Make Believe

Thirty Nine.

The police station was cold.

Everyone was serious, there was no laughter and no happiness. No emotion. It was just a robotic place. Every single person in there either had experienced something negative or had a job to do. No one wanted to be there.

We sat in a plain room with nothing but a table, some chairs and a whole lot of silence.

The policeman walked back into the room and sat down. "So, there's been a sighting. Two off duty police officers noticed two teenagers sitting in the rain late at night in the east of the city. They were offered a ride but refused. When asked for their names, the two ran from  the officers."

"Who was he with?" I asked, holding Finn's hand. "Was he okay?"

"He was with a girl. Probably another runaway that he's met up with and formed as an accomplice." The officer shrugged. "But now we know his whereabouts we can find him."

Finn sighed. "Thank God."

I felt my hands shaking. Anger was curdling through my body. How could Ross do this to us? He just ran away! How? Why? He knew it would hurt us. There would have to be a very good reason for him to do this.

Finn's grip around my hand tightened and he stood up. He looked like he was about to cry. "Come on. Let's go home."

I looked at the officer, who nodded at me. "Okay, Finn. Let's go." Without another word, we were out into the bright waiting area and out of that tiny box of a room. Finn sniffed and I squeezed his hand. "At least we know he's okay."

"What does it matter?" Finn looked so hurt. "He ditched us."

"You know Ross. He's probably out being an idiot. He never takes our word for it: he always has to find things out by himself. The kid is probably thinking about coming home now."

I smiled, picturing Ross's face when I'd tell him not to do anything stupid. 'I'll be fine.' He'd roll his eyes. 'You don't have to worry about me so much.'

Thinking about him now, I shook my head. Perhaps I should have been more worried. Perhaps I should have asked him what he was thinking about.

By this time, we had walked to the bottom of the street and we were standing at the bus stop. People walked all around us, talking on phones and chattering. I wanted to stop them and tell them to appreciate those they loved.

A bus pulled up, and I got my coins out to board the vehicle. "I'll have a single way journey to East Street please." I asked the bus driver. He looked at me, briefly counting the change and nodding at me. As I stepped out of the way to let Finn board, his eyes widened.

"Fuck! Fuck!" He turned and started running, dropping his phone from his hands and sprinting down the road.

I looked at the driver in confusion for a moment before jumping off the bus and picking up Finn's phone. "Keep the change!" A mumble managed to escape my lips as I started running.

Although I prided myself on being slightly athletic, Finn was way too far ahead for me to catch up properly. My feet pounded against the ground as I choked on my breath. "What the heck?" I called to him. "Babe? Where are you going?"

He shouted something back, so out of breath that I could hardly understand him. Due to my lack of answer, he must have realised that I didn't know what he said. "The girl!" He repeated, almost as breathily as before. "It's Cara!"

I stopped dead in my tracks and raised my hand to my mouth. How could we not have realised sooner?