Page 121 of Run Away Home: Tempered

Next time you pick the movie then

Next time?

I like the sound of that.

Oh, really? When will next time be?

Whenever you’ll have me. Maybe you’ll let me take you out to dinner?

Yay!!!

That sounds really nice

Are you free this Friday? I actually have the night off.

Friday night works for me

Great. That’s perfect.

Can we meet at your place?

Three dots appear on the screen. He’s typing. They suddenly vanish. They reappear. They vanish again...He’s thinking of how to respond.

Why? What’s wrong with his place?

Sure. Yeah.

Cool.

Great. 7?

Awesome.

Can’t wait to meet your brother and roommate.

You won’t meet my brother. He won’t be home. He’s going to dinner with some kids from school.

Your roommate then.

The dots again...

Yeah. Can’t wait.

Chapter Twenty-One

Peter

ILIE ON MY BACK, STARINGstraight up toward the ceiling. I might as well try to sleep. My hands fold together like I’m about to pray, but I wouldn’t do that anymore. There is no God. It’s all horseshit. I shove my hands under my head. My cold palms are warmer now. I try to close my eyes, but I open them again.

Hayley doesn’t love me.

I sigh. It’s what I think of when I wake up, and it’s what I think of before I go to sleep. It wasn’t always this way. I used to think about—

Never mind! I’ll let Hayley continue to take up that space in my head.

But now I can’t stop thinking... She reminds me of you, Ma. Maybe that’s why—

THAT’S HORRIBLY DISGUSTING.

---