Forget You

Hiding

***I'm sorry this took so long to update, I couldn't find the flash drive that I keep the story on because it was in my backpack that I had put away for the summer, but here you guys go. Thank you for your votes and enthusiasm for the story to go on!***

SCOUT'S POINT OF VIEW

One night, while I was walking back from work, I was crossing the bridge when suddenly a dog came running up to me. He barked at me and at first I was a bit freaked out until he jumped up, hooking his paws around my waist and laid his head on my shoulder and I realized that it was Leon. Melly and I had taught him to 'hug' us and that's what he was doing now.

"Hey boy," I pet him when he sat down in front of me. "What are you doing here?"

I looked around to see if maybe Devan or someone else was around, but didn't see anyone I recognized.

"Go on home," I told him, pushing him towards where I think Devan's house is.

Leon just walked in a circle before coming back to me. I didn't know what to do now. I can't just leave him in the street and I can't bring him back because then they will know that I'm still here. And I don't know if I'm allowed to have pets in my apartment. I sighed and brought Leon with me to the apartment and got the number for the landlord and then called him and asked about pets. He told me pets were allowed as long as they weren't too loud and no more than three were allowed in each apartment.

"So I guess I'm keeping you," I said to Leon.

He made himself comfortable at the foot of my bed.

"But I don't have food for you. Or the money to care for you. But I'll worry about that in the morning."

I lay down, tucking my feet under Leon before falling asleep.

The next morning, instead of getting new clothes like I had planned, I got a bag of dog food for Leon and a couple bowls for his food and water. I don't think I need anything else. He already has a collar so I think I'm good.

After lunch I had to go to work, so I left a window cracked open and then left. From then on, each day I would take Leon on to the riverside to go run and swim for his exercise, and my own. I was now glad that I had him with me. I was just worried that Devan would come looking for him and find me as well.

A few days later, on my way to work, while I was crossing the bridge, I was stopped by someone.

"Hi, I was wondering if you've seen my dog," She said.

My eyes widened when I realized that it was Melly, but I quickly corrected that.

"He's a German Shepard, full grown and he ran away a couple weeks ago," Melly explained.

"Um, I'm not sure," I answered, faking an accent.

"Oh. Well if you see him, can you bring him to Rake's home?"

"Uh, I think I could."

"Thank you."

She walked away and I let out a breath of air in relief. She didn't recognize me. But my night was far from over. Devan and the other four boys were at the bar I worked at. Even though Melly didn't recognize me, one of them might, especially Devan. So my night was spent trying to hide from them so that they didn't get the chance to recognize me. But when it was time to close the bar, a couple people were left so I had to go tell them to leave. Devan was one of them.

I went to each of the other people first and asked them to leave and then went to Devan who was sitting at a table, still sipping from his drink.

"Excuse me, sir, but we're closing so you need to leave."

He looked at me, blinking tiredly and stood up, but ended up stumbling into me. He was completely drunk, so he was not going to recognize me.

"Who is your ride tonight?" I asked him. "We're you here with anyone?"

"Ummm.... They left already," He told me.

"Do you have your phone to call them?"

He felt around his pockets. "No, I gave it to them."

I sighed. "I'll call you a taxi."

"No. No, I don't want to go home."

"You can't stay here."

"Then can you give me a ride? I don't trust taxi drivers."

"Why not?"

"They're sketchy. And aren't they always the first ones to become zombies?"

I laughed a little. "Okay, I'll see if I can get a car."

"I have a car. Never mind, I'll just drive myself."

"No, you can't drive. You're drunk."

"I'll be fine."

"No, I'll drive you. Where are your keys?"

He handed me the keys and I led him outside and found his car parked in the street. I got him in the passenger seat and then began driving. Then I decided that I was going to give Leon back and turned to my apartment.

"I have to make a quick stop," I told Devan. "You just stay here."

When he didn't respond, I looked over to him to see that he had passed out. I went and got Leon and put him in the backseat. I then drove to his house and then had no idea how I was going to get him in the house. He was still out and I wasn't about to just leave him in the car and I can't carry him there either. So went up to the door and knocked. I was ready to just run off and let them find Devan on their own, but before I could, someone answered the door, Nate.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"I work at the bar that your friend was at and gave him a ride home," I said.

Nate started to follow me, but when we stepped off the porch, he suddenly grabbed my arm.

"Scout?" He asked. "Where have you been?"

I shook my head, pleading to him with my eyes.

He looked at me for a long time before he slowly exhaled. "I shouldn't help you."

"Why not?" I asked.

"Devan's been desperate to find you."

"Why?"

Nate just shook his head. "If he finds out that you're still in London and that you work at that bar, he's not going to leave you alone."

"He doesn't have to know. Please, Nathan, please don't tell him."

"What's so bad about it?"

"Because I finally got out of this place where I was caged like an animal to where I am completely free. I'm struggling as it is and I don't need Devan there to make it worse. I was hoping to go somewhere else to be farther away, but there was nowhere else to go. Now that I've been here for a little while I was thinking about going to Florida, but I don't have the money at the moment. So don't tell Devan because then he will try to talk me out of it and I just need to go by what I think without him trying to convince me otherwise. I'm sorry but I just don't want to be here. I want to get a new start without anyone getting in my way."

"You make very good points." Nate rubbed the back of his neck. "Could you at least give him a note or something to say that things are all good between you two? It would help him a lot."

I don't know how that would help him, but I agreed. Nate helped Devan get into the house and got Leon inside as well and then went out by me again.

"So how do you plan on getting back?" He asked.

I was about to motion to the car, but remembered that it was Devan's, not mine.

"I'll give you a ride."

As I got out of the car to go to my apartment, Nate grabbed my hand.

"Promise that you'll leave a note," He said.

"I promise," I said.

"Good. You better not forget."

"I won't."