The first week after Johnny’s arrest was torture I could still feel the scars he left lingering on my body, the smell on my clothes, everything. I hated the feel of it of how it hurt that he would do this and his face a mask of anger when he was hauled away stared at me his gaze hard and ice cold with anger and menace foaming from his mouth in a stream of curses and threats his face darkening his last words to me played over in my mind. “I’ll kill you! I promise you that!” I released a shudder and shaky breath as I climbed the steps up to my front door and stuck the key in the lock trying to steady my trembling hands I finally heard the lock click I shoved the door open and tugged the key out of the lock and shut the door behind me pulling on the door bolt. Making it impossible to get in I heard the shrill ring of the phone in the hall I trotted over to the phone and put the receiver to my ear. “Hello?”
“Oh! Um, Lena where’s your mother?” officer morels said he had led the case
“Work why?”
“We’re sending over someone.”
“Why?”
“Johnny err your ex boyfriend has escaped we don’t know how but we are searching for him” he paused “just let him watch you he’ll explain it” He hung up. The phone dropped from my hand I slid down against the wall shaking. No. He was free he is going to kill me I bit my lip my mind was at war with my sense and pride that I didn’t need a babysitter then again what if Johnny does come? What if all the nightmares I had last night will become reality? I released a saggy breath and covered my eyes with my hands letting my palms press into the sockets.
Suddenly the doorbell rang I stood up replaced the phone and strode to the door I stopped what if Johnny was on the other side? I pulled back the dead bolt, turned the handle, and the door swung open a boy no older then me leaned in the doorway his mouth turned down his eyes showing a bland bored expression as if this wasn’t where he wanted to be. His hair was a mop of black hair and he wore a shirt that stretched tightly over his finely built chest I met his gaze he broke the silence
“You’re Lena right?”
“Yeah, and you are?”
“Will, can I come in?”
“Oh, sure” I blushed stepping aside he waltzed in holding a backpack
“Where’s the guest room?” he asked
“Down the hall third door to the right” I gestured the direction I meant and shut the door he nodded and turned down the hall. My gaze shifted to the door I stared at the window training my eyes on the street, “I think that’s my job” a voice sounded from behind me I spun around Will stood there he was smirking. I turned around on him and stomped over to the kitchen arranging food my favorite mozzarella, basil, and tomato on a bagel. It was healthy; I was a bit of a health nut. I filled up a glass with water and set them both down on the table Will sat in the chair across me and looked at me assessing me I looked down.
“If your hungry there’s food in the fridge” I mumbled”Fill me in”
“alright Johnny escaped at approximately 2 a.m, he’s after you , and I’m your body guard free of charge” he ticked them of his fingers as he spoke then confusion crossed his face “so why is the guy after you?” he had to ask
“We didn’t get along he used to be my boyfriend but one day he-he turned into a monster I’m not sure why, but he started to get angry without warning and he well took me as a punching bag” I shrugged . I couldn’t meet his gaze I peeked up at him through my lashes; his gaze had hardened emotionless again. I took a bite out of my sandwich letting him think. I heard the door open
“Len? You home?” my mom called she walked in with my little brother in to” Oh, you must be the body guard officer-“
Will cut her off with a curt nod and a reply
“Yeah, the name’s Will” he shot a look at my brother will brushed past mom who gave me a quizzical look. I shrugged baffled like her. My little brother Aden hopped on my lap at four he was more understanding for his age.
“Lee, is he a mean boy?” his blue eyes looked as if he was terrified of Will
“No, he’s just different” I said he nodded
“Guess what?”
“What bud?”
“I learned my ABC’s a-b-c-d-e-f-“He paused “ghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz” I clapped just what he wanted. My mom started to make dinner I did my homework and Aden watched me asking what I was doing I responded he would then ask me more minutes later. I heard the door open again, my dad stepped through.
“Daddy, Lena has a scary body guard” Aden said
“Oh?”
“Unfortunately, apparently you know who has escaped” mom shouted from the kitchen over the crackling pots and pans. I looked down at my feet as I shuffled to put my books away. My father looked at me
“Is he scary?’
“Kind of more like a mystery I don’t want to solve:” I said
“Well at least it’s some peace of mind” I nodded fixing my copper hair in a braid and tying it. Dinner was awkward with will my dad barraged him with questions. Will didn’t seem to happy about that I finally excused myself from the dinner table to go to bed I sat in my bed that night waking from the nightmares but strangly Will was in them he was just there.

OVER the next few days I felt a pull towards Will like I neede him. Several times I had caught myself staring, and apparently so had Meghan my best friend since pre-k
“Ask him out” she had said one day
“No, he’ll reject me you know, he doesn’t look at me at all.” I was fuming at that
“Fine I’ll ask him for you” before I could protest she had pulled me away to Will
“Hey, Will Lena wants to know if you want to hang” Meghan gave me a wink
“No.” it was abrupt and cold “why would I? She is not someone I like. I’m only here because I have to, Look I am so sorry you thought there would ever be something between us” he threw back his head and barked out a harsh laugh that further cut into my heart “I led you on Lena, or so it seems to you” he shook his head a walked away without so much as a glance back
“Lena I-“Meghan began but I cut her off.
“Nice job, I told you he would reject me didn’t I?” I let a tear spill over my cheek then more came I buried my head in my hands. I ran away from her then up the stairs into my room. The days following were tense I was at school one day Billy a boy who was a friend walked with me, Will was leaning across my locker
“I don’t need a locker stalker Will” I snapped he moved away and I spun the combination lock and packed up it was late no one was here except a few people, teachers, and the occasional janitor. Billy looked nervous he shifted his weight between his feet I shot him a look he stepped forward and took a breath “Lena?”
“Huh?” I mumbled
“Do you have plans tonight?” I looked up at him he was closer then I thought.
“No, why?”
“You want to go out?” I didn’t expect that I was even more surprised when he held out a bouquet of lilies, my favorite.
“Oh, how sweet, I-“ I glanced at will something flashed in his eyes, and out of the blued he tackled Billy to the ground and landed a punch in his jaw
“Will! Get of him I can’t believe you did that.” I shoved Will of and helped Billy up letting him hold my arm. Will looked at me in disbelief “He was going to kill you! There was a gun I saw it!” he said
“What so now I can’t date anyone? So you don’t like me I get that, but I can’t date anyone else?” I glared at him “Billy will take me home I pulled Billy with me. When we excited the school Billy laughed. He shoved me off him a pinned my arms behind me I felt something wrap around them, rope. I screamed when a figure stepped out of the shadows his windswept hair tousled to one side his eyes hard and a wicked smile curled at his lips “Nice to see you” he seethed
“Johnny?” I looked to Billy who held me in place “Billy? How could you? We’ve been friends for so long” Billy just laughed and held me tighter until Johnny’s hands replaced his sending Billy to run to his car, a getaway, I was going to die. I screamed thrashing in his grip he growled “Shut up” and pulled something out of his pocket a revolver loaded he placed the barrel to my head. I looked forward towards the entrance all of a sudden it burst open, Will ran straight for us “Stop” Johnny commanded “Or I’ll kill her now”
“You wouldn’t do it” Will breathed
“Try me”
“Why don’t we forgive each other?” I said
“Why are you saving her?” Johnny asked “’cause you love her”
“He doesn’t even like me” I yelled
“You know how naïve you are Lena? You don’t see it do you? The way he looks at you when you’re not paying attention” he was lying I couldn’t take it
“Kill me now then, Will he doesn’t love me. I love him yeah. So what?” I wasn’t thinking I pulled my hands up pushing him back then I kneed him where the sun doesn’t shine. He roared raised the gun and pulled the trigger I flew down pain rippling through the wound blood pooling out of my arm. Johnny threw the gun aside and ran to Billy’s car leaping in as the car sped away. I was crying now leaning on my knees gripping my arm. I felt a hand on my arm and I jerked away, hissing a gasp of pain through my clenched teeth
“Don’t touch me Will” I cried
“But Lena-“
“No, no but Lena I am so tired of you! Why do you act like this?” I asked him he was quite his hands close to mine, his face filled with concern for once I saw him like that and he didn’t hide it he let me see, he let me in this was a first. His features were soft staring into my own I looked away” I’m so stupid, I trusted Billy” he opened his mouth as if to speak but let me rant on “First I fell for Johnny, then you, and then Billy! I’ll never find anyone who loves me” we heard sirens in the distance he took a breath “I love You” I looked up at him he leaned in closer and his lips grazed mine he deepened the kiss pulling me in I winced when he grabbed my arm and he pulled back from my arm. He let me rest my head on his chest and ran his fingers through my hair I felt drowsy my eyelids grew heavy. I saw black then I drifted into unconsciousness