escape (ai) (book 2 of 9:08)

4

hannah

standing in front of the big window with the gold letters that say "irwin's coffee house" memories start flooding back. i turn around to see the apartment building, i use to live in. i still have that apartment. even though i moved out, i still pay the rent. everything is still there because when i moved in my townhouse i bought everything brand new, just to have a fresh new start.

i hear clapping and cheering and then afterward i hear a guitar strumming obviously its the chords to the song "all about you" by mcfly. i walk into the cafe and see calum on the tiny stage, sitting on a stool with his guitar, singing beautifully. i never knew he had this talent hell i didn't even know he liked music in the first place.

when i met him that day, he introduced himself, got high then left so i never knew anything about him other than he's really attractive. i turn and see ms. anna. she looks the same, with her green irises and her long blonde hair. you could see the gap in her teeth because she's smiling up at calum like a proud mom. she was wearing a lacy, creme long sleeved shirt with jeans and her red apron.

i look back up at calum to see that he finished the song. the small crowd started clapping and you heard "whoos" and calum said thank you with a smile and walked off. there's my cue.

i ran after him.

"calum!"

i yelled trying to get him attention.

"hannah?"

he said surprised.

"hi, we need to talk."

"okay, follow me."

we walk into the back of the café. the light is dim and  we enter a room with an old, tan couch and some musical equipment inside. calum puts his guitar back into its case, while he's doing it i sit down. soon after, he joins me.

"okay, so we need to leave now."

i said with enthusiasm.

"what do you mean?"

i leaned in and started talking in a low voice.

"i got a letter from ashton."

calum looked at me with his wide, brown eyes.

"are you serious?!"

"yes it came and also came along with this."

i rummaged through my bag and found the document from the mental institution.

"this is where he is?"

"i'm not sure well, i guess, but it's kind of like a clue."

"did you do research on this place?"

"yes and it's only three hours away from here. we can get there by 11:00 tonight and stay at a hotel...can we go?"

"we? i thought you didn't want to get involved."

calum said mocking me.

"well, i want in. the note really got to me and i can't give up."

"well...let's go!"

calum said smiling.

"but first i need to grab some stuff from my apartment."