Runaway

Part #2: A Premonition

I wake to the sound of an alarm beeping. Rolling over, in my half-asleep state, I'm thinking that this is unusual. Normally, I don't sleep much. And when I do, it certainly isn't sound enough to have to be disturbed by an alarm.

Normally, a nightmare wakes me.

Sometimes they're of darkness. In some, I'm alone. In most of them, I relive the night of the crash.

The screech of tires. Headlights glaring. Glass crunching. The screams, the pain, the taste of blood. The truck's logo, flashing before my eyes. It's those nights that I wake up screaming, tears running down my face, wondering why it had to happen at all.

Six years ago, Katherine, and you're still having nightmares.

I quickly get ready for school. Yet another thing in my life that's a joke. My grades never rise above a C. It's not because I'm not smart. It's because I don't really care.

My outfit consists of a red shirt, a black jacket, and an old pair of jeans. I've learned over the years that an inconspicuous outfit doesn't do much, but it's a habit I've yet to break.

"Katherine?" a voice says. I open the door and find myself face-to-face with Linda, one of my foster parents.

She smiles, blue eyes sparkling. Even I can't help but like Linda. She's too nice. Yesterday, she insisted we go shopping and bought me the jacket. Her cooking is amazing, too. Real food, unlike some places I've stayed.

"Good, you're up," Linda says. "It's time for breakfast!"

Another thing about Linda that I couldn't help but like — she was enthusiastic about everything.

"Okay," I say, just to make her happy. "Am I taking the bus to school?"

Linda says, "Yes, if that's alright."

"It is." I follow her into the kitchen, my favorite room in the small house.

My mouth waters at the sight — and intoxicating smell — of bacon and eggs. Linda has cooked and prepared everything to perfection for my first morning at her house.

Maybe I could stay here, part of me thinks. The other part doesn't believe that it could happen.

The man already at the table is called David. He and Linda seem to have been together for a long time. David has graying hair and a joking demeanor.

"Good morning," he says kindly, even if Linda is more enthusiastic. "Two slices of bacon for you, Katherine?"

I think of how I ran last night. I think about how glad I am that I came back.

"Yes, thank you," I say.

We eat breakfast quickly. I do have a bus to catch, after all. Mostly, I listen to Linda talk. She really does love to talk about everything — how delicious breakfast is, how beautiful the weather will be today — even though it's bitterly cold — and how much fun I'll have at school.

I nod at all of it except the last one.

"Really?" I say incredulously. I can't help myself. "Is your school actually fun?"

A look of pity flashes across Linda's face. She hides it quickly, but I know that look. I've seen too much of it.

"Yes, dear," she says. "Well, I suppose you'll still have schoolwork, but I went to all the teachers yesterday and they seem nice."

My eggs are suddenly tasteless. "Oh, alright." There is a pause. "Thank you."

Linda smiles, but breakfast continues in silence.

Suddenly I hear a noise outside. Linda looks out a window. "Bus!" she calls, grabbing my bookbag off the hook and throwing it to me.

I catch it and step toward the door.

"Enjoy school," Linda says, hugging me. I hug her back. David waves from the table.

"I will," I say. But in my head, I think, I'll try.

The bus, old and yellow, is like any I've ridden. Some people give me strange looks as I pass them on my way to a seat near the back. I hear a few whispers. Others don't seem to care. I don't care, either, until I see someone that almost makes me gasp.

It's him. The boy I saw last night.

He has pale, brown-blond hair and stunning blue eyes the color of a blue morpho butterfly's wings. Even though I didn't get a good look at him last night, I'm sure that this is the same boy.

The boy notices me staring and I quickly turn away before his blue eyes find me. What if he recognizes me at school? What if we are in class together?

Hopefully he is a tenth grader. I am only in ninth grade. Maybe I can avoid his attention.

But as we ride to school, I can't shake the feeling that something bad will happen today.

~~~

What do you think will happen next? I'd love to hear your guesses in the comments! (And don't forget to vote?)

~Moonlight