Fragments

5.3

            5.3

            Turning around, I let my head fall back onto the wood with a small thud. I’m homeless for a few days unless I choose to call Ms. Gallagher and arrange for her to look after me in the huge, empty school.

            Over my dead body.

            I close my eyes and focus on my breathing. A few cars splash by in the remaining puddles but mostly the streets outside of school are empty. Everyone is probably on their way to see family or already there for the holiday, except for the few stragglers like me.

            Across the street, somebody shuts the door and walks onto the sidewalk. I watch as they shove their hands in their pockets and he turns to look at me, his hair falling in his eyes. He gives me a curt nod and pauses for a moment, as if recognizing me.

            He looks like Trevor. But as his expression changes from recognition to confusion, as if he’s putting the pieces together, I realize that he looks like Trevor for a reason.

            “Piper?” he calls, still puzzled. I turn and start walking away, picking up my pace into almost a jog. “Piper!”

            I’m turning the corner and running as fast as I can, lugging my suitcase behind me because I know better than to leave it behind. My breaths come out in random huffs until I have to stop to press my hands to my knees. I risk a look behind me and find the sidewalk empty.

            “Jesus,” I gasp, closing my eyes for a moment. When they open again, I know I can’t keep hanging around the outside of Elizabeth Roe’s without running into him again, so I assess where I am and try to figure out the streets of the town. By the time I know where I am, the daylight is already fading into evening and I’m only a few blocks away from my destination.

            Nervousness causes my hand to shake as I hold it above the door, preparing to knock. I have to hold my breath to keep from running away as my knuckles hit the wood of the door.

            “Um.” A tall, thin girl with curls of dark hair answers, her makeup done perfectly with dark eyes and red lips. She’s dressed in an oversized t-shirt and knee socks, nothing else. She cocks her head to the side, assessing me. “You’re a bit young, aren’t you?”

            My lips part but nothing comes out.

            She doesn’t move to let me in, just stares me down until heavy footsteps sound behind her. “Reesa, who are you terrorizing now?”

            Roman pushes the door farther open so I can into the apartment. When he meets my eyes, he’s entirely shocked, and I don’t blame him. So am I.