The Teardrop Necklace

Chapter 4

Alexis

“Where are we going?” I demanded, frustrated yet slightly amused that he wouldn’t tell me where

we were going.

“You’ll see,” he replied, yet again.

I sighed. He was probably leading me to some nice hotel he had slept at once before, not realizing that we were going to have to live on the streets now.

“Do you even know where we are?” I asked.

“Nope, but I know where I’m going,” he answered. I could almost picture him smiling.

“What?” I laughed. “That makes no sense!”

“It makes perfect sense!” he chuckled. “I saw someplace before. Just trust me.”

“Ok,” I said uncertainly. “But you do know it has to be an alley, right? We aren’t just going to

sleep in a five star hotel every night. Although, we could probably sneak in and I bet nobody would notice.”

“Alexis!” he cried, stopping to face me with a shocked and hurt look on his face. “We’ve already-”

“I’m kidding! Geez, Erik! Lighten up!”

“Oh,” he said with a sheepish grin, and he turned around and continued walking.

As we walked, I couldn’t help but think about how a guy like him would never go for a girl like me. He was popular, smart, funny... All the girls loved him. I had known that from the moment I started liking him, but it had never stopped me. I was always happy when he was around, and whenever he talked, my eyes would widen and my friends told me it looked as if I had just seen God. He was always so nice and-  

“How’s this?” he asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I looked around. We were standing in a dirty, run down old alley that seemed to be deserted.

“Its perfect,” I said, smiling for what seemed like the first time in a long time, although I’m not quite sure why I was smiling. There was nothing happy about a dirty alley, but at the moment, it looked like home. Which, I guess it was. At least for tonight.

“See, I told you I knew where I was going!”

“Yes, I’m sorry I ever doubted you, Erik. I’ll never do it again,” I snickered.

He just rolled his eyes.

“It’s been a long day,” I said with a yawn.

“Tell me about it,” replied Erik, my yawn causing him to yawn too.

“Well, I got a few extra sweatshirts for pillows and in case we get cold,” I said, opening my backpack and pulling them out.

“What the heck#?!” cried Erik.

“What?” I asked, looking around wildly.

“Have you always had that backpack?!”

“No, I got it from the store,” I answered, looking at the ground. I still felt awful about stealing.

“You did? Whoa, I’m so tired I didn’t even notice it!” exclaimed Erik.

I laughed as I handed him two sweatshirts. He rolled one up, put it next to the wall, and laid down, putting the second one on.

“G’night,” he whispered.

“Night.”

I laid down next to Erik, and closed my eyes. But sleep wouldn’t come. It never came easily. Wondering what time it was, and cursing myself for never having gotten a watch, I sat up. Immediately the song A Thousand Years by Cristina Perri popped into my head. It was a song I always sang to myself whenever I couldn't sleep. It was like a lullaby, and it also really described my feelings and relationship with Erik. Glancing over at him to make sure he was asleep, I began to sing softly.