I tell them everything, from my mom's death to hurting Vanessa and my creepy encounter at the grocery store. When I'm finished, I'm shaking and sobbing, and even the three emotionless macho guys can't look me in the eye.
After a moment of silence, pale girl speaks up.
"You still haven't said where you're going." She deadpans.
"And you still haven't told me your names," I shoot right back.
"Oh." She blushes, her badass image starting to falter. She turns her face grim again. "My name is Birdsong. Birdsong Belle."
I give her a funny look. She cringes, hard.
"My parents were hippies." She explains, "My friends just call me Birdie or Song. Less embarrassing. I guess you can call me whatever you want, you're sorta my friend."
Sorta? I just spilled my entire life story to this bitch and I'm just 'sorta' her friend?
I correct my thinking.
Things take time, Sky.
"I actually kinda like Birdsong, but I'll call you song 'cause you sorta look like one." Wait, did I seriously just say that to her face?
Song kinda squints at me for a moment. Her eyes search my reddening face. Finally, her gaze softens and her snow cheeks turn pinkish.
Autumn boy decides to butt in. Thank God. His golden hair flops in his face as he leans forward to introduce himself.
"I'm Simon!" He tilts his head and adds, "Please don't make a joke about Simon Says." He shifts back into a comfy position, leaning against a branch behind us.
"I uhhh... nice to meet you."
Smooth, real smooth.
Throughout all of this, I forgot we were sitting in a tree, and my butt hurts. I readjust myself carefully while everybody is watching (awkwaarrrd) so that I'm crouching on the branch and leaning against the trunk.
I take in a deep breath.
The macho guys are getting bored, the three of them are starting to roll their blunts.
"I need to get to WalMart." I blurt out. "Or any big chain superstore, really. Preferably one where I can hide the best."
Song nods, she gets it.
"How long will you be hiding?"
"I have no idea. As long as I can. I don't want to ever return home if I can."
"That'll be tough. Obviously you probably won't spend the rest of your life in the store, but you will have to stay pretty much underground, metaphorically speaking. Or literally. Y'know, whatever floats your boat."
I chuckle halfheartedly. "Yeah." Then something strikes me, and a little pit is forming in my stomach.
"Song? Do you think... I could have killed Vanessa?"
YOU ARE READING
Murder?
Подростковая литератураSky has a little trouble on her hands. When she beat up her abusive stepmother, she hadn't meant to kill her. Now she's a runaway with a mess to take care of.
