Run

Chapter Eighteen

We spend four days in Oklahoma City, and all I can think about is school. We left just before school was supposed to resume after Thanksgiving break, we've missed a whole week of school and who knows how much more we'll miss?

I've never missed a day of school, not even when things were so bad I couldn't afford the bus. The school, or at least my teachers, will probably think it strange I'm not there. My only hope is that my mom plays it off as me being sick and I can get home before there's too much make up work.

I still haven't heard from my mom, I've called her two more times since getting here. She's probably swamped trying to get by financially and trying to find time to rest.

Alex has barely spoken since I almost walked out, the silence is both welcome and hated. I've finished two books in these four days trying to fill the silence. He asks me what I want for food or if I want the bed, but other than that we've just been two strangers occupying the same space.

I watch him from my peripheral vision as he sits down at my feet and waits for me finish what I'm reading.

"Can I help you?" I ask, not looking up.

"I want to move onto the next city in the next couple days, we've been here a while and I think it best to move on. Are you ok with that?"

"Why not? A motel room is a motel room, all that will change is the view from the window. Where are we going?"

"I don't know yet, I'm trying to think of somewhere warmer, maybe you won't need both our jackets when you go outside," he tries to chuckle.

I look at him for all of three seconds, and those three seconds hurt.

"Speaking of which, I'm going to finish my chapter, outside," I get up and grab my jacket.

He beats me to the door with his, trying to smile without actually looking up at me.

I take it but don't put it on as I walk out the door. I sit by the door and open my book back up, I've been reading nonstop and it's honestly all I can bear to do. I can't look at him, I can't talk to him, I can't draw, I've tried calling my mom to no avail. All I can do is read, it's the only way I can occupy my mind.

I know Alex is waiting inside by the door, knowing that just makes me want to take even longer. I've slowly increased my time outside every night, and every night Alex is more tense and impatient. At least I know I'm making him as miserable as I am.

I finish four chapters before Alex opens the door nervously, "Ok, come on, it's getting cold and you only put on the one jacket. Come inside?"

I stand up, bumping my shoulder against him on my way into the room.

"Jules..." he closes the door, "Can we just talk? I can get the deck of cards out and we can play Slap Jack again, maybe find a movie on TV? Something?"

"I'm good, I just want to read," I don't look at him but I can tell the look he's giving me.

There's no cocky grin, no confidence, no tempting eyes. Instead, it's a tight frown, with broken and hurt eyes in a desperate plea to get through to me.

I only have a couple more books left with me, maybe if he's lucky I'll finish them and run out of stuff to do.

"Do you want food? I can go get you something, whatever you'd like. I know there's a deli place close by, there's the normal fast food joints, I can order pizza."

I close my book, "Do you remember how I like my sandwich? A sub sounds good right now."

A little gleam of light shows in his eyes, followed by an upturn of the corner of his mouth, "Toasted whole wheat with roast beef, provolone, mustard, and tomato. How could I forget? You have such weird taste in food it's burned into my brain!"