When I awoke later, I was completely disoriented. It was still pitch black, but there were lights that passed over me every few seconds. Where was I?
I slowly sat up, realizing I was lying in the back seat of a car. I looked out the window but still could not make out my surroundings through my fuzzy eyesight.
“We’re almost to Kennebunkport, love.” Mycah glanced back at me from the driver’s seat.
“Did you steal this?” I asked hesitantly, not sure if I wanted to know the answer or not. I didn’t like the idea of walking all the way back to Kennebunkport, but grand theft auto? Not really my forté.
“What?” He jerked his head around to look at me before turning back to the road. “Of course not. It’s a rental.” He shook his head, smirking. Oh.
“What time is it?” I yawned and went to rub my eyes but stopped myself, remembering I was still full of makeup for the Homecoming Dance.
Awww. The dance. I missed it. If Zaylie really was okay like Mycah had said, maybe she didn’t end up missing it too. Please be okay...
“It is a quarter to five. Are you hungry?” He didn’t wait for me to answer before tossing a small paper bag onto my lap. I opened it up to find two strawberry-frosted doughnuts. Oh, yum.
“Thanks,” I said through a mouthful. I was starving. I couldn’t even remember the last time I ate.
“Here.” He chuckled as he handed me a bottle of water. Oh, thank god. Couldn’t remember the last time I drank either.
“Mycah, are the...Black Eagles...or whatever...going to keep coming back for me?” I took several gulps of water and tried not to freak out.
“Not if I leave Kennebunkport. And they won’t be coming back for a few days. They have much to sort out now. I’ll be gone before any attempts are made to return, I promise.” He kept his eyes on the road and spoke in a quiet voice. My heart constricted from his answer. Sure, I was glad to know I wouldn’t be captured again in the near future, but the thought of Mycah leaving hurt like no other. I had no intention of trying to decide which was worse, because I knew I couldn’t. I turned to stare out the window and finally recognized where we were.
Kennebunkport, Maine.
I waved goodbye to Mycah from the front door of my house and quietly tiptoed inside. Ray’s car was parked in the driveway so I knew he was home.
I remembered the unpleasant encounter I had on Saturday night when that guy came looking for Ray to pay his gambling debts. I needed to avoid seeing that hideous man again, so I grabbed a notepad and a pen and scribbled quickly that a man came by on Saturday looking for him and it was extremely urgent. I left it on the counter and quietly ran to my room, not wanting to wake him. I knew he’d know what I was talking about in the note.
I immediately thought of Zaylie and had an overwhelming need to hear her voice. I grabbed the home phone and then crept back outside so that I wouldn’t wake him up by talking.
I didn’t know how, but I remembered Zaylie’s cell number as I punched it into the cordless phone. I hoped she didn’t get mad that I was calling at this ungodly hour. Or maybe she really wasn’t okay and wouldn’t be picking up at all—“Hello?” she interrupted my grim thoughts in a sleepy, groggy voice, and I audibly sighed with relief. I even felt my shoulders slump forward all on their own.
“Zaylie...Thank goodness.” I lay a hand over my heart for no one’s benefit but my own.
“Nari?!” she screeched so loudly, I had to pull the phone away from my ear. I smiled.
“Yes, are you okay?!” I inquired, my concern flaring up again like a kindled flame upon hearing her voice.
“Me?! Are you okay? My god, I half-wondered if I would ever see you again! I’ve been a nervous wreck! Where have you been? What happened?! I’ve literally been going crazy!” She barely paused for air as she raced on and on with questions and concern.
“I’m fine, I’m fine, really. I’m so sorry to scare you like that. I actually can’t talk right now, but I will definitely see you at school. I just wanted, no, scratch that, I needed to make sure you were okay. I’ll explain everything later though. So, are you okay?” My stomach twisted in knots as I waited for her answer.
“I’m perfectly okay. Seth too. Why can’t you talk? Where are you?” she asked.
“I’m at home, but I don’t want to wake up my foster dad before he has to get up for work, which will be soon, and I need to be in bed before he does,” I tried to explain quietly, even though I was outside and was confident Ray couldn’t hear me...but the thought of encountering his wrath from waking him a second earlier than his normal schedule put me on edge.
“Alright. But, promise you’ll be at school?”
“I promise. And, Zales...I am so grateful you’re okay.” I poured as much emotion as I could into those few little words.
“Likewise,” she said back. “See you in a few hours.”
Once I got to my room and of course locked the door, I kicked off my shoes while simultaneously peeling off my dress and then threw myself onto my bed, not caring at all to put on pajamas. I was so dead tired, I instantly fell asleep.
Chapter Thirty-Seven