The Life I'm Running From

18\ My New Mission

I had just stepped out of the shower when my phone buzzed. Winding up my hair in a towel, I checked the notification. Harley had texted me. What would you say to catching a movie with me and my friends later?

I smiled. Depends what movie it is.

Mission Impossible?

I'll be there.

My phone switched off and I went back to the bathroom. Guess I was going out tonight.

★彡 ★彡 ★彡 ★彡

A few hours later I left my apartment building, the cold air encircling me like an icy hug. Parked at the sidewalk was a small blue car. Harley was leaning against the passenger door, his curls lifting in the breeze.

"Harley!" I called. My voice was almost entirely swept away by the wind, but Harley heard. He lifted his head and smiled.

I approached him and he stepped aside. "Hey McKinnley," he said, his cheeks red in the cold. Harley dug his hands into the pockets of his oversized hoodie, and nodded to the car door.

Not keen to wait in the cold, I got into the passenger seat as he slid in behind the wheel. The inside of his car was warm. I relaxed against the seat, feeling my trembling limbs get steady. Then my nose wrinkled. Harley's car smelled like McDonald's mixed with the gym at school after everyone had run the Pacer test.

"We're going to pick up Carter and Devin, and meet everyone else there," Harley said, as he pulled the car out into the oncoming traffic. His eyes remained steadily on the road, so he didn't see me nod.

Traffic was heavy—but wasn't it always in New York? After turning down a crowded street, Harley parked by the curb of a sports store. I squinted out the window. Carter and Devin came out, spotted Harley's car, and headed over.

"Did you find new basketball shoes?" Harley asked as Carter and Devin got in. They were wearing sweaters identical to Harley's, except Carter's actually fit him.

I looked back to see Carter shake his head. "There were no good ones."

"What do you mean, 'no good ones'? You tried on thirty pairs!" Devin shook his head, and buckled up his seatbelt. "I've never met anyone pickier."

Harley pulled the car onto the road again. I pulled my blonde hair out of my coat, letting it settle on my shoulders. A pedestrian darted out onto the street and Harley had to slam on his brakes to avoid killing them.

"So, McKinnley, you're coming with us?" Carter asked.

"Obviously." I twisted to look at them head on. "Why else would I be here?"

Devin smirked. "I know a few reasons."

He and Carter exchanged a glance, and I quickly turned to face forward again. Harley's hands had tightened on the steering wheel. At a quick glance to my left, his face was red. Carter and Devin liked to tease me and Harley about liking each other. They seemed to think we were madly in love with each other. Sometimes, in Harley's case, I thought it might be true.

But it had never been true for me. We were friends. Period.

We parked at Ruben Topley. The last time I had been here was with Adriana, her boyfriend Ryan, and his brother David. The place still looked the same—which made sense, because only a month or two had passed. Harley held open the door for me, and Devin snickered. Carter and Devin were great when they weren't teasing Harley and me.