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“It’s your first time, right?” Penny nodded, and her eyes teared again. “My bad, sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
Shaking her head from side to side, she choked out, “It’s not you. It’s… it’s been a sucky few days.”
An idea sprang into my mind. It was risky, and Lucas would kick my ass when he found out, but it always made me feel better. So if there was even a chance it would make Penny feel better, then it would be worth it.
“Hey, want to get out of here for a little bit?”
Alarm flashed over her expression, and Penny’s mouth fell open like she was ready to tell me no.
“I sneak out sometimes.” I explained. “It’ll be okay, I promise.”
Disappointment filled my chest. She was going to say no and then things would be awkward between us. She didn’t look like the type of girl who would break the rules, but I just wanted to take her mind off whatever it was that was making her so sad.
I stood ready to bolt from the room when she told me no, but instead, she surprised me by saying, “Okay, let’s go.”
* * *
When I first arrived at the Freemans’ house almost a year ago, I’d quickly worked out all the escape routes.
I had been in a couple of foster homes before this one, and although the foster parents weren’t as strict as Derek and Marie, most had rules. Over time, I became a master at climbing, jimmying windows, and crawling out of the smallest of spaces.
The Freemans’ house backed onto Cenci Park. The yard was long and narrow and cloaked by trees along one side that snaked across the bottom, making it the perfect route. If you stayed close, the shadows swallowed you up so someone looking out from the kitchen window couldn’t see you. And once you reached the bottom, it was only a short walk to the perimeter of the park.
We didn’t risk it a lot, but when I’d first arrived, Lucas had brought me out here a couple of times after lights out. He said I was a natural at escaping.
Penny… not so much.
She had almost cried when her sweater snagged on the window lock, and then she let out a squeal when I returned from checking to make sure the coast was clear. She was a sucky accomplice, but we finally reached the trees and followed the path down to the bottom of the yard.
“Are you sure we won’t get caught?” she asked for the twentieth time.
“I’ve done this before,” I snapped. “We’ll be okay as long as you can keep quiet. You almost gave us away back there.” Glancing over my shoulder, I watched Penny chew her bottom lip between her teeth.
“Sorry,” she mumbled.
She looked so sad and lost, a pang of guilt went through me.
“It’s okay,” I said. “Come on. It’s not much farther.”
I turned back and continued down the yard, using my arms to shield my face from the sharp branches. The end of the yard wasn’t fenced off. Instead, a border of thick trees separated it from the park. On the other side was what we called No Man’s Land. We figured it was the outer perimeter of the park, but no one ever came out this far, and the main paths were a ways away.
When we couldn’t walk any farther, I told Penny to stay put as I used my hands to feel for the hole me and Lucas had created between the trees.
“Got it. Come on,” I whispered, straining to make out Penny’s face.
I felt her move closer, and then she was right there, almost nose-to-nose with me.
My heart did that weird as shit little flip again.
“Where does that lead?” she asked, and I blinked, remembering where we were and what we were doing.
“Follow me.”
Penny stuck close behind me as we ducked into the trees. Lucas got out to meet his friends this way sometimes, making the path well-trodden.
After a few seconds, the trees opened up around us, and we spilled out into the clearing. I wasted no time and dropped down onto the grass to lie on my back.
“What… what are you doing?” She gawked at me.
