10 Chapter 10

I rub my finger gently over the paper and hum to my music. I haven't felt this normal since I was a kid, I'm so lost in thought I don't even notice the door open.

I see Alex's shoes and a whole bunch of bags that look ready to fall, I dart up dropping my stuff and take some of the bags from his hands.

"Looks like a full night," I see as I peak in the bags and the smells of all the different spices float out, "Hopefully we can find a few good movies."

He darts up from the bent over position he was in to put the bags down, "Aha! I've got that covered," he pulls out a bunch of rental movies, "There was some really cheap BlockBuster knock off down the block, they had a pretty good selection. Less than fifty cents a movie for the weekend."

"You're kidding! What all did you get?" I put the bags I had down and start pulling stuff out.

He shrugs, "A little of everything; action, comedy, some cartoons... How was your alone time?"

I straighten out and cross my arms, "It was good, calming, you know? I'm actually really proud of what I did."

He smiles and hesitantly makes his way to the bed, I jump out for my pad but he beats me to it by a second.

He looks at the page in front of him in awe, "This your mom?"

I nod, "I couldn't help think about how different our lives will be once she actually graduates and all. When we can really start living."

I step next to him and look down at the drawing of my mom and I, together just smiling. Truly happy, no signs of exhaustion on our faces, no forced smiles. A smile true enough to show our family dimple.

"I've only ever seen you smile like that once; freshman year, it was a school art show and Mrs. Breks had given you the center space and honored your work as one of her most gifted students."

I'm taken aback, "You remember that? After all this time, were you there?"

"Yeah I was, plus the school paper did a thing on the show and I know I seem like the guy who couldn't care less about school or anything but I actually read every paper. You could ask me football scores for crying out loud," he puts the pad down and pulls off his damp jacket, trying to hide his smile of embarrassment.

"Who was prom queen last year?" I try not to laugh as I fall into his rabbit hole.

"Stephanie Freds, with her obnoxious date Nate Ruthers," He rolls his eyes, "Thank god they graduated or I would have killed him. The guy was the poster child for stereotypical jock."

He pulls out more food and sits on the bed, "You know, that night when Mrs. Breks talked about me I felt ready to cry," I shift my weight before sitting next to him, "I was so scared up there in front of everyone. My mom begged me to get a copy of the paper so she could frame the article and picture. It's in her room on her desk."

"That's really sweet," he stands up and goes over to the bags, "I did get you something else," he digs into the bag and pulls out a plastic case.

I take it from his hand and see it's a phone, an awful one. It's small but bulky, a flip phone. I open it and watch the manual fall out with the phone in front of me.

"It's not much, it's a burner. No one can trace our location on it, prepaid; it only has so many minutes, no texting. Once you use up the minutes we can get you another. I wanted you to have a way to call your mom when you wanted."

I jump up and hug him, "Thank you Alex... You have no idea how badly I needed this."

He holds me close to him and I feel like neither of us want to let go, yet he pulls away, not taking his hands off my shoulders, "I think I'm going to step outside and take a few minutes to pick which movie we watch first. Why don't you test that thing out?"

I nod and bolt back onto the bed. Rushing, I set up the phone and put my mother's cell, work, and the house phone in the contacts.

I start with her cell, the sound of it ringing tortures me. My stomach forms into knots and butterflies as I fill with fear that there won't be an answer. She shouldn't be at school or work, I start feeling like I won't get her.

"Hello?" her voice rings out, causing a few tears to roll out, "Hello? Who is this?"

"Mama?" My voice trembles.

"Julia, baby is that you? Honey where are you?" She suddenly alert and jittery, I can hear her moving over the phone.

"I can't tell you mom, I'm sorry," I start to cry again, hearing her makes everything better, "I miss you though mommy. I really do."

"Then come home. I don't know why you left, are you in trouble? I've been worried sick, at first I thought you were picking up extra work but then I found your note and I..." her voice cracks and she starts sobbing.

"Mom please don't cry, please. I promise, I'm ok and I'll be home as soon as I can but I really need you to trust me. Did you tell anyone I was gone?"

"No, I kept hoping you'd call and tell me where you are. Please baby tell me what's happening, this isn't like you. You don't just run off, and you always tell me what's going on. Is it illegal? Are you pregnant?"

I laugh a bit, "Mom you know I think boys are the plague. And no, it's nothing illegal but I can't tell you. I'm alright I promise, and I promise to call when I can until I come home. Once I'm home I promise I'll tell you everything. Please trust me, I need you to trust me."

I hear her sniffling on the end of the line, "Alright, I'll trust you. But please come home baby."

"I will mom, I promise. I promise I'll come home as soon as I can, and I'll call and send you money and soon we'll be together forgetting this even happened. Ok mama?"

The door opens and Alex peaks in, "Ok Jules, please call me soon," my mom sounds so tired, I can't stand knowing she's worried. I promise to call her in a few days and we hang up.

Alex steps in and sits next to me, "I'm thinking you need some comedy," he wipes a tear and grabs some of the food, "And of course Pad Thai and your many other foods."

I smile and take the food, "Thank you, for everything."

"Did it help to cal her?"

"You have no idea, I desperately needed that. It was so hard not to tell her everything that's happened but hearing her voice was just so..." I can't even find words to describe the release I feel.

He gets up, grinning from ear to ear, picks up a movie and pops it into the TV. While we wait for the previews to start, we unload all the food. The buffet before us feels like a dream. Thai is usually what my mom got on my birthday, it's always been one of my favorites. Seeing the curries, and chicken coconut soup I feel cared about. I look over to Alex and think back to being a little freshman with a huge crush, wondering if that's coming back, maybe even hoping it's not one sided.

"Can you pass me the spicy shrimp soup?" he grumbles with his mouth half full of dumpling.

"Only if you stop spitting food on me and hand me the chicken with cashew," I chuckle as he covers his mouth with the back of his hand.

We eat and watch, occasionally talking. He and I split all the fired rice we got, and he steals my fried basil and pork. He tries some of the spicy beef salad before offering me a spoon of his green curry.

"You have to try this, it's amazing," he lifts the spoon to my face, "Come on open."

I hesitate but do as he says. He gently spoons the curry into my mouth, smiling all the while.

I touch my lips while I process the flavor, and the whole action, "That is good, and what's that sweet taste in there?"

"I think it's basil, its really good," He turns back to the TV, all the while shoveling more food into his mouth.

I try to focus on the movie or at least my food, but now my mind is swirling and my stomach is swarming with butterflies.

Boys really are the plague, they mess with your head.

Movie after movie, bite after bite, the night stretches until my eyes beg me to sleep. Gently laying back, the last few things I hear are Alex's laughter and the jokes on the TV.

________

I wake up under the blankets with the room clean and empty. Our bags put in front of the TV, organized and packed. All of the food trash gone and movies on the night stand.

I sit up and look around, "Alex?"

It's dead quiet. I start to pull myself out of bed when the door opens and Alex darts in, slamming the door behind him.

"Alex? Are you ok?"I stand and step closer.

"Stay there! I saw that Robert guy, I rushed back but you were still out. I grabbed you some clothes, we leave tonight. I want to wait until it's dark."

"Wait what? You saw him, where?" I feel lightheaded as I step closer to the bathroom.

"I went to pick up something to eat for breakfast and he was on the corner. I don't know if he saw me but he was on the phone. I came back out to pay for the room and get us bus tickets and he followed me to the motel. He doesn't know what room but he's outside looking for us. We leave tonight."

I feel like my throat is closing up and I feel the palms of my hands get sweaty. Robert could have killed me, and now he knows where we are. He could be out there waiting, watching every door and every window. He could be exposing us to the devil.

We're vulnerable now.