Run Away

Chapter 20

After having dried herself off in the bathroom, Evie changed into some dry clothes and stowed her wet ones in the wash basket. Coming out of the bathroom, she ran into Zane, causing her to jump in surprise.

"Hey," Zane greeted her happy he had found her. "You okay after your swim?"

Evie smiled at Zane poor attempt at humour, but he achieved his goal with her smiling at him.

"Safe to say I won't be joining the Olympics Swimming Team any time soon," Evie replied, stepping around Zane and heading back to her room.

"Evie," Zane called after her.

Evie turned in her doorway to look at him. Zane was unsure of himself, unsure what to say to Evie. He didn't want her to become withdrawn around him again, he had just managed to get her out of her shell again.

"About last night," Zane started.

"Forget about it," Evie smiled reassuringly at him.

Not wanting to discuss it any further, Evie gave Zane a small wave goodbye, before disappearing into her room and closing the door.

Sitting down on the edge of her bed, Evie noticed the mobile phone Sandra had given her. She had played with an idea but talked herself out of it every time, scared and unsure if she wanted to know the answer.

Over the previous six weeks, while hauled up in her room or alone at lunch times, Evie had wondered if maybe she was still running for no reason. Maybe it had all been pointless. Evie had never thought before to search for her past, she had just assumed the worst.

Biting her bottom lip, Evie suddenly decided to go for it. She snatched up her phone and opened the internet browser. Holding her breath, she Googled a name she wishes she could forget. News articles popped up, going all the way back to the beginning. The headlines of each article taunted Evie with her past and her heartbreak. Tears began to swell in Evie's eyes reading the words that had shaped her life.

Quickly, Evie closed her phone off and threw it to the opposite end of her bed, as if it had given her an electric shock. Glaring at the phone through tears, Evie closed her eyes and took slow, deep breaths in an attempt to calm her.

Minutes passed and Evie opened her eyes slowly, wearily. There was her phone, still face up on her bed with a black screen. Taking another deep breath to give her courage, Evie reached out slowly and collected her phone once more. With another deep breath, she opened the internet browser once more.

Not wanting to be overwhelmed once more, Evie flicked swiftly through the headlines and found nothing. One headline caught her attention though. Unable to help herself, Evie opened the article and skimmed through.

Evie's shoulders slumped. It was all speculation. No one knew the truth. Only her.

Closing her phone once more, Evie ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. She was helpless. In her mind, she did the right thing running. The police stated they had no leads. There was no escaping except for running.

Looking out the bedroom window from where she sat on her bed, Evie thought about how she had been in the same place for six weeks at that point. Once she had decided to run, she had never stayed anywhere longer than twenty-four hours. Yet, here she was, safe; or so she thought. Evie holed up in her room. It was as if she was giving herself away.

Evie stood up with determination. If she was going to be in the Taylor's house, she needed to be prepared. Evie knew she couldn't just sit around waiting. She needed to be fit.

Evie grabbed some sneakers and put them on and quickly texted Sandra to let her know she was going out for a run. Flipping her phone back onto her bed, Evie skipped down the stairs and out the front door.