“Don't leave me! Ever!” He rasped in my ear, sucking the lobe as we rocked into each other with a frantic pace that both scared and thrilled me. My knees slammed into the metal of the bench and I barely registered the pain as I fell apart around him. After a few more minutes of punishing thrusts, I felt Clay release inside me.

It was at that moment that I realized what we had done. I couldn't believe I had let us have sex in a park. In the middle of town. Without a condom. That was up there with one of the most stupid and risky things I had ever done.

I collapsed against Clay and he held me tightly, running his fingers through my hair as we tried to get control over our breathing again. We were still connected, neither of us making the effort to move. Even though my body was exhausted, my mind was reeling. I quickly did the math in my head and relaxed when I realized the unprotected sex shouldn't be an issue.

The cold wind finally broke through the post coital haze and I moved off of Clay's lap, feeling his wetness between my legs. I scooped up my discarded pants and hastily put them back on. “Well, that was a first.” I joked, still a little out of breath. Clay smirked at me as he buttoned himself back up. He pulled me back onto his lap. “I just needed to be close to you. Sorry the setting wasn't more romantic.” Clay apologized, kissing my temple as I snuggled into his chest.

I sighed and laid my head down over his heart. The steady beat both calmed and soothed me. Clay rubbed my back and traced the length of my shoulder blades with his fingertip. “You're all that I have.” He said quietly, kissing the top of my head. I let him hold me and tried to convince myself that everything would be all right. But I knew I was just living another lie.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Funny how two days can change everything. Even my staunch refusal to let anything come between me and the boy I loved. My picture of the world had flipped on its head and I lived in a constant state of confusion and near panic.

We laid low, paranoid someone would figure out we were the teenagers on the lam from Virginia. The machine that was Clay's parents was clearly in overdrive. We were watching a local news station one evening and suddenly saw Clay's face on the screen.

“What the...?” Clay bit out, turning up the volume. Clay and I watched transfixed as the news anchor told the story of a mentally unstable young man who had kidnapped his girlfriend and gone on the run. Clay was described as dangerous and people were asked to notify authorities immediately if he was seen. Then they showed a picture of me and I thought I was going to throw up.

We had gone to bed that night curled around each other. We didn't say anything, no words were needed. Clay hung onto to me as though I would disappear. We made love frantically and desperately as if we were trying to hold onto something that would be snatched from our grasp at any moment. But I couldn't pretend that things were going to work out any longer. It was only a matter of time until we were discovered.

Rachel had been texting me non-stop, urging me to come home. She worried that things would only get worse the longer we were gone. And I knew she was right. I didn't want to think about what would be waiting for Clay back in Davidson. But every hour that went by I saw Clay deteriorating. He was paranoid and hyper-vigilant. He wouldn't let me out of his sight. He had unplugged the phone in our room and would put chairs against the door as we slept.

He was edgy and angry, snapping at me for no reason and then immediately pleading with me to forgive him. He was also cutting again. I saw the marks on his skin, even as he tried to hide them. I thought about confronting him, but thought better of it, knoingw he was dangerously close to losing what small semblance of sanity he had left.

Things were spiraling out of control, not just for Clay, but for me as well. I was scared all the time. I could barely sleep and I couldn't handle sitting by and watching the boy that I love slowly slip away into the darkness of his mind.

I needed my parents and my friends. I wanted their support and the safety of home so badly that I ached for it. I wanted Clay to get some help because with each passing day, I couldn't deny that's exactly what he needed. He didn't need me pretending that we would gallop off into the sunset like some fairytale. Because that wasn't our story. Not by a long shot.

After seeing the news story, I knew I had to call my parents. They were probably going out of their minds if they thought Clay had kidnapped me. Who knew what bullshit Clay's parents had fed them.

I waited until I knew Clay was asleep and I quietly got dressed and went outside. I gripped my cell phone in my hand. With shaking fingers I dialed my mom's number. I realized how late it was, almost 11:30 at night. But I needed to hear her voice. “Hello?” I heard my mother's shaking voice on the other end.

I almost hung up, scared as hell to say anything. “Maggie! Is that you?” My mom pleaded. I took a deep breath. “Yes mom, it's me.” I whispered. I heard her choking back a sob. “Oh my God, are you all right? Where are you?” She asked me.

“I'm fine, mom. Clay and I are in North Carolina...” “North Carolina! What are you doing there?” I didn't answer her- not sure what to tell her. My mom seemed to make an effort to pull herself together. “Please tell me he isn't keeping you there against your will.” My mother asked as calmly as she was able.

“No, I left willingly.” I assured her. My mom sighed in relief. “Okay. Well, that's something, I suppose. Clay's parents have shared some things about Clay that have your father and I worried sick. He isn't hurting you is he?” My mom asked and I could tell she was crying.