*Running From the Past*

[Candace Clark]

I've always wanted to feel like I belonged somewhere. Like anywhere I went in a town that I could wlak with my head held high and lookng straight ahead.

I thought I had that in my hometown of Waynesville, NC. I was one of the star students in my high school, was on the tennis team, sang in show choir, and had a job at the local tractor supply. Now, one thing you have to understand about Waynesville is that it's a VERY small mountain town nestled in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. And when I say small I mean everybody knew who everybody was, their kids names, and what they did that friday night. It was like a Norman Rockwell painting come to life. I had never thought anything of it. It's just the way life was.

That is until I met Johnny. We met when I was a senior at Tuscola High School. He was in my second period English class. I was immediately drawn to him. What girl in the school wasn't? He was tall, about 6 ft 2 I would say. At my measly 5'5" everything was gigantic to me! He had dark brown hair, dark eyes, and a clear milk and honey complexion. He had been a student at our rival Pisgah High School across town. And to everybody he was fresh meat. But for some reason he was interested in me! ME! With my gangly figure, mousey brown hair, plain brown eyes, and no sense of fashion. He asked me out to dinner and we were inseperable after that. We spent every moment we could together. Homework was done while holding hands, milkshakes were now shared, and school dances were now something I looked forward to. I was so very happy.

However, things took a drastic turn before spring break that year. I had been invited by my 3 closest friends to make the drve to the coast to my friend Melanie's parent's beach house for the week. I was so excited about getting a tan that didn't involve a flourescent bulb of any kind! Also to smell the briney salt on the air from the ocean. I could already feel the warm sand between my toes and the feel of terry cloth beneath me from laying on my towel on the beach...but it was too good to last. When told Johnny he went balistic. Saying that my friends were bad influences and just wanted us to split up because they were jealous. I couldn't help but tell him that he was crazy for thinking such a thing! They had all been my friends since I was 10! They wouldn't do anything to hurt me in that way! This, I suppose, was not something that Johnny was used to. Being talked back to. Next thing i knew was pure pain and shock. I had somehow in a split second done a complete 180 on my heels and fell to the floor holdong my upper cheek. Then the searing, hot pain hit. Tears welling in my eyes I looked up at Johnny from my knelt position. He was standing over me fists clenched so tight that his knuckles were white. He looked me dead in the eye and said, "You won't leave me. I've invested too much time in you for you to turn and run so you can have some 'fun'". All I could do was stare. I couldn't form words or even actions. I had never even been in a gir fight before. How could I fight somebody as huge as him? I shook my head in affirmation and he was pleased. He helped me up and hugged me. The cheek was still on fire and tender to the touch. All I could think about was getting to my car and just getting home as fast as I could!

When I got home I ran straight to the bathroom. I hoped this wouldn't leave a bruise! But when I looked in the mirror I could already see the slight dsolorations begnning. a light magenta on the outside near my temple and then darkening as you got to my cheek bone. He really cleaned my clock I said to myself. I couldn't hide from my mom. She knew something was wrong. It had been just me and her since I was 3. My dad had died in a tragic accident while he was driving his big rig down the mountain that winter after Christmas. When she saw my eyes she knew that I was purely scared. I left Johnny at her urging and there was a restraining order filed against him. This however didn't stop him from following me to my college campus almost daily. He didn't attend of couse, but found reasons to be in the same building as me every time. Always having a perfectly logical explanation. This is when my mom was starting to get overly worried. She contacted my Aunt and Uncle in Forks, WA and arranged to have me move there.

So here I am. On the "run" and hiding from the crazy obsessed boyfriend. I hope Forks is my fresh start that I need! I can't wait to feel the security that I used to feel in Waynesville. I think that if i did I would finally be able to sleep at night. Until then I'll be up patiently waiting on true love to find me!

xoxo