Runaways by Nicole Dykes
“Are you kidding me?”
I try not to roll my eyes at Tammy as she stands next to me, giving me a lecture about inviting the new girl to Richard’s. “What?”
“What? How could you invite the slut?”
“Don’t call her that.” I hate that word. It’s gross. And Tammy knows that. I wouldn’t let anyone call her that, and I won’t let her call anyone else that.
She pouts, but I don’t care. “You cannot be serious? You know who she is, right? A Sanders? Flaunting her money like we’re nothing.”
“She’s not like that.” Granted, I’ve only known her for a week and only just talked to her today for the first time, but still, I know she isn’t. She doesn’t seem proud of her family’s wealth. She even seemed sheepish when she invited me to climb into the shiny black town car that was waiting outside our crappy, rundown school this afternoon.
I tried not to make her feel weird, but the ride was odd. I’d never been in such a new, fancy car before.
“What are you, like, wanting to date her now?” she huffs, and my eyes move to Raelynn as she stands in line at the front of our hangout. Richard’s is a pizza place with arcade games and a pool table and pretty much the coolest thing in town. She insisted on grabbing us some food and drinks, so I let her, sensing she wasn’t comfortable with my group of friends and wanting a break.
“No. I just think she’s had a rough day. You know, since some horrible girls wrote on her locker.”
Tammy folds her arms over her chest defensively. “Law, she had it coming. You know she’s screwing her stepdad.”
“I don’t know that.” I’ve heard the rumors. There are always rumors in a small town. Rumors that her mother lost all her money and had to move here. Rumors that Raelynn is pregnant with Da Silva’s baby, but he married her mother so they can raise the baby. Rumors that Da Silva is sleeping with the mother and the daughter.
It’s all sick and undoubtably all untrue.
“Whatever. Look at her, she’s slutty.”
I roll my eyes at that, looking over at Raelynn. She has long blond hair that I’m not sure is naturally wavy or if she curls it. Her face has no makeup like most of the girls I know. Her eyes are a pretty light blue, and she’s thin but not a stick figure. She’s wearing jeans and a sleeveless lacy purple top.
She screams sophistication and elegance, but she also has a wide-eyed innocence that’s far from a promiscuous vibe. And like I told her earlier today, I wouldn’t care if she did. “She’s not. And you need to stop because it’s gross.”
“Whatever, Law.” She leaves, going back to her group. But before I can move to Raelynn, who’s still standing in line, I’m blocked by my older brother, Nash, and his friend Elias.
“What the hell is your little girlfriend’s problem now?” Nash is grinning, and I sigh, annoyed by both him and Tammy.
“She isn’t my girlfriend. And she’s mad I brought the new girl here.”
Nash and Elias look behind them to where I’m looking, and then both look back at me wide-eyed. Elias lets out a whistle. “You brought little miss rich bitch here?”
“She’s not a bitch,” I bristle, sick of this town. I have been for a while now.
Nash ruffles my hair playfully. “Aw, does my little brother have a crush on the rich girl?”
“Stop.” I swat him away. “That’s not all she is, and no. We’re friends. Tammy and her friends were terrible to her today. I thought I could cheer her up.”
Nash and Elias share a look and laugh at my expense. Nash then grabs me in a headlock, tucking me under his big arm and pissing me off. “Be careful, little brother.”
I finally shove free and try to smooth my hair out. “I’m pretty sure I’ll be okay.”
He looks serious now, too serious for Nash. “I mean it, okay?” He keeps his voice low, looking over at Raelynn. “Girls like that . . . They only want us for the story. It’s all about their fling with the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks.”
There’s pain in his eyes when he says that, and Elias looks angry for him, so he must know what my brother is talking about. “Look, I don’t know what some rich girl did to you, but I’m fine. We’re friends. I just don’t like seeing her sad. That’s all.”
“Right.” He looks at Raelynn and then back at me. “Just be careful. That girl has chaos written all over her.”
He shoves my shoulder with his hand and then winks before he and Elias leave together. I stare over at Raelynn, not seeing a hint of chaos. They’re ridiculous.
I finally make my way over to her just as she’s ordering, and when they tell her the total she hands them a black card. The girl behind the counter tells her what I already know. Cash only.
Raelynn blanches. “Oh. I, ummm . . .”
I smile and hand the girl a ten from my pocket before collecting the change. Raelynn looks horrified as we gather our drinks and the two slices of pizza. “Thank you. I’ll pay you back.”
“I’m not worried about it. It’s okay.” Although I probably should be, I don’t like the uncomfortable look on her face.
“I never carry cash.”
“Yeah, this place is a little behind the times, but I kind of like it.”
We take a seat at one of the smaller tables near the booth where most of my friends are sitting. I don’t think she’s ready to join them, and I can feel Tammy’s heated glare on me from here. “I like it too.”
“Yeah?” I take a sip of my soda. “Good.”
“Your friends hate me,” she says, not playing fake at all.
“They don’t know you.”
“You don’t either.”
I settle in my seat and take a big, totally unpolite bite of pizza, chewing it and then say, “So, tell me about you.”
She looks nervous now as she picks at her pizza. “Not much to tell. I’ll be fifteen in three weeks. I’m a freshman at a tiny little school where most people hate me. My mom . . .” Her eyes darken, and she looks away. “She doesn’t really like me either.”
I didn’t expect that at all. “What? How could your own mom not like you?”
Her eyes are watery, but she doesn’t look at me. “I don’t know. I think it probably started with her own father not liking her.”
She turns back to look at me, wiping at her cheek and picking at her pizza again. “I’m gonna need more.”
She laughs at that, softly and sweetly. “I don’t know the whole story. Only that she was his first born and not male. He was extremely disappointed, and then his wife, who was apparently the love of his life, couldn’t have more children. So, he was stuck with a female heir.”
“That’s messed up.”
She laughs again, and I decide I really like that sound. “Yeah. It is. And then my mom gave him another girl.”
“Wow. That’s some pretty juicy family drama there.” I take another bite and relish in her giggle.
“True. Anyway, my dad left when he found out she was pregnant, and she never tried again. So, it’s just me. I guess resentment trickles down.”
“Wow.”
“You say that a lot.” I laugh, because what do you say to that? “What about your family?”
“Ah, want me to make you feel better with my messed-up family tree?”
She smiles and finally nibbles on her pizza, nodding her head. “I think so. But it would have to be pretty messed up.”
“Well, my mom loves me. At least she tries to. But she doesn’t love me more than booze.” Her smile drops, but I don’t let her interrupt. “She does try. Really. She’s tried to get sober, but with no money, it’s hard. She has to rely on the government programs, and they just don’t work.”
She seems to be thinking that over. “I think addiction is tricky. Not sure the high-priced rehabs do any better.” Her cheeks turn pink as she shrinks into herself. “Not that money doesn’t help. I’m sure it does.”
I stop her. She has no reason to be embarrassed for having money. “Yeah, you’re right. But anyway, she’s tried several times and always goes back to the booze.”
“And your dad?”
“He comes around, off and on. Usually to beg for money we don’t have.”
“I’m sorry.” She seems to mean it even though I’m not sure what she’s apologizing for.
“It’s okay. My brother, Nash, is awesome. You might have seen him earlier.”
“The massive guy who had you in a headlock?”
I laugh. “Hey, I’m massive too,” I say, playfully defensive.
She laughs too. “Oh, you’re right. He must have tricked you to overpower you like that.”
“Yeah. That’s it,” I play along.
She takes a drink of her soda. “But he’s good to you.” It’s not a question, and I’m glad she doesn’t have to question that. She’s intuitive, this one.
“Yeah. He is. He’s good to all of us. He could have gone to college, but instead, he started work right out of high school to pay the bills. Everything is in his name, and he pays the bills directly so my mom can’t drink it away. He does a lot for us.”
“Wow.”
“You say that a lot,” I tease.
She giggles, and it’s pretty. I can’t stop thinking it’s a beautiful sound.
“Can I call you Law?”
“Can I call you Rae?”
She nods, and so do I.
Well, there you have it. We’re officially friends.
