SAVED - My Own Book! - Inspired by STOLEN - Lucy Christopher

by EnglishRoseKB

This is my very own made up book! Fourteen year old Lola comes to face the mysterious twenty-one year old Riley after running away from her controlling family, on the run for freedom and life. But is this young, good-looking Riley is who he says he is?

BEST-SELLING AUTHOR OF SAVED

For those who love an escape.

CHAPTER 1

Hurt. It means a number of things. It can mean that someone has died. Or maybe left. Maybe you even had an argument with a friend. You might have fallen over and cut your leg. Did you get chucked out of your home? Did you break up with your boyfriend? Who knows. I think about how he would have explained. Would I have known if it happened differently? Maybe I should have stayed. I wouldn't have met him in the first place if I stayed home. It wouldn't hurt so much. "I think you like me." He'd said. "what?" although I had grinned. "Do I excite you?" He'd made me laugh.

That's what made it special. He was there when no one else was. Picking up the pieces, as I hadn't of expected. He had saved me. And I had saved him.

It was summer, I had never felt the heat as strong as I had felt this year's. Mum was having the usual arguments with Dad. I would get blacked out, pushed aside. I had run into my room that night, crying into the pillow. My pillow had become damp with my tears. Mum was shouting at the top of her lungs in the kitchen downstairs. Dad was swearing and yelling, non-stop. I eventually heard him pick something up and smash it. It sounded like he had tried to aim it at her. "Wow! Because that really does show what a big man you really are!" Mum was being sarcastic, trying to encourage him. I could feel him about to hit her any second. He was beating her almost all the time. I never really understood why she didn't just leave him.

I wasn't happy. I just wanted to run. Mum wasn't making anything seem any easier. She was meant to be the one to make it all better, to cuddle me, make me feel safe. She never did. I was wasting my time, life with her...and him. I even found it hard to think of them as my parents. My friends asked me at school once about my black eye. Dad gave it to me. But of course I had to lie. I was being bullied, mum never did anything about it. She never had the time to notice. I thought about running away to another part of my family. They'd just brainwash me. I put that plan off for a while

I use to have wild ambitions as a kid to run off into the wild, into the distance, far away. I thought about going to another country. Australia would be a really nice and hot country, I could escape there. Or maybe New York! I loved the pictures on Google of New York, I always had wanted to go there. I was absolutely blown away when I had finally got the chance to go. I thank him for that one. It was my birthday and he had did that one small thing for me. Well, maybe not a small present for a birthday, considering the money and journey you need for a place like that. But he did it. He wanted to be able to give me everything I wanted, and he took me to New York City.

On a Thursday night mum was drinking, dad was out. I quickly packed my bags and slowly made it out of the back door. It was ok because mum was almost out of it in the living room, laying on the couch. At first I was worried if she was dead, but then I was always thinking that when she was on the wine. As soon as I stepped out the cold night wind hit my skin like a fan. It was kind of windy that night. I pushed open the metal gate that led out of our back garden and down into the middle of an alley way. I walked for twenty minutes or so. Mum would be worrying her mind out over me when she'd actually notice I was gone. That part was at the back of my head at the time. Even afterwards. Because I didn't care, didn't understand why I should. She never cared for me, so why should I?

It dark and cold. I hadn't thought of any food supplies to bring. Instead I just brang my Journal, torch, phone, camera, oyster, bottle of water, a jumper for just in case and a photo. You probably think it's ridiculous to pack a photo. This photo was of me and my friends who had moved away, the moved to Wales and began complaining about it to me over Facebook. About how depressing or how much they wish they were back in London. I felt sorry for them and sorry that they had to move and hate living there. I couldn't believe it when they told me, I thought I was dreaming. Friends like that, you'd never think of them leaving you.

I could feel the concrete ground crumpling beneath my feet as I walked. I had only thrown on my high heel leopard skinned trainers. I thought they'd be good for running in so I chose them. The night sky glistened with smiled white, sparkling stars. I looked up at them for a short moment, thinking about what they could mean. I use to dream of them dancing in the sky when I was about six years old. I began to look around for a moon. There was no moon, not even a half one. When I was younger and my dad and mum didn't argue so much he use to tell me tales about the moon and the stars, about how they would talk to each other. I told him how I named every star individually. He had laughed at me over that and ruffled my hair.

He wouldn't have been so proud now if he had new the hard times I had at school, about how I constantly got picked on. He'd want me to stand up and probably punch them in the face, give them black eyes like how he gave me. My legs had grown weak already, tired of walking. I tried to focus on the cool breeze of the air, breath in the fresh oxygen. My pale skin was becoming even whiter. I wouldn't be surprised if I was the highlight of the path way. I glanced down at my legs, goose bumps covered them madly, working their way up my thighs. I exhaled and continued to look forward. It couldn't get worse than this could it?

I began to think, maybe it was stupid to run away. Maybe I should turn back. But I was in the middle of nowhere by now, and I knew, being in the middle of nowhere was better than living back in that horrid house. I had even asked to eat my dinner in my bed room all the time because of it. My older brothers were nowhere near any better. My first older brother, Sam. He's 17 and had his mates round a few weeks back, he locked me out in the garden till dark while mum and dad were out. My mum ran around looking for me, begging him to tell her where I was. She ran into the garden and found me swinging on the swing. Sam told her I had locked myself out there. My Dad had told me off for upsetting mum and trying to be so attention seeking. I hated Sam for that.

My other brother, Jack, never did anything, or stand up for me. He just always sat in his room, being so quiet that most of the time you couldn't even hear him! One day I even thought he went to school when really he was in his room feeling sick. If that was the excuse he must have been feeling sick every day considering his awkward silence all the time. Jack and Sam were out on the night I ran away. They both went down to a night club down the road somewhere, I doubted they would have come back, not till the morning anyway. I kept on walking, and walking. Just walking. It was a clear road I had come to, grassy field either side. It seemed like some sort of motor way in between a field. I had no idea where I was, all I knew is that I had just been walking straight on and came to a clear road. There were no cars, nothing. I felt a cold chill run up my spine, fear that I may possibly be the only one waking down it. I looked around for a moment checking my curiosity.

I was the only person, and I would have been at 10 o'clock at night, a little girl running away from home all on her own, out in the dark. But then, that's what some kind of kidnapper, rapist, and murderer would say to you if you was out alone in the dark. Just to make you feel wanted, cared for, to get you exactly where they want you. Maybe I should keep my head down and try not to be notice; I could get murdered or raped at any moment. I thought. There was bound to be someone lurking round this road, just watching me, ready to tie me up or something. I could feel a figure walking behind me. I looked over my shoulder, no one. It was just me freaking out; thinking some sort of axe murderer was going to chop me up into little pieces.

Then just as I really started feeling like I should turn back, a engine sound was coming from the far distance, from behind me. I looked over my shoulder. The cold hair making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. My brunette hair blowing more madly in it now. The wind was blowing the same direction that the car was driving. Towards me. I watched the car for a moment, not because I wanted a lift but because I was curious who may possibly be driving at this time of night. As I watched I noticed the car was slowing down. That's when it clicked. The driver was thinking about pulling over and flatter me just so he can murder me or something. I turn my head away and carried on walking, trying not to bring any attraction or notice, even though I kind of already had.

What was the driver going to do? Why was he even wasting his time pulling over? I didn't want to have to explain, because I knew, once I admit I am running away from home. He or she or whoever, would start trying to persuade me to get the car so they can take me back, and brain wash me about how my parents love me so much even though they don't even know them. Or how worried my family might be once they would realise I had disappeared, but then again that was the point. To worry them, to teach them a lesson but mostly to just get away from them. I wanted nothing to do with them and I wish they could understand that. They were no good to me the way they were so my option would be this. The car was right next to me now, I could feel the drivers eyes on me. The car was black and had a silky shine to it.

I took a quick glance at him. It was a young man around in his early twenty's at least. His eyes were full of questions. Why would a young girl my age be walking the road so late at night, all alone in the dark? He was bound to say that, why wouldn't he? It's the only thing to ask! I'd think the exact same, but I'd understand a little more on the reason why! I looked away from him and straight onto the distance. He spoke first, "Are you ok?" He asked, simply. I nodded, scared. I wouldn't be surprised if I was shaking from the fear of him as well. What was I suppose to think? I knew not to talk to strangers, especially if they were just innocently asking me if I was "ok".

"You know, it's best not to talk to strangers right?" His accent seemed weird, like he was Australian or Canada. He had taken the words right out of my mouth. "But It's also best for someone to make sure of your safety, isn't it?" It seemed as if he was quizzing me. I felt his eyes digging into me. I shrugged, "I'm fine." I wanted to tell him I had run away but I didn't know him, and why would he be interested in the reason? He just might have wanted to get me home no matter what the reason might have been, it could have been no excuse for him to just drive passed.

"Are you running away from home or something?" He asked kindly. This is when I turned my head to him, properly looking at him now. I mean, properly looking at him. I stopped walking. He stopped driving. We remained like that for a long moment. His eyes were still continuing to dig into me. I opened my mouth to reply but nothing came out. He tried a more suttle question. "Do you know where you're going, at least?" I blinked twice. "Err...not really." He nodded, understanding. "Look, I know I'm the last person to trust but...do you want me to drive you somewhere? I mean, it's really dark and dangerous out here."

I hesitated for a moment, trusting him but also knowing better. "How do I know you're not some sico?" He laughed, "What you mean, a rapist?" I hesitated then, he continued with other examples, "A murderer? A stalker?" he paused, "Maybe just a sociopath." He didn't ask, he knew I was thinking these things, he looked as if he had been called these names before somehow. I pulled a face, cringing. "Are you any of them?" I asked, still not feeling trust worthy towards him. He chuckled, looking through his windscreen, "What do you think?" he was asking me now. How did he expect me to judge him like that? "Where are you heading?" I changed the subject, more curious about what he was doing out late at night than what he was. He grinned, "I'm just heading to somewhere amazing."

"somewhere amazing?"

CHAPTER 2

"You gonna get in or stand there and wait for the grass to grow?" He grinned wider then. I stood there, the air beginning to surround me more, making the goose bumps on my legs seem even worse. "And what if I don't?" He did struck me as the rapist type. There was something about him that wasn't, graspable in a way. I wrapped my hand around the strap of my bag, thinking what mum would say if she'd know how stupid I was being. His eyes studied me for a long second, "Well, you can stand out in the cold and freeze and get kidnapped for all I care. Just trying to save your neck." I winced at that. Should I trust him?

One part of me just thought, 'oh what the hell, just get in!' but anything could happen. Before I could decide I just opened the door and jumped in. I shut the door fast behind me before I could change my mind. I looked across to him, he laughed, pushing the hand gear and the engine roared back to life. "So, are we going any in particular?" He looked across to me with suspicion written all of him. He was wearing a black tracksuit and plane blue jeans. "Anywhere but here." He titled his head then, "Wow, running away and don't even know where you're going!? Well that's new." I shrugged, "Does it matter?"

"Well, isn't that the most important part of it?"

"I dunno." I said roughly. He looked out of the windscreen and set his wrist on the steering wheel. "How about a coffee?" I looked into the distance of the long road in front of us, "Where?" He chuckled, "There's a coffee shop just down the road and round a couple of corners. We can stop by if you like. I'm guessing you haven't got much supplies with you." My eyes met his then, was he a mind reader or something? "How would you know?" I was being rude now. "Out in the dark, late at night, small bag, no particular destination, no plan. It's a giveaway." I laughed then. He turned the steering wheel and began to drive.

"I'm Riley." He smiled over to me for a second. I smiled back in return, "Lola." I replied. He was satisfied with that and looked back onto the road, continuing to drive. I couldn't get over what I had done. I had just left home, dared myself to walk around in the dark and had now got into a strangers car. Although his greeting was very convincing and his smile was kind. He even knew what was thinking almost all the time when I spoke to him, he knew what i thought of him. He soon changed that. I winded down the car window and poked my head out, wanting the cold wind to hit my face. The cool breeze hit me like a heartbeat, it made me feel free in a way I could never had imagined. I glanced over to Riley, his fists clenched around the steering wheel, tight.

Something about him made me nervous, I couldn't pin point what it was but in some other cases I felt somewhat, safe around him. We continued to drive down the road towards where he had explained the Cafe was. I glanced around every inch of the car, it was a slim black car, and inside was like a porsh in a way. It wasn't long to the cafe. He had the stereo left playing in his car and hummed to it the whole way. I had hung my head out of the window most of the time.

Once he had pulled in the car park of the Cafe I began to feel as if he had it all planned or maybe wanted to get me where he wanted me first. He turned off the engine and pushed open the door to get out. I stayed in the car, not sure whether to move or not. After a long moment he bent his head down and looked into the car, his eyes meeting mine, "You coming or what?" I breathe and climb out of my side of the car. I shut the door hard behind me and look around the car park for a second. There was only around two other cars besides his. I looked over my shoulder, he was leaning against the car tossing his keys in his hands as he casually checked his phone for text messages.

He smiled at himself or whatever was on his phone. After a minute he switched his phone off and tucked it back into his back pocket of his jeans. "Com'on." His eyes focus on the cafe door, and I follow him over to it. He pulls the door open for me, letting me through first. I look up at him, he smiles in a polite manner, "Ladies first." I walk through. I suddenly feel a thrush of hot air once I step in. I hadn't noticed how cold it really was outside. The cafe was more or less empty, only four people were inside. A boy and a girl sat at a table, a man in his late fifties stood by the counter ordering a hot chocolate, and a hoodie sat in the back corner with his head turned away from me.

I heard Riley walk passed me and gradually noticed him walking over to the counter next to the man ordering his hot chocolate. Riley doesn't look at me when he waits. I was almost relieved that he didn't seem too much of a man that wanted the only obvious thing from me. A young boy about seventeen walks over to take his order. I hear Riley ordering a coffee for himself and then he turns to look at me, his elbow leaning on the counter, "And you?" he asked. I think a moment, confused but then realise what he means. "Oh, um...Hot chocolate?" I ask. He nod once and ordered it straight away.

As he waited he looked back over to me and gestured his forehead to a table by the window, "You can sit down. I'll bring it over." He smiles. I smiles back in return, "Ok." I start walking over to the table he gestured to. I sit down by the window, plonking my bag on the chair next to me. I looked out of the window while I waited, who knows where I was going to go from here. It was sure that I couldn't stay with Riley forever, I hardly knew him! He was just some man who had picked me up but where else was I suppose to go. It was cold and incredibly dark outside, no moon just a few stars. My bag looked quite big after all the stuff I had tried to fit into it; it was a small white back pack with golden diamonds on it. The lid was like a floppy bit of material that just flopped over and was magnetic so it would just clip shut.

Riley started walking over to me with a tray in his hand, the coffee and hot chocolate sat upon it with a spoon and some napkins next to them. He set it down on the table and handed me my hot chocolate with a kind smile. "Thank you." I said. He sat down and picked up the spoon laying on the tray, beginning to stir his coffee with it. No one in the Cafe seemed to care that a girl my age was sitting late at night with a man his age, maybe they thought I was his younger sister or daughter. Maybe even little niece. No one stared at us, everyone else just sat in other parts of the Cafe looking really depressed and unhappy. Riley stopped stirring his coffee after a few long seconds and set the spoon back onto the tray. He took a quick swig of it to try it and seemed happy with it afterwards. He smiled at himself and then glanced over at me. "So, why are you running away?" My heart immediately began to pound madly, my head rummaging for an answer. I don't think I quite understood the reason myself to be honest. Then I answered, "That one is on my parents shoulders." I said swiftly.

He raised an eyebrow, "Your parents?" he didn't understand what the problem was. I sighed, "I hate them. I wish they got my adopted to be honest." It was true, I wished that so bad because it was true I would have had a much better life it they had got me adopted. I should have run away years ago. Riley exhaled, "I was adopted." My eyes widened, "You were...?" I couldn't finish. I wanted to ask him loads of questions then, what was it like? Or did you prefer your parents or was it better being adopted? His eyes were suddenly full of pain then. He nodded, "My mother died when I was eleven. She was driving me home from a party at school that I had and something, someone ran into the road..." He trailed off. "...We crashed. I was fine but my mother got taken to hospital. She died there after a few days trying to fight for her life in a hospital bed. She gave up in the end." I waited for him to explain more, like what happened after that. But he didn't, he just looked out of the window.

"What happened after that?" I asked, but felt bad asking afterwards. He kept his eyes drawn to the window. "I lived with my Dad for a few months. But then, he got a girlfriend and just got me adopted because he couldn't look after me." I frowned, "That's horrible."

"At least your parents haven't ended up like that."

"Your dad wasn't a drunk." Then my suspicion kicked in, "Why do you care so much anyway?" He shrugged, "You're only young, and your parents are still alive. You've got a chance that I never had. Why not take it?" I shook my head, "I had loads of chances and so did they, never worked out for any of us. Their just two faced lying creeps." He waited for me to go further and I did, "I've had enough. I can't live with them anymore. My Dad coming in drunk every night, my brothers, my mum getting hit by dad and..." I paused, Riley raised an eyebrow in curiosity, "And?"

"And not noticing me."

"You don't think they notice you?" he asked. "They don't!" I snap. Riley flinches away, "Ok, ok. Well, where are you going to go? I mean, how old are you?" I scowled, "Fourteen."

"So, fourteen year old girl running away from parents that she basically hates and has got nothing to fall back on." I looked at him, confused. He explained, "Let's look at the facts, what have you brought with you?" I think hard. "My camera, phone, my Journal, torch, oyster...um...bottle of water and a spare jumper." He smiled, "Well you have thought about it pretty well I'll give you that. But...A journal? A camera?" I scowled at him, "I might want to save my memories...and the journal...well, I got no one else to talk to so I might as well just write on paper." He smirked then, "Wow, you're smarter than I thought!"

"You think I'm smart?"

"of course!" He grinned widely.

"What about you? What are you doing, driving around late at night?" He pulled a face, "Exploring." It was so short and simple, like there was nothing more to it. "Aren't you ever going home at all or sleep or anything?" He shook his head, "Nah. I go to hotels." I automatically tilted my head, "You check in and out of hotels all the time?" He nods. "But...How? It must cost a bomb!" I was so confused. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a huge question mark right on my forehead to show it. He laughed then, as if I should have known, as if it should have been so obvious. "I'm just as backed up as you are, Lola!"

"But, the money? How?"

He breathes, "I have loads. What's the big deal?" he chuckles almost evilly then. His eyes were hiding something really dangerous. I looked away, scared to look at him. "Nothing, I guess." It was as honest as I could be. What was the big deal? He was exploring and slept in hotels, it mustn't have been that strange if he could act so casual about it. "You could always come if you wanted?" He asked, his eyes peeking at me. "Err...where?"

"Hotel."

"Um. Are you sure, I mean..." I couldn't finish. He chuckled, "Don't worry. It will be a two bedroom one. I wouldn't make you feel uncomfortable." His eyes were smiling. He was no liar. I nodded, "Ok then."

CHAPTER 3

We headed back to the car once we had finished in the cafe. Riley swung the door open and jumped into the driver's seat so quickly I almost didn't see him do it. I stood there, unsure whether this is my chance to run. Maybe I was wrong in doing this. Then I see Riley's face poke out of the window, "You coming or what?" I'm back to the present. Then before I can reject I am in the car next to him. He turns the keys in the engine and the car springs into life again. He turns the steering wheel towards the window, pulling out of the car park. Soon we are off and back onto the motor way. I was basically running off with a man I hardly knew and his name was I had. I mean, how old was he? Where was he born? Where did he grow up? Why does he book in and out of hotels? Why did he offer to take me to a hotel with him if any other person would of handed me into the police station? It was all so messed up and confusing. So messed up that I began to not want to think about it any longer. I sat in silence most of the way there and soon I could feel myself drifting away, listening to the sound of the quiet radio playing between the both of us in the car as he drove. I found the warmth of the car soothing. Something about the atmosphere I suddenly put myself into just set me off like a light.

I wanted to stay like that, just laying there asleep. For eternity. Forever. The warmth settling on my cheeks, deepening me into a soft sleep. My eyes were slowly fluttering, a voice trying to keep me awake, to not trust my surroundings and stay aware. I mustn't relax, not around Riley. You can't trust him. But why? Why can't I? He's more trusting than anyone I have ever known, at least that is what I wanted to believe. But was that voice in my head right all along? Could I trust him? Could I not? And if not...why?

I'm running as fast as I can go. Can I get away? Thud, thud, thud. I try to concentrate on the thudding of my feet, maybe it will stop the panic whirling around inside of me. But I know. I just know I cannot get away. It's fact. Now we've met, we can never part. Or can we? Can I leave? Will he let go? I want to turn around and shout and scream at the top of my lungs. I want to steal all of the oxygen and turn it into power of my own, give it even more use than just breathing to live. To fight, to scream, to shout, to punch, to hate, to love, to run, to fly, to fall...

Pain. It jerks its way up my spine and inclines around my neck. I struggle to lift my head. I must have slept funny. Then I feel a painful nudge dig into my right arm. I groan and force my eyes open. Light floods in and it stings for a long second. I feel another and harder nudge once my eyes get use to the lighting. I look to my right and all I can see are deep brown eyes staring into mine, "Thank god. I thought you were dead." Riley. I groan and push myself up from slouching in my seat. "Really?" I raise an eyebrow. He looks back onto the road, "Well, you don't snore. It's enough to worry me if you're even breathing at all."

A slight giggle escapes me and that makes him smile. "We're almost there. I remember a hotel being somewhere along this road." He points up ahead of the path on the right hand side of the road. Then I spot what he means, "Is that it, there?" I point and his eyes brighten up in relief. "At last!" He sings. He pulls up into the car park of the hotel. A sign stands at the side as he parks up. 'BELTON HOTEL' I unplug the seat belt from over my chest and let it fly back by the car window to where it originally was. Riley doesn't give it a second thought or word and climbs out. I follow and do the same, grabbing my bag as I move.

Riley pushes his car keys into his back jean pocket and walks straight over to the entrance door of the hotel. My heart is pounding. This is so wrong. What am I doing? But I move and follow. Riley walks in and looks over his shoulder as if to search for where I have gone. He sees I am far behind and holds the door open for me. "Come on, slow coach!" He chimes and then walks ahead of me towards the reception desk. A woman with glasses and bright dyed red hair sits at the desk, shuffling papers, miserable as sin. I look around from wall to wall in the reception. I think you could say it was more of a hall than a reception room. You could fit a whole school assembly in it. Riley leans his elbow on the reception desk and smiles a seductive smile at the woman until she realises he is even there. She peers up, he eyes almost touching the lens of her glasses. Her lips covered in bright red lipstick and bright blue eye shadow. "Can I help you?" I walk over to Riley's side. I then realise how old the woman is. She looks about late fifty odd and now I can tell her heavy use of make-up is more of an effort of looking younger. It doesn't work.

Riley leans lazily on the reception desk like a stroppy teenager booking for a dentist appointment. "Any spare rooms going?" He asks casually. The woman sniffs as if he is some trampy dog that has just run into the hotel waiting for a bone. She drops her papers and turns to the computer that sits at her left hand side. "What type are you looking for?" Riley gives it some thought and then says, "A two bedroom one if you've got it." She nods and types it in.

"Yes, we have currently two available for booking. Room 34 or room 26?" She peers up at him; her glasses have slid further down her nose now. "26." Riley replies. She pushes her glasses back up and registers the request, "Just you is it?" she asks. Riley glances at me and looks away quickly. "Also my little sister, Becky here." Then my brain clicks. My name is not Becky. When since did I say my name was Becky? My head is still a bit drowsy and tired from when I fell into a deep sleep in the car, did I definitely tell him my name? I am about to correct him but he speaks before I can get a word in.

She asks for his information and all the rest of it. He tells her and she registers it all onto the computer. She hands him the keys to the hotel room and turns back to her papers. I am about to tell Riley that he got my name wrong but he grabs my wrist and pulls me away and down a corridor. We reach a lift and he presses the button, impatiently. "Riley, you-" He covers his hand over my mouth and suddenly my heart is racing. Was the voice in my head right? Can I really not trust him? I really shouldn't have agreed to book into a hotel with him. How could I be so stupid? The lift door finally opens and Riley pulls me into quick and reaches out with his other hand to press for a button that reads '6' on it. I try to struggle from out of his grip but he is too strong.

I try to gasp for air but his hold around me is so suffocating. Once the '6' button lights up, a ping noise alerts in the lift and the doors begin to gradually open. Riley drags me out quicker than my feet can even find the floor. He pulls me down a long corridor and round a dark corner. A door waits down the further end with the number '26' on it. He races to it, his hold tight around me. Before I can work out where we are in the hotel he turns the key in the lock and swings the door open. He loosens his grip and soon let's go, pushing me in. I am suddenly in the centre of a bedroom with a television on a table beside me.

I turn towards Riley quickly. He turns his back to me to lock the door. The lock makes a click sound to confirm I may possibly be locked in here until he has finished raping me or whatever else he is planning. My breath is coming faster, my heart banging wildly against my chest. I wouldn't be surprised if he could hear it! I bite my tongue, hold my breath. Anything to calm me down, to stop the panic from knocking me out flat. My arms and knees tremble until I can't even feel the bones within them. My cheeks are burning up with fear and panic all at once. Anything but this. My eyes are fixed on Riley, ready for it. He sighs and turns to me and drops the key on the side table next to where the television sits. He breathes in deep. I step back, my legs shaking like hell. My mind wild with words that I can't speak throughout the terror of what I now expect to happen next. "Please, don't." Riley looks at me then, really looks at me. I inhale, "Please don't hurt me." I am close to pleading, to screaming, running.

Riley's eyes grow sad and his lips part. He reaches out for my hand and holds it in a soft touch. "I'm sorry. I had to. I didn't mean to scare you." I exhale, letting all my breath out in deep relief. His black hair falls over his eyes and he runs his free hand through it. "Relax Lola. I'm not gonna do anything." I look down at the ground, unable to look at him. "What was that all about?" I glance up at the door for a second and Riley releases my hand, letting it drop to my side. He doesn't answer, so I try another. "Why did you say my name was Becky?" He unzips his tracksuit jacket and throws it onto the bed.

He is wearing a white short sleeved T-shirt on underneath. He suddenly looks young for a second. "Oh that. You're running away, it's not going to be very clever giving out your real name when you're booking into hotels. Your parents will find out." Then it all makes sense. "Oh, of course." I reply, rubbing my forehead. I begin to walk slowly across the room. Riley sits on a double bed, running his hand through his hair. He looks shattered. Does he ever sleep? Maybe not. I peer into one of the rooms and reach out for a light switch. I look from wall to wall. A bed is in the middle of it, with a bedside lamp and chest of drawers beside it. I sigh and drop my bag underneath the bed so I know it's in a safe place. I walk back out and look over to Riley, now head in hands. "What's wrong?" He shakes his head and looks up. "Nothing. Happy as Larry." He smiles but his eyes say something different. "If only I knew who Larry was." I reply sarcastically trying to lighten up the mood. He laughs. I glance around, looking for the bathroom and it is like he can read my mind, "The bathroom is just there." He points over to a door just by the front door of the hotel room.

"Oh thanks." I dash over to it and look around to find a mirror. There is a mirror built in the wall between the white bathroom tiles. I look at myself for a moment; I feel tired and even look it. I turn to the sink and turn the tap, holding my hands under to cold water and quickly splashing my face. Relief hits me. It feels so nice to feel water against my cheeks. It's like I have travelled through a desert or whatever the hell I could have been travelling through as I slept in Riley's car. My mind is blank but full of questions that I don't even make sense.

Some are questioning me and some Riley. The one word, why? As I think, I realise, I have been standing here for ages now, just staring into space. Or more like staring into the mirror, watching water run down my forehead and chin. I blink and turn to grab a towel that hangs over a silver railing on the wall. I dry my face on it and take a long breath. I turn away and open the bathroom door. I step out into the open room. Riley is now flicking through the channels on the TV. I stand there, watching him. He sits on the end of the bed just staring at the TV. I want to ask all these questions flooding through my mind, so badly. JUST ASK! So I do. "Riley?" He doesn't answer. "Riley!?" My voice grows a little bit louder and immediately his eyes are fixed on me. "Yes?" I stammer at first but manage to let it flood out before I can decide to hold it on. "Why do you stay in hotels?" His eyes are bright and scared. "What do you mean?" He is playing thick with me so i just hit him with it. "Why do you stay in hotels? Surely you have a home or something?" He looks back at the TV, "This is the 'something'." He means the hotel and it makes me look around for a moment. The wall paper is a stripy light blue with silver streaks in between.

The window is on the far other side by the double bed, the curtains drawn closed. The curtains are a plane silky white, sun light trying to break through it. "But why?" He continues to flick through the channels. "Why not?" he asks. He looks at me, then. I look away, "How old are you?" the corner of his lip twitches. "twenty-one." I nod. "Ok." I walk over to the window and pull open the curtains, desperate to let some light in. Riley peers up at me for a second as I turn back towards him. "Sorry, had to, it's too dark and drowsy in here."

"It's ok." He continues to flick through the TV. "I'm just gonna sort my stuff out." He nods. "Alright." I nearly fly into a speed walk into my own room. I crouch down and reach underneath my bag, where I had put my bag. I feel thick leather smooth against my fingertips. I grab hold of it and pull it out. With a quick movement I open it and rummage around in it to check if all my stuff is still inside. Riley wouldn't have touched it while I was asleep, would he? I pull everything out, bit by bit just to be sure. Everything is still there. I pick up my phone and scroll through it to check for any messages or calls. No calls. No messages. Nothing. Seems like they really don't care.

My heart sinks. But shouldn't I be happy? I was right after all. But a part of me hates it. How could they not notice I have disappeared? Why haven't they tried to call? Aren't they worried? But I should know by now. I should know better, even. I hear a loud slam and jump. I stand up and poke my head out of the doorway. Riley is gone. His tracksuit jacket still remains on the bed so maybe he went back down to the car to get something. I turn away and switch my phone off, not wanting to know anymore. Why? For what? More hurt?

I stuff everything back into my bag as how it was. I grab the water bottle I had packed and swig a few gulps down. I slip it back into my bag and push it back under the bed. My knee scrapes along something folded and smooth. I lean back look down. My photo of me and my mates before they left. I pick it up and hold it to my chest. "I'll never forget you."

CHAPTER 4

Run, run, run. It's all I have left. What else have I got to lose? Surely it can't get any worse. I look around, desperate for someone to turn up. I need the help this time. Really need it. I'd pray to god if I could. I'd apologise for everything, all my mistakes, everything! There's no time, no thought. All my emotions squashed together, how do I think? My stomach is whirling with sickness. I am running out of thought. "Come back!" Riley. No. No. I have to get away. I breath hard, my eyes searching for a moving figure. A person. A telephone at least. My chance is gone and I am suddenly being grabs by the leg and dragged back.

I kick and scream. I try everything I can but it is no good. Nothing compared to what he is capable of. He grabs my arms tighter than ever, his lips at my ear. "You've got to stop this."

"No! Let go of me!"

"Just stop. Think."

I squirm and kick. I try to punch him in the stomach but his hands move up to my wrists, holding my down. His weight held over me. "Please! Just please!" I am begging now. "Listen to me." I shake my head, squeezing my eyes shut, wishing I was somewhere else. "Let go of me! Please!"

BLACKNESS...

I open my eyes. I'm lying in bed. My bed? I look around to check, and no it's not my room or my bed. It's not a dream. My mind fix's back to reality, I'm in the hotel. I sit up and wrap my arms around my knees, holding them close to my chest. My curtains are open. Weren't they closed? I rub my eyes and swing my legs to the side of the bed and push myself up from it. I stretch my arms and legs out in front of me. A yawn escapes me and I breathe. I want to sleep all day but I know that's not a good idea.

I walk over to the door way and peek out into the other room where I expect Riley to be sleeping. He is not there. The bed is mad but I can tell he's been sleeping in it. I step in and look around. I listen carefully for any sounds that may indicated that he is still in the hotel. Nothing. I glance back at the bed. His tracksuit jacket is gone. Did he leave? No. He wouldn't have just left me behind like that! I look at the TV. It's still on but the sound is turned down. Then I see something lying next to the TV. A large, brown envelope. I reach out to feel it. I wonder what is inside but a huge part me tells me that I don't want to know. I turn away and walk over to the window. Maybe if I look out I will be able to see Riley. I look out and all I can see is couples, children, teenagers, and the elderly just walking around enjoying the hot sun. Some are in groups, and some are in two's. A big group of teenagers around sixteen or eighteen are shouting and laughing. I look up ahead and notice we are right by the sea. A beach!

Where the hell did Riley take me? Am I the middle of some totally different town? Did he make an effort to get me far away as he could? I have to find out where he has gone, I have to ask him where we are. Why didn't I ask him when we arrived? Did that not struck my mind at all? Then I hear the door fling open with a loud bash against the wall. I twist around in shock. Riley barges in and grabs the hotel keys and the brown envelope that lays by the TV. "Com'on, we have to go!" He whispers in a loud tone. I shake nervously, "What? Why?"

"Just get your stuff and come on!" He is panicking now. I nod and rush back into my room and grab my bag. I check quickly if I have left anything. The photo! I glance at the bed. It's not there. I twirl around in panic. WHERE IS IT!? Then there, on the floor at the end of the bed. I reach down and quickly grab it. I run back out, shut the door and head towards Riley who now stands outside of the door waiting to lock it back up. "Sorry." I say. He says nothing and swings the door closed once I am out. He turns the key in the lock and pulls it to make sure it is definitely locked. He grabs my wrist and pulls me down the corridor. We reach the lift and he presses for the button.

Without having to wait a second, the lift door open straight away and he pulls me in. He turns around, let's go of my wrist and presses the 'G' button for ground floor. The lift doors close and it falls slowly down. "Why do we have to leave, what's going on!?" Riley turns towards me, his eyes holding a warning. Something tells me it's the only warning I will get. "Shh, I'll explain later." The lift doors open and he places his hand on my back and lightly pushes me out. The panic in him is gone, and casual Riley is back. He glances over to the reception lady and his scrolling through some files on the computer.

He walks in a stride over to her, my wrist still firm within his grip. "Here! Thanks!" He dumps the keys on the desk and speed walks out, pulling me along with him. I look back at the reception lady, questioning him already. Her face is full of confusion and suprisement. Possibly the most alert I've seen her. Then before I can watch where my feet are going Riley is yanking me out of the doors and into the hotel car park. "Come on!" He shouts. He circles his arms around me, in more of some protective manor and walks me quickly over to the car, holding the door open for me. "Get in."

I do as he saids and climb in quickly. What was this all about? What was the hurry? Was he in trouble, did he get in a fight or something? He runs around the car and climbs in next to me, immediately turning the car keys in the engine and pulling out of the car park. He looks out both of the windows, including the back one and drives off. He swerves out so quickly that the back of my heads hits against the seat. I grab the seat belt and pull it over my chest, clipping it into place. I was aware it was going to be a fast drive. I hold my bag between my ankles as I sit there. I want to ask him so many questions but his eyes prove how little time there is for that. He drives so fast until I notice he is breaking the speed limit. We hit a motorway and he gradually, slowly begins to calm down. He sighs and then smiles over to me. "Sorry about that." He turns and drives around a roundabout and turns into another and longer motorway. "Where are we going?"

"Don't worry, Lola. It's ok." He turns on the radio full blare. I cover my ear and shake my head, glancing out of the window. "What's going on!?" I am almost yelling. I slows down and looks at me, "Relax, it's ok!" I reach out and turn the radio down a little bit but still let the music play softly in the background. I realise Rihanna is on it, singing, 'Only Girl In The World.' "You're the one who needs to calm down! What are you trying to do me, blow my friggin' ears off!?" He laughs. I groan and begin to nag for an acceptable answer off him now, "What-is-going-on!?" I try to say it slow and loud so he can't ignore me or change the subject.

"I may have done something that hit the jack-pot." He sings in a cheerful manner. He is freaking me out now. He has now gone from panicky to really cheerful like nothing has happened! "You said you'd explain later! It is later!" He bites his lip and pulls out the brown envelope I spotted lying by the TV in the hotel room. "What's that!?" I ask. I gestures his head over to it, "Open it." He continues to drive as I take it from his hands. I tear it open and pull it out. Then it hits me. No. No! You have got to be joking me.

A whole handful of money is now gripped between my fingers, and I don't mean ten and twenty pound notes. I mean, fifty pound notes. The notes are a dark red and some light orange. I gasp, "Where the hell did you get this!?"

"Won it." He grins.

"But how!?" I'm completely startled. He taps the side of his nose, "All in good time." I feel a rise of anger in me now, desperate for a straight answer, "Tell me!" He hits the breaks on the car and we suddenly swerve in a circle, the car almost flying off the edge of a cliff that we are only a few inches away from. "Where are we?" Riley pushes the door open and climbs out. I don't know whether to follow him or not but I just do. Riley walks to the edge of the cliff and lights a cigarette. "You smoke?"

"Started when I was thirteen." His face scrunches up in a disgust way, "Can't give the bloody things up." I scoff, "Shouldn't of started then, should ya?" He smirks, "Like you haven't tried it?" He looks over to me, a look in his eyes that tells me I must be foolish of the same thing. I shake my head, "Never. My brother smokes though. He started two years ago. Mum chucked him out when he came home when night smelling of it." Something about that makes Riley life. He inhales in his cigarette, "My dad was too busy to notice." I wave my arm towards him, "Well there ya go! That's exactly how I feel about my parents! I'm sure even if I'd start they wouldn't give two hoots!" Riley's eyes draw across me, looking me up and down.

"Wanna try it, then?" He asks, holding out his cigarette. "No. I wouldn't bother." I shake my head in disgust, looking away. He shrugs, "True. I only started because I felt left out."

"Why?"

"All my mates were doing it at school, it was a sort of fashion thing. If you don't do it, you don't fit in. That's why I started. To fit in." He takes another inhale of his cigarette. "Well I've only just met you and like you just how you are!" He looks down at me, "I wasn't always like this."

"Ok. Tell me then."

"You wouldn't like to know..." I can tell he wants to say more but instead he just inhales in more of his cigarette. He stands there, looking over on the edge of the cliff, admiring the view. I remain hovered by the front boot of the car just watching him. I want him to tell me all about him. Curiosity just takes over me and I can't help but want to ask him about his whole life because something me there is much more to him.

I think to myself, does he have any brothers or sisters? What school did he go to? I could tell it was a need-to-know thing about him. Like, I had to know or I'd regret it somehow. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?" He shook his head, "Nah, only child. But I think my dad had a little girl when he got with Christine."

"With who?"

"His girlfriend, her name was Christine." My mouth shapes into a 'O' shape. "Oh right! So Christine fell pregnant with him?" He shrugs, "So I heard." I kick the at the concrete, leaning against the front boot of the car, "From who?" I look back up at him, he inhales the last of his cigarette and then chucks it onto the floor, "He sent me a letter, a few months after I had been put into the orphanage. He mentioned that she was pregnant and invited me to visit them." He begins to stamp on his cigarette to put it out then turns to me, hurt in his eyes. "Did you visit?" I asked. He shook his head, making a disgusted expression, "Wish I had now. I would have killed it." That's when I think it, "Please don't say that." His eyes begin to dig right into me, just like they had last night when he pulled over to ask me if I was ok. "Why not? He got rid of me. Wouldn't you feel the same?" He steps towards me and I lean back a little, "Well, yes but...it's quite an image."

"I should have done it when I had the chance. I wish I'd cut that bitch open and killed that thing right then on the spot." I squeeze my eyes shut, trying not to picture it. He continues, "I would have watched her bleed, feel the pain I felt when he just chucked me out. I would have killed her right then as well, she could have died with it!"

"Riley." His eyes are fixed on me. I give him a look, my eyes pleading with his for him to just stop. I didn't need to hear any of this and didn't want to. Suddenly, it was just all too much to take in, to know he could say such things when at other times he could be so nice and charming. He steps towards me again, coming closer and closer. I am frozen, unable to move. My muscles are screaming to move away from him but something holds me there.

He leans down to me, so close that his face is almost touching mine. His eyes are so intense that I have to blink a few times to look at him. He touches my cheek and smiles but his eyes are full of hurt and hate. "What's the one place you've always dreamed of going?" I try to rummage for words, I knew but I could hardly answer. His closeness trapped me into silence. "Err...New York?" He grins, excitedly. "The city that never sleeps. Good choice."

"Choice?"

"We're going there!"

CHAPTER 5

"What!?" I must have been dreaming, hearing those three words. Those three words that I always knew would change my life. My world. My future. His skin is pale, his eyes a dark deep brown and so serious. "We are going to New York!"

"But, how...why?"

"Don't you want to go?" His eyes turn sad.

"Of course! But-"

"Then it's done! We are going!" He stands straight, leaning away from me, his hand dropping away from my cheek. He begins to walk around the car to jump back into the driver's seat but my words interrupt his action. "Riley, wait!" He looks over his shoulder, his eyes searching for me. "It's all a bit sudden, don't you think!? I mean, when was this decided?" His lips quirk, "Just now!"

"But, it doesn't make sense!"

"What doesn't? I just told you, I'm going to take you to New York!" He seemed more excited than me, but why was he so excited? I was the youngest out of the two of us, and he was the one jumping up and down. He seemed scared if I was to say know, and I knew, if I did...he'd be disappointed. "Easy to say! Is it really easy to actually do?"

"How do you mean?"

"Well...come on...the money and the journey! It doesn't all just fall out of the sky." He chuckles, "There's no need for it to!" He turns back to the car and pulls his keys out from the back pocket of his jeans. I remain stood by the front boot of the car. Should I follow along? I wanted to go but at the same time I was terrified. "Why do you want to take me there?"

"I want to make your dream come true."

"Why?"

"Does my offer bother you?"

"You're not offering! You're insisting!" I correct him.

"So, you want to stay in boring old England for the rest of your life!?" His voice is loud now. "If you're running away, at least have a fucking adventure!" His rude tone hurts me. He was turning nasty now. "If you don't want to go, fucking say it!" I wince, "I do!"

"Then come on!"

"I can't understand you! You aren't making sense!"

"What the heck are you going on about!? You're the one who is making this difficult! You either want to go or you don't!" His face is eager as well as his voice. I exhale, "Why are you doing this!?"

"What!?"

"Offering me to get in your car last night, buying me hot chocolate in a Cafe, taking me to a hotel and then just suddenly rushing out! Now you want to run me off to America!" I'm shouting for England. I had wanted to scream at him for ages, just so eager to know what is going on in that screwed up head of his. Everything he did or said never made sense nor did he ever explain!

I had shut him up now, and now I had regretted it. My bag still remains sat in his car but I don't know what makes me glance over to it. "What do you want me to say, Lola?" He swings his arms out from his sides, trying to look like the innocent one. He was far from it. "I want you to tell me right now, why you are so bothered! Why would you invite me into your car just so you want to help me!? Why would you take me to a cafe and buy me a hot chocolate!? Why!?"

I continue, "And then, you say you check in and out of hotels, you lied and told the reception woman I was your sister! And today, I wake up and you're dragging me out at what," I look down at my whatch, "6 O'clock in the flipping' morning! And for what? Because you got a handful of money that you apparently won!?"

Riley says nothing, instead he looks away from me. He seems ashamed. "I want to know, and I want to know now!" I say. He still remains silent. Still ignoring me. I try something more stronger, something that will at least get a reaction out of him, "Or I'll go elsewhere." It doesn't work. "Go on then." I sigh and turn away, walking over to the edge of the cliff. "Please. I just need you to listen to me. Just this once. At least, tell me why you wanted to help me in the first place."

"Because I did the exact same thing when I was your age."

"You ran away?" I slowly turned back to face him. He was just about peering at me. "From the orphanage." He replied, looking down at the ground. "Why? Couldn't you stand it?" He nodded, "It was horrible...I..." I waited and he continued, "I had to get away. I couldn't take no more. All those voices, him, telling me it was right." He wasn't making any sense; all his words just became jumbled up. "Who? What are you talking about?"

"I was twelve when my father bunked me off to the orphanage. When I arrived there, I was due to turn thirteen. After about two months it was my thirteenth birthday and my dad promised to come over to the orphanage to spend the day with me..." He trailed off. "he never turned up. The staff had gone to all the effort in setting up the party and a man came in through the door, I thought it was my dad...but I was wrong. It was one of the new staff coming in for a interview."

"His name was Mr Cartaye. He strolled around the place like he fucking owned it! He ended up fucking owning me and that didn't take very long." His eyes became wet with tears, one trailing down his pale cheek. But he dragged on; breathing heavily like he was going to have a panic attack. "He became...my friend. He was there for me. Then..."

"What?"

"Then it just started off with touching. He said it was normal, that he was just trying to treat me nicely, something my dad never did." He continued, "I turned fourteen a year later. I found out my best mate was acting weird. He wouldn't come down for his dinner nor breakfast. He said he was ill. Then that's when he finally told me. He said that he was doing it to him as well. I was so sick of it all. I had to get out of there,"

"Everything around me was just so wrong. So messed up...I couldn't take it in what was happening to me." I couldn't believe it myself, I knew there was a little more to Riley then what he let on but I never had expected this much, "I'm so sorry. I didn't know." He looked at me, his eyes concerned, worried. "I could never be capable of doing anything like that to you. I'm sorry for all of this, but you must know. This is not why. I would never ever touch you." He ran his hand through his hair, "I just saw you...and it reminded me of when I ran away. No one was there. And because of it, I got into so much shit. So much. I had wished someone would have been there. No one asked if I was ok. No one helped."

I slowly begin to walk over to him, he stares at me, watching me slowly walk towards him. I stop only a inch away from him, looking up at his huge sad eyes. I glance down at his hand and take it in mine, "Thank you." He smiles, wiping his eyes. "Now, what do you say about New York?" I laugh, "We must go!" He laughs with me, "Come on then!" We both jump in the car and again the car roars into life, pulling away from the cliff and down a different motor way. On the way I had asked him how we was going to travel there when the only way would be plane. He had said we would travel by car. I had asked about the petrol, he believed to have been loaded and also he had some spare in the back which really baffled me. Why was he so equipped for everything, it was almost as if he knew he was going to be doing this journey.

We had travelled for as long as twelve hours for the rest of that day. I think I had fallen asleep along most of the journey. Riley began to sing some songs that were playing on the radio and I had been laughing so hard I was surprised I hadn't passed out! Riley had asked me about where I grew up and what my brothers were like. I had asked him about his background but he refused to give me a straight answer. He was always so on edge all the time like he was afraid he would say something he had forbidden himself from saying.

"You know what?"

"What?"

"I think you like me." He peered over at me, one eye on the road, one on me. His eyes held curiosity and amusement. He held a crooked smile. I scoffed, "No, you don't say!" He grinned, "No," he paused, "I think you find me exciting." He glanced at the road and then back at me, "Do I excite you?" That startled me then. He suddenly burst out in laughter, running his hand threw his thick black hair, falling over his eyes. "I must admit, I am fun!" I giggle, "You're beyond fun! You're wild!" He laughs so loud his laugh actually goes right through me but I join in.

"How many days has it been?"

"What?"

"How many days has it been? Since you picked me up?" He thought for a moment, "About three."

"Only feels like it's been a whole day." He chuckles, "Yeah, travelling is like that."

"Do you miss them?"

"Who?"

"Your family." He says.

"My crappy parents." I correct. He nods and I just smirk. No, I didn't miss them. I thought I'd regret it, that I would miss them but actually it felt like small relief was creeping into me. Like It was heaven to finally get away from them. I was grateful. To have the chance to just run and to meet Riley. To know freedom!

"No." I answer simply. There was no more to it. I just didn't and that was it. Gone. Finished. My Nan once said, before she died that all they would do was to control, to poison. She wished me good luck living with them and to not put up with any crap. The next week before I knew it, she was diagnosed with bowl cancer. My mum was never there when she died in hospital, just me. I never did forget, sitting there alone with her, watching her sleep.

Then before I could even tell myself, the machine started making this really loud beeping noise. I was only ten and I didn't understand. The doctors tried to save her life but they said she had already died before the machine had even gone off. But I knew, I knew...she went in her sleep...she died peacefully. Before that, she was in so much pain from the cancer but I was so happy to at least know she had fallen asleep without feeling an pain before she passed away.

Then I realise Riley is staring at me and the car has stopped. He looks worried. About me. "What's wrong?" he asks, his arm leaning on the steering wheel. I blink, snapping out of the past, "Oh. Sorry, nothing I'm fine." He tilts his head, "You sure?" Then I have to look away, my eyes beginning to fill up. I stare out of the window, unable to look at him in the eye. Then he notices I am crying and pulls my chin back round, forcing me to look at him. "Lola, tell me."

I breathe, "I was just thinking about my Nan who died of bowl cancer. It was a few years ago, when I was ten. No big deal. I'm fine, really." But that doesn't stop him from worrying. "I'm sorry about that. What's made you think about that now? Right when I am driving you to New York!" He laughs, wiping my tears away. He is trying his best to cheer me up.

"I'm just relieved that I've got away from my parents. I remember my Nan telling me to not put up with them. She always said that all they were about was control." Riley nods, understanding. "Yes, I can imagine."

"I can also imagine you being a little happier right now." He adds.

"Why's that?"

"Look." He points across to my side of the car, out of my window. I look to where he points and in the far distance is the a whole ocean and the view is amazing. I glance over to Riley, his smile is full of warmth and life and this time his eyes say the same. "Wow." I comment, unable to say anything else. "I know right. I've gotta stop here for a bit to nip into a mates, ok?"

"A mates?"

"Yeah. Got some things to discuss. I won't be long." He grabs the brown envelope from the back seats that had the money inside. "Oh, ok then." I say, watching him climb out of the car and shutting the door behind him. He walks over to a house that is just about a metre behind the car. I watch him walk towards the house and as he does he flings his hood over his head, shoving his hands in his jean pockets. I wait in the car for about ten minutes. Riley was passing by a friend's house and didn't bother to mention it.

He was obviously planning the route over by the river just so he could stop at a mates house. I turn in my seat, reaching out for my bag and pulling my journal out. I have to write everything that has been going on, these will be some memories. I write:

Dear Journal,

I cannot believe it, I have ran away from home and I met this really kind man. His name is Riley. He's really weird at times but it's like I can talk to him about anything, really talk to him. I feel like I could tell him anything and everything.

He asked me if I was ok and he took me to a Cafe and bought me a hot chocolate. He spoke to me as if he had known me all my life, it was so strange. And then to top that off, he told me he books in and out of hotels. He said he was going 'somewhere amazing' and he apparently doesn't have a home, he just goes into hotels.

He booked into one with me! He said I was his little sister and said my name was Becky but he said it was all for my own good if I was running away, because then my parents would be able to track me down.

Now he is taking me to New York! I don't know how he is going to possibly do it but he is pretty determined. He has just dropped by a mate's house about something. Don't know what. Well, I better go now.

Xx Lola xX

When I had finished writing I had noticed Riley still wasn't back and it had taken me a whole ten minutes to write my Journal entry. Riley said he only had something to discuss with his mate so it couldn't take anymore than the ten minutes it took me to write my Journal entry. I slip my Journal entry and pen back into my bag. I shift over into the driver's seat to get a closer look at his mate's house through the right hand side window.

I still wait another five minutes for Riley to start darting out like he does but he doesn't come. I can feel hot air sucking the entire life out of me, my skin burning up. Where the hell were we? It was so flaming hot that I didn't know if we could have been in some desert, but obviously not because we were parked right near the ocean. That was the thing that creeped me out, he never noted where we was, he just escalated into a crazy journey like he did it every day, like he was use to it.

Maybe he was. I continue to peer out of the driver's window but Riley doesn't appear from the front door of the house. I breathe, bored of the summer hot air. Was it summer? I begin to count the days of the month. It was early April and scorching hot air was flying by already! Normally it takes ages for summer atmosphere to start, since it's England! People call it British Weather. Useless. When it was summer it would rain, when it was winter, it was just boring and really, really cold and didn't even snow! Some Christmas! But this was different; I could tell we were somewhere far away because the weather was just unbelievable. I kept trying to convince myself I was dreaming, tried pinching myself but I couldn't wake up. Normally you know you're dreaming, you can just tell. But some dreams feel so real. This one did.

The problem was...this was no dream. It was real, and I was about to find out the truth.

CHAPTER 6

I twist and turn in the driver's seat, trying to find a button that opens the window so I can let some air in. It was boiling! I try to press all sorts of buttons to find then suddenly I am accidently turning up the radio and it goes up full blare. It's so loud I am convince Riley can be able to hear it from inside the house. I struggle and panic, shaking. I begin to start pressing all other button to turn it down, forgetting which one it was that was the volume for the radio. Then I find it, 'Radio Volume' there is a plus button and a minus button. I press the minus and the radio fades into distant, background music again. I wipe my forehead and rub my ears, unsure if I have now become deaf.

I look at all the other buttons really carefully and can see there are none by the steering wheel that controls the windows. So I look up at the ceiling of the car to see if the car has one of those windows that are built into the roof of the car. And yes, this car does have one but as I reach up to it, to push it up to open it I spot three buttons. They all have small signs of a closed window and an open one. I try it to see what it does.

The first one opens the left hand side window where I sit. I smile to myself, feeling proud of my discovery. I try the next one and it opens the top roof one and the left one opens the driver's side one. I close the roof one leaving both side windows of the car half open, letting in some decent air. I sit there breathing in the cool air but still feel closed in by all these walls of this car. I pull the car door handle on my side of the car and climb out.

This is my chance to run away, I could take my bag out of the car right now and run. A little voice in my head says. I shake my head; why would I want to do that? Why run away again, I'd only be running from Riley and why would I want that? He's no harm to me. He hasn't hurt me and I still doubt he is going to. My head starts to bang. I can feel a headache coming on. Was it the sun? Or was it all this mess I had got myself into. I couldn't work around it, I felt so relieved to get away but being with Riley felt so messed up even if I felt like I could tell him everything, I still had doubts.

I walk closer to the distant river. The railing bars standing in the distance in front just beyond me and in front on the river. Were we at a seaside or something? Was it Brighton? I walk around the back of the car, just to give myself an excuse to get a little closer to the house just for the ability to be able to try to see through the windows to see if I can spot Riley inside. Half the windows are boarded up and they are to dusty and dirty to see through anyway.

I sigh and turn away. As I turn my back of the house I notice the back of Riley's car has no number plate. Was it ripped off? How can he be driving without a number plate? I couldn't understand. By this point my head was frobbing all over the place. Was this real? How can this be real, you cannot drive without a number plate! I walk to the front boot of the car, remembering that ther should be one at the front as well. No number plate at the front either.

As I look carefully at it I can tell it is faintly dented, it looks like it's been pulled off. Maybe he was in a car accident or something, but my questions and suspicion in my head just makes my heart pound. I inhale, trying to ignore it. I'll think about it lat€er, it's probably something really stupid, maybe something he has to get fixed. It still didn't cover the suspicion. I walk closer to the railings in front of the river.

I lean my body over it, my stomach crushing against the cold metal. The sky was a clear and bright blue, stinging my eyes as I looked up. I gazed down at the river, watching the waves flow and dance along the water. My eyes become vivid and my head falls to one side. Dizziness overcomes me so I step away, leaning off the railings and turning back to the car. I jump in shock. Riley.

"Oh my god, don't do that!" I flap my arms about, showing my frustration with his sudden appearance. "Sorry." He apologises.

"What took you so long?" I ask.

"Oh, don't ask. Just some hassle. Nothing to worry about." He reassures me, gradually shifting around the car. He notices the windows he half open and peers over to me, "Did you open these?" I nod. "Sorry, I was really hot and tried to get some air into the car."

"And what was with the really loud music? Was that you too?"

"Yeah, sorry. That was when I was trying to work out how to open the windows."

He laughs, "Looks like you finally accomplished it in the end." He slowly starts walking over to me, ignoring the car. I turn away from him, looking back over to the river, laying my palms onto the metal of the railings. I hear him juggling his keys in his hand. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Very." I nod. I feel the warmth of Riley's body closing in from behind me. I glance up, searching for his face. He laughs, "I'm here." I look over to my right. He stands to my right, half of his body hovered behind my back. "Why have you not got a number plate on your car?" His eyes widen, "Oh. I was in an accident."

"Oh ok." I don't seem so convinced but questioning Riley too much wasn't going to help. I just had New York in my mind. I closed my eyes, trying to picture what it would be like, just to be there, to smell their air, to walk into their shops. I always had wanted a photograph of the statue of liberty and it was a good job I had taken my camera. Riley smiles down at me and strokes my hair. "We better get going." I yawn and his eyes widen again, "You slept through the whole journey here and you have the cheek to yawn?" He grins. I laugh, covering my mouth.

He turns to the car, juggling his car keys in his hands and whistling. "Come on!" He sings and then starts whistling again. I run over to his side. Something makes me want to hold his hand but the feeling seems wrong. I think of running ahead of him and hopping back into the car but I feel the urge to stay and admire the river. Some uncomfortable feeling in my stomach makes me stop and want to stay. Riley walks past me, I stay froze in the same exact spot. Riley notices and turns around, concern written all over his face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just was wondering..."

"Yes?" He encourages.

"Could we stick around here for a bit?"

"What, stay here for a while?" He asks. I nod, "Yeah. I mean, I want to get some pictures of the river and that and I quite like it round here." I look down at the sandy concrete and began to kick some tiny rocks about. I watch them scatter in different directions, each one splintering into tiny little bits. Riley tilts his head with a gazing look in her intense eyes, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, I just don't feel ready to get going just yet." He then nodded with a understanding smile that comforted me. "Ok."

We had gone down to this sandy beach that lead to the river and allowed us to over look the out-going tied. Me and Riley sat upon the sand just watching the sun go down behind the waves. After a while my eyes begin to drift. I eventually noticed I was leaning against Riley shoulder, my head lost strength to stand up right. I let my eyes close, my body giving into the sleep I had been fighting even though I had been sleeping most of the journey.

I felt Riley's arm curl around my body, hugging my to him, burying me into his warmth. I let my muscles relax and he shifted me on top of his chest. I felt another movement from his other hand but it never touched me, it was grabbing something. I then heard clicking noises. He was taking pictures with my camera. I open my eyes to glance at his ware bouts. He caught me looking and grinned. "Just taking pictures of the sun set for you." I smiled back up at him and twisted on my side and laid on his lap, letting my eyes drift off.

He seemed surprised by my action but I ignored it. I felt him lower the camera and hold it in front on me. I opened my eyes to find a camera bolted in my face. I reached out and took it from his hand. I turned it on and began to flick through the pictures he had taken. "Wow, these are amazing." He laughed, "Yes, they are." I bit my lip, bringing myself back to a previous thought but decide to shake it off. "Hey, Riley?"

"Hmm?"

"These are actually really amazing, did you use to do photography?"

Riley's mouth dropped open in an 'O' shape, he wasn't sure how to answer me. It took him a long few seconds to recover and give me a straight answer. He exhaled as calmly as he could as f he was trying to restrain himself, he shut his eyes and answered clearly and calmly, almost in a whisper. "Yes, I did." I waited for him to continue, knowing he had more to say. "I took it as an option back in Secondary School. But..."

"But?"

"I was kicked out of the course...I...I lost track of being...good."

"Is that when, you know, you was being assaulted...by that man?" I asked, pushing him to the extreme, wanting to know more. Riley's eyes widened in extreme fear, as if something was holding him back from the truth. He didn't put his response in words, instead he just nodded. I inhaled and leaned up to wrap my arms around his neck, still holding the camera in my right hand. My lips brush against his ear and I whispered, "Don't worry. You got me." I pulled away after a second and smiled up at him.

His eyes were full of shock of what I had done. "I...I..." He stammers. "I've never really been loved." I nod, showing him I understood. "All you got to do is look into your eyes, Riley." I answer honestly. He shots me a wary smile, "...but that was a very pleasant hug. Thank you." I grin up at him, happy he wasn't mad at me in any sort of way about my action. I continue to gaze at him, laying back onto his lap. He doesn't take his eyes off me. Then before I can come to full notice of what he is doing, the tips of his fingers slowly brush along my cheek, down to my jaw line, to my chin. He brings his lips down to my ear, his lips brushing against my ear lobe, "Every time I look at you...you remind me of how I was as a kid." My breath catches and he pulls away, smiling down at me.

"You're such a pretty young lady, Lola." I feel blood boil in my cheeks, making me blush. "Um, thanks." I answer in a whisper, glancing away from his intense eyes. "I'm being serious, Lola." He grasps my chin, forcing my to meet his gaze. "Please don't go throwing your life away, no matter what. Stay you, and never give it up for anyone." Then he adds, "Or anything." I nods, my eyebrows pressing together in confusion. "Sure." I answer.