Runaways by Nicole Dykes
I’m in a terrible mood, especially for a day that started with an orgasm. But this whole “he’s my brother thing” is starting to get to me. I like Amanda, but I can’t tell her to back off. And it’s really pissing me off.
I go into the kitchen with Hayden to get prepped for the lunch shift. He immediately stops me, hands on my shoulders and eyes wide. “Stop.”
“Stop what?” I’m pissy. Way too pissy to my best friend who has always looked out for me.
“This. Freaking out over Amanda.”
I huff but don’t pull away from him. “What if he wants her?”
He laughs at me, the asshole. “Yeah, that’s not a thing. That will never be a thing with him.”
“How can you be so sure, Hayden? We’re young. We were really young when we first got together. What if he wants something different?”
He drops his hands and shakes his head at me, keeping his voice quiet. “That boy only sees you. I promise you that. You have nothing to worry about.”
“She really likes him.”
He shrugs, grabbing cloth napkins to fold. “Yeah. Who wouldn’t? He’s all tall, dark, and broody. But he’s yours.”
“You’re the only one who knows that.”
He gives me a sympathetic smile. “I know, but that won’t last forever. This is a means to an end. Someday you two are going to buy a house and make beautiful little babies for me to spoil and be Rae and Law again.”
I can’t fight the bigass grin on my face at that thought. “You really think so?”
He nods, tossing me some napkins. “Come on. We need to get ready before the crowd flows in.”
We head out into the dining room where Amanda is still flashing googly eyes at Law. But he looks over at me with a pleading smile, and I try not to gloat in my head. Law loves me. And Hayden is right.
We spent too long not talking things out and being silent around each other. I won’t do that again.
“We have a mother’s plea this morning. Rebecca has this story.” I look over at the TV just in time to see my mother’s face appear on the screen.
No. Oh my God, no. “Thank you. I’m here with Margaret Da Silva.” I’m sweating. Actually sweating, despite the cold temperatures. I look at Law, who has turned completely pale.
Just as my picture flashes on the screen, Hayden turns and sees it. “Holy shit.” Amanda starts to turn in his direction, but luckily Hayden turns the TV off and covers well. I’m stunned. “I’m so tired of the news. Let’s turn on some music.”
Amanda giggles and agrees while Hayden finds some music for us to all listen to while we fold the silverware and napkins. But the entire time I feel like I might pass out. I figured it would be on the news in our town, but all the way out here? That means it’s national news.
Lawson grips my thigh gently under the table we’re sitting at, trying to reassure me. But I’m past the point of that. What if he finds me? What if he tries to press charges against Law?
If we’re dragged back there, despite being eighteen now, it won’t matter. Their screwed-up system could mean Lawson could go to prison.
This is bad.
After the lunch rush—which is beyond ridiculous today, Hayden, Law, and I make it back to my room where Hayden pulls up the news. My mother and Colin have gone to several news stations, pleading for Lawson to bring me home. They claimed with the anniversary of my “disappearance” coming up, they’re as desperate as ever to get me home.
They claim Lawson threatened their lives and convinced me to go with him, but that I’m actually an unwilling hostage. They claim I come from a loving home and would never leave.
“That’s your stepdad?”
I cringe, looking at the photo of my “parents,” who are dressed well and beautiful on the outside. “He’s a monster,” I say.
Hayden nods. “In a pretty package. That’s just not fair.”
“He gets away with a lot.”
Hayden locks the screen on his phone. “It’s how several serial killers got by for so long. It’s bullshit.”
I smile, but it’s weak. “What are we going to do?” I look at Lawson, who looks worried and is still pale.
“Nothing. There’s nothing we can do.”
“What if someone recognizes us?”
“We look different now.” He walks over to the mirror above the dresser in my room. “A lot different for just a year.”
Hayden stands, agreeing. “Yeah. I wouldn’t recognize you guys, and I’ve spent a shitload of time with you both. And you have different names now. No one here is going to pay attention.”
I stare at them both, unsure. “You really think if Amanda sees our picture on the news, she won’t put it together because my hair is dark and Law’s is short?”
“People see what they want to see, Rae.” Hayden sits back down on my bed next to me and wraps an arm around me. “You’re gorgeous, but I’ve seen the perfect little blond version they’ve spread around looking for you. You don’t look the same. You have an edge now.”
“It’s going to be okay.” Lawson sits next to me, and I shake my head.
“I really like it here.” I turn to look into Law’s eyes, feeling weak and nearly defeated yet again. “I really do.”
“I know.” He shares a look with Hayden and then looks back to me. “We’re going to stay. We’ll make sure. This will pass. Colin and your mom are fishing for us, but it’s not going to matter. But if we have to run again . . . we will.”
I want to believe them both, but worry settles in my gut.
Why can’t they just forget about me?
