted him to leave me alone. He was a horrible, awful man. There wasn't an ounce of good in him and every word he said to me was a lie. He couldn't speak the truth and the only thing he wanted to do was manipulate people. Everyone one around him was a puppet that he would dispose of once he got bored with them.

    "I-I have nothing to say to you. Please let me go."

    "Come on, Leni." He said, faking a smile. "Why don't you come back and live with daddy, huh? We can be a family again. Just like old times. You know I'm the only person who cares."

    "Don't talk to me!" I barked, jerking my arm away from him.

    He frowned at me and pretended like he was hurt. I knew what he was thinking. I saw through him and I knew what he was thinking. There was something he wanted and he couldn't get it alone. I wasn't going to be his pawn and I would do anything to get away from him.

    "You can't keep running forever. I'm the only family you've got and the only person you can trust. You need me. You know that, right, Leni?"

    'Just run. Keep running. Ignore him. Ignore him, Leni! Just ignore him.'

    I couldn't block out his words no matter how hard I tried. They kept repeating in my head again and again and again. If I could just get to the school I could get my mind off of him. I could find something completely different to talk about. It was just a little farther.

    I was so close. All I had to do was keep myself going and not look back. If my feet would just stay moving, I could get there and get inside and I'd be safe. I would only have to worry about the students and that would be it. I would be fine if I could just keep going, but I couldn't.

    My legs gave out on me and I dropped to my knees. If anyone had seen my like this, the trouble it would cause trying to explain. If I hadn't been so afraid, so weak, I could have done something. Anything would have been fine, but there was nothing. I hated all of this and everything and I couldn't take it.

    "You b*****d!" My voice cracked as I spoke. I was trembling. I was doing nothing more than cowering in fear because that was all I ever did. "How could you…?! To show up like that…. Why?"

    'I don't need you! I don't need you! I don't need you! Leave me alone!'

    "Leni?" It was Marie's voice. "Are you alright?"

    "Nothing." I said, choking on my own words. "It's nothing. I-I'm fine."

    I inhaled slowly before tilting my head back. The first thing I saw was that strange guy that was always with Marie. Stein was his name, I think, but his name really wasn't important right now. The most important thing I could possibly have done was kept myself from shrieking like a banshee the moment I saw him. He was so close, close enough that all I had to do was tilt my head back just a little further and I'd be touching him.

    They winced and I scrambled to my feet. I didn't mind seeing Marie. Marie was fine. I could be around her, but Stein was a whole other story. He scared me so very much that I almost felt like I could pass out from fright.

    "Sorry!" I squeaked as I started backing up. "Sorry! I-I… That is… Sorry!"

    You can probably guess exactly what I did right after that. I always seemed to think running from everything was the best way, but running just makes you more of a coward. I really don't want to bore you by telling you about my whole day, so I'll just explain the important things. I suppose that would mean skipping all the way to lunchtime, wouldn't it?

    I sat there thinking about what I should eat. I hadn't brought anything from home and I really didn't want to leave to go to the store or anything. That man would probably be waiting for me outside, ready to take me to the place he called home. I didn't want to go anywhere with him. I didn't want to do anything with him or do anything for him. If I could just forget about this morning, forget about everything, maybe things would be easier.

    But I couldn't forget about any of it. It was all there just waiting for a chance to drag me down and destroy my sanity. I knew it and I could feel it, but I couldn't give in. I could never give in. I had friends and people who cared about me and if I just let myself fall so easily, it would just make things worse.

    'No, that's wrong. It's a lie. No one cares. The only one who-!'

    "Stop thinking like that, Leni." I mumbled as I squeezed my coat as tightly as I could. "That's not true and you know it."

    "You need me. You know that, right, Leni?"

    "No, that's not true! Stop lying to me!"

    "I'm the only person who cares. I'm the only person you can trust. You know that, right, Leni?"

    "Stop it! G-Get out of my head! I don't need you!"

    "You know that, right, Leni? Leni? Leni?"

    "Leni!"

    "Shut up!"

    "Leni, calm down!" It was Marie again.

    She was kneeling down in front of me, holding my hands. I was confused about what had happened because I didn't even remember hearing her come in. But she was here. She was right here trying to calm me down.

    'That's right. Calm down. Just take a deep breath. You can do it.'