Page 22 of Run Away Home: Tempered

My phone vibrates in my pocket. Once...twice...three times. Nope. I refuse to look at it.

Peter

IT’S A MILD DAY. HEARDit’s going to be a nice evening too. Danny’s at a friend’s place. Too bad I have to work. It would be nice to sit on the balcony and have a beer or two...or more. Who am I kidding? I laugh to myself. I can squeeze one in before work.

I unlock the door and walk upstairs. No sign of anyone around. Nice.

I walk into the kitchen and open the fridge. Where’s my six-pack of Corona? No one else drinks beer...or do they? Danny wouldn’t touch it, would he? He did say he had a new friend... No. That’s ridiculous. Maybe I should ask Danny for Matt’s mum’s phone number, just in case.

I close the fridge. Maybe I just left it in the trunk of the car. No, it was in here this morning. I clearly remember seeing it in the fridge before work.

What if it was Tristian? Would he take an entire six-pack of beer? If he drank it, there would be bottles all over, for sure. It doesn’t look like anyone was here. The apartment is clean. It’s just like how I left it this morning.

Oh well. I guess I’ll just jump in the shower.

I walk into the bathroom. The toilet seat’s up. I never leave it up. Danny hasn’t been home since I left for work—at least, I don’t think he has. Someone was in here, but it doesn’t seem like they stayed too long.

A crusty looking bowl is sitting right on top of the vanity. Not a bowl you eat out of, a bowl you smoke out of. I pick it up and examine it.

Would Hayley let Tristian in here to take my beer and leave?

Hayley

“WE NEED TO TALK,” PETERsays as soon as I walk through the door. “Where were you?”

I really don’t want to have this conversation. I mean, I’m not really sure what conversation we’re having, but I know I don’t want to have it. Plus, my horoscope told me to “chart a course that has no limitations.” This conversation seems very limiting, right?

“I took a walk,” I respond. He’s standing at the top of the stairs holding a dish and a rag. “What do we need to talk about?”

“Christian.”

I can’t roll my eyes far enough into the back of my head. He always does this. He’s so tit-for-tat.

“I know you know his name. Is this because he called you Paul? He told me about that.”

He smirks because I caught him.

“No. It’s because I think he was in here today. After I specifically told you I don’t want him here.”

“Excuse me, but don’t I live here too?”

“Melissa left me to be Danny’s guardian. I promised her I would take care of him. I don’t think Tristian is someone I want around Danny—or you, as a matter of fact.”

“Shouldn’t you be getting ready for work?” I walk up the stairs and meet him face to face.

“I called out.”

Great. We get to spend the whole night together.

“Why?”

“I needed to talk to you about this. Danny will be home shortly. I trust you, Hayley. Not Tristian. I don’t trust him. I don’t want him here, especially when I’m not home.”

I walk past him and sit on the couch. Peter really needs to get over this whole Tristian thing. He’s really not a bad guy, and this is my apartment, too. I lean back, close my eyes, and run my fingers through my hair. If I want to get my way, I need to convince Peter that Tristian is harmless, not argue with him. I can do that.

“Oh, come on. He wouldn’t hurt Danny.”

“Doesn’t matter if he wouldn’t hurt him. He’s not a positive person for a teenager to be around.”

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