I Dare You to Run

Chapter 5

We got back to Dalton's house somewhere around two. We had lain looking at the stars for two hours, not saying anything. His house still looked inviting in the dark even though it was big. 

Dalton took time driving home. I watched his speed and he always went the exact speed limit. I started to wonder if he had gotten busted before. "So you gonna' tell me why you are actually here?" He had asked halfway to his house.

"Well you kind of asked me to come to the fire with you, so now we are driving to your house where I am staying the night." I replied sarcastically.

"That's not what I mean." He narrowed his eyes at me as he stopped the car.

"Then what do you mean?" I had asked this while trying to hide the worry in my voice.

"I mean why did you come here to Oceanside? No way you just decided to leave your parents for the summer, cause most kids would love to have their parents away all the time." The car started moving again.

"I told you I didn't want to stay there all summer with my parents never home."

"And that is a lie, I believe your parents were never home but you're not telling me something. What happened when your parents were home Emily?" He glanced at me, his eyes were dark. It looked like he was seeing straight through me into the lies I had already started webbing here.

"Nothing happened they ignored me and made me make them supper. They said they wanted a private dinner alone so we didn't eat with them. They gave me money and told me to take Peyton out wherever he wanted to eat. That's all they ever did when they were home." I said this looking out the window.

"So do they know your gone then?" His question filled the car. A silence followed. I was playing with my fingers trying to figure out how to answer. I had never met someone who wasn't afraid to ask me about my parents. "I take that as a no?" He asked reviewing the silence.

"They don't know yet cause they won't be home for another two weeks. They went on a cruise."

"Won't they call and check up on you then?"

"They told me before they left that they wouldn't get signal so they would trust me."

"That's terrible! What else have they done?" He looked towards me while turning onto his road.

"Once they said we were going on vacation, so we flew to Florida to go to Disney World. When we got there my parents dropped us off at the room and then they said they were getting their own room. They didn't show up until the day we were supposed to leave. I couldn't go on any of the big rides because I had Peyton with me."

"Oh my gosh I can see why you ran away, but there is one thing you're still not telling me." He pulled into his driveway and turned off the car.

"And what is that?" I asked looking him in the eyes cause I didn't want him to think I wasn't telling the truth.

"If you had money at home and no other reason to move why would you?" He was looking straight at me now.

"Because I didn't want to be alone anymore." I said looking straight into those dark eyes.

"You are lying, tell me then why you flinch whenever I touch you. I have never met a girl who did that." I looked away from his eyes, but I still felt them burning into my back.

"I do that because I was in a car accident so I'm sensitive now." I sounded convincing.

"You are lying again." He said this simply and-sensing that I wasn't going to say anything else-got out of the car. His stride was huge getting to my side of the car. "I lied too, I have met a girl who flinched when anyone touched her. Her parents beat her." I just got out of the car and walked to the house.

Now as he led me up the stairs I could sense the tension in the air. He was mad at me for not telling him anything. I couldn't tell him though, not until I trusted him. But I did trust him, I was staying in his house. The top of the stairs opened up to another family room that was more livable than the one down stairs. Gaming systems were plugged in the flatscreen and blankets were strewn across the couches. It looked very comfortable.

Dalton grabbed my hand when he got to a wood door on the right. "Your brother is probably sleeping in here, you can sleep with him, in another guest room, or in my room I have a futon." He said this breaking the silence.

I opened the door to a guest room. The bed was big but no one was in it. "I don't think he's in here." I said looking back to him.

"Hmm that means he is sleeping in Kara's room. They must have had fun then. Do you want to sleep in my room then?" He asked this in a casual tone.

"I think I'll stay in here tonight. Thanks for everything though."

"You are very welcome, good night." He said and started turning around. I walked into the room and turned on the light. I was asleep as soon as I hit the pillows.