At Home

Chapter Eleven

We spend the next 10 minutes in silence before I make a realization. "So, you still haven't told us. What exactly is your plan AJ?" I ask. AJ turns to look at me momentarily, before turning back to the road. "Don't worry Car, I didn't forget about your Dunkin Donuts" AJ responds. I stare at him and blink a few times, thrown off by his answer. Is he serious right now? "Funny. But you know what I mean." I respond in a serious tone. AJ stays silent, like his mind is buffering or something. "Well??" I say in a frustrated voice and throw my hands in the air. AJ sighs deeply. "I'm still working on making a whole plan. But for now, we're going to stay at my friends house. He's out of town for the next few days, but he said we can stay there until we figure out who is sending you those texts."

    I scoff, "I am not staying at a strangers house." Maya chimes in, "I'm with Car, that is weird." "Plus, Blue is still at my house! I can't just leave him there" I add. AJ goes to answer but his phone rings over the bluetooth. He doesn't even hesitate before he answers, "Any update?". A deep male voice speaks, "Not yet. Whoever is sending the texts knows how to stay hidden. But I'm not going to give up. Almost there?" I turn to look at Maya, and I know she is wondering the same thing as me. Who is AJ talking to? "We have to make a quick stop, but should be there within the next 20 minutes or so. I'll text when I'm there." AJ responds, as I turn back so I am facing the road. "10-4" is all the voice on the other end of the call says before hanging up.

    AJ pulls turns right into Dunkin' Donuts, and pulls in line behind the one car in the drive thru. "What do you guys want?" AJ asks. Maya rambles off her answer. Aj looks to me, "Car? Want your usual?" I nod my head, "Yes please. I usually get.." AJ cuts me off. "I know what you get. That's why I asked if you wanted your usual." He pulls up to the speaker and places our order. I am shocked when he gets my usual right. I can't believe he remembers my Dunkin' order. I go to hand him my card to pay and he laughs and shakes his head. "I've got it. Put that away." He smiles. "Woohoo free coffee Car!" Maya says from the back seat, fist bumping the air. I chuckle at my best friend. I look to AJ, "Thank you At". He turns and smiles at me again. I smile back. He looks so kissable right now. We stare at each other for a while, trying to read each others thoughts probably. Maya's voice cuts the tension between us, "Uh, you gonna move up so we can get our shit?" AJ and I turn to look back out the windshield at the same time and the car in front of us is gone. AJ pulls forward, pays, and collects our order.

    We get back on the road and drive a little longer before AJ turns onto a dirt road. I speak up,"Wait, we already said we are not staying at a strangers house! And I need to get home to Blue!" "I have someone getting Blue and all the stuff we need for him as we speak. You'll have him at the house with you tonight." AJ responds. "Tonight?!?!?! Why so long? I want him now!" I respond, louder then I meant to. "Carter, think for a moment. If I had Ryan get Blue and came straight here, he could be followed. I don't want this guy to be able to find you, especially so quickly." He says, clearly trying to calm me. It does not calm me. "WE. COULD. BE. BEING. FOLLOWED RIGHT NOW!" I yell. My blood is boiling, and not in the same way it was this morning in the bathroom. "We're not." AJ says matter of factly. It's not fair for Maya to see me yelling at her cousin. Even though she is probably thinking "Get him girl". I take a deep breath. "How do you know?" "I'm a cop Car. I can spot a tail." He says flatly. Oh. Yeah. That makes sense.

    I take more deep breaths. I try to think about this logically, rather than emotionally. I'm not the victim. I'm an outsider, watching, what would I yell to the girl in the movie? I decide that AJ is right. We turn into a driveway lined with thick trees. After a few moments, we're pulling up to a smaller, yet beautiful, house. Wow. AJ pulls up closer, before putting the car in park, and pulling the keys out of the ignition.

    He steps out of the car, and holds his phone to his ear as he pops the trunk. Maya and I sit in the car staring at the house in front of us. Home "...sweet home." Maya finishes my thought out loud and snaps me back to reality. How long was I zoning out? Before I can respond, AJ is closing the trunk. He must have finished his call, because his phone is no longer in his hand. I notice my duffle bag, along with his, is slung over his shoulder. When the hell did he pack that? He opens both the passenger doors at the same time to release Maya and I from the car.

     Maya immediately scoffs, "Nice to see you packed for you and Car. What about me though?" "Ryan is grabbing you clothes from your house too." AJ responds, like it was obvious. "Who the hell is Ryan?" She snaps back. "Well, I will give you a hint, we are staying at his house." AJ quips back. God they bicker like siblings. "I thought you said he was out of town? I am NOT staying in a house with someone I don't know! I don't care that it's his house." AJ starts laughing and Maya's face grows a deeper red. "Well, TECHNICALLY, I didn't lie. He IS out of town. Well, maybe not right this second while he runs errands for us... but he's staying with his mom a few days to help her out. She lives the next town over. Hence, out of town. He won't be in the house with us" Maya is still pissed, but that seemed to calm her down enough to murmer "Fine."    

    AJ places his hand on the small of my back and gently guides me towards the front door of the small house. Maya follows behind us, anger still radiating off of her. He punches in a code on the deadbolt, and I hear it click. He punches in another series of numbers on the door handle itself. Fancy I hear another click, and then AJ is opening the door and ushering us in. He closes the door behind us, after turning to look around outside quickly. Probably making sure we're not being followed. The door automatically locks with a *click click*. I turn to look at my "new home" and gasp! I guess it could be a lot worse.