Jamie Marquinns head whirled with pound upon pound of unsettling thoughts. She felt her knees go weak and her vision blur before her until all she saw was a glob of blinding lights coming and going in all directions.
For a moment she even forgot where she was. Who she was. Why she was running. But remembrance disembarked again with a speed and force she hadnt expected and her fists clenched into deadly weapons. Tears spilled down both cheeks and the knot in her throat reformed. She felt her heart could explode at any moment in reconciliation to its furious beating and heartbreak. But alas, that
would be too easy.
Feeling her legs could no longer carry her, she stopped abruptly, and had to struggle to prevent herself from toppling over. What had she gotten herself into....
It was raining now and she obliviously took in the rain with her eyes, watching it splash against the pavement and feeling it pelt against her head. Her clothes were soaked and her long brown hair dripped and stuck to her face. Her eyelids were heavy and she felt a sudden longing to be in her childhood home, snuggled in a warm bed. Worriless and content.
Home however, was far away from here, wherever here was.
"Arent you Taylor Hanson?"
Taylor glanced up from the magazines wearily. This line hadn't been existent for nearly a year now. It seemed most people did not recognize him anymore or if they did they just didnt care.
He smiled politely. "Yeah, that'd be me." The girl was short and slightly overweight, the tight red shirt she wore showing both her skin and self consciousness. Her eyes were a vivid violet and her blonde hair hung limply at her shoulders.
She giggled easily. "I thought that was you! I'm glad I was right and didn't make a fool of myself!" She comfortably patted his arm. The simple gesture
reminded him of something his grandmother used to do.
Sighing loudly, she let her back pack purse slide off her shoulder and onto the floor near the magazine
rack.
"This thing is killing me," she muttered.
Taylor smiled again, not knowing what to say.
"I used to be so in love with you guys!"
"Did you?" The 'used to' she spoke of struck home for Taylor. She was one of the many who no longer cared. He missed his fans.
He forced another smile, content it looked as un-fake as possible.
She nodded. "I'm Angie, by the way!" she said, thrusting her hand in front of Taylor.
"It's nice to meet you Angie," he said as he returned her handshake. Her hand was much larger than his, wider, and it was very cold to the touch.
Quickly, Angie threw a glance at the orange watch sitting tightly around her wrist. Frowning she glanced to Taylor's wrist and pulled it up towards her eyes.
She looked at the time then let his wrist fall back to his side.
"I'm so sorry, Taylor! I've gotta go! I promised I'd be at Mike's house at 8:30 and it's 9!"
Taylor nodded. He did not know who Mike was, but he wasn't sure he cared. "Better get going then," he said. "It was nice meeting you."
Angie nodded fiercely. "Damn. I'll have to walk too... you didn't drive did you?"
"No I walked," Taylor said truthfully. Glancing out the convenient store double doors he noticed the rain smacking the lit sidewalk. "Looks like we'll both
be getting wet, too."
Angie groaned. "Man. I gotta jet, though." She half waved then turned around and walked away, giving Taylor no time for a response. Taylor watched her leave the isle before turning back to the magazines, but something caught his eyes on the way. Angie had left her purse.
Picking it up he hauled it over his shoulder and broke into a sprint to the end of the isle. He looked around for Angie and saw her just as she was exiting the store. He could catch her.
"Angie!" He called loudly once he had passed out of the automatic double doors. He could see her wobbly frame running and splashing on the sidewalk, quickly fading out of sight. She couldn't hear him over the rain and the loud burst of thunder that had erupted simotaneously. Taking a deep breath he prepared himself to run after her. Didn't she feel like she was forgetting something? Surely she should have. The bag was rather heavy.
Taylor took large steps, dodging trash cans and keeping a steady eye on the red shirted girl ahead of him, aluminized by streetlights. She was quite a ways
ahead of him. "Angie!" he called loudly. Still she did not hear.
As Taylor ran, he found himself growing breathless. For a large girl, Angie had a lot of energy.
His feet pounded hard against the pavement as he ran and his wet hair flew and bounced behind his ears. The rain falling into his eyes was beginning to smudge his vision.
So much so in fact, that Taylor only half saw the shadow of someone standing alone on the sidewalk. The thin shape caught him off guard, and he tried quickly to dodge the slender person but he'd been moving too fast. He gasped as he ran face first into a wet girl, and she too gasped before she fell to the ground. Her head thrashed against a bench behind her and Taylor dropped the purse.
Jamie Marquinn was stunned out of her state for only a moment until her head hit the bench. She blacked out and woke up in a hospital room.
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