My Messy Life

Chapter 21

"Mike, you have no idea how excited I am. Thank you so much."

"I know, you've said thank you about a thousand times in the last ten minutes. You really don't have to thank me." Mike had driven out of town and we were on our way to a place that no one would recognize me obviously. 

"Thank you again," I said smiling over at him. 

"Alright, stop." Brandon laughed and reached over to grab my hand. He brought it to his lips and kissed the back of it softly, making me look at him and smile. How could they both be so bipolar?

"So where are we headed?" 

"Do you really want to know or do you want to be surprised?" 

"No, please tell me. I'm so excited." I was squirming around in my seat and Mike just looked at me and laughed. 

"I thought since you'd been inside for so long that we'd do something outside but go somewhere private." His words made me happy and sad at the same time. Outside was like a dream but being alone meant I couldn't ask someone for help.

"That's all the hint you're going to give me?" I was trying to figure out if we were going somewhere I'd been before. I could try and work out an escape plan in my head between now and when we got there. 

"Yes, for now that's it." We drove in comfortable silence. I looked out the window, trying to gain clues to where we were going but I wasn't from around here and all of this was new to me. About thirty minutes later I saw lights over the hills in front of us and my excitement came back. 

"Hey, do you think we could stop in that town please. I need to use the restroom." I was going to make an opportunity if he wasn't going to take me to a place where other people were. His eyes shot to mine and I could feel him searching them for something.

"You remember what we talked about, right?" Mike was referring to all the rules he and Brandon had laid out before me before we'd left, all the things I could and couldn't do. Apparently neither of them had considered that I may need to use the restroom during the night, clearly giving me an edge. 

"Yes, I remember and I promise I won't talk to anyone or try to run away. I'm just so excited and I need to use the restroom, Mike. Badly." I squirmed in my seat a little like a child would and his face softened. I was glad I was here with Mike and not Brandon because Mike was easier to manipulate. 

"Alright, we will stop but you only have a few minutes." It was clear that him telling me what I could and couldn't do in times like this made him uncomfortable. Mike was the "good cop," and part of me felt back for taking advantage of him like this. The more rational side side screw them both and get the hell away as quickly as possible. 

The lights came closer and I grew more excited. I squirmed in my seat like I had to use the bathroom but it was my anxiety that was making me squirm, not my need for a restroom. Mike was growing more anxious too. He kept sneaking glances at me and I'd just smile, tell him how much I wanted to be here with him tonight and how excited I was. I didn't know if my lies were working or not because he wasn't saying much. 

We pulled to a copy in front of a gas station,  the first thing we'd come across since coming into this little town. There were two cars getting gas and a man inside the little store. Seeing people besides Mike and Brandon felt strange. I realized I felt safer with Mike than around strangers. 

Did I have the courage to walk up to a stranger and ask for help?

Would they believe me? 

What if they tried to take me? 

"Davis, are you going to go or do you want me to walk you?" I looked to Mike and then out the front window. We were parked right by the bathroom, giving me no reason to speak to anyone.