21: The Angel and The Angeleno

Part 2

2.20 AM, 21st Dec

″Large Fries. 6 Piece Chicken McNuggets. Chocolate Milkshake ...″ He glanced sidelong at me, adding, ″and a Vanilla Milkshake for Blondie here ... oh, and make it three cheeseburgers – extra pickles.″

″You don′t have to,″ I mumbled, still a bit stunned, but he paid the $16.65 nonetheless. I had anticipated ending up stranded on some god-forsaken island in the middle of nowhere, not standing in line at a McDonald′s next to a college junior generous enough to tip his robber. Nik, naïve or kind, I couldn′t tell.

He slid onto the bench beside me, sipping his milkshake. ″I assume the name isn′t Blondie.″

″Oh.″ I faltered, searching our surroundings for an alias; I find one in the Manchester United vs Chelsea match being broadcast. ″Rafaél.″

″You have someone I can call?″ he asked, still demonstrating inhuman concern for a complete stranger.

″No,″ I murmured, struggling to remember the detailed, false backstory I had dreamt up outside the giftshop earlier as Nik rushed in to get me clothes. I donned an I Heart LA tee under his baseball jacket and a pair of ripped jeans a couple of sizes too big.

″No one?″ He sounded panicked. ″Parents? Friends? Girlfriend?″

I shrugged. ″It′s just me,″ I affirmed, adding, ″I′m on the run.″

Nik paled. ″Like, from the cops?″

″No!″ I rushed. I realised I had dug a hole, and that each lie from here on out could just complicate things further. I sighed, glaring at him as I pondered the possible outcomes. ″Look,″ I said, after considerable hesitation. ″I′ll confess under one condition. You must take the secrets I′m about to share to the grave. You hear me?″

He nodded, taking a massive bite out of his cheeseburger. ″... loud and clear.″

I took a deep breath ... and I told him.