If you haven't read All Our Yesterdays by: Cristin Terrill yet read it. Right now. As a girl who reads constantly, I can say this is the best book I've read since Divergent. Marina and Finn have a beautiful romance that is developed excellently! In order to help cure my addiction I present "The Fear of Today."
Disclaimer: I do not own All Our Yesterdays or any of the characters (however much I wish I did)
Finn's the one who first brings up running. The two of us are sitting side by side on a park bench drinking cups of cocoa from a nearby vendor when Finn randomly says, "He'll come after us." I don't even have to ask who- James is the only person he could be talking about. I sigh. "You don't know that. He may have forgotten all about us by now." Finn gives me a look that says it all. There's no way in hell that James has forgotten us, especially if he knows that I have his plans of Cassandra. Finn takes my hand and squeezes it. "Just think about it. We should at least be prepared." He plants a quick kiss on the crown of my head, then he disappears, and I'm left to walk home alone in the cold.
Two weeks later
I haven't thought about Finn's warning again until tonight- in truth I haven't actually seen him since that day in the park. But tonight, it's definitely on the forefront of my mind. Although, it really shouldn't be as I might be running for my life at this very moment. I'm not entirely sure what happened. One minute I'm stopping to buy a coffee, in order to get out of the pelting rain, and the next I'm fleeing down side streets with two burly men hot on my tail. Turning a corner I find myself in a familiar part of town. I must've run at least twenty-five blocks. American University is nowhere near the part of town I'd been shopping in. Stopping to catch my breath, I realize the pounding of footsteps is getting ever closer. I'm about to find myself in the worst of situations. Making a split second decision, I make a break for the one place that might save me.
Finn himself opens the door to the dormitory he shares with his roommate. Thank God. He takes one look at my face and then I'm then I'm being pulled inside. "What the fuck happened?" I start to speak but he cuts me off by holding up a hand. "Never mind, I see two huge men running up my street- I think that's all I need to know." He looks me up and down. "Let's get you cleaned up, you look like you just swam through an ocean." I punch him in the arm. He smirks, as I clutch at my knuckles. Damn him and his working out!
A minute later I've been bustled into Finn's room. As I stand awkwardly in the middle of his floor, he digs through a drawer and comes up with a t-shirt and pair of sweatpants. He tosses them to me. "These should fit. I'll make some chamomile tea with lemon and honey to help you warm up." I freeze for a second. I'd only told him what I maybe once what I liked to drink and he'd remembered. His hand pressed down on my shoulder. "Uh… that is what you like to drink, right?" I nod quickly. "Yeah, it's just…" And I swear our faces were thisclose. I'm the first to turn my head away. "Thanks. I'll just… I'll, you know, go put these on." I gesture to the clothes in my hand. Finn nods, and although I know it's crazy it, seems as though he's blushing. But before I can be sure, he's already turned away from me.
The steaming mug of tea Finn sets in front of me warms me straight to the bone. The look in Finn's eyes as he sits across from me, his hands folded, make the warmth drain right back out. "We have to go." Four simple words and the world as I know it is about to be shattered. Two more and it's gone. "I know."
For the past month and a half, Finn and I have been preparing. Finn got in contact with an underground agency that are able to smuggle those without the right papers across state lines. I pilfered bills from my mother's wallet and careful not to raise suspicion, bought what little supplies we'd have room for. The two of us met every week, normally at little coffee shops far away from D.C's center, to finalize our plans. We'd leave in two weeks and god; I wasn't even close to ready.
Tonight, we'd spent longer than usual talking. Nearing our deadline we found just how much we hadn't done. Rubbing his eyes, Finn gave a tired sigh. "I think we've done enough for the night M." I'm about to argue when I realize how pointless it would be. I'm tired, and with the way Finn knows me he'd see that right away. "You're probably right. But we have so much to do…" Finn gives me a look. "M, we can meet again tomorrow. C'mon, I'll give you a ride home." I follow him to his car. Like the gentleman he soooo isn't, he opens my door with a mocking bow. I punch his arm. When I'm the one who winces, he chuckles. "When are you gonna learn, M? You can't hurt steel!" I'd punch him again, but my knuckles still hurt.
On the way to Georgetown, Finn cranks up his ancient stereo. I lean my head against the window trying to memorize every part of the city where I had grown up- this might be one of the last times I ever see it. Every single light in my house is on as we pull up the drive. Shit. My mom rushes onto the porch in a dressing gown and slippers, her face absolutely furious. I cringe inwardly, Finn visibly doing the same. "What on Earth were you thinking?" She shouts. "You have no idea how terrifying this was. You've been gone all day and haven't answered any of my calls! You could've been dead for all I knew- you have any idea how much trouble you've caused for your father and I!" There's the caring mother I know. Being the idiot he is, Finn decides to speak up on my behalf. "Nice to know you care. How long did it take for you to realize she was gone? Five minutes ago?" She rounds on him. "Stay out of it, charity rat! It's probably all your fault anyway, the way you've corrupted her lately!" Finn doesn't even flinch. Suddenly, I'm so angry I can't see straight. "What the hell does it matter to you, Mom? Its not like you've ever cared before!" Her eyes widen in surprise. She shoots one last angry glare at the both of us before stopping back into the house. I sigh- I'm going to be in so much trouble for this. Although, not that it really matters as I'll be gone in a few weeks anyway. "I'll bet you'll miss that." I shoot him a look. He just chuckles. "Take care of yourself, M. It's only two more weeks in any case." I slam the back of my head into the headrest. "You sure we can't just leave now?" Finn pulls me into a tight hug. "We'll leave before you know it." As I close my eyes and burrow deeper into his hug, a knot forms in my stomach. Soon this boy will be the only thing I'll have left, and no matter how hard I try I can't help but feel that that's going to be a good thing.