Runaways by Nicole Dykes
Idon’t trust this kid. I mean, I don’t trust anyone right now. But the fact that he’s not after Rae is actually a bigger relief than I can explain. My body relaxes as I follow him with Rae at my side. We reach a place in between two buildings where there are more people, mostly young, all spread out.
But they’re all together too. A community of sorts.
“You know everyone here?” I ask.
Hayden looks at me with that annoying—yet not totally annoying—smile and shrugs. “Not all of them. And some more than others, but you can’t be alone like you guys were. You’re just sitting ducks alone, waiting to be attacked.”
I swallow the bile threatening to rise in my throat and grimace. “Okay. So, we stay around here? Won’t that attract cops?”
He shrugs. “They don’t really fuck with us. We’re the worst-kept secret of the city. They don’t know what to do with us, so they don’t bother us unless we bother them.”
I look around at the people here, all in different states of sadness and chaos but nonetheless settled somehow. Like they’ve accepted this is their life. And it makes my stomach turn. No one should have to live like this.
There are makeshift houses with cardboard boxes and trash all around, but it’ll do for the night. “Thanks.”
He nods toward a ratty old tent in the corner. “That’s me. You guys can stay there tonight.”
I look at the tent. “I don’t think we’ll all fit.”
He smiles. “No. You lovebirds can take my room.”
Rae shakes her head adamantly. “No. We can’t do that, but maybe we can sleep next to your place.”
He chuckles. “You’re too cute. Come on. Let’s have dinner.”
My stomach grumbles embarrassingly loud at the mention of food, and Hayden grins as we follow him to his tent, all three of us taking a seat on the dirty pavement outside of it. “It’s not much. But I think it will help.”
He hands us each a piece of pizza and even a napkin. I raise an eyebrow at him, not expecting pizza. He shrugs. “I know a guy.”
I don’t bother asking for more details and don’t really care because when I bite into the cheesy goodness, all I can do is lean my head back against the brick wall behind me and groan. Rae digs in too, and Hayden hands out a few pieces of pizza, mostly to kids who are younger than us, and then sits down next to us again, biting into his own slice.
“So, you’re everyone’s angel?” Rae asks with a smile brighter than I’ve seen in a while.
“Nah.” Hayden actually seems modest now. “We all help each other out as much as we can out here. But make no mistake, it’s still every man for himself.” He smiles at Rae. “Or herself.”
She nods and eats her pizza in quiet wonder.
“How old are you?” I ask in between bites.
“I don’t know. What’s today?”
“March twentieth, I think.” I think that’s what the television said this morning.
He nods. “I’m nineteen. Just turned . . .” He looks like he’s thinking. “Five days ago.”
“Well, happy belated birthday.” Rae smiles at him, and he beams.
“Thank you. So, what about you two?”
“Seventeen,” I answer. “But almost eighteen.”
He nods his head, not seeming to care about our young age.
Rae finishes her pizza and wipes her hands and mouth before regarding Hayden. “How long have you been out here?”
I finish my pizza, and so does Hayden before he leans back. “Almost three years now.”
Rae blinks in surprise. “That’s a long time.”
He nods his head. “Yeah, but it’s better than where I came from.”
“And where is that?”
I glance over at Rae, who looks almost sheepish about asking so many questions, but I smile, happy to see her talking to someone. Hayden’s gaze goes darker now, and his accent thickens to a distinct southern drawl he definitely didn’t have before. “The Bible Belt, darlin’.”
Rae’s eyes widen. “Oh.”
He smiles, losing the accent. “Yeah. They didn’t take too kindly to me liking other boys.”
“That’s fucked up.” I’m already irritated by the world.
“Yeah well, whatever. Who needs ’em?” He tries to shrug it off, but I see the hurt lingering there, and Rae must too because she wraps her arm around him, surprising me.
“I’m sorry. Even your parents?”
“Especially my parents. They wanted nothing to do with me and told me to either, and I quote, ‘fix it or leave.’ So I left.”
“Good for you. But I’m sorry too.” Rae looks pained, and I know what she’s thinking.
She doesn’t have to say it. Parents are supposed to love their kids, no matter what.
“My mom is shitty too. And my stepfather is a monster.”
Hayden gives her a weak smile. “I’m sorry.” He looks at me. “What about you?”
I shrug. “My parents are . . .”
“Shitty,” Rae supplies and then laughs with Hayden, and I give in, laughing with them.
“Yeah. Guess we all got the short end of the parent stick.”
Hayden grins. “Fuck ’em.”
We all nod in silent agreement, but there’s no denying the situation sucks.
What I wouldn’t give for decent parents for all of us. I’m starting to believe there are none.
