Music In Me

Chapter One:

Three Weeks Later

Lauren rode her bike to Mason's house to find Mason on the porchswing, just staring into space. "What do you need?" She asked. "You texted me like twenty times in the past hour, so I rode as fast as I could."

   He walked down the steps and sat on his bike. "I need to talk to you about something personal. C'mon, let's go to the river."

   On the ride to the river, she tried asking questions but either he answered with 'cool', 'nice' or 'sure' or didn't say anything at all.

   It was usually door number two.

  The river was just a small stream in the woods behind Gwen's house. It's so pretty during the sunset, with the cherry blossom trees surrounding the river. But they decided one thing that no one else knew:

  That was their place.

  When they reached the river, they just dropped their bikes on the moist ground and climbed the tree closest to the sunset.

   They sat on the branches, watching the sun slowly descend over Mt. Rainer. "What do you need to talk about?" Asked Lauren suddenly.

   He sighed and looked her in the eyes. She could feel her glasses falling off, but she didn't want to move her hand to move them.

   "How would you feel if I... disappeared?" he finally asked. 

   "Why are you asking? You know how I'd react if you dissapeared" She asked, half of her not wanting to find out.

   He started silently crying. "No, I actually don't."

   She looked down. "Answer my question now. Why are you asking?"

   He hesitated. "I don't wanna say-"

   "Please, Mason! I may not be 'as old' as you, but I do have a right to know, don't I?" She pleaded.

   Mason looked into her eyes again and this time, she felt lost in those dark eyes. 

   "I'm going to runaway tonight."

  Lauren giggled nervously. "Hehe, you're kidding me, right?"

  He just sat there, looking at her. His tears increasing.

  "You're not kidding?"

  He shook his head, not in his usual funny matter.

  It looked depressing.

  "Why?" She screeched. "Why would you do that?"

  "Because, someone stole my neighbor's bike, and everyone thinks it was me.  Then, I have to do summer school and the kids at the school hates my guts, and if that's not enough Edd, Tom, Allan, and Chris are on my case and they beat me up every chance they get. Edd, of all people! My own brother, giving me a bloody nose and an almost black eye everyday!" He hid his head in his legs and she could she see his shoulders move up and down, making her think that he was crying more. She felt miserable.

   "What did you try to do about it?" She asked him, starting to feel tears coming through her eyes.

   He looked at her weakly. "I tried everything possible! I even tried to steal my brothers pistol a few days ago. But, I couldn't hack into his cabnet."

   "Why did you try to steal Edds gun?" She asked, suspecting the worst. Oh, no! He tried to kill himself!!!

   He shrugged. "In case all else failed."

   There was a silence.

   She finally opened her mouth. "If anyone deserves to run away and die it's me." she muttered to herself. He looked up and stared at her in surprise.

   "If you knew what has been going on for me, you would want me dead, too. I'm sure of it." she told him quietly. "My life has been sinking like the titanic ever since I was five."

   He shook his head. "I would hate if you died, are you kidding me?"

   She explained, "My life's been miserable and horrifying for a long time. Do you know I have auspergers syndrom? I also have to be placed into a flipping foster home in a few weeks?! How do you think I feel, being abused for, what, six years now?"

   He bit his bottom lip and shook his head in disbelief. "I don't know who would want to hurt you. If I just pretend to punch you, I feel horrible. You're too, you know..."

   "Weak?"

   "Kind, innocent, sweet." He said, shrugging. "Must I continue?"

   She started to cry for real. "You can't run away. You're, you're my only friend." He opened his eyes wide and started to jump. "Yeah, I only knew you for a few weeks, but I really don't know what would happen to me if you disappeared. You actually get me." She shook her head in fear. "I should be the one to run away. My life sucks, man!"

   He came closer to her. "You really feel that way about your life?" She nodded. He sighed and pulled her close to him. "You can run away with me if you want."

   She smiled tightly. "Really?"

   He nodded and started laughing through his tears. "I'm sure with my brains and your amazing acting skills that we'd run away all the way to Wennatche."

   She smiled and suddenly wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. "Oh my gosh, Mason. I love you, man!" She whispered. 

   No matter how much he tried to convince himself, he told himself that she meant that just as a friendly love. He felt a little disappointed.

   "We need to leave late tonight. Grab a backpack with some clothes in it, some money, a sweater, and your best stories." She raised her right hand to scouts honor.

   "We need to ride our bikes to that gas station on the end of Spurwood. There, we'll start our life on the road."

   She was surprised he already had a plan ready but she just said, "I'll set my iPod alarm to one in the a.m., would that be fine?"

   "Perfect." He jumped off the tree and sat on his bike. "Gotta go and pack. I'll see you at one."

   She yelled, "Wait!"

   He turned. "Yeah?"

   She changed her mind and said, "Never mind. See you in a while."

   He smiled and rode off to his house, and Lauren hers.