the moment i saw you cry ☾ michael jackson

☾Chapter 37

IMPORTANT: This one is another long chapter, so i'm hoping it also doesn't get cut off this time. If it does, just refresh. You'll know it's not finished if there's no " ' " at the end. Thanks. Enjoy :)

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There is an awkward silence in the car, and I feel scared about how I'm riding in the car with a stranger, but mainly because I can't stop thinking about what might happen to Paris.

"So..." I say, deciding to break the silence, "Uh, what's your name?"

"Buddy," he says, not taking his eyes off the road. "You?"

"Allison," I say with a gulp.

He turns his head and looks at me for a moment, chuckling. "I knew I recognized you, Allison Jackson."

I sigh. What more could I do? This man is being kind enough to drive me to Kyle's location to help look for Paris, although I'm still feeling skeptical, I have no other choice.

I look out the window and frown. "Uh, where are we going?"

"We're off the suburbs a little," he replies.

"I thought you were taking me to Kyle's...hut, is it?"

"Oh, so that's the creeps name?" he asks, throwing his toothpick out the window.

I ignore his question. "Where are we?"

"You said you wanted to find where he lives, well, I'm taking you there."

I slouch back in my seat and prepare for a long ride. Please, Buddy, please don't lie to me.

☾

After about over an hour, he pulls up outside a small cottage.

"I thought you said he lived in a hut," I say.

"He does," he answers, pointing to the only house around in a deserted area.

"This is a cottage," I respond.

"Same thing," he mumbles.

I shake my head. "No, actually, it isn't-"

"Oh, really now? Well I'm sorry I wasted my precious time to take you out here because I felt sorry for your ass and now you're all up in here teaching me the difference between a house and an ever smaller house?"

I look down and sigh. "Okay, I'm sorry," I shamefully say.

"Do me a favor sweetheart, grant a dying man's wish and get out of my car."

I walk out of his car in a hurry, feeling scared in his sudden change of demeanour. I walk up to the cottage and turn around and call, "Thank you!"

But it's too late, he's already zooming off. I huff and continue walking up. I don't know how the hell I managed to get myself into this mess of a journey – running away from home and leaving Dad and Lisa scared to death, driving miles away in car with a stranger to a house where I have no idea if Kyle is even in or if this whole thing is just a waste of time, and I'm just feeling scared and nervous, but also angry.

As I'm approaching the cottage closer, I hear noises, kind of like people talking, coming from inside the house. I stop and look through one of the dirty windows, not able to see anything through it, leaving me confused. I spit on the screen, rubbing my fist around it to get a clearer view. I peer inside some more and I'm just able to spot someone inside – and it's Kyle.

My instincts were right, but how can I be sure? Sure looks like him though, has the same dark haircut, big and tall, face looking angry as hell, his orange jumpsuit from jail still on, not much has changed. He walks away again for a second, then comes back out again, dragging – to whom I now see quite clearly – Paris' hair. She shrieks and he slaps her face, causing her to cry.