Running From Him (ManxMan) ✔️

Chapter 45: Reconnection

🏃Clark's POV🏃

Ethan, Jasmine, and her mother all sat around me. The four of us were all staring at one device, my phone. Ethan had made sure to pick it up when he brought my things and now, it came in handy that he did. A long time ago, son after I ran away from home, I had changed my phone out of fear that Kevin would be able to trace it to find me. Then, when I moved in with Ethan, he got me a brand new one as well.

But, each time that I had it changed, I made sure to add my parents' phone numbers, just in case. In my mind, I wanted Ethan or some of our friends to be able to call them in the situation where I had passed or fallen into a coma and let them know. I never imagined being at the point where I could call them, without the fear that it would be used for us to reconnect.

I know that everyone we knew wished to be here for this. But, Mark, Mason, and Santiago had school, Daniel and Jasmine's father had work. had work, and I made sure not to tell anyone else what I was planning.

Santiago had tried to skip school, but I convinced him to leave. Really, I threatened him with the idea of him not being allowed to touch me for a week and he quickly agreed to leave.

Now, though, when we were at the point where I would finally call them, I felt my heart stutter. Was this truly happening? Am I finally going to talk to my parents after so many years? I continued to stare down at my phone, and I could feel those around me getting restless as well.

"Clark, are you going to call them, or . . . ?" Ethan asks hesitantly, trailing off at the end. I look up to find all three of the Tyler's glaring at Ethan. "What?"

"Don't rush him!" Tania Tyler hisses, then turning back to me and suddenly wearing a kind smile. "Take all the time that you need. We'll be right here, waiting for you."

I smiled at her slightly, still feeling very uneasy. I almost felt as if she mentioned the fact that they would be waiting to remind of the fact that I didn't really have all the time in the world to call.

After a couple more minutes, Jasmine got up to make herself some tea. I noted that she didn't have a microwave in her home and had made it on the stove when she was in there for several minutes.

She came back, handing out all of the cups and sat down again to wait. It was only when all three of them had finished their cups and mine had grown cold that I finally spoke.

"Is this really a good idea?" I ask them nervously, gnawing at my bottom lip. "What if they have completely moved on? I don't want to mess with their new life."

They all started to quickly shake their heads before I even got to finish.

"Clark, I can say this as a mother that your parents would never not want you in their lives again. Especially when it was not their choice for you to leave it." Tania tells me, voice serious earnest and convincing. "Call them, I'm sure that they would love to hear from you again."

I nodded, continuing the motion in hopes that it would bring me more confidence.

"Yeah. Yeah, sure right. I'll call them. I'll call them right now." I say, voice growing in confidence. I quickly go and chug down my now cooled tea, dropping the cup back down with a long sigh. "Yeah, I'm going to call them."

I went and scrolled through my contacts, finding my mom's contact that I had put under her name, Janice.

The phone rang a couple of times. My heart is pounding and everyone seems to be holding their breath. Then, the call is cancelled. I get the option to leave a message, but I am still stuck on the fact that the call was cancelled!