Twelve #2
Then I’m running wildly with scared, angry tears streaking down my face. I take a right on Tasker Street in case they figure it out and decide to follow. They’d find me easily if I remained on our street. Then I take a left down Director Boulevard, so I’m running parallel to my street.
I don’t know where I’m going. I can’t go to Huntley’s. That’s the first place they’ll look since I ran there before. Greta and Shelton would be where they checked right after the Nutter Bean.
So I just run. I run until I can’t breathe and the cramp is so intense in my side, I think I’ll be sick. Only then do I stop, keel over with my hands on my knees, and try to clear the dizzy feeling. Standing up with my hand over the cramp, I look at where I am.
The arena. How long did I run? No wonder I feel like I’m dying.
Racing forward with as much energy as I can muster, I pull the door handle. My hand comes away with a snap and a sob breaks out. The doors are locked. Why wouldn’t they be? The team isn’t even here.
I turn and look around, waiting for them to find me. Moving to the side of the building, I fall to the ground inside a door alcove and sob for just a second. Scared, frantic tears. My hands are shaking. What do I do? I can’t stay here.
Fishing my phone from my pocket, I grip it tightly in my hands. Typing in my mother’s social security number passcode, the screen unlocks and I do the only thing I can think of. I call Adak.
“Oren,” he says when he answers. There’s a smile in his voice.
I didn’t think this through. As soon as I talk, he’s going to hear it in my voice. I close my eyes tightly. “Adak, I need help.”
“What’s wrong? Where are you?”
Fresh tears race down my cheeks. “They’re going to find me. I can’t stay here long.”
“Where are you?” he repeats.
“I’m at the arena. I didn’t mean to come here, but I just… I ran. Right now, I’m hiding in a little cubby door. I… I don’t know what to do.”
“Go to my house. You’ll be safe there.”
“I don’t—I don’t want to be an imposition. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have called?—”
“Hush, sweetheart. You’re in no way an imposition. I’ll order a Shuttled. Stay on the phone with me until it gets there.”
Even though he can’t see me, I nod and try to catch my breath. I’m shaking so badly that I can barely keep the phone in my hand.
“Four minutes.”
I nod again. “Okay,” I whisper.
“Are you hurt?”
The feeling of my father’s hand on me is like a phantom touch and I wince. “No,” I say, though I’m not sure it’s convincing to my own ears.
“The car is approaching.”
I peer out from where I’m hidden as a gray car pulls up. With another quick glance around, I practically sprint to the door and dive inside. “I’m in the car,” I say.
The driver looks at me in the mirror, looking somewhat horrified.
“Good, I’m going to text you my door code and instructions to the alarm system.
I don’t think you’re going to remember it in your current state so I’m not going to try and tell you over the phone,” Adak says.
“I have a meeting, baby. But I’ll call you as soon as I’m out, send me a text to let me know you’re inside, okay? ”
“Yes.”
“It’s going to be okay, Oren. You’ll be safe at my house.”
I nod. “Okay.”
We hang up and I pull my knees to my chest.
“Are you okay?” the driver asks.
Nodding feels as repetitive as it is a lie, but I do it all the same. I’m used to lying. I’m used to pretending.
We get to his house and the driver waits until I manage to get through the front door. I wave and step inside, locking it behind me. Then I try to follow the instructions to Adak’s alarm system. It beeps loudly once as I disarm it. Then beeps twice in quick succession when it’s armed again.
I take a breath and turn. The house is quiet. Empty. I’m completely alone.
Kicking off my shoes, I head up the stairs but pause right outside Adak’s bedroom. Am I allowed in there?
My phone rings and I pull it up to look, making sure it’s Adak. “I’m here,” I say by way of greeting. “I just got inside.”
“I know. I got the notification on my phone and locked the deadbolt.”
“Oh. You can do that?”
He chuckles. “Yes. I have my entire system remotely controlled through my phone.”
“That’s… cool.”
“Oren, are you all right? Do you need a doctor or?—?”
“I’m okay. Can I, umm, can I go in your room?”
“You can go anywhere you want. Honey, my game’s about to start. Stay there, but call me if you feel unsafe at all. Understand?”
“Okay.”
“I’ll be home as soon as I can.”
He hangs up, but I can tell he doesn’t want to. Now that I have permission, I step inside his bedroom and look around. I’ve never been upstairs, but it wasn’t hard to determine which room was his. It just looks like Adak.
Hoping he won’t mind, I strip out of my clothes and raid his closet. I slip into a clean pair of socks, a pair of gym pants, and a hoodie before climbing into his bed. With my phone clutched to my chest, I stare at the wall.
The roar of a plane just barely penetrates the walls and windows. For some reason, I find comfort in it.