Runaways by Nicole Dykes
Hayden came through with the IDs. And by came through, I mean he really came through. For five hundred dollars, we got new social security numbers, new birth certificates. New identities. Which I can’t imagine would normally cost so little.
Even if five hundred to us might as well be a million.
Hayden shrugged it off when we asked who his hookup was, but said the guy is good at what he does. I’m eighteen now. My birthday was a few days ago, and it’s starting to get really, really cold at night.
We’re broke. Beyond broke. So I made them promise no presents or cake, but they still found a way to spoil me with cupcakes and pizza.
My ID, however, says I’m twenty and my name is Rose
Lawson’s name is now Jack. He didn’t get the reference to the movie, but Hayden had a great laugh at our expense, and when I explained it to Lawson, he called Titanic a bore-fest which completely offended Hayden—who calls it a classic love story.
So now, we’re Jack and Rose. But the thing is, we also share the same last name. “Jack” is twenty-two and my brother on paper. Which really pissed us off. Apparently, making us brother and sister was the easiest, cheapest option.
Whatever. For now, we have legal IDs that won’t lead Colin to us.
I look at the art pouring from Lawson, from the spray paint can onto the brick building we’ve made our home. It’s beautiful. Even with limited supplies and color options, he’s managed to transform it into something so damn beautiful.
I kiss his cheek, and he stops for a moment to turn and take my lips with his. “It’s really pretty. The flowers remind me of my necklace.” The necklace Colin ripped from my neck and I had to leave behind.
He sweeps his hand through my hair. “I’ll get you another one someday.”
I smile and kiss him softly, but we’re interrupted by Hayden clearing his throat. “You guys are going to have to quit that neckin’ shit. You’re brother and sister, for Christ sake.”
Lawson raises his middle finger in Hayden’s direction. “Because our friend is a dick who allowed his friend to make us have the identities of a brother and sister.”
He chuckles and sits down on the ground, stretching out his legs in front of him. “That shit is still funny.”
I roll my eyes and kiss the tip of Law’s nose before I sit next to Hayden. “It’s so not funny.”
“I told you I didn’t do it on purpose.”
“Yeah, sure.” I lift up a piece of cardboard Law painted on last night that is now dry. Every time we find something he can draw or paint on we bring it back here, and he makes them gorgeous with his artful eye. We put them up for sale on the street during the day and have managed to sell quite a few here and there.
Lawson doesn’t understand it—saying people are buying trash—but he doesn’t see what we all see. His talent is nearly unfathomable.
A car parks at the end of the alley, and I’m surprised when a woman climbs out, wearing a sleek black coat and heels as she approaches us. Hayden and I stand as Lawson moves in front of us both, on guard. “Can we help you?”
The woman has long blond hair that’s perfectly styled as she walks toward us with a big, toothy smile. “Are you the artist?”
Law doesn’t relax in the slightest. “Why?”
The woman stops a few feet away from us, looking at the masterpiece Law had been working on behind us and then down at the ground where several smaller cardboard pieces are laying. She takes a long time to study them. “I thought so. I saw you guys a couple of days ago, but I didn’t have time to stop. I’ve been kicking myself ever since. And I had free time today and decided to see if you guys were still down here. How I managed to find you all tucked in here, I have no idea. I’m going to call it fate.”
“Why go through all that?” Law’s voice is guarded, almost angry.
She, however, doesn’t falter. She just smiles up at him. “It’s exquisite art. Absolutely beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Law snorts, “Because it’s on trash?”
Her small shoulder lifts, seemingly unbothered. “It doesn’t matter where the art is placed. It’s still art.”
Hayden’s eyes widen, and I think we’re all a little suspicious but none of us as much as Law. “Okay, so what do you want?”
She doesn’t take offense to his rude attitude. “Well.” She places a finger on her chin and walks closer to the wall, studying it. “I think I might have a business proposition for you guys.”
“What kind of proposition?” Law nearly growls the question, and her eyes finally register his animosity.
But she doesn’t back away. Instead, the woman cocks her head to the side in a sympathetic gesture. “Business. I assure you.” She pulls something from her purse and hands it to Law. When he takes it, I see it’s a business card. “You all should come to my house for dinner tonight, so we can talk about it.”
“No.” I look at Lawson, irritated he answered so quickly.
“L . . .” I start but stop myself.
He turns to me. “No. We don’t know her.”
“I’m Loraine.” She holds out her hand for Law, whose jaw ticks, and he doesn’t move. I go to his side, annoyed by his caveman behavior. She’s one small woman approaching all three of us, clearly out of her element. She isn’t a threat. I can feel it.
“I’m Rose.” I decide to use my new name as an extra precaution. I nod toward Law. “He’s Jack.”
“Her brother.” Hayden moves next to me, and he just had to add that. “I’m Hayden. Unrelated.”
Lawson is clearly frustrated but doesn’t say anything as Loraine looks us all over. “Well, aren’t you a beautiful bunch?”
“Right, and this business proposition wouldn’t have anything to do with our looks, right?”
She laughs, actually tossing her head back and shaking her head at him, like he’d just told the funniest joke. “No, sweetheart. I’m old enough to be mother to all of you, and I’m happily married to my own sullen-hero-type.”
He still eyes her with suspicion. “What do you want with us?”
“I told you, your art. It truly is beautiful. Please come to dinner.” She takes the card from between his fingers and pulls out a pen, jotting something down on the back. “That’s my address. How about seven o’clock?”
She hands the card back to Law, who doesn’t agree, but he doesn’t disagree either. My heart kicks up in speed. A feeling comes over me like something big is about to happen. Something that will change our course for the better.
Finally.
“We’ll be there,” I answer, getting an angry look from Law, but I don’t care. This is huge. I can feel it. And it doesn’t leave a sick feeling inside me like when I knew something big was going to happen with Colin, something that would also change our lives.
No. This I have a really good feeling about.
“Great.” Loraine is beaming as she leans down and grabs the piece of cardboard I was looking at moments ago. “How much for this?”
Law stands unmoving with that grim look on his face. “Twenty.”
She purses her lips and then shakes her head, pulling out her wallet, which honestly, makes me beyond nervous for her out here. But fortunately, no one is around. She hands each of us a twenty dollar bill, and Hayden is the one to speak up. “It’s only twenty, miss.”
She waves him off. “I’m assuming you two are his assistants, and even at that price, it’s a steal.” She tucks her wallet away and tucks her painting under her arm before waving at us. “I’ll see all three of you at seven.”
She’s gone before any of us move. I watch as she climbs into her fancy car and drives off, kind of stuck in a sense of shock. “Did that really just happen?”
“We made sixty bucks.” Law tucks his in his jeans pocket. “That happened.”
“Well, maybe we can make a lot more tonight.”
He moves back to the wall, picking up a color of spray paint. “We aren’t fucking going. Are you crazy?”
“Are you?” Hayden says what I’m thinking.
“You really think that rich bitch is interested in my art?” Law’s eyes lock on mine. “I thought we were done with the naïve days, Rae.”
“Screw you, Law. I’m not being naïve. You think she just spent sixty dollars on art to what? Lure us back to her house?”
“Yeah, that’s exactly what I think. Who knows what the hell she and her rich friends are going to do to us when we get there? Hiring street kids for their own form of fun. Fuck that.” He sprays the wall, and I cross my arms in a huff, not able to give up.
“No. I didn’t get that vibe from her.”
He turns toward me. “And you’re such a great judge of character?”
Hayden whistles. “Oh, boy. Someone is so not getting any after that comment.”
Law grumbles something under his breath about no big change, and I fight the urge to nut-punch him. Violence isn’t the answer.
“Fine, then I’m going.”
“The hell you are.”
I roll my eyes and place a hand on my hip. “And I thought we were over the ridiculous caveman bullshit.”
He stares at me, unwavering, and I’m sure there are so many things he wants to say, but finally he shouts up at the sky and huffs, “Fine.”
I smile happily. “Fine.”
“And if we wind up in some sort of rich-people-hunting-us-while-we-run-for-our-lives game? Then what?”
I shrug. “Then I’ll admit you were right.”
Hayden laughs before Law grips my chin between his fingers and pulls me in for a quick kiss. “You’re stubborn.”
“You love it.”
He nods his head and kisses my nose. “Yeah. I do.”
I don’t know exactly what Loraine has in store for us, but I know it’s good.
I can just feel it.
