Totally Clueless

Chapter 54

Chrisy found herself accelerating as she bent the last corner to Josh's house. Anticipation made her foot heavy on the pedals. Excitement came when the house came into view. She pulled into the small driveway and saw him descend the porch steps.

She had never shut the engine off so quickly in all her life.

Her heart skipped as her steps quickened. She could not reach to him soon enough.

She flung her arms around him.

"I missed you."

"Me too" he replied as he squeezed her into his embrace. He breathed deeply into the scent of her hair.

"Daddy had me all cooped up...he was so mad...but it's fine now...how are you?...I've been wanting to see you so badly, to talk to you face to face. There's so much I want to say..."

She paused.

Something was wrong.

Josh was unusually quiet. Sure, she didn't give him a chance to respond the way she rushed into dialogue, but still.

"...Are you okay?" She inched her head back so she could study his face.

"Actually..."Josh began, but he choked on his words.

Chrisy noticed a blue weekender resting on the trunk of his car. She returned her gaze to his somber face.

"What's going on? Where's Reid?" She asked. Her eyes shifting swiftly from the weekend to his face.

"Chrisy...I tried calling you...I tried texting, but I guess after everything Mr. H..." He trailed off, "...I wanted to see you... to say goodbye,"

"I dont understand...where are you going? For how long?"

Her complexion bled into a bright pink.

He held her hand in his.

"I don't know," he took a deep breath as he looked into her eyes shiny and welling up with tears.

"I'm here illegally, you understand that, no use being modest about it now, it is what it is. Immigration is on their way, I got a tip... we can't stay here. If they catch up with us they'll send us home and I'm not going back..."

"But my dad said..."

"Your dad isn't helping us anymore Chrisy,"

"Because of me? But you can't just leave... not now..." her voice broke "...I love you...this is all wrong... this isn't how it's supposed to go."

Josh squeeze her into another embrace. Why did it have to be now that she told him she loved him?

"I know, I'm so sorry, I never wanted to hurt you, you know if there was a way..."

"Where will you go? How will we see each other?" The expressions on his face was telling.

"Will we see each other? This can't be it... no. I'll come with you... I can help you Josh... let me help you... I'm coming, I'll go home and pack,"

She was about to go back to her car.

"Chrisy...you can't, I love you too much to watch you walk away from your life, your family, your friends, school... and for what? No...don't forget I know what that feels like,"

"But I only want to be with you,"

"I'll get a job, a good lawyer, I'll come back when it's okay, I promise."

He held her again even more tightly than before.

"Does Kerry know?" she finally asked when her sobs quieted.