Page 2 of Sinful Need
Before he has time to recover, I rush to the window over my bed and slide it open. The chill of the night air immediately bites at my skin, as I crawl out the window. The five-story drop below disorients me, like I'm teetering on the edge of oblivion. My heart pounds in my chest. I shuffle my feet side to side, inching along the narrow ledge skirting the exterior of the building. The distant sounds of the guard’s scream slice through the air. It’s bound to draw attention. Any minute now, I’m going to have the whole weight of this place coming after me. It’ll be his word against mine and who would believe a nobody like me?
Fear beats its own rhythm in my ears as I continue to move. I can’t turn back and I have no idea where I’m going. All I know is I have to keep moving. My eyes dart downward to the concrete abyss below and a shiver runs down my spine. My foot slips out from under me. Panic seizing me as I teeter on the edge. With every ounce of my willpower, I manage to steady myself and keep from falling to my death.
Inhaling a steadying breath, I press my back tight to the wall and push on along the edge. I pass window after window, catching muffled snippets of conversation and laughter from inside and wonder how they can be so content in this prison. They're oblivious to my desperate attempt to escape, to my turmoil and despair. I reach the end and lower myself down ontoa small peak where the roof of the lower level pitches toward the edge, joining the boys and girls wings together.
I take a moment to catch my breath. The cityscape stretching out before me, the lights of distant buildings flickering like beacons of hope in the dark. I have no idea how to reach them, but I will. A small sense of relief washes over me. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a shadow move in the dim light.
“Shit, you scared me.” A girl about my age gasps, dropping a notebook and a pencil from her hand, “Who are you?”
The girl scrambles to her feet. My eyes roam from the sketch on the page of the open notebook at her feet to her boots with big silver buckles. Her skinny jeans hug her slim hips and the worn tee-shirt fits snug across her breasts. Her soft blue eyes, now visible in the dim light and the golden blonde ponytail topping off the most beautiful sight. My heart skips a beat. I’m taken back by the friendly smile that graces her lips, despite the frantic intrusion.
“Sorry, I didn’t expect to find anyone up here.” I glance back over my shoulder, relieved the guard hasn’t come after me. Maybe my luck is changing. “I’m Jase.”
“Are you in some kind of trouble, Jase?” The way she says my name makes my heart beat even faster.
“Why would you ask that?”
“Don’t usually run into many people out here and,” She leans over the ledge and looks down. “This fanfare isn’t for me."
I look down, the height making my head spin but it’s the guards circling the perimeter that make my heart pump overtime. “Shit.”
“What did you do?”
I swallow hard. My heart is rapid firing and my palms are sweating. “I’m busting out.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not a snitch. My name's Rayne.”
“Nice to meet you Rayne but I really need to go.” I look around searching for a way down.
“Do you have somewhere to go?” She asks.
“I’ll figure something out.” I swallow hard. I have no idea where I’m going to go. Home is out of the question. It’s the first place they’ll look for me but there’s no way in hell I can stay here.
She looks down below and then back at me as if she’s silently debating her next move.
“I have somewhere we can go.” Rayne picks up her bag and tosses it over her shoulder, “Keep up.”
I don’t have time to respond before she’s off. Crossing the roof like she’s done this before. I rush to keep up with her.
“This is our way down.” Rayne points to a rusty fire escape. “Then we slip between those buildings, and we’re home free. Easy”
She swings her legs over the railing.
“Yeah right.” I’m hesitant but I follow her lead, my movements mirroring hers. We descend the shaky metal ladder as fast as we can. As we reach the bottom rung, we jump, landing next to each other on the hard ground. My breath comes in short gasps. Rayne smiles up at me.
“See nothing to it.” She reaches out, taking my sweaty hand in hers. Her warmth shoots through me like a spark. The first hint of a smile, in weeks, twitches the corners of my mouth and suddenly I don’t feel so alone. “Almost free.”
Chapter 2
Rayne
“Are you gonna tell me where we’re going?” My nerves get the better of me and my stomach turns in protest. Jase has followed me blindly through the streets of town and down this desolate road for close to three hours. It was only a matter of time before he broke the silence hanging between us and drilled me with questions.
“Home.” The word tastes bitter on my tongue. It hasn’t felt like home since my parents died, but it’s the only one I have. I’m guessing Jase doesn’t have a place to call home either.
The gravel beneath his feet stops crunching, “If you have a home why were you in the group home?”
“Because the state of California doesn’t consider my family, family.” I shift the straps of the messenger bag slung over my shoulder to lighten the heaviness pulling on me, even though I know the bag isn’t the cause.
