Red Hot Love

I Need Some Time...Sorry...

"We need to file a police report," Mia hissed to Sunny once they had stopped running and locked themselves into a gender-neutral bathroom. "I'm sorry, I don't know any other good places to hide. This is the best place I could think of."

"No, it's fine," Sunny replied, breathing heavily. Slowly, her senses were starting to return to her, as well as a rush of adrenaline. "…What the heck was that?" Her legs shook, and she backed away, collapsing onto the toilet lid.

"I'm sorry," Mia said. "But whoever that was, we'll definitely make sure to report him to the police. I'm not leaving you," she said firmly to Sunny, who gulped and shifted on the toilet seat again.

Sunny expected her feet to stop trembling after a few seconds, but her legs kept on shaking. She pressed her foot onto the ground, and now it started shaking even more violently.

"I'm going to call the campus hotline," Mia's voice said. "I'm still here, though."

"This shouldn't have happened," her mother said.

Shut up, Sunny pleaded. You're the last sound I want to hear right now.

This shouldn't have happened, the other voice in her said, before launching into hyper mode.

Thisshouldn'thavehapppeneddddddddddddd

Imno.t….saaaaa…..f….e

….

….,fowhefihwadaaaaa

…canyovv iig givne Am,ee a descript[tjnSOCKV../…..

OF 12HIS appearance./..?

Yes…..qevk hoollllllll

Caucasian male…about 2121212121…

ok you can call me back la…aaAAAAAA….ter

Dslwkdnkoqisd

…y…imnot …..aopwans.a.A…eiooowde

"Sunny, are you still with me? Sunny, are you okay? I'm here," Mia said, slowly walking in front of her but careful not to touch her, holding her phone with her right hand. "Are you okay?"

Sunny shook her head. "No."

"Do you want to hold my hand?"

Sunny weakly reached out and grabbed onto Mia's right hand. Seconds later, she felt Mia's left hand gently cover hers, and the grip slowly becoming firmer and more substantial. It felt a little like plastic. Sunny blinked. It was…Mia's left hand was a prosthetic.

She got me out of that mess with just her right hand, Sunny muttered to herself.

"I'm here, Sunny. I will protect you," Mia said.

Sunny coughed and covered her face in her hand. Her head was spinning. Dizzy.

"This isn't…very good for my chronic anxiety," Sunny laughed, then coughed again.

Mia nodded, understanding. "It sucks," she muttered.

Sunny laughed again nervously. "Yeah." She opened her mouth then shut it. She had nothing to say. The silence passed for several minutes. To her gratitude, Mia did not try to force Sunny to say anything by asking another question.

When she felt more comfortable talking, Sunny looked up and croaked "Why are you helping me?"

"Us girls gotta stick together," Mia replied.

Sunny smiled gratefully.

Just then Mia's phone rang.

"I think that's the hotline calling me back," Mia muttered. "Is it okay if I answer it?"

"Sure," Sunny said hollowly. Her head was still spinning, but a little slower.

Jem…I wish I could call Jem…but we don't have any phones, she muttered to herself.

Quietly, Sunny closed her eyes and imagined Jem's soft, brown hand running through her hair and holding her.

I should tell her later, she thought to herself. I wish…she was here.

She's not, the voice in her head said sadly. But you do have people you can rely on.

Sunny almost would have smiled, if it hadn't been for the dangerous rate at which her heart was going. Mia continued to hold her hand with her prosthetic one and talk on the hotline.

Also Carson, the voice added.

Sunny crossed her legs and brought them closer to her chin, retreating into a small ball. I don't know him that well.

True. But how did he, well, figure out you were in danger nonetheless…?

Sunny shook her head and buried her face in her knees.

"Sunny, you okay?"

"Yes…"

The brainwhirlwind of panic continued. No words escaped her lips, but the voices continue to argue and fight and complain and worry, worry, worry.

I just want to be home. I don't want to be here.

I know, I know…