Emerald Summer

Chapter 7

I can't believe shes still hung up on this. " She saved me. So what she broke a lamp? It was a lamp or possibly my life. She chose Life, my life, over a lamp. And you're upset about it. It's your fault you almost got in a wreck because you shouldn't have drove him. As a matter of fact you should've let him walk there himself. He deserves to die. Or did you forget what he did? If you had to help him you should've called an ambulance. "

"If I called an ambulance they would've wanted to know how it happened and I would've told them that your little friend was on drugs and busted his head open with a lamp. I saved your ungrateful little friend from jail," then she shut up and went outside. I hear the car door slam.

I look out the window, she's sitting in the backseat. "Come on," I sigh. Jade's standing there with her mouth open. Her eyes are filled with anger. "Come on Jade, she's not worth it." I go to my bedroom. I pack more clothes for Jade and grab my suitcase, then go into Missy's room to grab hers. I run back to my room and grab my emergency money I had stashed in a small box in the back of my closet. I almost forgot it. I count it and shove it in my messenger bag just in case. Jade follows me, I make her so I know that she isn't outside beating Missy to the death.

"How do you live with that?" She asks. "How have you not killed her? I would've already killed her." I turn around and raise an eyebrow.

"Jade. You know you wouldn't kill her. You and I both know that. You couldn't." She nods. I walk outside and put the luggage in the trunk. Jade gets in the driver's seat and starts the car. I get in the passenger side. She pulls off and I lie my head on the window. Missy's too quiet. I look in the backseat. She's laid down in the seat passed out. I lie my head back on the window and watch the road go by.

"Hey," someone shakes my arm. I barely open my eyes, Jade. "We're at a motel. You slept the whole time. I've already got rooms, one for us and one for Missy. I've already took in the luggage too. I got us a deal, the only thing is the air conditioners are broken." I groan and open my door. I still hadn't open my eyes all the way. I follow Jade into the hotel room and practically dive into bed. I pull the covers over me close my eyes again.

                                                                                              June

"Sheri, Sheri. Wake up. It's time to go." I groan and roll back over. Jade shakes me again. "Sheri, we gotta go chick. I let you sleep as long as I could. We're burning daylight. It's three o'clock."
I open my eyes and dig through my suitcase for my brush and my toothbrush. I shuffle to the bathroom and brush my hair and teeth. I grab my suitcase and go out to the car. I put my suitcase in the trunk. I look around. It looks pretty sketchy. Cedar Rapids Inn. Oh my God how long did I sleep? I go back inside.

"Jade? How long was I asleep?" I look around the hotel room. It wasn't that big, but she doesn't answer. "Jade?"

"Yeah. I'm in the bathroom," she calls out. I walk over to the bathroom door. "It was only a thirteen hour trip, so about twelve."

I nod, "Why are we in Iowa? I didn't think we'd have to go through Iowa." She shrugs and opens the door.

"The GPS went whack and took us the long way around. Why? Are you Iowaphobic or something? Do you have a problem?" She smirks.

"No. I just didn't think we would go through here is all. No big." I shrug and turn to go outside. We step out into the bright light of midday. She let me sleep way too long. There's a McDonald's across the street. I pay a little better attention to my surroundings and take in the fresh air.

Jade gasps and brings me out of my daydream. "Sheri someone cut the tires." She looks at me with fire in her eyes, "Missy. Missy cut the tires."

"We don't know that," I say as she starts to Missy's room. "It could've been someone else. Do you see how sketchy this place is?"

"I do, but I also know your aunt doesn't want me here. She doesn't even want to go on the trip or she wouldn't've gotten drunk before you left," she says and pushes past me.

She opens the door to Missy's room. "Hey!" She yells. I follow behind her. She's passed out on the with a bottle lying on the floor beside her. Where does she keep getting the alcohol? Jade huffs and walks back outside. I stare at Missy for the longest time. "Come on," Jade finally comes back in and gently grabs my wrist and leads me out.

"Why," I whisper as she shuts the door to Missy's room. I walk behind her back to our room. I stare at the car as we walk past it. I open the door and go inside.

I lie on the bed and Jade plops down beside me. "What are we going to do?" She asks. I shake my head.

"I don't know. Call a mechanic or something tomorrow." We kinda stare at each other. She nods and puts her hands behind her head.

"I suppose we're chilling here for a while huh?" She closes her eyes and sighs. "Good. I'm tired of driving. You don't have a certain time were supposed to be there do you? We can call a mechanic." I shake my head.

"They won't be open because it's Sunday. Do you want to go to the McDonald's across the street? I have some money." She nods and I grab my messenger bag. We go out the door. As we cross the street I notice there isn't much else around. Just a closed down mechanic shop, a seemingly abandoned after hours clinic, and a sketchy looking gas station. Then again it all looked sketchy. We must be on the outskirts of the city. We step into McDonald's. The cool air hits me in the face. Ah, that feels good. It's like ten thousand degrees outside. I figured it'd be cooler up here. I look around. This place is deserted, especially to be around lunchtime, the restaurant is probably disgusting.

"What can I get?" Jade asks me, "I mean it's your money." I have enough money for her to get something more but I really just want to get stuff off the dollar menu to save money.

"Anything you want." I smile at her. She orders a Big Mac, large fries, and a large drink. I get ten McNuggets, small fries, and a small drink.

We get our food and sit down. In between bites she asks, "Why did you not get a lot? Normally you eat like a pig." I shrug and continue to slowly eat. She puts down her burger and looks me in the eyes, "Are you okay?" I nod and continue eating. What do I tell her? I don't want her to be worried. I also don't want her to feel bad for getting so much.

I sigh, "I'm just....too concerned and preoccupied to eat.'' She nods then slowly, as if giving me a chance to correct my answer, picks up the burger and continues eating. She didn't buy it. I stuff the nuggets in my face.

She stares at me from across the table, bored, waiting for me to finish. I meet her eyes and shrug. I'm just trying to kill time, but I don't say it. She groans, "Oh come on Sheri, I think I'm getting wrinkles." I throw a fry at her, then stuff my face more quickly.

We throw our trash away and leave. We step back into the the hot hotel room and almost immediately start sweating. "God it's so hot in here," I say. Jade nods in agreement.
She goes over and opens the window. Why is there only one window Jesus Christ it's ten thousand degrees. I look at my phone. It's four o'clock. I lie on the bed and look over at Jade, who's sitting on the edge of the bed. "Why am I so tired all the time? I mean, I haven't slept this much since I don't even remember." She shrugs and thinks for a minute. I roll over and snuggle down into the sheets.

"I don't know really. You've been through a lot though, not to mention you lost a shit ton of blood. You're probably just really exhausted. You'll probably be back to normal in a while. Plus your depression probably isn't helping anything."

"Yeah," I yawn,"sorry I sleep so much." She shrugs and I fall asleep.