New Kid on the Block *h.s [completed]

Chapter 58

I arrive at the bus station within 15 minutes, and stand hesitantly at the corner for a moment, trying to comprehend the scene of chaos in front of me.

There are several buses pulling up and driving off, with people everywhere. Some are dragging their luggage behind them halfheartedly, their bodies fatigued from travel, whereas others are embracing their loved ones tightly, their faces lighting up in joy.

I skirt around small groups of travellers, glancing up every now and then to find my bus number. Bus 84 ends up being a large black and grey charter bus, with a pre-existing long loading line in front of it.

I find a place at the end of the line, content with having to wait a while. It's not like I'm in a big rush. I occupy myself by scrolling through my Instagram feed, my phone in one hand, my bus ticket in the other.

I'm suddenly interrupted by a middle aged man coming up to me. I eye him warily, but do my best to ignore him.

"Hey sweetheart, where're you heading?" He asks me, and I swallow the bile rising in my throat at the name he called me.

"Oh you know, here and there." I give him a broad answer in hopes he'll lose interest and walk away.

"Home life isn't so great, huh? You know, I see other girls like you all the time in the same sort of situation. How old are you? 19, 20?" He eyes me up and down and then winks at me, the intensity of his green eyes making me want to flinch and run away.

But I don't. Instead, I clear my throat and say, "Actually, I'm 16. So if you don't want to be arrested for statutory rape, I suggest you walk away." I smile sweetly.

Creepy Pedophile scoffs, and thankfully, walks away. I hate men who think they're entitled to whatever and whomever they want in the world, and use their authority over young girls to do so.

I shake off the cold chill creeping up my spine and turn to face the front of line again. It's my own fault, really. I knew taking a bus across the country would mean I'd be guaranteed to run into a few creeps, I just didn't think it would happen before I even stepped onto the bus. I take a quick glance around me, surprised nobody came to my rescue, and also a little annoyed. There are many women here, young and old, and I'm sure they saw Creepy Pedophile approach me. I wish more women had the guts to stand up for others, I think we'd all be a lot safer that way.

"Piper?" I hear a familiar voice call out behind me, and slowly I turn around. No no no no no.

Carter stands a few feet away from me, his baby face a light red from the cold weather. He plays with his thumbs nervously, and eyes are darting around, as if he's unsure his safety is guaranteed.

I stare at him for a minute, in denial that he's here. Why are you here? I was so close. So so close.

I snap back to reality and hurriedly step out of line, not caring that my place is lost.

I stand in front of my little brother and grab his arm. He looks down at my hand, and then back up at my face.

"Carter, what are you doing here?" I ask him, half panicked that I was caught trying to run away, but also relieved that he didn't get lost along the way and end up somewhere he didn't know.

"I followed you here. I watched you turn left at the 4 way stop, and I know you always turn right to go to your school. At first I thought you were going home, but then I realized you wouldn't have brought your backpack and books. So I followed you. Where are you going?"

I swallow hard, releasing my grip on his arm. I watch his eyes carefully, and then say, "I'm going to California." My eyes linger sheepishly on my shoes for a moment, as if I were the younger sibling being ridiculed by my elder brother.

"You're going to California." He repeats my answer very quietly, before adding, "Without me?"

"Cart, I just need to go back home for a few days to see Maddie and Ashton. It hurts being here and at school, I can't walk to class without somebody laughing at me or a group of girls whispering about how foolish I was to let Harry play me. I sit right in front of him in math and I can't even focus on learning anymore because I can't stop thinking about what he did."

"Why didn't you tell me you were planning on leaving?" My brother asks, hurt swimming in his light brown irises.

I swallow the lump in my throat. "I thought it would be better if I just left. I didn't want to tell anyone. I just wanted to disappear for a few days. I'm sorry I didn't come to you, but I thought you would read the note I left at home and understand." I confess.

"Oh my god Piper, you don't get it." Carter says, running a hand through his hair. "You and Harry have been broken up for a month, and you still don't get it. Do you know how it felt when you stopped paying attention to me and became obsessed with your boyfriend? You became one of those girls you always talked about. The type of girl who did everything for the boy she was dating, the type of girl to forget about everything important to her because she got the guy, the type of girl you always used to complain about back home. The only conversations we had were about when you were going to see Harry, what you and Harry were going to do, 'Oh no, I haven't seen Harry in a whole day!'"

By this time Carter is yelling, and people are beginning to stare. Carter's face has darkened to a deep shade of red in his anger, and his eyes are lit up with adrenaline.

"Carter, keep your voice down please." I ask him firmly, attempting to use my big sister authority.

He gives the tiniest of head shakes. "No. It's your turn to listen to what I have to say. You were so upset when you found out Harry cheated on you, you skipped school for a week because you didn't want to see him. Okay, I get that. You were hurt, you still are, but all you did was avoid your problems. That's exactly what you're doing now. You're running away from your problems, literally. Do you think a week in sunny California with your childhood best friends is going to fix everything? You're going to come back and find everything to be the same, if not worse."

"It's always been just us, since the beginning. You and me, together against the world. Remember that? You forgot about me, Piper. Do you know how crappy I felt for weeks because of that? And now I find out you were planning to run away without even telling me. Maybe you're not the hero I thought you were after all."

Carter takes a deep, shaky breath, and two tears roll down his cheeks. His bottom jaw trembles, and he instantly looks 8 years old again.

"Carter, I am so so sorry. I had no idea you felt like that. If I could go back in time 2 months and redo everything, I would. I just,", my vision blurs, "I just need you to tell me what to do."

He shakes his head again, and takes off. He storms past me at full speed in the direction we both came from, leaving me torn with the decision to continue with my plans, or follow my little brother, who needs me now more than every.

I turn back to look at the bus. The last person has just stepped on, and the automatic doors begin to close. I also notice that the once clear sky has clouded over, a visible threat of rain on it's way.

Breathing in deeply, I turn around and chase after Carter, my runaway attempt forgotten. 

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Thank you to everyone who commented on the last chapter- feedback is so so helpful and motivating to update multiple times a week :)) <3