15 Reasons To Live

Chapter Nine

15 Reasons to Live © Copyright Brianna Howell 2013

When we got back to the car Ben was curled up in a ball, dead asleep in the backseat.

"So much for watching the car."

Thad put me back down on the ground and we got into the car to figure out what we should do about the battery.

We'd already walked a few miles and all the car parts stores were closed, so the only chance we had was to wait untill morning and call someone.

"Maybe we should just sleep in here tonight." Thad suggested as he leaned his seat back. I nodded slowly, half in agreement but still unsure.

Ben wasn't going to budge, I'd learned that much from the night before back at the Y.

But I'd never spent the night in a car, and the stories I'd heard about muggers and gangs were coming back to me all at once. I shuddered at the thought.

"Wouldn't it be kind of dangerous to stay out all night?"

I asked.

Thad yawned and nodded.

"A little, but we're better off inside than walking around."

I sighed, I knew that my tired mind was exaggerating things but I still wasn't too keen on the idea.

"We need to go back though, all of our things are still in the room.

And I wouldn't trust that Ruth girl as far as I can throw her." I said wrinkling my nose.

Thad chuckled softly and I closed my eyes for a few seconds.

"Well, it's almost two AM." He began. "I'd think if she was going to steal our things and rent our room, she'd have done it by now."

I huffed at him and crossed my arms, feeling like a pouty little kid.

"Just imagine, they're probably all asleep, or using our stuff. So really, it wouldn't do us much good to walk all the way over there for nothing."

He finished with a yawn, stretching his arms out behind him.

I hated to admit it, even to myself, but he was right. It made me tired just to think of walking that far again. My legs were staring to ache, even though Thad had carried me back to the car.

If nothing else, he was even more tired than I was.

It made me angry to think of someone using my things without me being there though, as I let my mind wander to what they could be doing in there. Thad chuckled lightly.

I opened my eyes facing him with a frustrated look.

"Hey" he said, sitting up and leaning towards me. "I was just teasing you."

I looked at him warily.

"Everything will be fine, I promise." He whispered, patting my shoulder lightly.

I sighed audibly "I know." I said. "But things always seem worse when you're tired." He nodded, smiling a little.

I reached over and flipped the radio on in an attempt at calming the both of us down.

A repetitive twangy sound blasted through the speakers making the windows shake.

"What did you do?!" He yelled frantically, trying to turn it off.

The soft acoustic music from earlier was gone, and a heavy bachata song boomed through the car.

I jumped and tried to covered my ears as we scrambled to turn the volume down.