Twist of Fate | The Lost Boys

Chapter 3

               The drive was uneventful. Max and Catherine just talked to each other like they had when he would visit her only this time it was about what the girl could expect while living in Santa Carla instead of her wanting to know what his life was like there. She was excited, though also extremely nervous. A pit was forming in her stomach and grew heavier with each hour passed.

Eventually, Max had pulled into a motel parking lot and got them separate rooms. He had said he hadn't slept much while store hunting so he figured it would be safer for them if he didn't fall asleep at the wheel. Catherine didn't mind, she had grown tired too, it was only when the sun started to rise that she realized how long they'd been awake.

Max had told her before they parted to their own rooms that he's more of a night owl and tends to sleep until the sun goes down. She didn't question it, instead figuring she'd use any time she had before he woke up to look around the town that they were in. It was small but she wanted to pick up a few things. It wasn't until halfway through their trip she realized that she had just up and left, leaving behind all her things. It wasn't much, though, just some clothes and maybe a few books. It could be replaced.

Telling Max her plan he told her he thought it was a good idea and apologized for not thinking about stopping for her stuff beforehand. She had just told him not to worry about it.

Around 3 in the afternoon, she woke up and left the motel. There wasn't much to look at in the town, there was a post office, bank, a few clothing stores, and small mom and pop stores littered throughout. The clothes selections weren't the best but they were relatively cheap so Catherine couldn't pass it up. She left with a few bags in her hands and a grateful feeling that she had the money to spend. After spending only an hour and a half in the stores the girl was trying to find something to waste some time when she spotted a payphone across the street.

It was then she realized she hadn't told anyone she was leaving. Hell, she didn't even know she was leaving when she did. Letting out a sigh she made her way to it and put some coins in before dialing her parents' phone number. It rang several times with no answer.

'At least I can say I tried.' Catherine thought.

Maybe it was for the best, what was she going to say?

"Hey, mom I'm on my way to California sorry for not telling you."?

Yeah, that would go over well. Maybe her mom and dad would just not notice their only child has disappeared. Doubtful, but maybe.

Catherine walked back to the motel after that, deciding to try to get some more sleep so she'd be awake when they'd arrive in Santa Carla. The nervous feeling came back, the gnawing at her stomach that she didn't understand. She'd wanted to travel for so long and now that she's finally going somewhere new, she's nervous?

A groan fell from Catherine's mouth as a knock at her door woke her up. She wasn't sure when she had fallen asleep after she returned to her room but was glad to see it was dark when she glanced out her window. She was quick to grab her things and open the door, meeting Max who was patiently waiting outside.

"I see you found some things." He motioned to the bags in the girls' hands with a smile. Nodding, she replied.

"Yeah, more than I thought I would, honestly."

"Well, shall we get back on the road?"

And they did, it was another uneventful ride aside from the nerves taking over her body. They grew exponentially worse as they passed the Santa Carla welcoming sign. Those nerves were eventually replaced by the excitement she had been expecting as Max had stopped in parking lot that led to a brightly lit boardwalk.

"Well, here we are. Santa Carla. More specifically the Santa Carla Boardwalk." Max said, looking over to the girl as she stared out the window, not sure what to do besides gawk at everything that moved. Even just from the parking lot she had never seen anything like it, she could hear both children and adults screaming in excitement as she watched a rollercoaster drop and speed down the tracks. She wasn't sure she had ever seen so many people in one place before. "Well, you want to see it close up? My store is towards the end of the boardwalk, so you'll have a lot to take in."

Catherine turned towards Max, "Your shop in here?" She asked What the hell were you doing in Montana? This place is a gold mine for business. Look at all the people!" Max just laughed before getting out of the car and Catherine followed suit. She wasn't sure where to look, she had never seen so many different types of people, it was almost intimidating as she and Max moved through throngs of people. She was afraid that if she stopped, she'd get lost in the crowd and lose sight of Max. She assumed Max understood how she was feeling as he placed a hand on her shoulder, guiding her through.

The 'Video Max' sign stood out towards the end of the boardwalk and Catherine felt like she could breathe again. The crowd had died out the farther down the pair went, she assumed most people tried to stay near the action of the rides. Now she could hear the ocean, the waves crashing and some people yelling from the beach.

"Welcome to your new job," Max said, clapping his hands together as he gave a small tour of the store. A girl stood behind the counter in the middle of the store, "Maria, this is Catherine. She'll be starting here in a few days to replace...what was their name again?"

Maria let out a laugh and Catherine couldn't help but join her. "Louis." She responded with a smile directed toward Catherine.

"Right, right. They come and go so quickly it's hard to remember their names." Max mumbled. Maria started giving Max a breakdown of how the store had been going business-wise and Catherine took the opportunity to explore the store a little. She was going to work there so it was only fair she knew the layout and where each genre was.

As she walked along the walls she felt as though she was being watched. The hair on the back of her neck stood as she turned around to Max and Maria. They had still been in conversation, hunched over a binder on the counter with their backs towards Catherine. Furrowing her brows she looked around the store, no one was paying attention to her as they browsed so she looked towards the entrance. Groups of people walked by without care and Catherine started to think she was just being paranoid but it wasn't until she turned back around to the wall that she noticed a man standing next to her, a grin on his face as he looked at her.

"You new around here?"