Charter 10 

Jake took me back to his place. He lived out the back of a small store he owned in a town that neighboured the city. As we stepped inside, he raced around, trying to clean up, picking up clothes off the back of the sofa and cups that lay scattered around the place. 

“Jake, it‘s fine. Stop,” I tell him. I knew Jake lived on his own, and sure. It was the messiest; I had seen his place. Yet I didn‘t care about the state of the place; he could live in a cardboard box for all I cared. He was my friend and a good one at that. 

“Sorry, I left as soon as I heard what happened. I didn‘t have time to clean up,” he tells me with an armful of clothes. I move toward the blue suede couch and fall into it heavily before reaching for the remote that Alisha and I usually fought over when here. 

Are you hungry, thirsty? I can run you a bath?” he offers, and I peer over the back of the couch at him. “Why are you being weird? I am fine, Jake,” I tell him, and he lets out a breath but nods his head. 

It was a little awkward at first. I usually came here with Alisha, and for the first time, I realized how much of the talking she did when we fell into semi–comfortable silence. 

“So what have you got planned? Your next move?” he asks, and I sigh, resting my head back on the couch and peering over at him. “I was kinda hoping I could stay here for a while. I can help with your shop until I figure out what to do next?” Jake smiles 

and nods his head

“Be nice to have company here,” he tells me before plucking the remote from my fingers. 

“But I am not watching this garbage,” he chuckles, and I wiggle up the couch before placing my feet over his legs. 

He turns some game on, and my brows furrow, having never seen him interested in sports. Usually, we watched chick flicks and did facials while here or girly stuff. Well, mainly, Alisha forced us to do girlie stuff, and we became her personal dolls. 

“Since when do you like football?” I ask him. 

asks, and I shrug, turning my attention back to the game playing.

eventually, Alisha arrived, letting herself in with her spare

bought Pizza because I am a good best friend,” she calls, dumping the duffle bag on Jake‘s lap, making

take your bag, I guess,” he groans, clutching his

stay. It will draw too much

staying?” I ask her, and

here every day until the heat

ask her.

run here,” she tells me, pulling twigs from her hair. “Caught

pointing at me, and I flinch because I was about to

got you,” Jake

other side of the city. We can‘t draw attention to this side for now. Not until you work out what you are going

at the other side of

to wear your clothes from the hospital and jump on a train. Some little birdie called it in an anonymous tip,” she says, handing me a

Dad would no doubt tell him where I am eventually,” I tell her with a

She tells me, dropping onto the couch behind me. I lean against her. At the same time, Jake opens the pizza box in

what could possibly be happening in the

lost it when he confronted your father. Your

“He what?” 

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