AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Reluctantly, I open it and place the bacon on top. I consider asking about the change of appearance but think better of it. We just about tolerate each other. We’re not friends. Not by a long shot.
“Here,” I throw the foil back at her, catching her off guard.
“Bitch,” she glowers at me under her breath.
I can’t help but smile as I pick up the teas and head back to Lauren.
Twenty minutes later, Travis is now here. He was grateful for the food. He was also pleased to see his little sidekick back. Watching the two of them was heartwarming.
Lauren burps, wiping the back of her hand across her lips.
“Feel better?”
She nods appreciatively.
“Looks like that’s the first proper thing you’ve eaten in a while?” Her eyes raise to mine. I can tell it is. I place my hand on hers on the table. “Time to spill.”
“Okay, but don’t be mad, swear to me,” she blurts out.
“Okay, I swear,” I reply wide-eyed, shocked by her sudden change of pace.
Lauren drops her head. “I… I haven’t had anywhere to stay for the past week.”
“What?” I fire at her.
“Mads you swore.”
Holding my head in my hands, I then look to her. “O-kay. Why have you not had anywhere to stay for the past week?” I ask, my hands held open.
“It’s complicated.”
Tell me something I don’t know.Shit. How am I going to tell her about Dean? “Try me,” I say.
Lauren begins by telling me how after she ran away three months ago, she and her older brother Jay were jumping from youth hostel to youth hostel, trying to steer clear of their uncle.That was certainly the last I knew of her whereabouts.
She goes on to tell me how Jay had found work at a local takeaway place not far from the hostel, but one-night last week, he didn’t return home. “He was meant to be back at seven,” Lauren says. “He was bringing dinner home for us. I waited and waited, but I knew something was wrong. He’s never late. Come eight o’clock, I couldn’t wait anymore. I tried calling him but there was no answer. I even went to his work to check he’d shown up. They said he left at the end of his shift, like normal.”
“Where do you think he is?” I ask.
Lauren shrugs, looking down. “At first, I assumed Dean had something to do with it.” I give her a curious look. “I was so angry when I saw him. But I could tell he was telling me the truth that he hadn’t seen him.” Lauren lowers her head. “I assumed someone had come after him, finally found us, you know?” I nod my understanding. “We had a pact. If there was any danger, or anything was to happen to either of us—and we were lucky enough to get away, we would meet at the park near the common.”
Now I know how Dean ran into her. His morning run is the same route every day. “Which is where you ran into Dean?”
She nods. “I’m not dealing like he thinks.” I frown because I know she wouldn’t do that again. “I made sure to go there, my stuff packed ready to go at the crack of dawn. I saw Dean as he was heading back.”
I think for a minute. “Lauren, why not call one of us? We would have done anything to help you, you know that.”
“I know. I just… I panicked—going to Dean’s. My uncle will work out I’m here eventually, but I don’t want to hurt anyone.” A tear creeps down her face. She wipes it away as if she’s not allowed to cry. “I guess we just got used to looking out for us.” I can see her tougher exterior. The time away has hardened her. “I know Dean took something from my bag.”
I incline my head. He never mentioned anything. “What?”
“A key.”
“To where?”
“To the only other place I knew I could go that wasn’t here.”
I frown, even though I’m trying hard not to. “Which is?”
