Be My Escape

McKenna’s Perspective

I sat glumly in the bleachers at the auditorium as I watched my brother, his best friends, and their high school class parade around the room. It was their high school graduation, and as proud as I was of my brother, Alex, I envied him.

He got to get out of this shitty town and onto bigger and better things. I don’t care that he had to do it in a smelly, fifteen passenger van. He got to break free of this place.

“Alexander William Gaskarth.” I perked up as I heard my brother’s name and watched him walk across the stage and get his diploma, shaking the hands of our principal, our superintendent, among other important people.

I looked over to our mom, who was shamelessly crying. I didn’t blame her. For a while, it looked like Alex and his bandmates were just going to drop out to start touring earlier. But I was glad they didn’t, mainly for one reason.

Ryan, my ex-boyfriend and I had met in Study Hall in my freshman year. He was a year older than me and a star football player, and had these scorching green eyes that when he looked at you, it was like he was seeing into your very soul.

Ryan was good to me, the perfect gentleman, and then the abuse began. It started out slowly, so I would make excuses for him, to myself, and to other people. He just had a bad day, he didn’t mean it, I ‘fell’ and bruised my arm.

Until one night, after the football team had lost a big game. The guys went over to someone’s house and got drunk. Ryan texted me to meet him there, so I did. And then him and his friends took turns beating me up.

I just barely made it out of the house and called Alex, who took me to the emergency room and didn’t leave my side for several days.

“McKenna...McKenna!” I heard Alex say, waving his hands in front of my face.

“Huh?” I asked dazedly.

“The ceremony’s over. We can go.” Alex chuckled lightly.

“Alright.” I nodded and let Alex lead me out of the auditorium.

--

We were at Alex’s graduation party. I was dancing to the music, when my mom pulled me aside by my elbow.
“What’s up, Mom?” I asked.

“Honey, your father and I were thinking….with everything that happened with Ryan...maybe a change of scenery would be good for you…” my mom said slowly.

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that we think you should go on Warped with All Time Low.”

“Wouldn’t I just get in the way?” I asked.

“We’ve already discussed it with Alex and he agrees and has no problem with it.”

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“Positive. Alex will take good care of you.”

“Yes!” I cried, my face cracking into a huge smile.

I couldn’t help it. I hadn’t wanted to get my hopes up, but it was Warped Tour! I would get to see the country with my brother and his best friends, just like I’d always dreamt of. I ran up to Alex and hugged him tightly.

“You’re the best big brother in the world!” I cried.

He chuckled.

“Gee, thanks sis.” He hugged me back.

“What’s going on?” Jack asked.

“Well, it looks like our mom just broke the news to McKenna that she’s going on Warped Tour with us!” Alex replied excitedly and the guys high-fived me, except for Zack.

Zack had always been reserved around me. He was an all-around quiet guy, so I knew it wasn’t personal, but he was able to laugh and joke with the guys, and he’d known them the same amount of time as he’d known me.

Maybe I was just over-analyzing.

Notes

Title: Falling Slowly, The Frames

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Hayley