Holding My Breath [Wattys 2016]

2 0 ~ R u s t y

Present Day ~ May 13, 2011

By "us", Sawyer meant himself, Colton, and can you guess? Blue.

Bailey's parents weren't home, so I spent my twenty minutes getting a shower. I threw on a pair of old jeans, a t-shirt, and my black biker boots.

Yes. My boots are something that I will never give up.

Bailey doesn't have a car, so we have to walk to the diner. And of course, as we walk, I try to get as much information out of her as possible.

It is early afternoon by the time we get out of the house, and the sun is setting a golden glow on everything. The summer's heat is blazing down from above.

News flash, nature. We are not your dinner. You do not have to cook us.

"Wait, so the blonde one is...?" I act like I don't know.

"Colton. He's the only one with the truck. Other than Aaron. He has one too." She looks down, blushing.

"Oh my god!" I grin, bending my head to look at her face as we walk. "You're all red! You like Colton don't you?"

"Shut up," she says, smiling. "You can't tell anyone, okay?"

I nod, "Scout's honor."

"And he's mine," she glares. I put my hands in the air in mock surrender.

"What about the other one? The guitar thief?" I ask, watching my boots tap against the road. There aren't any sidewalks here, since to our left and right is all just farm land owned by people in her neighborhood. Which is hardly a neighborhood.

It's kind of like my old house. It's on a busy road, but not the main highway, and isn't as much a neighborhood as a street with a lot of space between the houses.

"Oh, yeah. Sawyer." She doesn't say anything for a minute. "He's Aaron's cousin. He's okay once you get to know him."

So they are related...

I nod and we keep walking. "What makes him so nosy?"

Bailey laughs. "You noticed that? He's always been that way, I guess. But we keep him around because he's useful. He makes it his business to know the business of everyone else." She pauses as we near the end of the street. "He's not going to get off your case until you give him a story."

My heart jumps for a second when she refers to me as a case. Let's just say that I bet there are quite a few cops looking into my case right this minute.

"And I know you are Bailey, the other girl who Blue shot and who can create a kick ass painting." She smiles and bumps my shoulder with hers. "Which leaves Blue, and how did he shoot you?"

"That's a story for a different time," Bailey mumbles and keeps walking, turning towards the diner. "Aaron's a pretty private person. But he can also be the life of the party." She pauses. "What happened between you two anyway?"

No big details. Resist the temptation of gossip, Rusty. Be good. "Long story short, he brought me to his dad's house to get a BB dug out of my shoulder and I haven't seen him since."

Short and sweet, right? Not to Bailey. She looks like she's going to faint. "He brought you to his house?"

"Well, he did shoot me, and his dad could help I guess. Is that weird?"

"No," she shakes her head. "It's just that we don't go to his house. We don't talk about the theater either. It's just different."

"Oh," I mumble.

"Why do you call him Blue?" She asks me. I keep looking at the ground. It's kind of embarrassing. "Um, a story for another time, I guess." She smirks at my words.

Something occurs to me. "Wait, so it's usually just you and three guys? Isn't that awkward?"

She laughs again as we arrive at the diner. She pulls out a chair and I sit down with her, looking around for Sawyer and Colton. "I have other friends." She hesitates. "What do I call you again?"

"Um, Rusty. It suits me," I shrug.

"It does match the hair," she smiles, but it drops a second later. "Why don't you tell us your real name?"

And then I give the lie that I have given to anyone else who asked me that question. "I could, but I'm trying to start over. I think a clean canvas seems like a good idea."

She smiles at my art reference. "You can always paint with me if you like."

She sees someone on the other side of the lot and waves them over. I don't bother turning around to see who it is. "Everyone who lives close is out of town off and on all summer, so I'm all alone with the guys. You should stick around so I don't go insane."

I shrug just as somebody yells in my ear. I jump in surprise. "What the hell?" I snap at Sawyer and he just flicks my hair before walking past me.

"What took you so long?" I hear him say to Bailey. He's practically doubled over in laughter.

Jerk.

"Hey," she says, shaking her head. "Y'all are the ones who are late."

"Who's ready for some fun?!" Colton says a cheesy smile plastered on his face. Sawyer punches him in the arm.

And then I feel a hand on my shoulder and I look up behind me to see none other than Blue, grinning at the other guys like an idiot.

"Blue," I smirk.

"Rusty."

"Okay, now that we are all acquainted, I'm driving." Colton dangles his keys in front of my face and we all follow him to the truck.

Let me just get something straight: there is very limited seating in a truck. There is a driver's seat, a passenger's seat, and sometimes that pathetic small seat in the middle. Oh yeah, and the back.

Colton drives, obviously, and I stay back a second as I watch everyone else file into their normal spots. Bailey calls shotgun and Blue and Sawyer hops in the truck bed.

"Umm," I twist my fingers.

"You can sit by me princess," Sawyer winks. I grimace as I use the tire to climb in, landing on my back in the truck bed.

"I'm good. And the name's Rusty, not princess."

"Burrrnnnnn..." I hear from somewhere in the front seat as the engine starts up and we head out of the lot. I stay low in the back, not perching on the sides like the guys.

"Hmm," Sawyer scratches his chin in mock thought. "No, I think princess suits you just fine."

I glare.

"Hey wait," I say, looking around. I know this truck. "Does Colton's dad own that gas station?"

Blue nods, smirking. "Recognize the truck?" He asks. "His dad uses it sometimes when his own doesn't work."

"Rusty," I think aloud, then look back up at Blue where he's smiling back.

"The truck can hear you. She has feelings!" Colton yells from up front. I laugh.

We lapse into silence before Sawyer shouts for some music. The radio is turned up and he shouts some more, drowning out the artist. Nope, just him.

I roll my eyes and sigh.

This is actually kind of working out so far. Since last night, I've learned quite a few things:

Sawyer knows this town better than anyone. Maybe I can use that to my advantage.

Blue's parents own the rundown theater, where my first clue is. As their son, he could have information on the person who bought the ticket.

Who knows. Maybe I can find what I need to escape him. Maybe I can stay hidden this time, and become Rusty.

And leave Anna behind for good.