She grabbed his arm and pulled him round so that they were face to face. He couldn’t go; it was far too dangerous. He frowned and pulled away.

“I’m going and that’s final.” His words sounded definite but his actions were uncertain.

He hesitated for a while and looked at her. To tell the truth, she was the only thing that he was going to miss. He didn’t want to leave her behind and she was right; it was a risk but still, he wasn’t prepared to put her in the way of danger along with himself. He turned away and started off down the long and dusty road. She ran after him, desperate not to let him go.

He’d befriended her, right from when they were little children. No one else had liked her. They didn’t understand her silence, but he did. All the other children thought that she was strange and unfriendly but they didn’t know…none of them knew. She had been born dumb as a child, unable to form a single letter with her lips. Her parents had cried when they’d found out that their perfect baby girl couldn’t speak. They’d assumed that she was a slow learner at first but came to the uneasy realisation that Cate would be silent forever. 

Her parents soon lost interest in her afterwards. They kept her clean and well-fed but only so that no one could say that they mistreated her. They didn’t love her anymore, and she could tell. It hurt her more than anything else in the world. How could your own mother not love you? If he left, she’d have no one, she’d be alone- he was all that she had.

He looked back at her and smiled sadly, in a way that he hoped was reassuring, though he wasn’t sure whom he was convincing. He didn’t know where he was going, never mind how he was going to get there, he just knew that if it were meant to be, he’d find the place he was looking for. He stopped and kicked up the dust from the ground in frustration. What was he looking for? The truth was, he didn’t even know that much. He was just going to become the lonely wonderer, on the road to nowhere. Well it was somewhere; he just didn’t know where that somewhere was. He sighed and pulled at a tuft of brown hair. It was just all too much. 
Perhaps it would be better if he just turned around and gave up on the whole thing. After all, it was a bit of a wild goose chase.

Cate looked at him anxiously. Why was he putting himself through this? It was breaking her heart to watch him suffering. She knew deep down that he would be much happier here with her, but his curious mind got the better of him. 

It was about two months ago when Jason’s parents had told him that he had been adopted when he was just a baby. Jason had been furious at the time but when he’d had time to think about it, he wasn’t surprised at all. His hair had always been dark but both is parents had shocking waves of blonde hair. His eyes were dark too but his parents’ eyes were both icy-blue. They’d always told him that he’d just inherited his features from his Grandparents but now it was clear that it had all been a lie.

He wanted to find them, his birth parents. He wanted to know who they were, what they looked like, what their hobbies were…everything. If there was one thing that he had to do, it was to find his real parents. He wouldn’t rest until he did.

For week after week, Cate had watched Jason’s curiosity gnawing away inside of him. He’d gotten moody and snappy and had shouted at her quite a lot but she always understood. He was just getting out his frustration and anger and even though he denied it, sadness. She just wanted to be there for him. When he hurt, she hurt, and she couldn’t bear it.

“I promise you, I’ll keep in touch.” Jason stroked her cheek and almost kissed her but stopped mid-motion. It would just make things harder. He was having enough trouble leaving her already; it would only complicate things.

He began to walk again and she followed him, taking in the view. The fields on either side of the path were filled with flowers, all of them colourful and sweetly scented. The birds in the trees were singing out, loud and clear and without a care. The sun was high in the sky, beating its warm rays down upon her back. Not a cloud was in the sky- everything was so perfect but it didn’t matter. If he left, the birds may as well be dead to her, the flowers wilting and the sky grey and blowing a harsh cold wind upon her. He was her everything, her all. If he left, she would only be half alive. Is half a life even worth living? She grabbed onto his arm and held on tightly. If he were going, then she would be too.

“No, Cate you can’t come.” He didn’t shout; he didn’t even look remotely angry. Instead, there was a deep sadness in his eyes; a sadness that didn’t want to let her go.

She sat down on the dusty road and beat at it in frustration. It wasn’t fair! Why was he being taken away from her? It was madness! Hot pearly tears rolled down her rosy cheeks. She felt like giving up, letting him go. If it was really what he wanted…

Jason sat down too and put a welcome arm around her shoulders. He felt bad about leaving her in such a state. He knew it was his fault that she was like this. Jason kissed her forehead and stroked her hair. He’d always loved the way that her hair constantly smelled of apples because of the shampoo she used. He loved her hair; it was so soft and shiny. At times he thought it was a chocolate brown but when the sun shone and its rays caught the locks it looked a heavenly golden. He could have stayed there forever, stroking her hair. He almost forgot about what he had to do, but not quite; it was a gnawing and biting sensation that he knew would never go away. 

Cate laughed- he was smelling her hair again, she could tell. She’d never really understood his fascination with her hair- she’d always hated it herself. She could feel him shifting uneasily; he was probably embarrassed, she shouldn’t have laughed. She wanted to apologise, she wanted to say so many things but she couldn’t and it irritated her to the point of exasperation. Everyone else in the world was able to explain their actions after they did them, they had a second chance, a chance to say sorry, but she had one chance and one chance only and she had to live with whatever she did.

“Cate, before I go, could you please promise me one thing,” Jason asked her.

She shrugged him off angrily; what did she owe him? He was abandoning her and he expected her to start making him promises!

Jason sighed sadly, “Please, just promise me you’ll take care of yourself.

She ignored him.

“Please Cate, I love you…”

This sent her into another wave of sobs. What difference was that going to make? Surely, he didn’t think that love was going to solve anything! If anything at all, it had just gone and made matters worse. Why was he doing this? Did he just want her to hurt more? If he loved her so much, then why was he going away?

She turned away and ran back down the road as fast as she could. If he was going, then he should go and stop wasting her time. She tripped and stumbled over loose pebbles. Her feet hurt, and she wished she’d brought better shoes. Her hair was flying wildly in the wind. Her hair…Where was her hair band? Jason…he probably had it. He liked to take her hair band out when he stroked her hair. She almost smiled; she loved it when Jason stroked her hair. She shook her head and pushed the thought to the back of her mind.

She was almost home now. The large thatch-roofed cottage was looming around the corner. It was sunny and the cottage was beautiful but it sent an unwelcome feeling straight into her spine. She stared at the window at the top right of the house. She knew that behind those pretty floral curtains would come a cold, bare and unwelcoming room. She sighed and made her way to the front door. At the steps she began a faster pace but then tripped and fell. She looked at her knee. Blood. She wiped it quickly and ignored it, almost numb to the pain.

She stood up and looked at the door forebodingly and then over her shoulder where she caught a glimpse of the dusty country road. She could go back and catch Jason before he left; she didn’t want to lose him. However, if she went back it would make no difference, Jason would never let her go with him. On the other hand, if she went through the door, that would be it. No going back. No more chasing him. Jason would be gone, forever…

She took a deep breath in and pushed the door open and closed it quietly behind her. Her parents weren’t home, she knew that, but she’d gotten used to creeping around quietly. She touched her side gently and sobbed out loud. It still hurt her where her father had hit her last week for staying out too late ‘and with that Jason boy too…’ she remembered his words as if he’d said them just the last minute.

She turned on the fan and sat down next to it. She’d get beatings for that too, she was sure of it. ‘Wasting electricity bills’ they’d say. She cupped her head in her hands and began to cry again. She hadn’t even let Jason know about the beatings. She did want to, but how do you tell someone that your parents are beating you simply because you’re not perfect? It would be hard enough with words.

There was a sudden drumming of fists on the door. Cate instantaneously stood up and ran up the stairs in terror. Someone was calling her. She stood stock-still, she recognised the voice- it was Jason.
She climbed back down the stairs as he pushed open the door. He was standing in the doorway now, staring at her. He rushed forward grabbed her by the shoulders pulling her into him. He gazed into her eyes deeply and kissed her passionately on the lips.

“I couldn’t leave without saying goodbye properly.” He sighed.
She waved one hand at him slowly, if he wanted a goodbye, he could have it. If he was leaving, he might as well just do it.

He looked at her, slightly confused. Didn’t she like it?

She pushed him away and waved goodbye again and all of a sudden he understood. He was leaving her, she didn’t want his love; it would do her no good. She wanted him to go.

He looked at her sadly but realised that she wasn’t going to budge. He shouldn’t have come back. He was only stalling, and she knew it. He was scared, though he would hate to admit that to her, and he was looking for her soft and gentle reassurance. Now he knew that she would never give that to him, he felt more alone than he ever had. He turned around and walked towards the door, placing one hand firmly on the handle. He looked over his shoulder once more and took a picture of her in his mind then he slowly turned the handle and was gone, striding out into the fading light of the setting sun.

Cate walked up the stairs solemnly. Had she done the right thing letting him go? Would he forget her? Would he find someone else and never look back? Would he even stay in touch, like he promised? Thoughts raced through her heads furiously, like a thousand bulls charging around an arena. I have done the right thing. He’d be better off without me.

She pushed open the dusty door at the far end of the corridor, which opened up into a bare room. There was a small bed in one corner, which was covered in a rose-printed duvet that once upon a time may have been very pretty but was now moth eaten and discoloured. There was a tall lamp next to it which’s light flickered on and off constantly. Apart from this, the room was completely empty, save for a small pile of assorted clothes in the middle of the room.

All of a sudden, a fierce determination etched itself across her face. She wasn’t going to live like she did anymore. She was tired of jumping every time someone entered the room and she was tired of not being able to live her own life. She was tired full stop. She wasn’t going to stand for any of it.

Quickly, she ran into her parents room and took her mothers old large satchel, then she took it back to her room and stuffed it full of all her possessions (she didn’t have very many, so this wasn’t an issue). She stood back and looked at the half-filled bag. Food! She wasn’t intending on starving herself; that was for sure. So, quickly and quietly, she crept down to the kitchen and filled her bag with all the non-perishable foods she could find. Suddenly, there was the sound of the doorknob turning. She gasped and scrambled up the stairs as quickly as she could manage. Cate made it to her room just in the nick of time. She sighed, relief sweeping over her body like a cool breeze on a hot summers day.

Cate could hear her parents calling her. She had to leave now. She thought of leaving them a note but decided that there wasn’t enough time; besides, they’d only burn it anyway.

Giving her room one last regretful glance, she clambered out of her window and stole away into the sunset. She’d be with Jason, even if it killed her. She wasn’t going to give him up or let him slip through her fingers. No, she was going to fight for him and she’d win- she knew she would. He’d never let her go back after she showed him the bruises.

He hadn’t left long ago, and knowing him, he would be taking his time. Cate ran in order to catch up but it wasn’t long until she met him, as he had turned around and was walking back in the direction of her house. She couldn’t believe it, was he coming home? She wouldn’t let him. He was going to find his parents and she was going to help him. They would be unstoppable together, and no matter what trouble they found themselves in, at least they’d have each other.

Cate took Jason’s hand and steered him around. Then she showed him her bag. Jason laughed aloud- it was a crazy idea! Was Cate really going to go with him? Well, why not! He took her bag from her; it was light enough. He’d carry it. She smiled; he was agreeing to take her. 

In a sweet, silent happiness they ambled off into the distance, finally together and happy. They could both feel in their hearts that they were doing the right thing. They were finally going to find their own happy ending.