Run away

4. boy oh boy

Another motel but this one was hidden and close to our essential needs. We have finally started routine and both of us have gotten pretty good at it too.

Tonight she wanted to celebrate my 14th birthday, the middle of the warm july. She forgot some ingredients she needed to make one of her special dinners so I volunteered while she kept cooking dinner. She said yes and added a few cleaning supplies we were running low on; soon after I was on the mission for more milk, lemons, italian spice, detergent, and green unions. I walked in and walked slowly to the vegetable isle and started to search. I got a few and went to get the milk, the store wasn't that busy and there was only two people working. I went through the other isles quickly and walked to the first till that was closest to me. I set my items down. "Hi there." I looked up and couldn't get a word out, his light blue eyes staring right through me it felt like. I smiled, I was home schooled and was never the social type. He ringed it through and looked at me with wide eyes and came around the till. " Think you need help with these bags." It was more of a statement than a question and he grabbed some stuff.

"But you are working..." I said quietly but just loud enough for him to hear. I did need his help, he was carrying most of the bags but mine were still heavy.

" well as you can see not many people shop here since bigger stores opened over there," he pointed his thumb behind him, "Where you off to? Got a car or do you walk?" He walked closer than I wanted him to but waves of lemon grass kept dancing in my face which I didn't mind.

"Motel, I'm walking." I said looking straight in front of me, focusing on not tripping on anything.

"well good thing I'm on my break now." He smiled and opened the door for me. "so how long are you staying for?" He adjusted the bags in his hands.

"I'm not sure actually, it could be a day or it could be a month." I looked down trying not to say too much or else I might get into trouble.

"Well I hope for a while we haven't had any pretty girls like you visit before and I sure don't want it to only be for a day." He was sweet and very well mannered, but mother would never approve so quickly. He looked at me and I blushed I wish he didn't look at me like he did. So deep like he was searching through my thoughts, but if he knew what I was thinking he wouldn't be so nice.

I don't know whether to say thank you or to just smile and laugh. To have attention from a boy never happened before. I kept stealing glances at him, his muscles being drawn out from the shirt that hugged every curve. He would smile and teeth would show, his eyes would twinkle when he laughed.

"This is it... thank you." I saw this in movies, where the guy would grab the girl and kiss her like they were gonna end up together forever. But I didn't know what to do when a boy helps bring groceries back to the motel.

"I'll help you to your motel room." He smiled again and butterflies wouldn't stop taking off in my stomach, I couldn't say no. "309 that's my apartment number." He was trying to get me to talk but I didn't know what about, how do I even start?

"Thanks for helping me, you probably need to get back to work. My mom doesn't really like visitors..." I made a small smile to say goodbye but he didn't budge.

"Okay, well here's your food. Come in tomorrow I start at 8 and I am done by 5 considering it is Sunday tomorrow." He nodded his head and was on his way.

Mother came out just as he was about to turn the corner but not soon enough. " boy oh boy you have some explaining to do little girl." She was more scared than mad which I didn't blame her, I sat down beside her on her bed.

"He works at the grocery store and insisted to help me because they were heavy, he said he was on break." I blushed just thinking of our talk and our walk.

" I don't want this boy around too much can happen and it's happening too soon. I'm sorry dear but I think that staying away from him will be best." She wasn't really sure how to tell orders when she was the one that was getting orders before. I took it in as another step. One step closer to a normal family that contains only a mother and daughter. Who knew by missing a parent could make life so much easier, I never thought that it would change so drastically.

The next visit to the grocery store mother stayed by me the whole time. We gathered what we needed and went to the till, there he was standing behind his book. He looked up and put down his book with a smile on his face. "Good morning." He looked at me and leaned against the till.

"Good morning..." he never told me his name, I just stood there waiting for him to tell me. My mother cleared her throat before he could answer, her face was serious and her expression told me to stop and help.

"My name is jackson, call me jack. Sorry I guess I should have told you yesterday..." he trailed off when mother glued her eyes on him. He kept gliding the food and other essentials through with a few glances at me with a small smile. When she paid we walked slowly to the door while she put the change into her wallet.

"You never told me you name." His eyes were wide and put his hand to grab me, his gentle touch on my wrist. I smiled at him, I must have blushed because he smiled back. He let go and I turned to walk and then stopped behind my mother.

"Grace, my name is Grace." I trailed behind my mother with the biggest smile on my face. He stood there with his hands by his side and smirked with a hint of accomplishment.

"See you soon, grace." He said my name perfectly, shivers went through my body like violent waves. His messy hair was styled up today, his smile couldn't have been any brighter.

When we were out of the store my mother took a deep breath and spoke carefully, her words were spread out as she would think before she spoke. "I don't know what you are thinking to get a stupid boy in this mess. Can you not see we are hiding and not trying to get attention on us. You are making problems start and it's selfish." Those were father's words she spoke with a sour scent of his cologne that was still faint in my head. I would breathe in his expensive cologne while he would scream at me, I would never forget it.

That night I laid in bed and could stop thinking about jack, i knew that it was a mistake but it didn't hurt to repeat our conversation in my head. Mother was fast asleep with a slow and steady snore. I though of a lot and couldn't sleep, but i imagined his touch on my wrist and smiled before falling into a deep sleep...