by DOMINO
"Why the hell should I give you anything?" I frowned. "I don't trust you"
"I said you can keep the money. I just want my wallet, please" He persisted.
I pulled his wallet out of my pocket and looked through it again. "Why is it so important to you?" I shook it in front of him. "What's in it?"
"Nothing—" He held out his hand. “Please"
I gloated, dangling it in the air before I opened it, and looked through it again, thinking I missed something important. My anger subsided when I pulled out a picture of a nice looking couple. I looked at the picture and then to him, realizing it must be his parents.
"Who is it?" I looked at him.
"Just give me the wallet" He requested with frustration.
"Alright, here ya go" I tossed him the wallet and held the picture in my hand. "If the wallet is so important, then take it, and leave" I scoffed. "Go on, leave" I watched him swallow and hesitate. I knew it was the picture that he really wanted. "Who are they?"
"None of your business" He whispered.
"I thought you hated to hear those words" I snickered; happy I had the upper hand. "Who is it?" I insisted. "If you don't tell me, I'll assume they don't mean squat and rip it to shreds—" I smiled when he tensed up, his green eyes narrowed with anger. "Alright then—" I dropped the switchblade and put the picture between my fingers to rip it up.
"It's my parents!" He shouted. "It, it doesn't mean anything to you, so just give it back, please"
I felt my throat grow dry and I looked down at it. "Is that you their holding?" I asked softly, jealous that I didn't have a picture to remember my parents and knew nothing about them.
"Yes" He answered softly. "It's all I have; it's all I have left—"
I didn't want to toss it on the floor, so I held it out for him to take, after I picked up my switchblade.
"Take it—" I motioned for him to take it.
He gently took it from my hands and put it back into his wallet. "Thank you" He whispered. "Sorry for earlier Maxx, I'm really sorry. I should have just used some of my savings and it was a stupid decision to go back to the chapel, I’m sorry—"
I put my head down and moved my hair from my face, forgetting I forgot to stuff it back under my hat. "It's alright—" I handed him back the money that was in it. "Guess we're even now—"
He nodded and put his hand on the doorknob. "Take care Maxx" He said with his back turned. He put the money on the table and walked out, softly closing it shut.
I was stunned he left me his savings, but knew that the money wasn’t as priceless as the only photo he had of his parents, it’s all he really wanted. I sprinted to the window and peeked out of the blinds. I saw him putting his wallet into his back pocket before I turned to study the receipt once again.
"He was telling the truth" I flopped on the bed. Damn.
NINE
The heat in the motel room wasn't working very well, so I sat on the bed with my hat and mittens on before I decided that I needed to get away. I planned to take the bus out of town, hoping it didn't cost too much. I wasn't sure where I was going, but knew it would be far away from Millington.
I checked out of the motel the next day and got my money back for the extra day I paid for. I felt revived, since I was able to get a good night sleep, and was anxious to get away and start somewhere fresh.
Walking back into town, I passed Maldonado's, and saw Rio in the alley throwing out dirty dishwater. I paused and contemplated telling him goodbye, but decided otherwise and kept walking, until I heard him calling my name.
"Maxx!" He yelled running toward me.
"Yeah?" I waited for him to catch up with me. I shoved my hands in my pockets and gripped the wad of money he left me.
"Let me take you out to dinner, and I promise, I have my wallet on me this time" He smiled.
I chuckled and shook my head. "Can't, I'm gonna blow this joint" I tried to joke.
He knit his brows together. "You’re leaving?"
"Yeah" I answered and kicked snow off my stolen boots. "Gonna catch the five o'clock bus to nowhere"
"Nowhere?" He looked confused. "You don't know where you're going?"
"Wherever it takes me" I stated confidently, but inwardly, I was scared out of my mind. "I'll get off at a place that looks nice I guess. I'm thinking Springdale or something—"
He shook his head and smiled. "I like your gumption" He winked and blew into his hands to warm them.
"You better get back to work, besides you're gonna freeze your butt off out here" I chuckled. “Oh, let me see your hands" I smiled when he held out his freezing hands and I put all of his money in it. "Nice meeting you, and thanks for the pizza—and the dessert"
"Yeah—" He replied and gripped the wad of money I stole from him. “Thanks for joining me"
I smiled and turned to walk away. I didn't look back. It wasn't in my heart to let anyone in and Rio wouldn't be an exception.
I paid for a one-way ticket to Springdale Illinois and waited in the bus terminal for another hour to leave. I bought myself a burger and fries to hold me over while I waited. I was teetering in my boots as I waited in line to get on, hoping I wouldn't be sitting next to anyone that smelled bad.
I gripped my backpack and stepped onto the bus, hoping there was still an empty seat in the back.
Yes, yes yes!
I rushed to the back of the bus; I always hated people behind me and was grateful there were still some empty seats. I flopped down and put my backpack on the seat next to me so no one would sit beside me.
I was staring out the window when the snow began to fall once again. I was happy I would have a change of scenery, even if it were snowing in Springdale as well. I took off my hat and mittens and shoved them into my jacket pockets before I took it off to get comfortable for the six-hour ride. I jumped when someone threw a bag down on the seat next to me and I looked up startled.
"This seat taken?" Rio grinned before he picked up my bag and moved it out the way so he could sit down.
"What do you think you’re doing?" I whispered and watched him try to catch his breath; I could tell he must have run at top speed to make it on time.
"Going for a ride to nowhere" His green eyes twinkled. "Besides, I still owe you dinner"
I shook my head and stared out of the window. I was trying not to smile. For some reason, I was happy he was there.
TEN
Once everyone was on board, I turned to look at him. "Why are you here Rio?"
"I told you, I owe you dinner" He replied. "Besides, Millington is getting pretty old" He leaned close to my ear. "Don't think there's anyone left that I haven't pick pocketed"
"The ticket cost near a hundred, where did you get the money? I mean I know you had enough for the ticket, but that doesn't leave you with much else" I knew he must have dipped into his small savings.
"You don't think I put all my eggs in one basket do you?" He scoffed and took off his cap, shoving it in his coat pockets before he took it off. "I got some stash, monetary stash. That’s how I was able to be generous and give you my savings. I have a bit more" He displayed a devilish grin. "How the hell did you get the money?"
"Pick pocket" I whispered back into his ear and giggled at my thievery. "Some old biddy with a fur coat, just begging to be robbed"
"Nice" He grinned and cracked his neck. "I like your hair too, looks good when it's out"
My smile faded. "I'm not sleeping with you, so don't even try"
He looked offended. "Don't worry, you look nothing like a foster sister or mother" He winked and leaned over me to look out the window. "Look at that, Christmas will be here in three days" His deep voice vibrated on my body.
He smelled like fresh soap. It was refreshing, as well as alluring. His lips brushed against my hair as he stretched his neck to catch a glimpse of the famous Millington Christmas tree.
"I don't know what Christmas is anymore" I whispered when the bus drove slowly by it. “I don’t think I ever experienced a real Ch
ristmas, with gifts and all, not one gift, from anyone I cared about or sincerely cared about me”
"I know what you mean. Maybe when we get to nowhere, things will change, for both of us" He replied and sat back in his seat.
"I hope so" I mumbled. I looked down at my stolen boots. My life and everything about me consisted of things I had stolen.
"Nowhere sounds pretty good to me" He turned his head to look at me. "99 to nowhere"
"What?" I tried not to smile. "You're ill"
"No, we met at 99, 99th street, right?" His green eyes twinkled. "Since we have no home or destination, we're going to nowhere, and I like the possibilities"
"Yeah, but let's hope that nowhere has more to offer then Millington" I frowned when the bus got on the highway.
"Hey" He looked around and rubbed his nose with a look of disgust. "What the hell is that smell?" he frowned and looked under his seat. “What the hell—”
I found myself laughing quietly with my hand over my mouth. "That is the smell you saved me from" I whispered. "The man over there obviously stores all his clothes in mothballs"
"You got some perfume or something?" He asked and crinkled his nose.
I shook my head, knowing I've never owned any or ever thought of stealing any. Food and shelter always seemed more important.
"No, sorry, but I'm glad you're blocking the smell" I nudged him in the side with my elbow.
"Hey, we're gonna have to take turns sitting here, alright?" He raised his eyebrows.
"Nope" I shook my head and grinned.
"Oh, your stubborn" He chuckled and closed his eyes. "I'm dead tired; wake me when we get the hell out of this county. I never wanna see it again"
"Will do" I replied and turned my attention to the snow that lined the sides of the road out of the window.
I thought about what he said and smiled. 99 to nowhere, maybe it will turn into somewhere one day.
ELEVEN
I looked at Rio and contemplated not waking him; he looked so peaceful. His head hung towards me, lightly snoring. I studied his eyebrows, eyelashes, lips, and could understand why his foster mom and sister wanted to sleep with him. I shook off the attraction I was feeling and nudged him awake.
"Uppity up up" I whispered.
He opened his eyes and looked at me before he narrowed them. "What the hell is uppity up up?" He asked before he stretched his long arms over his head.
"It means, get the heck up" I tried not to smile. I reached in my backpack and pulled out two granny smith apples. "Here, eat something"
"Thanks" He said looking at it. "I hope we stop somewhere soon—" He bit into the apple and held it in his mouth before he pulled out the bus route.
"Lemme see it" I said, taking if from his hands. He didn't object and took a large bite from his apple. "We have a forty five minute stop in a few; we can probably get something to eat while we're there"
"Good, I'm starving" He said after he took another bite. “This apple can only go so far”
"You didn't eat anything today?" I asked with slight concern.
"I had some eggs at Maldonado’s, but nothing to carry me over" He rubbed his stomach gently. "I'm a still a growing young man, besides I didn't get a chance to eat again. Once you told me you were leaving, I had to rush back, grab my life—" He pointed at his backpack. "And run those long blocks to the bus station"
I looked at him in surprise. "You just made it too"
"Yeah, must be fate" He grinned and took another bite of his apple.
"I don't believe in it" I scratched my head and pulled my long locks to the side. "It's just another word for hope, and I don't believe in that either. I used to, but I don’t anymore"
“You should, it’s all we got” He scoffed. "What the hell do you believe in then?"
I sighed and stared out the window before I turned back to him. "I believe in evil, demons, devils, and everything that was born in hell to torment me" I watched his eyes for his reaction; I didn't believe all of what I said, but felt like it at times.
"Where are you from Maxx?" He asked softly.
I wasn't ready for his question or his sympathetic expression. "I told you" I replied. "I don't know"
"You grew up in the system?" He asked curiously.
I found my head nodding yes. “All my life" I whispered. I knew nothing of my parents, only my grandmother that passed before I was two years old.
"It's alright" He said softly. "Me too, that picture, I was eight months old"
"What happened to them?" I asked and felt guilty when I noticed sadness fill his eyes.
He closed his eyes, trying to remember before he reopened them. "I was told it was a car crash and that's all I was told. No family ever came to claim me, nobody" He sighed and cleared his throat. "I entered the system when I was a child. I guess, I don't know, none of them wanted me—" He shrugged. "Shuffled from home to home like most of us are" He glanced at me. "Until, until that one thing happens that makes you first run away. Then it's another home, something happens, and you run away again, and it becomes a sick twisted cycle that only gets worse. I can’t figure out which is worse, being in a warm home and abused, or cold and hungry on the street—" He shook his head and bit his lip. "I chose the street. The last home I was in was a year ago. I'll never go back" He sat up in his seat and pointed. "We should be passing it soon—"
My heart weakened as he spoke, I understood what he meant, every word. "Passing what?" I turned to look out of the window.
"The last county I ran from" He whispered. "I walked the entire way to Millington, just to get away"
"Why didn't you go back to Chicago? I mean, since you know you were born there?"
"What's the point? The family, that I supposedly have, doesn’t give a damn about me, so why burden them at all. They didn’t want me, I don't want them" His face displayed anger and hurt all at once.
I nodded in agreement. "I was born in Indiana" I said thinking back. "I was with a foster family about two years ago and the son that lived there told me. He told me that he would tell me everything, even the name of my parents, if—" I stopped and thought about how he tried to get in the shower with me.
"You don't have to say it" He interrupted. "It's alright"
"He was an asshole, and the majority of them were. The one family that I enjoyed being with didn't work out. There were two other foster kids there, but her husband was a trucker, and when he was fired from his job, he was home a lot, drinking. The state came in and took us all away, Anna and Chris"
"You manage to see them again, keep in touch with them?"
"No" I shook my head. "They relocated us, and since I ran away before and knew a lot of other runaways in Indiana, they relocated me out of state, to Millington" I scoffed. "To another unloving family—"
"The man you were running from?" He asked curiously.
"Yeah, I had to run" I flinched at the thought of Mr. Johnson's hands on me.
"He crossed the line too, huh?"
"They all do, eventually, right?" I replied and the bus pulled over to a rest stop.
"Yes, they do" He stared at the seat in front of him. “One way or another”
"Hey, let's get off here, stretch our legs and grab a bite" I replied, trying to forget everything he made me remember.
"Yeah, I still owe you dinner" He agreed and stood up.
"Nope, I hope you don't think you're gonna get off by buying me rest stop food" I shook my head and stood in line to get off the bus. "I want a four course meal"
"Wow—" I heard him chuckle behind me. "I think I can manage that"
"Cool" I jumped off the bus and ran in to get out of the snow with him on my heels.
TWELVE
"This place is making a killing" Rio whispered as we stood in line to get burgers and fries. "Ridiculous" He continued to complain. "Five bucks for a burger" He mumbled.
I remembered that I probably had more money than he did since I robbed the woman in the store.
"I'll buy it, d
on't worry about it" I said, thinking that he was the first person in ages that I offered to buy something for. My declaration in life was to always look out for myself and nobody else.
"No—" He put his hand on my arm to stop me from paying. "I'll get it"
"Rio, really, I can pay—" I persisted.
"I'll get it, men are supposed to pay—" He insisted and began to order our food.