On The Run

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Until I came to New Mexico, I never realized how much beauty water adds to a river.
- Mark Twain

I woke up a few hours ago. We stopped at a gas station to fill up the Audi and found somewhere to restore the Tesla's charge before getting back on the road. We ate while waiting for the Tesla. It was really awkward. No one said anything and the car ride has been silent. Ace keeps to the country roads, sometimes switching to the highway or main road, to make sure people don't follow us.

We take as few stops as possible. The car is unbearably silent, no music is playing so my thoughts run wild and jinx me, breaking me down. They're taking you right to him. You shouldn't have trusted them. Each passing moment, I become more frantic and on edge. I start to not enjoy the scenery as much and start to look around. I watch Ace carefully and watch the Audi behind us, that has the guys in it. 

I try to calm myself down and tell myself it's going to be ok, that they aren't going to give me to him. Finding a random station, I lean back into my seat. I feel myself calming down a little bit, but not enough for me to go back to enjoying the scenery.

I feel someone grab my hand, and on instinct, I tense up and try to pull my hand away from the other. I look down and see it's Ace's hand that's holding mine. "Calm down. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Remember what I said at your house. I'm not letting him get you without a fight. I swear." He says, holding up our linked hands and placing them in the middle console of the car.

I calm down and relax the rest of my body. "How did you realize I was freaking out?" I ask him curiously.

"You were looking around cautiously and started to tense up while looking at me and the guys behind us. Also, you turned the radio onto a station that has static." He laughs a little, lighting up my mood. "Yeah, sorry about that. I was starting to panic. I told y'all I had nowhere else to go, and now we are going to some random place that I don't know about. I was fine with it first, but the silence in this car, and when we ate with the guys, started to let some doubt in my mind." I say looking down at my lap.

"It's alright. You don't know us all too well except for the fact that we all go to the same school together and our reputations we have there." He says, almost distantly. I nod my head. "Yeah, that is true, and yet I go ahead and tell you guys what is wrong with my life. I broke one of my own rules, damn." I chuckle darkly. "Like I said before though, I find y'all trustworthy to know my secrets and why I am like I am." I say going back to looking out the window.

"We all are very glad you told us that. Honestly, if you didn't, I don't think I would be driving to this place right now. We probably would've just hung out with you until you left us." He says, eyes focused on the road. I nod my head. "I understand that." I look forward. 

Ace turns onto the highway and takes some exit. The next 30 minutes were a comfortable silence as we watched the road and the cars pass by. 

I see a sign fly by saying 'Welcome to New Mexico'. "Hey, can we stop for a sec? I need some food and to use the bathroom." I ask Ace, looking over at him. "We are almost to our destination. Can you hold on for about five to ten more minutes?" He asks, looking over at me for a second, judging my reactions, before looking back at the road.

"Yeah, I can wait." I say, pulling out my phone and looking to see where we are at. 

A few minutes later, we pulled up to a small house. "Welcome to Glenwood, New Mexico" Ace said, getting out of the car as the others pulled up into the driveway.