Homeless

6.

Ruth anxiously waited near Coden, pacing back in forth to herself. Others had been forcing her to go up to him.

He sat, furious against the door, his eyes closed. But their fidgeting immediately raised some alarms, making him get all pissed. "What, Ruth, what the hell is wrong?"

She frowned, messing with her nails, "It's Cassie," she whispered.

He immediately stood, any anger in him replaced with fear. His heart went to his stomach. "What?"

"She's uh... she's run away."

"She left! When!"

"We just noticed. We think it's when Jade was leaving. Do you know where she's going?" Ruth pondered.

He immediately grabbed his phone, before marching away from everything and full-on running down the sidewalk, not caring if the sun was beating down on him.

He tried calling her, not caring about their fight, but she still obviously did. "Shit. Pick up..." he pleaded, beginning to worry.

Where could she have gone? Anywhere, that was for sure, she was homeless! The world was her home! and knowing Cassie, she would get in some sort of rebellious trouble. 

But she wouldn't just disappear like this, no. Cassie listened to Coden, no matter what it was. She would never just take off. Unless it was for someone she cared about.

Someone like...

He sighed.

Where was Jade heading, he tried desperately to remember. Then a past conversation hit him. She needed to stop by the school to pick up a binder for the project.

That's where the both of them would be! At least, they had to.

He didn't know or even want to think about what would happen if some legal authority found her, took her away.

He couldn't bear it.

So he just ran faster.

She was strong. So strong. Cassie was only twelve and she had the confidence of the US president. She survived on her own for lord knows his long before he found her.

And though she could do it again, he teared up.

She shouldn't have to. Scavenge for food. Look for dolls in the trash. Beg to adults who wouldn't give her a second look.

They were all shit. She didn't deserve that life. Or even the life he was trying his hardest to give her. And now he was blowing it. A town so big with a girl so small.

He made his way over to the school, remembering how his lover was going there. If she was following her, she'd have to be there. And if not then she could help look.

But she had to be there.

♡

Jade frustratedly walked out of the school with the last of their project, trying hard to figure out what she was gonna do on her own.

She kept her head down while walking away towards the pestering guys when she realized they were busy with something.

Thinking nothing of it, she walked on before hearing the saddest sounding cry of her life.

Cassie.

Immediately, she dropped her book and whipped around. They were all bunched together, looking down at something. It was then she realized the familiar brown leather. Her shirt.

"Hey," she screeched, marching over. As she did, Coden came into view, panting and very much afraid. The two made eye contact before he looked at Cassie, running over as well.