Something in the Way You Move [O'J]

Party Time (Part 1)

Callie's POV

The next two days pass with little happening, except some more planning on our part. Today, the third of October, it's Danny's birthday. Jessie has told me to treat him normally, as we're throwing him a surprise party. I'm supposed to run away and lead him to the destination. I know I can outrun him.

I wake up at a normal time and make myself a bowl of cereal. I was told to let him sleep in as late as he wants, since Danny has to arrive at or after three. It's only eight now, so I have six and a half hours before I have to dash. I then return to my room and lock the door---I usually sleep with the door locked, so Danny will just think I'm sleeping if he checks.

I sit down on my bed and pull a few sheets of blank paper from the back of my notebook. I poke holes in both of them with a pen and tie them through with pieces of old shoelaces that I'd brought with me. I write him a brief message on one side of the inside of the card. On the other, I draw a picture from Dr. Who: a picture of the first Doctor giving the other party-goers the gift of "air from his lungs" at the end of the world party. I know he'll get the reference; we've watched Dr. Who a few times. In my rucksack, I have a few balloons (you never know when they might come in handy) and blow one up a bit. I tape it to the back of the card with the caption "I give you air from my lungs!" I grin. Not too shabby for pulling something out of thin air! I hide it under my pillow and walk outside.

I'm surprised to see that Danny is sitting at the table, staring blankly into space whilst eating some toast. I look at the clock: 8:56. Since when was Danny ever up before nine? I drop into the chair opposite him and say, "Happy birthday!"

He jolts to alertness and replies, "Thanks!" He smiles. Then he asks, "So I'm up before you for once?"

"I'm just as surprised as you are," I mumble, stifling a pretend yawn. We spend the rest of the day mostly in silence, which is weird for both of us. At 2:30 in the afternoon I head into my room. Mark and Glen are on the fire escape and wave at me. I give them my card to bring back (as per our plan). They run off and I wait for a few minutes before I return to the living room. I start pacing around the flat anxiously. Before Danny can ask what's wrong, I say quietly, "Danny, I'm starting to have second thoughts about you helping with the rescue..."

"Callie, you've already agreed to let me help you!" he says, exasperated.

"I know, I know, but you'd all be in so much danger!"

"Callie, we've had this discussion before. I'm helping you and that's all there is to it!"

"No! That's not all there is to it! You could die, Danny! I'm not letting you help me!" He's about to reply, but I continue, "Look, I'm going now. I'm going to go and save them now. I know how to get there; I've done it before. I'm going now and you're not coming with me." I turn and run out of the flat and out onto the streets. I bolt to the other side and start running slowly down the block, towards the airport. I look over my shoulder and see that he's running after me. I turn a corner and layer on the speed, making what would appear to be a bee-line towards the airport. After twenty minutes or so of hard-core running, I'm at the airport. I turn to see Danny not far behind. Despite my aching chest, I yell, "Stop following me!"

I don't wait before turning and running in the direction of the actual party destination. My chest aches fiercely, but I am so close. I force myself to run faster. He's still hot on my tail. After another ten minutes, I burst into an old, abandoned recording studio. I take a back route to the party destination, and as I'm rounding the first corner, I hear Danny burst into the studio behind me. Thankfully, he didn't notice me, and he starts wandering down the halls, poking into various rooms in hopes of finding me. A few minutes later, I join the assembled party-goers and down several bottles of water. "Oh my God," I groan in a whisper, flopping onto one of the many couches in the room.

"You lead him here, then?" Jessie asks.

"Yeah, he's looking for me now."

"Great!"

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Short chapter is short.

2,000 reads! Thanks so much guys. When I started writing this I didn't think it'd get any reads at all, so thanks for proving me wrong! :)