Princess & the Player

eight: hop in the truck, Maggie

Maggie's POV:

I stuffed my things into my backpack and checked the tent one last time. Good news about traveling light is that it is much easier to keep track of everything. 

"Hey, Maggie," Bailey, my tent roommate, handed me a new pair of ear buds still in the package. Pretty sweet. "Happy Birthday. And goodbye."

"Wow. Thanks."

She gave me a quick hug. "You shouldn't miss your own high school graduation," she sighed. "Seriously. Stay for that."

I shook my head. "I'm so done. I don't even know what my grades ended up being."

"They were fine. Your name is on the list of graduates in the town paper."

"It is?"

She nodded. Hobie came out from the back of the shack and handed me an envelope of cash. My last pay. I stuffed it into the pocket of my cut-offs and thanked him. 

"Keep the sweatshirt," he ordered, stomping back to the hut.

I laughed cuz it was already in my backpack. 

I got the feeling Hobie saved lots of people. In her sober times, Mom would call people like that angels. 

Well, damn. I wasn't gonna think of her. I wasn't.

I waved to the rest of the crew as they were opening up the beach and the shack for the day. It was actually a little hard to leave - they were a strange kind of community but I'd liked being with them. 

A few called their goodbyes to me as I started the climb up the long stairs to catch the bus. I didn't have a destination yet but there was only one bus from the river and it went to town so I knew where I was starting. 

As I climbed, I had a moment of panic. Jesus, what was I doing? Wasn't this the start of every frigging horror movie, like, ever? Teenage runaway to the big city ends up...

Yeah, well. Couldn't go back. Had to go forward. Keep going up those steps.

The parking lot was still pretty empty except for the staff vehicles. And a pick-up truck idling at the rim that looked down to the river. And a guy leaning against the truck. A lean guy in low rider jeans and thick dark hair...

Whoa. 

"Marco?"

He turned and stared right at me. I walked over to him, trying not to run. 

"Happy Birthday, right?"

I nodded. "Thanks. Is this your truck?"

"A guy from school. We were gonna road trip it together but he ended up flying back last night - family thing."

"So..."

"I got you something. For your birthday."

Random. "OK."

He pulled a small box from his back pocket. "It's an external charger, for your phone."

"Oh. Thanks," I stuffed it in my backpack. 

"Wait! Uh, see if it works. I already charged the battery."

I pulled out my phone and unlocked it. My wallpaper was a picture of the bonfire from Friday night. Crap, I hoped Marco didn't recognize his own shadow.

He attached the lightning cord and the battery icon immediately showed it was charging. He smiled. His smile could melt snow caps. "So, what's your number?"

I shook my head and took my phone back. "It's OK. Thanks for the charger."

"Maggie?" His hand was on mine and he looked serious. 

My skin went fizzy whenever he touched me. I couldn't even think straight. 

"Maggie, what's your number? You've got one, right? You text with your younger brother, you said."

"Instant message, text, SnapChat, whatever. Don't worry about it."

He grabbed the phone out of my hand and began tapping numbers with his thumb. I jumped to snatch it back but he put his free hand on my head and held me away. "Marco! Not cool! Give me my damn phone!"

Marco watched my screen and then slowly rolled his eyes to mine. "Maggie?"

"It still works with wifi," I insisted.

"Maggie," he groaned. He sounded so disappointed that I just wanted to kick him. "You can't be this careless."

"You think my mother would pay for my phone after what I pulled? You saw her, right? She seem like the type who lets bygones by bygones?" 

"Why the hell haven't you at least contacted Scottie?" he roared. "Living in a tent? Without a phone? Without anyone knowing where you were?"

"Bodie knew! Jeb knows! The staff knew! And WHAT'S IT TO YOU, ANYWAY?" I stormed off to the bus stop and tried not to cry. 

He slowly followed. "Maggie."

I turned my back to him. 

"Maggie, listen. You gotta stop taking these chances. This isn't the way, all right?"

"Yeah?" I could feel myself shaking. "Then tell me the way, hotshot."

"Just make smarter choices, all right? Like, maybe give a damn about your safety. Let people help."

"I'm fine. If it bothers you then don't look."

He gave a short laugh. "I've been telling myself that since you knocked on my door."

"There you go. Thanks for the gift and..."

"Maggie. Stop." He put his hands on my shoulders and turned me until we were facing each other. "Just tell me what your plan is?"

"Shouldn't you be driving away?" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the bus take the turn into the parking lot and slowly pull into the lane across from us. The driver opened the door and a small handful of early tourists in bathing suits climbed out. 

I wiggled out of Marco's hands. 

"Just tell me your plan, please?"

"I'm 18 now, I can stop hiding. I'll email JJ and my dad's family up North and I'll find a safe place to go and get a job, OK?"

"Where up North?"

"In New York. Starts with an A - I think it's the state capital."

"Albany," Marco smiled. 

"There. They send cards every Christmas with some money in them. Mom keeps the money and tosses the cards but I dug a few out over the years. I know their names and address."

"OK."

"OK?"

"OK. I'll give you a ride. Albany, New York."

"You'll give me a ride?"

"Yes," he leaned down and kissed my forehead. 

My heart flipped inside out. "Look, Marco..." 

"Maggie, it's summer, it's your birthday, and Albany is kind of on the way for me. I'm serious. I'm heading there now. Really. So... let's do it."

"This isn't a Nike commercial." I argued. The bus driver closed the door and released the brakes with a squeal. The parking lot was empty again except for us. 

Marco. The Player of the campus. No strings guy. Wanting to give me a ride a million miles away?

But then again, what did I have to lose? 

I finally nodded.

"That's a yes?"

I nodded again. 

"Then hop in the truck, Maggie. Let's do this."

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Ah, the first step towards being together!!! -bella