Teenage Runaway

The cold night air rushed through the park and the swings creaked loudly. The cat hiding under the roundabout fled as a strong gust of wind sent it slowly spinning in a circle. Jumping in between the fence, the cat ran out into the road, narrowly avoiding an oncoming car. It meowed loudly before jumping onto the pavement and running off into a nearby alley. Above the cat the homemade rope dropped out of the window and flicked against the wall, scaring the cat away again. The 13 year old boy in the room above lifted himself up onto the window sill and silently slid down the vine of bed sheets. His trainers making contact with the ground sent a quiet echo down the alley and he stood still for a moment, waiting for it to stop. When it finally did he ran to a small door and inserted a key. A satisfying click let him know he was in. Quickly and quietly he opened the door and slid inside.

“Take your time,” someone hissed behind him. He jumped and spun round.

“Don’t do that,” he whispered angrily to the boy standing in front of him. Greg laughed and pulled a rucksack out of a small crate beside him.

The two teenagers were standing in the back room of a deserted warehouse. Most of the shelves were broken and the safe had been destroyed long ago, but the crates covering the floor of the room made good hiding places, especially if you had the key to the room.

Lewis caught the rucksack as it was thrown to him and slipped it over his shoulder.

“Are you sure you’re gonna be ok? Wouldn’t your chances be better at the orphanage?” Greg tried.

“Are you joking? I can’t stand it there. The food tastes like mud and the beds may as well be made out of rock. It’d be more comfy!” Lewis exclaimed. Greg laughed, then stopped abruptly and looked at his friend.

“Remember, if you need any help, just call me-”

“Greg, I’m running away, not asking for help with my homework. I-I thought Rebecca was coming,” Lewis said.

“I am,” replied a voice. Lewis turned round and smiled. “I just thought you’d want something to eat before you left.”

“I don’t think I should,” Lewis explained. “I have to leave before everyone wakes up so I can get far enough away for them not to find me.” Rebecca nodded sadly then looked directly at her friend.

“Are you sure you’ll be ok?” she questioned.

“I don’t have much choice, do I?” She frowned and the three of them looked at each other in silence.

“Well, I…I better be going” Lewis broke the silence and walked towards the door. He heard a squeal behind him and turned just in time to be hit with the full impact of Rebecca throwing herself onto him. He staggered back a bit, but managed to keep his balance. Rebecca sobbed into his shoulder and he hesitantly put his arms around her and patted her on the back. Lewis looked over her shoulder at Greg and raised his eyebrows. Greg only shrugged in return. Neither of them had ever seen Rebecca act like this. When it came down to it, she was one of the toughest girls they’d ever met.

“A-are you s-sure you’ll be o-ok?” she sobbed, still clinging onto his jacket.

“Becky, I’ll be fine. Honestly. If it makes you feel better I’ll call you tomorrow or something, but I need to go now, or I won’t catch the night bus.” She loosened her grip slightly, but didn’t let go.

“I don’t w-want you to go,” she whispered.

“Becky, please…” Lewis pleaded, trying to peel her off him. Greg stepped forward to help and together they managed to pull her way. She quickly dried her eyes and smiled faintly.

“At least l-let me walk with you to the b-bus stop,” she said. Lewis hesitated before nodding, and then threw his key to Greg.

“You can have it. I don’t need it any more,” he told them. Rebecca pulled away from Greg and followed Lewis out the door. She turned round to make sure that the door didn’t slam closed then looked into the shadows for Lewis. She saw him hiding behind a box, beckoning to her. Quietly she ran over and crouched beside him.

“Why are we hiding?” she whispered. Lewis pointed to the front of the orphanage. Rebecca followed his gaze and watched the man standing in front of it, smoking.

“He owns the orphanage,” Lewis explained. “He’s always out smoking in the middle of the night. I’ve seen him doing it before.”

“Oh, right,” she whispered back.

“Come on. We can go this way,” Lewis replied, grabbing her hand. She jumped as he did, but followed anyway. They soon emerged into another alleyway and Lewis led them both onto a main road.

“We can go this way, but it’s a longer walk,” Lewis said, letting her hand go.

“Err…sure,” she replied, jogging quickly to his side.

“My dad was a postman,” Lewis said, suddenly. Rebecca looked at him then down at the ground.

“You…you’ve never spoken about your family. N-not to me…” she stuttered, trying not to upset him. Rebecca had moved to their school a year ago when her parents had got a new job and Lewis was already at the orphanage. After getting to know Greg though, they had become a threesome.

“I know. I just…” he looked up at her and smiled. “Didn’t think you’d care.”

“Didn’t think I’d care?” she exclaimed. “Oh, Lewis, of course I care. Don’t be stupid.”

“It wasn’t even their fault you know,” he continued. “They were just driving round the corner and…” Rebecca didn’t know what to say, so she didn’t say anything.

“I miss them so much,” Lewis whispered as they came to the bus stop. Rebecca hugged him again and this time he cried into her shoulder.

“I-I’ll always be here for you, you know?” Rebecca said, patting his back.

“Not anymore. I-I can’t stand it here any more. I’ve gotta leave-”

“You don’t have to Lewis, you…you could…”

“Exactly.” Lewis looked up as he heard the quiet humming of an engine. The bus was coming down the road. He realised that the two of them were still holding onto each other and looked back at his best friend.

“Are you sure you can’t stay?” she whispered, looking into his eyes.

“You know I would if I could Becky, but I can’t,” he replied. A single tear escaped her eye and rolled down her cheek as she looked at the ground. The bus was getting closer, but Lewis couldn’t bring himself to pull away, so he did the only logical thing he could think of. Placing a hand under he chin, he lifted her head up to face his and kissed her. Then he pulled away and jumped on the bus that had now stopped behind him. Just as the doors were about to close he turned round to face Becky. Her tear-stained face looked back at him.

“Bye Becky,” he whispered. The doors closed and the bus drove off. Becky’s eyes followed it and when it was almost out of sight she whispered to herself.

“Bye Lewis…”