“Come on! Let’s not fight about this! I’ll do whatever you want. Just open the door,please, Scout, please!” I pleaded. Soon, my palm became my fists,and I beat on the door in a frantic.
I tried the door again, but it was still locked. With a cry of anguish, I pulled out my pocket knife and flicked it open. I bent down and began twisting the tip into the little hole. I felt the mechanics relax and unlock,and it turned when I tried the handle again. I stuffed the knife back in my pocket and confidently pushed the door. Only, it barely budged.
What the hell?
“Scout! Did you put something in front of the door? Come on!” I snarled. This was really starting to piss me off. “This is a fucking joke, right? Let me in!”
I continued to call to her from the other side of the door. I shoved against it time and time again. I was getting in to see her, to explain everything to her. If she knew that it wasn’t all me that had done that to her,she’d understand.
I wasn’t a monster.
I couldn’t be.
I loved her.
The sound of splintering wood caused me to take a step away from the door triumphantly.
I looked at the large crack from the top of the door down to the handle. I braced myself andcontinuedattacking the door. A few more large breaks in the door and whatever had been behind it fell. I shoved the door open and stormed inside.
“Scout,baby, Ner—” I started to say,but the cool breeze from an open window stopped me dead in my tracks. I ran to the window in horror. I put half my body out and scanned the ground below. We were two stories up. There wasn’t a ladder of any sort hanging.
Did she jump?
“Scout!” I screamed to the sky, but there was no answer. I squinted, trying to see through the thick woods behind the house. There was no doubt in my mind she had gone that way. She’d be hidden from the curious eyes and the eventual sun.
I looked up,and my heart splintered, just like the door I had spent hours throwing myself against, trying to get to her. It had all been in vain. In the time I had spent trying to fight for her, to get her back, breaking thatfuckingdoor down, she had taken the opportunity to escape. And I could do nothing about it because the sun was coming up.
14
I went around her room, looking for clues as to what was going through her mind when she jumped out the second-story window.
I flicked the lights on and found the suitcase I had brought her last night. It was still on her bed, open. I started pulling her things out, looking for… I wasn’t sure exactly. It didn’t look like she took anything.
I went back to the window and stared out. I could make it to her. I could find her and get her somewhere safe if I left right now. Then, we’d talk. I’d explain and apologize,and we’d figure it out together.
We always did.
I tossed a leg out and was starting to bring the other out when I heard a rustling from behind me. I turned and nearly fell from being startled by Dante sprinting over to me. He ripped me from the window and tossed me on the carpet.
“What the hell?”
“You can’t be serious.” Dante stared down at me, shaking his head. “The sun is already rising.”
“So? She left out that window, and if I don’t get to her,she’ll die of exposure.” I stood and stepped forward,but Dante’s massive hand came out and shoved against my chest. He pushed me back until the back of my knees hit the bed. I fell onto the mattress.
“You can’t go out there. Scout is smart. She’s gonna be fine. You need to give her time to cool off.”
“Fuck that! I’m leaving.” I sat up,but suddenly I was tackled back to the bed by Dante the fucking bear.
“Tully! Get in here,you asshole!” He screamed as I fought against him.
“What?” Tully’s sarcastic voice came into the room before his body did.
“He’s trying to go outside.”
“He can’t. The sun is out.”
“Exactly, numb nuts. Help me!”
