I cant eat or be merry any longer. All my will power to think positive is gone. My heart and my head are telling me the same thing over and over again. I am alone.

            No one in my family jumped up to claim me when my mother told the courts that I am no longer useful to her. Not even my father. He is too busy with his new wife and family to even care what will happen to me. The perfect family he has always wanted has been delivered to him on a silver platter. A premade family, thanks to his new wife, has gifted him with the perfect daughter, son, and grandchildren. He has the whole package with no room for someone like me in the middle of it. I am the outcast.

            For some time now, I have been running this idea through my head, I just dont know if it will provide any solution to my problem. I want to run away from all this pain and all the problems I cause everyone I ever come into contact with. Everything inside me is holding me back; I just do not know what is keeping me from running and not looking back.

            A knock on my bedroom window has my stomach moving into my throat so fast that it takes me several seconds to get my breath back. I sneak a quick look toward the window, for fear that it is my brother who always trys to make a move on me, but I am relieved when I see that it is my best friend, coming to wish me a good-bye no doubt.

            Oh, my best friend. I can say so much about him. He has been there for me since the first day of pre-k, when the kids where being mean to me. When they were pulling my hair and pushing me around. He was there to protect me. Ever since that day, he has never left my side and I can only be grateful for everything he has done for me.

            I look at the clock on my nightstand and feel relieved to see that it is one in the morning. My mother will be at the bar for another three hours. I was free for a little while at least.

            Within seconds I am out of bed and at the window, throwing it open Im greeted with the scent of not only the boy I consider my best friend, but the scent of summer in fool bloom.

            Well, arent you excited to see me, he says, throwing his most handsome smile my way.

            I can do nothing but to answer his promising smile with one of my own. He has been here for me through thick and thin, for as long as I can remember. He may be two year older then my sixteen years but he is my rock in the horrible reality that I am forced to call my life.

            I cannot help but to tease him just a little, which has become more of a relaxed greeting between the two of us. Oh Faris, what in heavens name makes you believe that.

            Well considering how fast your up off your bed and to the window have to count for something.

            Ok, I am more than happy to see you. Happy now.

            More than happy. The smile on his face disappears and in its place is a frown that I wish I could remove from his face and make the dazzling smile return to his beautiful, flawless, tanned face. His endless chestnut brown eyes glaze over with unshed tears. I didnt want to leave before I had the chance to tell you goodbye myself.

            Tears spring to my eyes without so much as a warning, trickling down my checks before I ever have the chance to fight them back. I had a feeling you would come. I was just hoping it was before the sun came up.

            He slowly brings his hand to my check to remove the tears that have escaped my eyes. Can I come in? His voice is low and filled with sorrow and regret.

            Mom is still at the bar and will not be home for at least three more hours. Just got to make this quick. I have no idea when the evil spawn of Satan will be back. I step back allowing him the room that he needs to move his long body through the window and into my room.

            I have to take a step back after he stand to show off his full height. You have grown since the last time that I saw you. What are you, Close to six feet by now?

            Yeah, that sounds about right. Now stop trying to distract me. I am here on a mission. His face lights up with the biggest smile I have ever seen coming from him.

            What are you thinking? I havent the faintest idea what he has come up with in the evil mastermind of a like brain of his.

            Do you remember when you wrote me that letter a few weeks ago, when you found out that you are going into foster care? Well it got me thinking.

            Thinking about what?

            About you. About how you feel being here, getting ganged up and beat on by people who are supposed to love you. His smile has faded as his hands slide down my arms to the bottom of my shirtsleeves, only to push them up some to reveal the fresh bruises that are now covering both of my wrists. People who are supposed to love you are not supposed to do these things to you. Why do you let them?

            I do not know how many times I have heard the same thing over and over again from him, but this time, it feels different. It has a deeper meaning than it had before. I dont know, but I can say that I dont love them. The only thing is

            Dont say another word. Frustrated now, he dragged his hands through his hair. He knows me well enough to know what I was about to say. It is clearly written all over his face. I know what they are to you, but that doesnt mean anything Anna.

            I know. I just dont know any other way.

            Within a blink of an eye, his arms are draped around me and pulling me close. He smells like he always has, like Faris. Clean, like the lemon soap he uses in the shower, and of the outdoors.

            Come with me. He releases his hold on me but still keeps me at arms length. He has that dead serious look in his eye that I have gotten use to. Come with me to New York. I cannot and will not leave you here. Please, Anna! Please?

            Tears spring from my eyes once more. He cares about me, about what will happen when he leaves. A part of me always knew that he cared about me and wanted me out of harms way. I always knew that once he left, I would have no one to lean on and no one to talk to when times get tuff like they are now. He would be putting himself in the line of danger. He could be arrested for helping me runaway.

            Before I know it, Faris has his arms wrapped around me and holding me tight and trying to sooth all the crazy emotions running inside me.

            At that moment I know that I must go with him. I have to go with him if I am ever going to get the chance of a half way normal life. To get away from all of this has been a life long dream of mine that I will do anything to fulfill.

            Yes Faris. Ill go. That was all that I was able to say before he had me in a bear hug again and his placing a soft kiss on my lips that shocks me to the bone. In all the years that I have known him, he has never kissed me with as much sweetness and determination as he has now.

            Something in the back of my mind comes into view as he pulls his lips away from mine. It has me double thinking all the emotions that were swirling inside me just a few moments before. You can not do this for me. No matter how bad I want to go with you, you just cant. Ill only get in your way. What if your parents or the police find out and come after you?

            His arms drop to his sides, giving up the fight. He knows I am right. The future that has been planned for him will fall apart at the seams once the police find out that I am with him and that he helped me. My life is already planned for me. I will stay here and be alone for as long as I shall live. All my hopes and dreams have been shattered once; there is no point in letting the one true friend I have, ruin his over some low life like me.

            Faris finally looks me in the eyes; tears streaming down his face. I can see all the pain he feels as it fills his eyes with more tears. In all the years that I have known him, I have never seen him cry. In that moment, I know I will never get a chance like this again, the chance to leave all this behind me and start a new chapter of my life.

            All the fears from before have faded once again. I can finally see what God has planned out for me. It is to leave here with him and never look back. Nothing can touch me now. Not even the family I was born into that never really wanted me. I know what it is I must do.

            I smile up at him, wrapping my arms around him and looking up at him, I know that I have made the right choice for once in my life; for my mind and my heart.

            Ill go with you. My heart is in my throat and I fight back tears when Faris smiles at me. Ill go, but we have to hurry. I dont know what time the Satan span will be back.

            Ok, ok. But you have to let me go. My car is parked down the hill and through the He stops mid sentence as we hear my brother walking into the house. Ill be right out the window. Scream if he lays a hand on you. Im not leaving without you, but I wont sit here and let him beat you in front of me again. Close the window but leave it cracked so that I can hear you. You can do this.

            I remember the night he is talking about all too well and I promised myself not to think of it. The memory is still too strong and powerful to bear.

            Faris is out the window in the matter of seconds. I close the window slowly so that I dont slam it shut and give an excuse to my brother to come in here and check-on-me. I jump into bed just in time to close my eyes and fake sleep when my brother opens my bedroom door.

            Damn! Shes asleep. I cant believe that she didnt wait up for me to get home. Welp, Ill just have to wake her up.

            My heart kicks into over time, like it is about to beat out of my chest as I sense his movements around the room. I can hear him shutting the door and walking towards me, undoing his fly as he goes. Tears threaten to over flow but I hold them back with all my might. I have promised myself that I will never show any sign of the coward I really am when it comes to him and my mother. It only makes things worse for me.

            The next thing I hear is the sound of shattered glass from the other room. My heart is once again in my throat and I find it hard to breath. It seems like minutes have passed before I hear the sound of his fly being done up again and the many curses that follow as he leaves my room, slamming the door behind me.

            Within the next second I hear the window opening and Faris trying his hardest to get my attention. When I finally look up at him he is pointing to my bags of clothes and understanding finally registers in my mind. He threw something into the window, which made it shatter, and now I am to throw my bags out the window for him to haul alongside the house.

            I scramble out of my bed and throw my two lonely bags out the window. Jumping back into my bed, I peek a look at the window and relieved to see it cracked again and Faris gone into hiding. Once I hear foot steps coming down the hall I quickly lay back in my bed and wait for the assault that is to come.

            The door flies open, slamming against the wall. I force my body not to make a move even though my whole body is tensing to run. A long running oath escapes my brothers lips, but my mind is too wound up to hear a thing that he says. My ears are waiting for the next crash, the next sound of destruction so that I can make my leave. It seems like hours pass as I sit here waiting.

            Finally, the welcoming sound of the living room lamp falling to the floor makes it way to my ears. Hearing another string of oaths coming from my brother, I hear him turn on his heal and make his way down the hall, slamming the door as he goes once more.

            I jump out of bed so fast my head starts to spin, but I ignore it, knowing I only have a matter of seconds before he returns. Grabbing my shoes and art kit that I wouldnt leave behind no matter what; I turn to the window and see the welcoming face of Faris. Quickly I hand over my art kit bag and shoes and start to slip my legs out the window opening when the door swings open again.

            My heart jumps back into my throat; I force myself not to turn around and look at the face of my brother. I try and force my body to move further out the window but I cant move, frozen in place for what seems like hours.

            The movement behind me has my mind back on track and my body moving faster than before. My feet hit the ground at the same time as my brother trys to grab me by my ponytail and drag me back in.

            Anna! Run! Fast! Faris is right beside me, steading me on my feet before I take off at a full sprint. Faster! is all I have to hear from Faris to make me move faster in front of him.

            I run across the yard, jumping the ditch, running across the road, bounding up the small hill and through the roads with Faris right behind me caring my bags and shoes. Leaving the screams behind us, we make our way through the woods and to a long abandoned dirt road and to the waiting car.

            Its unlocked! Get in! Now! Faris is to the driver side door opening it wide and throwing all my belongings into the back seat before turning at the sound of pounding feet against the forest floor. Now! Anna! Get in! is all he has to say to me to get me moving around the car and throwing the door open and slumping against the seat for a second of air.

            Anna! The door! Faris doesnt even give me time to turn and shut the door. He is already leaning across me and slamming the door shut. In the next second all the doors are locked and the engine is running.

            The car speeds off down the dirt road. I look at the rear view mirror to see my brother standing in the middle of the road wielding a bat, screaming at the top of his lungs but I cannot hear a thing. Blood is still rushing through my ears and my breathing is still uneven.

            I slump back into the seat again and breathe a big sigh of relief. There is nothing in front of me now besides an open road and dreams of the future. Nothing sounded quite so good before now.

            Thank you, Faris. I dont know how I would of pulled this off without you.

            Oh, Anna, says Faris as tears run down his face. I didnt know you could run that fast but we did it. You did it; your finally free. Im so proud of you. He reaches over to grab my hand and brings it to his lips, soothing my fears without even knowing it.

            We listen to the radio, not daring to break the silence. My eyes want to close but I will them open again. I do not want to miss a moment in the car with Faris, but my eyes win out in the end.

            The next thing that I know, I am gently shaken awake as the sun is slowly rising and the New York skyline is coming into view. It is breathtaking and makes me want to cry. I made it.

            I love you Faris. The words are out my mouth before I can stop them.

            He just merely smiles at me and winks. I love you too, Anna! He reaches for my hand and holds tight as we continue to drive into the safe haven that is New York.