Don't Talk To Daddy

Chapter Six

I stared at the number deciding whether or not to hit call. It was an easy decision though, I canceled the call. I couldn't go calling my 'daddy'. I couldn't show him I was weak. I had to prove to him that I was perfectly fine on my own. As I continued to look at my blank phone, the old lady continued to stare at me. What's wrong with her? Was she really that offended, or is she just mental? I was going to mess with the old lady by kissing Jake, but I decided to go against it, I mean, it was a public train. The old lady did have some sort of a point. Or maybe she wasn't as conservative as I thought. Maybe she just thought I was a whore, like, maybe she thought Harmony was my daughter. People have thought that before, so I wouldn't blame the old lady if she did. 

I was so bored on the train that I ended up braiding a small section of my hair over and over again. Jake was apparently still tired, so he didn't say much. If I fell asleep around 2 a.m., he must've fallen asleep after that, meaning that Jake only got three and a half hours of sleep at the most. 

Finally the train stopped in Baltimore, and I woke up Harmony. I carried her off the train, and Jake carried the backpacks. We made sure we had everything and then left the train station. I had been to Baltimore several times before, yet each and every time, the contrast between the city and our small town shocked me. I looked out into a crowded, rough-looking city, the complete opposite of my calm, small town. 

We walked off in search of something to eat, by Harmony's request. She complained ever since she woke up that she wanted something to eat. This time, I took Harmony, as Jake seemed extremely worn out, so I just left him the two backpacks. 

We were walking down some random neighborhood when we were confronted. We were walking past a group of three guys that looked around our age when I heard one of them call out, "Wow, you even worse than the whore's we got 'round here."

I immediately stopped and turned around, placing Harmony down on the ground. Jake put one hand on my shoulder, silently telling me, "just keep walking, don't be stupid." I didn't listen to him, though.

"Excuse me?" I asked, shocked by his words. 

"Well, If that kids five, and your eighteen that makes you pregnant at thirteen."

"Wow, look who can do math!" I exclaimed sarcastically, "And by the way, this isn't my kid. This is my fucking little sister your talking about."

Jake pulled back on my shoulder a little, telling me I should stop now. 

"Oh, I don't think you should be talking to us like that." One of the three said.

"Well, if you talk to me again, I'll kick your ass," I was already in a bad mood, and these people were starting to annoy me.

"Aw, white girl thinks she's so tough," One of them said. Great, now they're just racist. 

"Cause I am. I could beat all three of you," I was being stupid, practically challenging them to hurt me.

"Y'all ain't tough. We been through more shit than any of you. We raised on the street cause of our messed up families," One of them said, trying to scare me.

"Oh, you don't even want to get into my fucked up family." Jake pulled harder on my shoulder.

"Oh you wanna bet?" One of them said threateningly.

It was then that I noticed something. The light slightly reflected off a metal object, catching my attention. Knives, they've got knives. Regaining my senses, I quickly instructed sternly, "Harmony, run." Harmony listened, immediately running in the opposite direction.

I pushed the one in the middle back, and then grabbed Jake's hand, running after Harmony.

The guys ran after us, the middle one drawing his knife. As we ran towards Harmony, I explained that they had knives. We had to stop to pick up Harmony, giving them time to catch up with us. Jake took her this time, handing the backpacks off to me. They were less than three yards away by the time we finally began running again. I was worried mainly about Harmony, and then about Jake. I was afraid that with Jake's exhaustion and the weight of Harmony, he would have to slow down far too soon. 

Adrenaline pumped through me, allowing me to keep up with Jake, who was already extremely fast too begin with. We didn't know where we were running to as the guys slightly closed in on us. The buildings to the left and the right were blurring by. I was scared out of my mind, and I couldn't think of anything but getting away. Why did I have to say anything to them in the first place? 

When Jake and I finally came to a stop, we were both breathing extremely heavily. We had finally lost the guys when we passed a cop car on the block before. Jake and I went into a frantic search to find a restaurant. Neither of us wanted to stay out on the streets, in fear the guys would find us again. Harmony was slightly crying in fear. I took her back from Jake, muttering to her that everything was going to be ok, even though it wasn't, just like Jake always did to me.