Hunting Truth

Chapter 5

School was long as always. We listened to the teacher give a lecture about the Vietnam War. He was apparently getting over a cold and coughed and sneezed the entire time he was talking. More kids stared and whispered at me. One girl even shoved me out of her way not like there was an entire empty hallway she could walk through. At lunch, I sat on the school's front lawn as always. It's just way too awkward to sit in the cafeteria these days. Ben sat with me and told me about the latest gossip he's been hearing around the halls, including the one that this girl went and shoplifted 30 bucks worth of soaps and lotions. Why is that gossip worthy? I have no idea. Then we sat through Trigonometry class which was torture.

After school, we skipped the bus and wandered around town. I haven't been around town in the longest time. Mom and dad used to bring us here for the big New Years celebration every year. We would watch all the fireworks and stuff our faces with funnel cake. My dad didn't really like to go but he always did because we loved it so much, especially my mom.

"Excuse me, do you happen to know where Grant's Goods is?" I asked a woman that was coming out of the supermarket we were walking past.

"I'm sorry. I don't." She answered politely.

"Okay. Thank you!"

"You're welcome." She said with a warm smile.

"How do you know the name of the place?" Ben asked me.

"Roman had a piece of paper with a phone number on it in his room and that was the name on it. He said it was like a convenience store so I just put two and two together."

We walked some more and asked a homeless man sitting on the corner. He wreaked of alcohol and cigarettes and I think he was about to pass out before we said anything.

"Excuse me sir, have you heard of Grant's Goods?" Ben asked the man.

"Yeah. I know that place. That's where I get my liquor." The man said off balanced yet honest.

"Great. Where is it?"

"Make a right at the blue apartment building right there." He pointed ahead.

"Okay. Thank you very much." I said with a grin.

"No problem. Tell me something. You got some money?" The man asked.

"I only have a nickel." I frowned. "Here you go." I gave him the nickel and thanked him again, but as soon as he took the nickel, he was unconscious.

We followed the man's directions and saw a large sign on an old building that honestly looked like it could crumble at any moment. It was brown, and had a little white on certain parts. You could tell it was from rubbing of paint. The sign was red and both G's were sitting crooked off the building. We went inside and it looked like your ordinary small store. Shelves filled with snacks and candy and whatever other miscellaneous stuff. Refrigerators filled with juices, sodas, beers, and milk.

There was a boy standing behind the counter in a green striped shirt with a big smile. He seemed like a bit of a pretty boy. Muscular but not too much, not as much as Roman but more than Ben. He had light brown eyes and his black cap that he was wearing backwards hid his hair, that is if he has any, showcasing his sharp jawline and cheek bones. He definitely had the look of a model. He looked like he was maybe 16 or 17.

"Hey." He said looking only at me. He had a light, playful voice. "I'm Tony. Can I help you with anything?"

"Yeah. Actually does a Roman Hunter work here?" I asked politely, walking up to the counter.

"Oh, yeah. Roman. The new guy. He's out on a delivery right now. He should be back pretty soon."

"Oh. Okay. Thanks." I said with a slight smile and turned to go out with Ben.

"No problem. Who are you?" He asked curiously.

"I'm Mary. Roman's sister." I turned around.

"Oh. Cool. It's nice to meet you." He grinned.

"Mary, maybe we should just head back home." Ben said, pointing at the door.

"I mean, since you're Roman's sister, you guys can chill in the back if you want. There's a TV back there. It's not really a palace but it's something. I'm pretty sure Roman will be here in a little while." Tony insisted.

I turned and looked at Ben. "I really want to surprise him though and I don't have anything else to do at home." I said.

"I don't really have the best feeling about this though." Ben whispered to me.

"Ben, it's fine. What's the worry?"

"I just have a lot of homework. I should head back. See you tomorrow." He said while walking out of the store.

I turned and looked at Tony with a small smile. I wonder what all of that was about. What could be so harmful about a convenience store? I've never seen Ben get on defense like that, unless it was about his mom.

"Come on. I'll take you back there." Tony said nicely, interrupting my thoughts, gesturing me to go first.

The room was filled with boxes stacked against the walls and had a small couch between two of the stacks. The TV was hanging on the opposite wall of the couch and was playing the news.

"Here." Tony gave me a can of orange soda. "Drink this. Free of charge. I'll go see if your brother's anywhere around."

"Thanks a lot." I smiled.

"No problem."

I took a sip of the soda and somewhat payed attention to the news while thinking of Ben, when Roman walked in.

"Mary? What are you doing here?" Roman asked, confused and kind of alarmed.

"I came to see you. What's the problem?" I asked.

"How long have you been here?"

"For maybe 20 minutes. Ben and I came together but he went home. Why?"

"You need to go." He said in a warning voice.

"What?" Why is everyone in such a frenzy about this place?

"Go home. I'll be there in an hour." He pushed me towards the front of the store.

"Ro-" I said confused, trying to get him to stop shoving me.

"Go!" He said again.

I just stared at him and then I turned around and headed to the door. 

"Hey, is Roman back?" Tony asked as I walked past the counter.

"Yeah. He's in the back. I have to go. Thank you for everything." I said while trying to put on a honest smile.

"Um okay. You're welcome. Hope I get to see you soon." he grinned.

I smiled back and made my way to the bus stop. What are the guys seeing that I'm not? Tony seemed nice, it wasn't a messed up part of town, and I didn't feel as if I was in danger. What was bugging them?