Can't Run From You

Chapter 52

I had one more idea but it didn't make any sense. For one, how would she get in? For two, how would we have not seen her car. When I told Mrs. Grant where we were going she asked me the same exact questions I was thinking.

"I don't know but I just have a feeling that she might be there."

"I trust you Eli. If you think she's there then let's go." I nodded my head and pulled out of the coffee shop. I had been trying to think of some place she might go. Over and over I was trying to think of any place she might be. The baseball fields? Maybe even the court by my house? That's where I always go when I want to blow off steam. This was the only place that maybe she might want to go. I wanted to get there as fast as I could, but the speed limit was only 40. I was pushing it going 45. I didn't want Mrs. Grant to think I'm a bad driver and then never let Thea drive with me again. My hands were nervously tapping against the steering wheel, and my heart seemed to be beating so fast that it might give out at any minute. Fuck. I got the red light.

"Eli it's okay." It felt weird to have Mrs. Grant comforting me.

"I know, I just want to get there."

"I feel the same way." The light turned green and I took off. I was going 54 in a 40. It's a miracle I didn't get pulled over.

I pulled into the parking lot to the school and past the school building, past the track and to the field house. I pulled around to the back of the field house parking lot and there it was. Thea's 2019 silver Honda Accord. It's a really nice car, with a sports mode. I'm honestly not sure why she likes my jeep better. I parked right next to her car and sat there. I didn't know what my next move should be. I turned and looked at Mrs. Grant.

"You should go. She probably is still upset with me."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." I nodded my head again and started getting off the car. Before I closed the door, I took another look at Mrs. Grant. She gave me sort of a sad smile and nodded her head for me to go. I didn't feel right just leaving her here but at the same time she had a point. If Thea was still pissed this probably wouldn't end well. I closed the door and ran. I ran as fast as I could to the front door of the field house. When I reached it I stopped. I held my breath and waited. What I was waiting for I don't know. What if the door was locked? What if she wasn't in here? So many what ifs were flooding my head. It's like when you know you have to run a 400. You can try and hype yourself up for it as much as you want, but you'll never actually be ready. You're never ready until the gun blows and you just have to do it. I turned the handle on the door and prayed that it opened. It did. As soon as it did I bolted in and ran through the narrow hallways all the way to the back where the ice bath-room is. I made a sharp left as soon as I got to the room. Out of breath and tired I stood in the doorway. Thea was sitting in one of the empty tubs with her arms resting on her knees. When she saw me, she turned her head towards me and gave me a confused look. I walked over to where she was, and jumped into the tub with her. When I had first walked in I thought she was crying, but now that I saw her she gave me a smirk. I wanted to hit her.

"What the hell Thea?" I pushed her shoulders back a little bit.

"What?!" she screamed back.

"I have been driving all around town looking for you, With Your Mom!" I screamed. Thea's lips formed a stupid little grin at first but quickly turned into a full on laugh.

"It's not funny!" I screamed. I ran my hands through my hair and looked up at the ceiling.

"No, it's not funny. I'm sorry." She was still laughing.

"Thea why did you take off?" I said this in a more serious tone hoping she would understand the way I'm feeling. She did because as soon as I asked she started playing with her red bracelet. She never takes it off.

"I just couldn't be there if you weren't there." After she said this she looked like she realized something because she looked up at me with a new look on her face.

"Eli why the hell didn't you tell me they did that to you? You knew they were throwing a party and you weren't invited. How could you not tell me?" Now she was yelling.

"I didn't tell you because I didn't want something like THIS to happen!" I screamed back

"Then you should have told me so I could have stopped them from even throwing it!"

"How could I do that Thea? How could I ruin something like your birthday for you? I was not about to have you calling off an entire party just for me."

"Eli I would do anything for you. I didn't even want a party."

"I just wanted you to have a good birthday. Even if it was without me. I was just hoping that maybe for today you could forget about all the crap you've been going through because of me." By the end of my little speech my voice was low and I felt the lump in my throat choking me. I played with the laced on her converse. When I looked back up Thea's green eyes were staring into mine. I already know my eyes were a dark brown. I hate the way they always give me away. She put her hand on my knee and leaned in to kiss me. I felt like it had been so long since she kissed me. I placed my hands on her neck and savored the way her lips tasted against mine. The way they felt just a little wet. When she pulled back she looked at me with a look in her eyes that gave me chills.

"You didn't do this. My parents did. My mother did this."

"Your mother has been worried sick about you all day. She's the one who had Molly call me. She's the one who asked me to come over and help find you. She's the one who has been driving all over town with me to try and find you."

"What?"

"She even apologized. Or at least I think she did. Either way she has been with me all day and I'm still alive."

"Wait is she still with you?"

"Uh yeah actually, she's in the car. We should probably get out of here already."

"I am not going back to that house if you're not there." I couldn't help myself. I started laughing.

"Babe I did not drive around all day looking for your ass just so that I could drop you off at home and leave." Thea just looked at me and smiled. The look she was giving me expressed every emotion I was feeling. When I looked at her I knew I loved her. The feeling was so intense and so consuming that it took over my thoughts, feelings, my whole body. Thea put her hands on my cheeks and pulled me into her. I ran my fingers through her hair and started to push her up against the back of the tub.

"Your moms in the car." I mumbled against her lips. She immediately pulled back and cocked her eyebrow at me.

"That is a total turn off."

"We have to go." I leaned in and kissed her. I ran my tongue against her bottom lip, then bit her it just a little. I ran my hand against the inside of her thigh, pulled her lip back with my teeth and then let go. She was still in a trance while I was jumping out of tub. When she opened her eyes', she looked at me and glared.

"You bitch."

"I love you."