Underground

7

Estelle
So training was normal and so was going to bed, waking up? Not so normal.
I woke up to my text tone, which chimed from my bedside table.
I roll over and grab my phone, looking at the text.
'My daughter juat gave birth so I would like to be with my family, please understand.' Abagail texts.
'That's fine, see you whenever.' I respond, setting down my phone on the nightstand, and pushing myself out of my comfortable bed.
I rub my eyes and walk to my small bathroom. I turn on the faucet, and walk back to my room. I grab some clothes, an oversized hoodie and leggings, along with the oter necessities, then walk back to the bathroom.
***
I get out of the shower and dry off, clothing myself, before brushing my teeth and walking back to my room.
grabbing my phone, opening August's contact and pressing the green contact.
After a couple of rings, I hear August answer.
"Hello?" He asks, his voice raspy from sleep.
I swear my heart stopped suddenly. "Hi." I breathe.
"Oh, hi Est." He answers.
"Uh, I was wondering if you were busy today." I say, crossing my fingers.
"Well, I'm not." He answers.
"My trainer canceled today, so I was wondering if we could hang out." I say, before quickly adding. "Or whatever."
"I'd love to hang out with you." He replies. "Do you want me to pick you up or should we meet?"
"Let's meet at that cafe from the other day." I answer, already walking out of my room.
"Got it, see you there in about half an hour."
***
I sat at the table in the cafe, a half-full water just ahead of me, my eyes laid on the screen of my phone as I read aimlessly.
The door opens and the dinky little bell rings.
My attention shoots to the new customer, who talks to the hostess, handing her a $20 bill, before turning to me.
It was August, he walks past the hostess towards me. He slips into the chair across from mine.
"Hi Est." He says, adjusting his black t-shirt.
"Hello." I say, smiling at him.
He smiles back. "What were you planning on us doing today?"
My cheeks go hot. "I guess I forgot to plan..."
"I have a few things we could do." He says, taking my water and drinking from it.
"Like?"
"Well, we could go to the beach, or have a picnic and whatnot." He suggests.
"Why would we go to the beach? It's almost October, plus the forecast hinted at rain." I say.
"We're not gonna swim, it's too cold, we'd most likely die or something."
I thought about it for a while. "I guess we could go to the beach." I say, getting lost in his wonderful brown eyes.
He smiles, standing up. "What are we waiting for?"
I stand too, meeting his eyes. "We're not waiting for anything!"
He reaches for my hand awkwardly across the table, pulling me out of the café.
***
We went to his house o he could grab some things, mostly Atlas, the puppy that's favorite activity is bounding over people's feet.
Atlas dug his dull claws into my black leggings, whimpering for me to pick him up, so I bend down and pick up the cute little white pug, who immediately licks all over my face.
"So picnicking right?" August asks from the kitchen.
I yell back. "I don't really care."
"Picnic it is then, give me like, 10 minutes,. I think I have some leftovers in the fridge or something." August responds.
"Couldn't we get takeout or something?" I ask.
"I mean we could, If you want." He responds.
"Again, don't care all that much." I say, rubbing Atlas's belly.
I hear footsteps coming from the kitchen. "We'll need dog food if were bringing Atlas."
I walk over to Atlas's bowl and pick up the small bag of dog treats. "This'll work, right?"
"Yeah, it'll be fine." August says, opening the door for me.
 I walk out. "Are we walking?"
"It's about an hour walk, or a twenty minute drive, take your pick." He says, grabbing the car keys from the little hook next to his door, then locking the door.
"I guess we can drive, an hour walk doesn't seem very fun to me." I say, walking up to August.
"Alrighty." He says, pressing a button on the keys, making the garage door open.
In his garage was an car, nothing special, he presses another button and the car makes a chirping sound.
we both walk up to the car and get in, preparing for our short-ish journey.
***
We arrive at the seaside and get out of the car, setting up a blanket for us to sit on while we eat the Chinese takeout we got.
When we got everything settled, both August and I sat on the blanket, while Atlas sniffed around the beach. 
"Tell me about yourself." I request.
"Well, what do you wanna hear?" He asks.
"Your past." I suggest.
"What a hard topic." He says. picking at his rice. "Well I was born in Idaho, by my biological mother. She got pregnant with me when she was 17, she'd just graduated high-school at that time. It was almost like I was her worst nightmare, but she still didn't want to be a single mother so she eloped with my biological father a week after they got engaged." He says.
I move my hand so it covers his. "Go on."
"When I was born, my real parents fought a lot, about schooling and whatnot. I was a baby so I don't really remember a lot of it, but my mom stayed around until I was 6, but the day after my 6th birthday, she left during the middle of the night. She took everything that was hers, it was like half my memories were gone." He wipes a tear that fell from his eye. "My dad was never paternal, so I only got fed when he remembered to feed me, it was like I was some kind of pet that he didn't want. After about a month of my mom leaving, my dad got into a really bad crowd of people, which basically resulted in him getting into drugs, which mean I was forgotten, a lot of my things were pawned off for money to get his next fix, and whenever he saw me, he kind of just hit me, and when his friends came over, they hit me too. I thought I was gonna die, but it was like something wanted me to live. It all happened kind of fast, My dad and his friends were having a party, and one of the neighbors called the police because the music was too loud, and the police came to shut the party too fast. The door was unlocked so they walked in, I don't think I've ever clung onto someone's leg so tight." He smiles. "My father got arrested for drug use, and child abuse, along with some of his buddies. "I got put into an orphanage, the nuns were so nice, I gained a bit of my weight back, and I was happy there, but a family adopted me, actually the family I'm still with today. It was a family of 5, Scott and Mary were the parents and they had 3 daughters, Kathryn, Trisha, and Becca. They accepted me almost right away, and I had a family, and that's what brings up to today." He says.
"Wow." I say, kind of amazed. "I'm so sorry I asked."
"It's fine, but now it's your turn." He says.
"Well, I guess it's a better time as any to tell you. I'm not from an normal place."
"I thought you were from Wiltshire?" He interrupts.
I shake my head. "I'm Pangaean."