I Told You, Eli Oxley

Chapter Forty-Two

I didn't know where I was headed, but I knew I needed to get far away.

As I was driving, though, I realized my skewed way of thinking. Just like I had done when seeing both Kara and Al, I wanted it all, no matter what I did to get that happiness. But, also like my lady problem, I couldn't have it all. I wanted desperately to get away, to escape my situation without getting caught by Gabe and the others or the police. Maybe I could get away from Gabe, but I didn't deserve to outrun the police. I had hacked a bank. Had stolen money, even if I didn't get any of it. I was still an accomplice to those who did get the money. I had to have broken several laws, so I deserved to go to prison.

But did that mean I was going to turn myself in like I did with the girls?

Hell-to-the-no.

I was going to let the cards fall as they may. If I got away, great. If I got caught, so be it.

But what to do in the meantime to try and persuade the cards to go my way? You're going to think I was crazy. Or maybe you're smart and already screaming at me what I should have already done. No matter. Here goes:

I went back to my dad.

Even though he lied to me, betrayed me and insulted me, he was my only resource. I needed him. No matter how much I hated him, I had to put aside my pride and ask for help.

***

I sat on the porch swing and waited for my dad to either reply to my text or come to the door. I heard my dad's shuffles to the door, and the glass storm door opened as he came out and joined me on the porch. He made his way to the porch banister and propped himself up, one leg stretched out in front and the other dangling to the side. He also had a large cup of sweet tea that he sipped.

"So, what's the word?" my dad said. "That's what the kids say these days, right?" He took a sip and looked at me, expecting a response.

I sat there not knowing what to say. I had semi-rehearsed everything on the way over, but his nonchalant attitude left me slightly speechless.

"Let me help you out here," he said. "You came here because you've gotten yourself into some deep shit. You've hacked a bank thinking you could steal money for college, but your friends screwed you over, so now you're running from the law. About sum it up?"

My mouth slowly opened and closed as if I were talking, but no words came out.

"So did you bring the hard drives?" he asked.

"How did you––"

"I've known for a long time those guys were no good. I was just hoping you'd see that sooner than now."

"Do you have cameras in their house or something?" I said.

"Eli, you're a smart kid. Brilliant, actually. I'm pretty sure you don't have a clue how amazing you are, which is a good thing. Stay humble. So I knew you would figure things out eventually and try your damnedest to get out of it."

I blushed. I wasn't used to compliments of this sort. And it was certainly the opposite of what I was expecting to hear from him. But I tried to keep my mind on track. "You didn't answer my question."

"No, we don't have cameras. I've been piggybacking on y'all's network – I can see everything that you or they do on your computers."

"How in the world could you set that up? I thought we had done everything to prevent something like that."

"Eli, I've been doing this stuff a lot longer than you and your friends. So did you bring the hard drives or not?"

"Yeah," I said, grabbing and unzipping my backpack, "right here." I had had a feeling they would come in handy, so I hadn't destroyed them yet. Hearing how much of a priority they were to my dad made me happy. Gave me a little hope that he could do something to help me.