Tempest || tyler owens

(4) The Bolter

I don't have my pills.

It's the first thing that goes through my mind when I wake up. Not that I'm in a strange room, not that I'm in an unfamiliar bed, and not that there's a man currently asleep beside me. There's a million things that should have been my first thoughts, but no, I have to constantly be thinking about my medication.

Pushing myself up, I glance around the room, assessing my situation. I'm in the same clothes as the night before, my keys are on the bedside table along with my wallet and phone, and I need to get out of here as soon as possible.

Thankfully, it looks like the man and I share the same motel, so, with one last glance towards his sleeping form, I slowly get up, creeping out of the room. It only takes a few moments to find my own and within twenty minutes, I'm showered, dressed, and of course, medicated.

My body is still semi on my work schedule, so by the time I'm ready it's six in the morning and the sun is just starting to rise. Checking my phone, I'm grateful to see a text from Javi offering to meet him for a quick coffee at the gas station. With nothing better to do, I sling my bag over my shoulder and head out. Javi's already waiting for me in his work truck, window down and soft country music filtering through the morning air.

"Sleep well?" He asks, quirking an eyebrow as I slide into the passenger seat. Nodding, I watch the scenery as Javi pulls out of the parking lot. In less than five minutes, we're sitting inside the gas station's adjoined coffee shop, sipping cheaper than dirt coffee that somehow tastes like home. Despite the putrid taste, I can't help but smile as a thousand memories crash through me. How many mornings had I spent in gas stations like this one? Praying for a tornado that would further my research. Closing my eyes, I can imagine Cade's laugh, or Pav's fingers typing away at his keyboard. Overwhelmed with a sudden empty feeling, I open my eyes, placing the coffee cup down, suddenly not wanting the drink anywhere near me.

"So, who'd you sleep with?" Javi asks shamelessly after a moment. Bristling, I look up at him, heat instantly flooding my cheeks as he stares me down from across the table. His eyes gleam with that Javi mischief and I can't help but roll my eyes.

"What makes you think I slept with someone?" I question, forcing myself to take another sip and forcing the memories that follow away. It's just coffee.

"Well, you never called me to pick you up last night, so someone had to take you home." Javi points out, eyebrows raised as he smirks.

"Getting a ride back from someone does not mean I slept-" I cut myself off as Javi's continues to stare at me. Slightly annoyed, I roll my eyes, "Whatever, yeah, I slept with someone."

"I knew it!" Javi pumps his fist,  his smirk only increasing, "I knew you hadn't lost your touch."

"Lost my touch?" I question, my own brows raising.

Javi leans back in his chair, crossing his arms in a cool indifference, "I don't know," He draws, "they say the city changes people."

"Bullshit!" I call, "The city has not changed me one bit."

"Oh yeah?" Javi takes yet another sip from his cup, "Prove it."

...

The skies are dark and the air is damp.

I can feel the intensity in my bones and my breath catches as that familiar feeling washes over me. My heart rate skips as I survey the skies, fear creeping at the edge of my mind. I want to turn around, I want to run away, I want to never look back.

My mom always told me that the life of a chaser chooses you. And once it does, there's no running away from it, no leaving it behind. But if I complete this project, if I help Javi, I might have a chance of getting out for good.

Javi's team was nice enough, just a bunch of know it alls with fancy PHDS. If I'm being honest, I barely remember their names... and their faces. Bright eyed and young, seemingly unaware of the danger we were putting ourselves in. There were about a hundred people at the gas station, most of them wearing brightly colored lanyards to mark them as tourists. Typical.

The plan was simple: find a twister, set up the scanners, and then boom, I get to go home. I get to finally leave this life behind. For good. Twisting my fingers together, I walk back to Javi, desperate to feel some sort of comfort in the midst of my internal storm. I just want to go home, the only problem was, I had no idea where home was.

A small farm house in the Texas panhandle? A messy apartment in Ithaca? I shudder at the thought of seeing Josh again, hopefully he's moved all of his stuff out.

"So you're really doing this?" He had demanded, grabbing my arm and twisting me to face him, "You're giving up on us?"

"I gave up on 'us' a long time ago, I can't do this anymore, you're holding me back." I had argued, annoyed and wanting nothing more than to get out of the apartment.

"You're holding yourself back Becca, you're just using me as an excuse now." Annoyed by his words, I snatched my arm from his grip.

"We're done Josh, get the hell out of my apartment."

Huffing, the memory recedes from my mind and suddenly, I'm standing next to Javi, just as a wave of cheers emits from the crowd around us.

"What's going on?" I ask, craning my head to try and see whatever the people we're cheering for. Javi's once laid back demeanor shifts, his posture straightening and annoyance radiating from him as his eyes catch on whatever is coming.

"Just a bunch of hillbilly from Arkansas." He mutters darkly, "They've got a Youtube channel, always following us around for a freebee twister." Javi shakes his head, "Whatever you do, don't go near them, they're all leeches, especially Tyler."

"Tyler?" I promote, suddenly intrigued by the Youtubers. They were obviously famous judging by the crowd's roar to their arrival.

"Owens." Javi continues, "He's their man guy and probably the most annoying and narcissistic person I have ever met." He rolls his eyes, "Stay away from them." He rephrases his words from earlier, looking me directly in the eye.

"Got it." I say, stepping past him. My heart drops as my gaze catches on the red truck currently driving towards me.

Because, with an arm handing out the driver's window, blaring country music, sits the man from the bar. Sunglasses and a cap slung lazily over his features. When he drives by, our eyes catch and I watch as recognition flashes through his face.

It feels like a stone has dropped from my heart to my stomach as he parks.

I'm fucked.

A/N

Hey guys! Thank you so much, the love and support has been so overwhelming, I am sooooo grateful! I know the story is taking a lot from the movie, but trust me when I say things are about to take a very different turn.

I will be updating this when I can, but I have been so busy recently and I am trying to find motivation to write my other story, "About You" (which y'all should check out)

Thank y'all so much for everything,

Its345am <3