Running Scared

Chapter 21:

 The weeks passed and New Years came and went, happy couples kissed to bring it in. Winter Break ended as quickly as it began and we were back at school. It was well into January, nearly February, and all was quiet. No turn ups of anyone out of the ordinary. Only a few nightmares, but that was the only disturbance. The calm before the storm. And that scared me.

Enrollment slips were passed around and while my friends were finishing college applications, I was signing up for senior year so I could begin the excitement they have. It didn't slip my mind that after May, I wouldn't have any friends to go to. Mel was hoping to head off to University of California in August and Eric was hoping to go out of state. Both were close but too far away. Time was moving quickly and I was falling behind.

No signs of Evan had been discovered yet. His mother accepted, almost, that he ran away and I would see her around town, going through the motions. Not fully living. So familiar yet so foreign. It was hard to remember those times in such a normal time of my life. I sat at the lunch table with all of my old, and recently regained, friends.

“I just finished my last application. I hope I get in. It's so far away though.” Rosalie sighed.

“Where do you want to go again?” Eric asked before taking a bite of his sandwich.

“Tennessee. It's inside Nashville. Oooh, I just love it there!”

We all chuckled. Tennessee born and raised until a couple years ago they moved for her mother's business. With just the two of them, it was a little easier to move. She planned on going back to Tennessee and we knew her mom would follow.

“I would like to stay here in California. I love the beach too much.” Mel grinned sheepishly.

“That's right! California man.” Eric grinned across the table and laughed.

Everyone ended up confessing their college hopes and dreams while I poked at the lump of wet spaghetti on my tray. Gross. I stayed quiet through the conversation, no dreams to add. College was a distance thought, a dream that I might one day achieve.

This happened often, college talk would get passed around, usually about the sporting events to look forward to, and I would sit back and stay silent. I tried to never feel sorry for myself. But there was no denying I did not really fit in anymore. I couldn't relate to anything they did I was just Me and they were Normal Teenagers.

When I got home later that day I started my homework before I was stuck with it for the weekend. Having never really been a math-wizard, trig was complicated but slightly manageable. English was terrible, half the grade had a ruthless English teacher. He always assigned work on breaks and plenty during the week. I was finishing up revising my essay when Mom walked in.

“Hey, home.” She had a few sacks of groceries hooked on her arms.

“I see.” I murmured as I typed out my conclusion.

“I saw Eric today, I have a message for you.”

I sat up and turned around. “What?”

“He told me to tell you to be ready at seven. He's going to get you to do something.”

“Uh... what?”

“I'm not sure. He was at the market... which was odd. Maybe he was with Kora,” she mused to herself. “Anyway, seven o' clock be ready.”

“That's... odd...” But it was Eric so I knew to not question it too much.

I glanced at the clock and it was six-thirty already. I still had work to do! Giving up on my hope to have my homework done and a free weekend, I jogged up the steps and changed back into my clothes from earlier. Thankfully, I kept them on my bed.