Kit's pleading words spun in circles in my head hours later when we were walking through some back paths that Derek had found behind Joann's. It took a little longer to get back on the road than we had expected, since Derek made us put all of the boards back with some nails that he'd bought. Tori, of course, fought him every step of the way, but I was thankful that there wouldn't be anyone coming in to investigate, just in case we left any trace that might lead the Edison Group to us. It was funny, really. We were running from the Edison Group on the way to their headquarters. Well, maybe not as ironic as plain scary to think about.
"So Tori," Casey said as he walked along side her "you got a boyfriend?" he asked with a charismatic smile. Even after all that she'd done to get him away, he was still flirting with her. Tori just gave him a cold glance before walking up farther ahead, right behind Simon. I could tell that she was being careful to stay behind him, rather than beside.
"You seem a little desperate." I said as I caught up with Casey.
"I could say the same thing about you." He said, putting his hands smugly in his pockets. My heart stopped.
"What?" I whispered, forcing myself to keep walking so not to attract everyone else's attention.
"I get that you'd like muscular guys, but Derek just doesn't seem like your type." He said simply.
"Shut up." I snarled at him, hoping that Simon didn't hear.
"Huh?" Casey asked, sounding confused by the sudden change in mood.
"I'll explain later." I said, exasperated that Casey had seen more than I'd wanted. I walked past Tori and next to Simon, leaving Casey far behind.
"Hey." Simon said as he looked over at me. "Did you sleep ok?" he asked, turning his head to me "You look a little tired."
"I'm fine." I said, trying to avoid any topic that would remind me at all of Kit. But, of course, Simon did just the opposite.
"I don't really know about this whole going to headquarters plan. I still want to find my dad, he'd know what to do." Simon said as a far-off glimmer took place in his blue eyes. I looked down at my feet, watching the white tips of my converse as they took long strides over the rough, littered terrain. I kept on coming up with ways to tell him about Kit, but every time I opened my mouth to tell him, the words caught in my throat, as if stuck there by super glue. Every once in a while Simon would talk about one of his old schools, or a new drawing he was working on, and I'd nod, but I wasn't really paying attention. I was so buried in the thoughts that the daylight went by fast, and when I looked up, I could just barely see the forms of Tori and Casey, who must've passed us earlier.
"Looks like Casey's actually gotten Tori to come around," Simon said, "I didn't even think that was possible." I listened carefully and could just barely hear Tori giggle as she smacked Casey's arm playfully.
"I don't think he knows what he's getting into," I said "Tori might turn all praying-mantis on him or something."
"Isn't that from some movie?"
"Ice Age." I answered, and Simon snorted a little. "What? It's a cute movie!" I said. He just nodded with a smile.
"Hey Lovebirds." Derek called from up ahead. Simon and I looked up, and I had to hold in a laugh when Casey and Tori looked up in unison also. "Any ideas on where to spend the night?" He asked as he stopped and turned to face all of us. I breathed in sharply when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see Liz's bright face looking at me.
"There's some abandoned store like where you guys were last night up a few buildings." She said, pointing straight ahead at a backdoor. I would've never even guessed that it was closed down.
"Thanks, Liz." I said. She grinned the same way that she did the day I first met her back at Lyle House. Her perfectly straight teeth seemed to glisten as the sliver of moon in the sky beamed down on them.
"Who's Liz?" Casey asked. I turned to him to answer.
"She's a friend." I said, "She said there's another broken down building three houses ahead." I said and started walking past everyone. It felt kind of good to be the one leading the group for once (well, technically, Liz was in front of me leading the way, but no one else knew that).
Once we got to the building, I tried the doorknob. I know, kind of stupid since, of course, it was locked. Derek smirked and I caught amusement dance in his eyes as he stood back than ran into the door shoulder first. He put his arms out in front of him in a 'lady's first' position. I stuck my tongue out playfully at him and hoped that he couldn't see my cheeks turn pink as I stepped over the door and into the dark building.
I felt along the wall for a light-switch, thinking my attempt was in vain. I felt my pupils grow large as a row of lights at the back turned on. Derek rushed in, looking around nervously. However, the front display windows were covered with a thick, black cloth. People pacing by in their cars would have to look really hard to notice that the lights were on. Nevertheless, Derek told me not to turn on the other set of lights at the front.
"Nice, Fido. Now how are we going to keep animals from coming in here?" Tori asked as she looked down at the broken door.
"Someone's always going to be on look-out anyway, so it doesn't really make much of a difference whether the door's open or not." He answered. He picked the door up and leaned it on its hinges. "There. That should keep the skunks out." He said. Tori's smart-ass expression changed to one of sheer terror as she walked away, her boots clicking on the hardwood floor.
"Your friend picked the right place for us to stay!" Casey exclaimed as he spotted something over in a far corner and started walking swiftly towards it. We all followed to see what it was that caught his eye. "This must've been some kind of music store or something." He said as he admired a rack that held a few acoustic guitars.
"If this place is shut-down, why is some of the merchandise still here?" I asked suspiciously. The place sure looked empty, but you never know…
"They probably just closed down," Casey answered, waving a hand back at me dismissively "they haven't removed all of their inventory yet. I'm sure they won't mind if I take a look at this." He said as he reached up and grabbed one of the guitars.
"Anyone hungry?" Derek asked, distracting us as he pulled out a few of those lunchables things that I always brought to lunch when I was little. We all took one hungrily, and sat in one of the corners as we fidgeted with the cardboard boxes. Simon was just about to take his seat nest to me when Derek called him over.
"Simon, come here. I gotta tell you something important." He called, thumbs in his pockets as he stood on the other side of the room where Casey was still admiring the guitars.
"Promise not to start our gourmet dinner without me." He said, flopping his meal on the floor. I smiled up weakly at him, knowing that he wouldn't be beaming in a few minutes.