You Can Run, But You Cant Hide

Chapter 1

"...and that's my speech about saving homeless people..."
Everyone stares at Jeremiah blankly.
"Well...? Are you all going to clap?" Jeremiah waits.
Everyone wakes up and starts to clap until my best friend takes his seat.
"Psst! You're up next," he whispers to me.
"What? No Jeremy pleaseee," I beg him
"Just get it over with now so you won't be remembered last."
"Jeremiah, who do you pick to go next?" My teacher says.
"Tiffany!" He calls out.
This is just great, I take my papers and stand up walking down the aisle as he whispers from behind, "You'll do great!"
I'd like to think that, but there's 5 classes here, in the library, and I have to stand up in front of them all to give a stupid speech. We all had to write a speech about something we felt strongly about and how helping the situation will make an impact on our society. I wasn't sure what to pick, so I just went with pet abuse.
*     *     *
After everyone has given their speech the bell rings to go home, finally. I stand up and shake hands with everyone from different schools.
"Tiffany, right?" A dark skinned guy shakes my hand.
"Yes," I smile professionally.
"My name's J.D., I enjoyed your speech."
"Oh, thank you! It took me days to write."
"Really? Wow well it was worth it Huh?"
"I mean I guess," I smile. "Well it was nice to meet you J.D., but my ride is going to be here soon."
"Okay well I'll see you next week?"
"Next week?"
"The field trip?"
"Oh yea! Sorry I forgot all about that, I'll see you then."
We exchange smiles and then I drag Jeremiah away from a group of girls.
"What are you doing?" I say.
"Um what does it look like Tiff? I'm trying to get their numbers!"
"Well our ride is going to be here soon, we need to go."
"Fine."
We walk outside and sit down on the grass. Luke isn't here, so we listen to music and wait.
*     *     *
Jeremiah stands up in front of me, "C'mon let's go."
"What? Go where?"
"Home."
"We have to wait for Luke."
"Tiffany it's been 4 hours and it's almost dark, let's just walk home."
"It's too far Jeremy..."
"Look if you want to wait here for him then I won't stop you, but I'm walking."
"Hey guys, I can give you a ride," Izzy walks over to us.
"We're fine thank you very much," Jeremy helps me stand up.
"Izzy! Where have you been? I haven't seen you in a month!" I hug him quickly.
"Oh please," Jeremy crosses his arms.
"I was on vacation, but I'm back now." -Izzy
"Obviously..." Jeremy whispers.
"Where are your rides?" -Izzy
"Well Luke was supposed to pick us up, but-" -Tiffany
"But he's obviously not coming." -Jeremy
"Well I can give you a ride, where do you live?" -Izzy
"Far." -Jeremy
"Downtown, it usually takes 25 minutes." -Tiffany
"Oh well I'll take you guys," Izzy insists.
"No thanks," Jeremy walks the other way.
I run after him and stop him, "what are you doing?"
We use our whisper voices so Izzy won't hear us.
"I'm going home."
"Stop acting like this."
"No."
"What is your problem with him?"
"I don't like him!"
"Why? He didn't do anything to you Jeremy."
"You're right he didn't."
"So why do you not like him?"
"I just don't okay?"
"Are you...are you jealous?"
"What?"
"C'mon Jeremy, it's obvious."
"I'm not jealous?!"
Izzy pulls his black Mazda up next to us and rolls down the window, "are you coming?"
"No," Jeremy says.
I start yelling in a whisper tone to Jeremy. "Get in the car."
"Make me."
I open the passenger seat door and push Jeremy inside.
Jeremy mouths the words "fuck you" towards me and I blow a kiss to him as I close the door. I step into the back seat and buckle up as Izzy drives us home.
*     *     *
"So Jeremy, how are you doing?" Izzy attempts conversation.
"Fine," he looks out the window with his arms crossed and I kick his seat.
"I'm doing fine, how about you?" Jeremy fake smiles.
"I'm good, what about you Tiff?"
"Good as well. Jeremy do you mind telling Izzy here where you live?"
He looks back with his "really nigga" look off of this vine we saw.
"Right up here," he opens the door, gets out, and slams it.
"I'll be right back."
I get out of the car and run after Jeremiah turning him around.
"Are you okay?" I ask him.
"Okay Tiffany, I AM jealous. Are you happy now?"
"Jeremy you have nothing to be jealous of," I put my hand on his shoulder.
"Yes I do! He's your senior best friend and I'm your junior best friend, you're going to dump me and choose him because he's cooler..."
"...Is that what you think?"
"It's what I know..."
"Listen Jeremy, I just got you back. I've known you since 1st grade and we reunited just last year. Izzy? I just met him this year, I love you more than my own brother Jeremy and no one will ever replace you okay?"
"Fine..."
"How about we go to the fair next week?"
"Okay, but no one else please."
"Just us and Grace."
"Promise?"
"I promise," I hug Jeremy and he hugs back.
"I love you sis," we release our hug.
"I love you too bro."
We smile and I walk back to the car and get into the passenger seat.
"What was that about?" Izzy asks.
"Oh nothing, he just had a bad day, that's all," I lie.
Izzy drives to my house and we talk on the way.
"You look nice today," he smiles at me.
"Oh," I blush. "Thanks...so do you!"
"Haha, thanks."
"So how's the babysitting job going?" I ask.
"It's hard work, believe it or not, but I'm making money."
"That's good, I'm glad."
"How about you? You still working at Macy's?"
"Yea I have to be working since Luke's parents got fired."
"They have?"
"Yea...we're struggling to pay the bills and if we don't pay them by next week then we are being evicted... "
"Dang I'm sorry, how much do you have to pay?"
"1400."
We arrive at my house and I open the door.
"Thanks for the ride Izzy."
"Wait," he pulls out his wallet.
"What are you doing?"
He counts out $500 and hands it to me.
"Look I've been saving this money up for myself, but...you need it more than me."
"No, I can't take this."
"Tiffany please..."
"Izzy I can find a way to pay this, you don't have to do this."
"Yes I do and I've seen it before, my mom rejected her friends money because she thought we could pay the bill, but it didn't happen. That was years ago...and I don't want to see that happen to you, so please... Just take it."
I put the money in my pocket and I hug Izzy.
"Thank you...thank you so much."
My nose starts to get stuffy and my eyes get watery. We stop hugging and he wipes my tears away with his hands.
"Don't cry okay?"
"Okay," I smile.
"Thank you again, this means a lot."
I lean in and kiss him on the cheek and get out quickly. He watches me walk inside and then drives away.
I walk over to me and Luke's room and I see his arms crossed.
"Where the fuck were you?" I asked him.
"Close the door."
I close the door and walk over to him.
"Where was I? Where were you Tiff? Huh?" Luke stands up in front of me.
"Jeremiah and me waited 4 hours for your ass to show up."
"I had work! You can't expect me to be there on time!" he yells.
"You work at fucking Burger King Luke! You couldn't call or text me?!"
"I called you a hundred times and you didn't pick up! Who was that guy out there?!"
"My best friend!"
"Were you having sex with him?!"
"No! Why would you think that?!"
"Hmm I don't know, maybe because you were too busy opening your legs for that guy that you didn't even realized I called!"
"Seriously?!"
"Yeah seriously!"
"I can't even believe you right now..." The yelling stops and I cross my arms. "I'm not dealing with this right now, I'm going to bed." I walk over to my side of the bed.
"What do you think you're doing?" Luke asks.
"Going to bed, what does it look like I'm doing?"
"Not in here you aren't, you're sleeping on the couch."
"Excuse me?" I cross my arms again.
"You heard me, go."
"No!" I argue.
Luke walks over to me and casts a shadow over me.
"You're gonna sleep on the couch tonight whether you like it or not, got it?"
"...got it... " I walk over to the door and Luke turns me around to give me a goodnight kiss.
"Goodnight baby."
"...goodnight," I smile and leave the room.
Did something happen to him at work? What's his problem? He's just mad and taking it out on me. He's only yelling at me because he cares. Luke's a great guy, he's my true love, and he's just having a bad day...