Lonely Hearts

Chapter thirteen: Lincoln

Skye wouldn't tell me who we were meeting. She just pulled me along down the streets and I felt my worries start to melt away. I didn't ask where we were going or why, I trusted her enough to let her drag me along. A thought that surprised me.

We ended up on the tube going through Manchester and I wondered where my sisters could be. It dawned on me how dumb my plan was. I didn't know where to start looking. I didn't know if they were in the city or the country, I didn't know anything. They didn't even tell me what part of the country they were in.

I needed to sort my own life out first before I found them. But my life had changed. I wasn't at the Home anymore. And I wasn't going back.

It startled me how sad that made me feel. It wasn't my home but it was still a home. Somewhere I belonged. Somewhere I was loved. Now I was nowhere. I was on my own.

Well, not exactly on my own. I looked at Skye who had her nose in a book and smiled.

I wondered how long it would be before the Home noticed we were missing. We were only two people, but as soon as the register was taken, Charlie would walk up to my room and find the place empty and would soon sound an alarm. 

Maybe it had already been rung. 

"Switch the tracker off on your phone." I told Skye.

She did as instructed and I did the same. I didn't want this over before it had barely started. 

We continued walking until we reached a block of apartments and she rang the intercom. 

"Hello?" A gruff voice asked. 

"It's Skye, let me in." She demanded. 

"The hell? Come on up." A suddenly cheerful voice said. 

There was a buzz and Skye pushed open the door and I followed her up three flights of stairs where she skipped up eagerly. 

"There isn't a lift." She informed me, as my legs started to protest. 

I gritted my teeth and continued to follow her. Eventually, after what seemed like a dozen flights of stairs, we reached the right floor and I followed her down the hallway to a grubby-looking door. 

She muttered something under her breath and raised her fist to knock loudly on the door. 

The door flung open and there was a mess of dreadlocks before Skye was swept up in a hug. Her attacker laughed and she giggled back. 

"Put me down!" She laughed.

 "If I do you might escape again." Dreadlocks said. 

"I promise I won't." 

"That's what you said the last time." 

"Ok ok I promise promise." 

"That's not even a thing." He replied, placing her back down. 

"Worked though." She smirked. 

He chuckled and for the first time seemed to notice me. 

"Who's the kid?" 

Kid? Who did he think he was? He was only about a year or two older than me at most. 

"A friend. Listen, we'll do introductions in a minute. We need your help."

He gave her a long look. 

"What trouble have you got yourself into now, Baby-blue?" 

Huh? 

"Baby-blue?" I asked. 

"The sky was baby-blue when we first met." Skye said. "He thinks it's funny."