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And I’m stuck on the North Shore.
A smooth voice rises behind me, enhancing the anger in me. “Welcome to the North Shore.”
My teeth clench as I snap around. “Did you do this? Did you steal my car?”
He runs his tongue against his front teeth as he shakes his head. “I was in there with you.”
“You were probably distracting me while your…your gang was breaking into my car,” I rage, the fear of being stuck here growing in me and making me say stupid things.
His broody stare meets mine. “My gang, huh? Sounds scary.” How can he keep such a straight face when uttering sarcasm?
“Stop making fun of me,” I snap. “I didn’t want to be here in the first place. Stupid diversion.”
He takes a step forward, towering over me. “Want me to let you in on a secret, cupcake? No one on the North Shorewantsto be here, but unlike you, we don’t have a choice.”
I struggle to swallow as I realize how unsympathetic my words were. “I…”
“I can lend you my phone if you want. Then you can call Mommy and Daddy to come save you from my scary gang. There’s traffic because of the diversion, so make sure they take the helicopter.”
My heart is out of control from the fear and embarrassment. He hands me his phone and I shake my head.
My shoulders drop. “I don’t know my parents’ number.” God, I feel so dumb. We don’t have a house phone, because who has a house phone these days, and I never learned their cell numbers. I don’t know my friends’ either.
“Fucking hell,” he huffs like I’m a responsibility he doesn’t need right now. “Alright, get in my car.”
My eyes widen as I shake my head repeatedly. “No…no, no. It’s okay.” I look around, knowing it’s anything but.
“You don’t even know your parents’ phone number. You’re like a baby chick just coming out of their little shell. Leaving you here on your own would essentially be murder. Come on.”
I’m pretty sure he can read the terror on my face. “I’m not gonna hurt you, cupcake. Where do you need to go?”
Time stops as I try to read his eyes. This could be a trap. Once I’m in his car, he could take me anywhere. The brown swirling in his stare is unreadable, apart from a bigyou’re fucking annoyingwritten all over his face.
Out of nowhere, I smell smoke. There’s no smoke. I know there’s no smoke.
I’m the only one smelling it, aren’t I?
I take another step back, knowing a panic attack is coming. For a second, I’m back in that burning house. I shake my head and glance around me. I’m all alone; the only chance someone will find me is if my dad checks my location. He only does it when I don’t pick up his calls or ignore his texts, and he would have left me alone for the day. He’ll probably check on me tonight.
Tonight is in a long time.
I don’t want to be here by the time the night comes.
“Hey, are you okay?”
It’s only when his voice reaches me that I realize I’ve been hyperventilating. I’ve fisted my hand and put it against my diaphragm, trying to push air out of my lungs.
I’m so close to a panic attack…and then what? Anything could happen. I lose sense of reality when I fall into the darkness. I disassociate, and my body isn’t mine anymore.
I can’t do this here.
“P-please,” I pant.
No, no. Stay in the present, Alex.
“I want to go home…” My pleas from that night resonate in my voice and I wonder if I say them out loud.
A hand comes to the back of my neck and another to my chest. “Deep breaths.” He presses on my sternum. “Push back against my hand.”
