Halfway There | COMPLETE ✔ + Sequel

HWT Sequel - 05

I know better than to go walking off alone, especially now that I have concrete proof that Bradley and his men are following me but I didn't care anymore. I needed time to be alone, really alone. I needed the chance to be able to wrap my head around what my life has turned into. I walked down the street and past the motel, grimacing at it as I turned the corner.

I once compared my current life to a Godfather movie and I could almost laugh at how every day it feels as if there is someone behind the scenes calling the shots and deciding which direction my life goes in. Someone had to be playing some kind of practical joke on me, it's the only thing that makes sense.

I sighed as I put my hands into my jacket pocket. This wasn't a movie and no one was going to call cut to take me back to the life I had before. I'm always being reminded of my new life on the road but still each time I'm surprised of how different things are. I needed to learn to accept that this is how things are now.

I walk down the street a couple more blocks before stopping to take a seat at a bus stop. There weren't any cars around for miles and the only light was the one above my head from the light post. Strangely, I didn't feel unsafe. I didn't feel as if I was being watched. Bradley is the type of person to not want to do things easily, he was the type of person who liked a challenge and being out in the open like this wouldn't be much fun to him. No, he would wait until I'm trapped in a corner, begging for my life before he decides to snatch me up. I was safe for now.

I took a deep breath and released as much as I could in one exhale. There wasn't any point in getting worked up yet. I was only going to get through this one day at a time, just like we all have been doing since the first day.

From the corner of my eye I noticed a shadow of someone walking up towards the bench. I smile when I notice that it's Bella.

"What are you doing here? You shouldn't be walking around by yourself." I say as she takes a seat beside me.

She shrugs, "I got worried. You shouldn't be out here alone."

"I'm safe Bells, thanks. But you shouldn't be out here by yourself."

She looks down at her hands and ignores my comment, "What did he say?" She asks without looking up at me, she was referring to Bradley.

I take a moment to look at her before answering, "Nothing you need to worry about right now."

She's quite again before speaking, "I hate this so much."

I sigh as I lock my arm around hers and lean my head on her shoulder, "Me too, Bells. If I could keep you guys out of this I would in a heartbeat. I never wanted you guys to be involved."

"He really is dangerous, isn't he?"

"No, Nova and I thought we would pull this elaborate prank on you and Will for a laugh." I roll my eyes and smile in an attempt to lighten the mood. She doesn't smile with me. "It's okay, Bella. Soon you'll go back to your old life."

"You know the night you and Nova came to the dorm, the night we started running, I believed you right away." She mentions.

I remember that most of that night in flashes, mainly because of the amount of blood I lost, but Bella's immediate decision to trust in us was still clear as day. There was only a brief moment of hesitation before putting her absolute trust me.

"I just..." She continued, "I know what kind of person Thomas was. When you guys said that he shot you... I wasn't really that shocked."

I lift my head to look at her. "Really?"

She nods shamefully, "I don't know. When Thomas and I first started dating it was amazing. It was more than amazing actually. He was rich and good looking and nice. It was everything I wanted." She sighs as she remembers the life she had before this one.