Surely Blue

~28~

     "Mr. Bradford?" I ask cautiously. I walk towards him, careful to not get caught by Ms. Brady or Ms. Fields.
He adjusts his glasses and looks at me.
"Oh yes." He answers.
"What are you doing here?" I ask trying to not act as if I knew something.
"My daughter, Cara, is looking for a girl she adopted. She apparently ran away. Dumb girl. Doesn't know what she's getting into." Mr. Bradford said shaking his head.
"D-do you know her name?" I ask. My heart was racing, I could feel it in my head.
"I don't recall. But she has dark blonde hair and dark brown eyes, I believe." He said looking up, trying to remember. "What are you doing here?" He then asks leaning in. Something in his voice told me that he knew exactly who I was and what I was doing.
"One of my friends from school stays here so I was saying hi." I said in a breathe.
"Oh how nice. What friend?"
"Brayden." I said automatically.
"Lucky boy. However, I think you forgot to sign in," he said handing me the sign in book.
     "Oh, um, thanks for reminding me." I say cautiously taking the book from him. I didn't know what else to do, other than sign my name.
     I, very messily, sign my name on the empty space. It was barely legible, so nobody will suspect anything.
     "Well, I should try to find the person in charge for this place. Do you know where I could find her?" Mr. Bradford asks.
     "Yeah, room in the very back." I say breathlessly.
      "Thank you, Jacklynn." He said. "Smart girl." He smiled warmly and walked towards the back room.
      I quickly scribble over my name in the sign in book and quickly leave out the back door.
     I run along the side of the wall and leave through the back door, which was, to my advantage, unlocked. I start to make my way down the street when I hear a small voice utter my name.
When I turn around I see a little girl, about the age of 5. She had dark hair slicked back into a ponytail with recognizable brown eyes.
"Sydney?" I ask. She looks exactly how I remember her.
She smiles, answering my implied question. Her chocolate brown eyes held her innocence and her smile held her happiness.
"I saw you, so I thought that I would say hi." She said to me.
I wasn't sure on how to respond to that. Do I say thank you? Before I could even think off a response, her mother came up.
"Sydney don't talk to strangers." Her mother scolded.
"Jack isn't a stranger. And she was the one that saved me from the bad guy." She said in a small voice.
Her mother looked at me with a surprised look.
"Oh, well thank you I guess." She said after a while.
"Mommy can Jack come and play with us?" Sydney asks. Her suddenness alarmed me. It's funny how kids are naturally friendly and don't think of the worst in people.
"Um, I actually have to go. My...friend is waiting for me." I tell her eyeing the back door to make sure Mr. Bradford doesn't come out.
"Oh. That's ok. Bye Jack." Sydney then came up and hugged my legs.
I let out a small smile and put my arms over her back.
"Bye Sydney."