Page 5 of The Lair

Jada

How long are you staying there?

I didn’t consider Bannport an option, more like a quick stop. What did this town in the middle of nowhere have to offer?

A home, maybe.

Ha. The voice inside my head decided to crack some jokes today.

Home. I didn’t know the meaning of that word. Never had and suspected I never would.

Me

I wasn’t planning on staying here.

Jada

Where are you running away to, honey?

A lump formed in my throat as two conflicting emotions crashed into me.

I hadn’t talked to Jada in four days, and I missed her voice terribly. I missed seeing her in person, too, but that wasn’t an option, and it wouldn’t be for a while.

I missed herpollo guisado, her warm hugs, the rich scent of the jasmine candles she burned at home, and the term of affection she’d been calling me since I was twelve. Since that day she stopped being just my schoolteacher and became the adult I needed to survive.

I gulped down half of my beer in a failed attempt to banish the painful memories, but when I set it back down with a thump, the questions were still there.

Am I still running away? Do I even know how to stop?

Me

I’m not running away.

Jada

Can I call you?

One quick look at my battery percentage told me the answer, and it wasn’t the one I would’ve liked.

Me

My phone is about to die, but maybe tonight?

Jada

Whenever you can, Allie. You know we’re here for you.

Tears pricked my eyes, but I wasnotgoing to start crying in the middle of a random sports bar while I was all alone. I wasnotgoing to show anyone around me weakness, let alone grown men ten times bigger and stronger than I was.

But Jada was right. I was running away—hadn’t stopped for the past few years—and maybe I needed to think about my next move for longer than two seconds.

Me

Thank you. I love you both.

Jada

We love you too. Take care of yourself.

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