Finding My Way
Chapter 25: Val's P.O.V

I haven’t slept in three days. That’s when Brooke left. But it wasn’t just that Brooke moved, it was the constant fighting and yelling coming from my parents’ room. It was exhausting just to listen to it, but I was running on no energy for the past few days, and I’d been so out of it.
It was 12:30 on a Friday night and I’d just been sitting up in my room for the past few hours, trying to block out the incessant arguing with music and with studying my lines.
I fell back on my bed, covering my face with my script and groaning loudly, kicking my feet. I gave up, rolling to the side and grabbing my phone off my bedside table. I scrolled through my contacts and called Danny, hoping he would pick up and relieve me of this mad-house. I just wanted someone to talk to. No answer. I sat there for a few minutes, thinking I would try and endure the noise again tonight, but decided against it.
So I called my best friend, who picked up on the first ring.
“Hey.” I breathed into the phone.
“Hey, is everything alright?” Ben’s concerned voice rang through the phone, immediately comforting me.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?” I said nervously.
“Because it’s almost 1 o’clock, Aly. What’s the matter?”
“I just need to get out of here. I can’t even hear myself think.” I sighed into the phone, already feeling a bit better just by talking to Ben.
“So let’s go then.”
“What?” I asked, picking my head up.
“You said you need to get out; so let’s go.”
“Just leave?”
“Yeah, c’mon, just come out and I’ll be there.”
“Okay.” I said, right before Ben hung up. It amazed me at how easily Ben had convinced me to leave with him; it took absolutely no thought for me to say yes. That’s what I loved about being friends with Ben, it was so effortless and easy; so simple.
My parents were in the room with their door shut so I threw on a sweatshirt and quietly walked down the hallway, grabbing my key and slipping it into my pocket before going right out the door. Ben was already there, leaning against the doorway.
“Let’s go!” He picked up a giant blanket that had been on the doorstep next to him and headed off down the road as I hurried to catch up to him.
“Where are we going?” I said, catching my breath as I came up beside him. He carried a lantern in one hand, and I smiled, I loved how traditional and old fashioned his family was. It was mostly only lighting up his path though, so I laced my hands around his bicep and let him lead me since I couldn’t see very well.
“Well, you said you couldn’t hear yourself think, so I figured somewhere nice and quiet would be good.” He said, and I let it go, as it gave me zero help as to where we were headed, but it couldn’t be too far if we were walking.
After another two minutes of silence he led us into the park right near our houses. He stopped in the center of the park, right near the tree we always used to climb together when we were kids, and laid down the blanket.
We sat down and were quiet for a minute, before Ben spoke up. “So what’s going on, Aly?”
So I told him about my parents constant fighting for almost two weeks now, and how I hadn’t slept in days, and how I already missed Brooke, and how I just wanted Loretta back, and I ended up crying.
Just like before, he let me cry. He didn’t say anything, he knew I just needed to get it out and deal with it on my own.
 
I woke up shivering from the cold, bitter air. It was bright out and I scrunched up my eyes and stretched my arms. I flinched back immediately, gasping as I jumped up from the unexpected contact I had made with…Ben. He was facing away from me on the opposite end of the blanket, sleeping peacefully.
I was confused for a moment before I realized that we had stayed out all night, without telling our parents where we were. And I didn’t have my phone. My mom and dad were going to flip!
“Ben!” I whisper-yelled as I violently shook his arm. He slowly opened his eyes and smiled at me.
“Feeling better?” He asked.
“Ben we have to go!” I tugged on his arm, trying to get him to stand with me.
“What? What’s wr--?” He looked around for a second and his eyes widened. “Oh sh/t.”
I sighed. “Do you have your phone? Are there any missed calls? What time is it?” I questioned him. He patted his pockets and threw his head back on the blanket, groaning. “I’m guessing that’s a no. And I don’t have mine. Any chance you think it’s still really early and they haven’t woken up to notice we’re gone yet?” I smiled hopefully.
He laughed. “Yeah, I doubt that.” He got up and ran a hand through his hair.
I took two steps so I was standing in front of him and hugged him tightly. When I pulled away he looked at me, a slight smile on his perfect lips. “What was that for?”
“For being there for me last night. Well, not just last night. You’re always there when I need someone. So…thanks.” I finished lamely.
His smile widened. “C’mon, we should get home and see if our parents have put up flyers and have police-dogs out tracking for our scent yet.” He rolled his eyes and I laughed, knowing that our parents would probably do that.


A/N
Do you guys like when I do the song of the chapter 
and the polyvore outfits?
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=62630800