"Didn't you ever run away?"
"Once."
"Were your parents worried?"
"They hadn't even realized I was gone..."
-Toby and Spencer, Pretty Little Liars
Natalie sat on a bench in the rain, waiting for the bus, her old, ripped hoodie pulled over her head like a beacon of "don't talk to me". She sat alone- thanks hoodie!- her legs folded up, pressed to her chest, and her head resting on her knees.
She was running away.
For the first time, actually. She'd thought about it before, yes, but she always got caught up in the "how" aspect of it, and then she'd get detoured by realizing she had to practice a new piece or something of that sort. And then she'd change her mind, blaming hormones for how miserable she was, and get back to normal. Or, as normal as life with her mother could be.
But not this time. This time, she packed a bag and stole money, and was overall very prepared.
She just didn't count on Henry.
They'd been dating for, what, a few months now, and he was the very definition of a clingy boyfriend. He didn't stalk her or anything, but he called and texted to check up on her every so often.
Unfortunately, for a girl who needed to keep her phone on so she could use Google Maps, a boyfriend who called a lot while she was trying to remain hidden was not a good thing.
By the fifth time he called that hour, she answered.
"What do you want?" She snapped.
"A girlfriend who answers her phone, preferably." Henry answered, cheerful as ever.
"Great. I'll take that as my Dear Jane letter, and you can start going out with Emily from school. Because God knows she never gets off her phone. Are we done?" Natalie craned her neck, looking for the bus. It randomly came early and late depending on the bus driver's mood.
"Natalie..."
"Yes?"
"You seem distracted. Are you okay?"
Damn him. Natalie would have much preferred if he was a lowlife who only called her for drug money or something. But no, she had to get the boyfriend who actually cared about her.
She sighed and fell back against the seat. "If you must know, I'm at the bus stop."
"Going on a trip?" He asked. She could picture his nervous smile.
"Something like that."
"Don't go." The vulnerability in his voice was what surprised her. Sure, he was pretty much an open book when it came to communicating, but he was so often cheerful and ready to bounce back that she forgot he was a little broken too.
"Henry." Her voice caught.
"I'm serious. You can stay with me if you need to. But I can't lose you. Not when I just got you."
She ran her hands through her hair. "I don't know."
"I'm sure your parents are really worried, too. They love you, you know." He continued.
She barked out a laugh. "Right."
"Nat, you know they love you."
"I know my dad claims he does." She dismissed. "But Diana's too off her rocker to lie."
"Okay. You know I love you, then." This seemed to strike Natalie silent. "I'm going to pick you up, alright?"
"Alright." She said with a sigh. "But if things all go to hell, I'm blaming you."
