Escape

Chapter 12 of Banished for Love

I run as fast as I can through the night to get away; get away from the accusations, the pain, everything. Without conscious thought of heading there, I break into the meadow and collapse onto the grass by the stream, giving way to the sobs.

 

How could Jeremy do this? He knows I'm still coming to terms with my body feeling so foreign. He knows I’m stuck experiencing him from behind a sheet of glass. He knows unexpected affection like that causes me pain. Who is he to judge me? 

 

Time seems to drag agonizingly as I sit there crying, but eventually another presence makes himself known.

 

“Kelsey?” Devin inquires in shock. Great, just what I need. The cute boy I’d just met seeing me snot cry all over myself. Perfect.

 

“Please Devin, just go away,” I choke out, trying the squelch my sobs. Instead of complying, he sinks to his knees on the grass in front of me.

 

“What’s wrong?” he asks, concern lucid in his voice.

 

“I shoved my foot in my mouth and got into my first fight with my boyfriend,” I say bitterly. He slides around to sit next to me, draping a supportive arm across my shoulders. I hesitantly lean into him, resting my head on his strong shoulder.

 

“Want me to beat him up for you?” he jokes, but I hear the underlying threat saying that he would, all I had to do was say the word.

 

I let out a humorless laugh. “No, he had a right to be mad, it was my fault,” I say, sniffling.

 

“I highly doubt that. But if you change your mind, let me know,” he says, smirking at me.

 

“Thanks Devin,” I reply, sighing heavily. We sit in silence for a while as my tears dry. “So, what brought you out here?” I change the subject, trying to pull myself together.

 

Luckily, Devin adheres easily to the subject change. “Couldn’t sleep. Plus, I kind of wanted to see if I could find my way back out here.”

 

“And you did,” I say with a small smile, though I know that it doesn’t touch my eyes.

 

“Indeed, I did. Now I just need to get back at some point,” he says, gazing at the impending tree line.

 

“Need any help with that?” I ask, willing my mind to wash free of my fight with Jeremy. Devin seems to work like a magic eraser to my troubles. I don't know if that comforts or disturbs me.

 

“I’d like that,” he replies, sharing a grin with me. We stay there, gazing at the moon and stars through the leafy canopy above. I close my eyes and sigh against his shoulder, feeling drained.

 

The next time they open, I am lying in a bed in a room I have no recollection of coming to. I gasp and bolt upright, taking in my surroundings. I note the giant canopy bed I sit upon, with billowy purple netting hanging from the bed posts. The full netting makes me feel claustrophobic due to my current state of paranoia. I hastily push back the curtains and swing my legs of the side of the bed, my feet sinking into plush purple carpet. The room itself is ginormous, decorated entirely in deep purple and black. I walk gingerly to the bedroom door, opening it and cautiously poking my head out. The long hallway I step into does little in the way of telling me where I am. My ears prick up as I hear sounds coming from one door at the end of the hall, and I set off to investigate. I place my hand on the doorknob, now recognizing the noises as various sounds from my favorite video game, Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. I turn the knob and slowly open the door.

 

I am in awe of the game room before me. A flat screen TV dominates nearly all of one wall, beneath it lie every gaming console ever made it seems. It’s every gamer’s wet dream, and an amazing “man cave” to boot. The Wii is the one in use now, projecting the Legend of Zelda onto the massive screen. I feel as though I’ve died and gone to gamer girl heaven. Lounging on the plush leather couch before the TV, I see a purple and black head of hair. My confusion ebbs away as I realize I must be at Devin’s house.

 

I close the door with a loud click in order to make my presence known. He pauses the game and turns to look at me with a mocking grin.

 

“Good morning sleepyhead,” he says tauntingly.

 

“What happened last night?” I ask, plopping down next to him on the couch.

 

“Well, you fell asleep on me in the meadow, and would not wake up no matter what I did. You just kept muttering ‘five more minutes’ and snuggling closer,” he smirks. I blush because that sounds 100% on brand for me. “So, since I didn’t know where you live, I carried you back here. I set you in my sister’s old room to sleep,” a sad light touches his eyes at the mention of his late sister.

I reach out to lay my hand atop his. “I’m sorry,” is all I can think to say. Well, that ought to make him feel better, I’m so sure.

 

“It’s alright,” he responds, sharing a small smile with me.

 

“Sorry to interrupt your game too,” I say, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

 

“No worries there, I’m stuck anyway,” he says chuckling, easily adhering to the subject change once again.

 

“Mind if I give it a try?” I ask innocently, not letting on to just how beastly I am at this game.

 

“I suppose,” he says, clearly fighting back laughter. He forfeits the wiimote to me. “Just don’t waste my items.” I glare at him incredulously before turning to the game.

 

I know the part he’s stuck on well. The Arbiter’s Ground is certainly no walk in the park, though not quite as annoying as the City in the Sky. Devin watches me cockily at first, just waiting for me to mess up and give up. But as I progress effortlessly through the mazes and puzzles, his expression changes to slack jawed awe. By the time I defeat Stallord, the big bad boss of the dungeon, Devin is stunned speechless. I hand the wiimote back to him with a smug smile on my face.

 

“You’re welcome.” I shrug as if it were no big deal.

 

“You hustled me. You didn’t say you were a Zelda ninja,” he replies chastising me.

 

“It’s only my favorite video game series,” I reply, shrugging.

 

“Well then, if I get stuck again, I know who to call.” He takes the wiimote back and as his fingers brush mine I could almost swear I feel a phantom touch.

 

“Who ya gonna call?” I say jokingly, telling myself I imagined the sensation, because I must have. There’s no other logical explanation, I’m just touch starved and have an overactive imagination.

 

“Okay, you did not just make a Ghostbusters reference,” he says, outright laughing at me.

 

I can’t help but laugh with him, and as I do, I catch sight of the clock; 2:15. “Oh goodness, I should get home,” I say standing up.

 

“Do you really want to go back after last night?” he replies gently, alluding to my fight with Jeremy. That stops me, and I sink back onto the couch.

 

“I suppose I can stay. You’re going to need my help with that anyway,” I say, pointing at the game and grinning at him.

 

“Well, aren’t we cocky,” he says, grinning back and picking up the wiimote.

 

Sure enough, when he reaches the Snowpeak Ruins, I am called into action. I can’t honestly blame him for needing help. This game was severely frustrating on my first run, I spent a lot of time yelling and swearing at the screen. And this place has difficult puzzles, rat b*****d enemies, and a pretty annoying boss battle. Plus, the added fun of sliding around on ice everywhere you try to move.

 

Once I am through, I try to hand the wiimote back to Devin, but he insists he’s better off just watching me beast through it.

 

By the time I’ve defeated Zant, the big boss of most of the game who has a temper tantrum fit for a two-year-old, It’s 9 PM. I know I should get back soon, but part of me wants the satisfaction of showing Devin up by beating the whole game. I head into the four-part final boss battle. I methodically work through each stage of battle, knowing the proper strategy to make easy work of it, and finally reach the end of the final cut scene. As the credits begin to roll, Devin makes a move to turn off the power.

 

“No!” I cry, stopping him. “There’s one more scene after the credits.”

 

He sinks back onto the couch beside me. At the end of the credits, the saddest part of the game, the ending that makes me cry every time, begins to play. A few tears escape and roll lazily down my face.

 

“You’re crying?” Devin asks in disbelief.

 

“Yes,” I respond defensively. “I love Midna, so the way the game ended makes me sad,” I quickly begin wiping my tears away.

 

“You are extraordinary,” Devin says, shaking his head. “I’ve really never met anyone quite like you. You’re full of surprises.”

 

“Well thank you,” I reply, flattered. My eyes stray to the clock on the DVD player. Sighing, I stand up. “I really should get back,” I say.

 

“I suppose that’s probably a good idea. I’ll walk you out,” he says, standing from his seat on the couch and stretching. He walks me downstairs and onto the vast front porch.

 

“See you at school tomorrow?” he asks, seeming hopeful but trying to hide it under his cool exterior.

 

“I hope so,” I say smiling. He opens his arms, inviting me into a hug. I step into them and he gives me a gentle squeeze, which again seems to almost seep through the invisible damper surrounding me. Slightly bewildered, I step off the porch and into the forest toward Jeremy’s house.