Chapter 7
Josh stared at the front door, still wide open from Andy flinging it open and running through it. Everyone, including Josh, was shocked, trying to make sense of what had just happened. But Josh knew what made sense – he needed to be with her. He stood up and looked at both of his parents. Nicole subtly nodded and he ran towards the door.
"Josh!" Stephen yelled after him. Josh ignored him and ran out the door.
"Well," Pat said, taking a sip of her wine. "That wasn't exactly how I pictured the evening going."
"I'm so sorry for Andy's behavior," Jane apologized, her eyes brimming with tears.
"You don't need to apologize," Nicole insisted. "Trust me, we have teenagers, too."
"Should we go after her?" Jane asked.
"Josh will find her," Nicole assured them.
"And when he does and she comes home, trust me, she'll be punished accordingly," Pat stated.
"With all due respect," Nicole began. She could feel the therapist in her taking over. She had dealt with runaways before, but she knew that wasn't the case with Andy. This was a much different situation than an abusive home or a teenager who just didn't want to deal with his or her parents anymore. "I think Andy's just upset and scared. And I can't blame her. I mean, she's being asked to give up everything she knows."
"We're not doing this to hurt her," Jane insisted.
"I know that," Nicole replied. "And I think deep inside she knows that, too, but that doesn't stop her from being afraid."
An uncomfortable pause fell upon them.
"She's just a child," Pat said finally, tears forming in her eyes. She was always considered to be the tougher of Andy's mom, the disciplinarian, but she loved her daughter and would do anything to protect her. "How can she know what love is?"
"I think we all have to start to realize that our children aren't children anymore," Nicole said. She sighed deeply. "I can't even imagine what it's like for your daughter to deal with everything she's had to deal with. She's been forced to grow beyond her years. But I do know that she's come into my son's life and it truly was a blessing. I have never seen him so driven to want to make something of himself.
"She does seem happier with him than she's ever been," Jane added.
Nicole smiled, knowing Josh was happier with her, too. "Maybe none of us were ready for love at sixteen. But maybe, just maybe, they are. And maybe they're the lucky ones to have found it so early."
"So what do we do?" Jane questioned, willing to do anything to get her daughter back.
Outside, Josh ran as quickly as he could down the street. He finally caught a glimpse of Andy turning the corner. He raced after her.
"Andy!" He yelled as his feet pounded against the pavement. He chased her for more than three blocks. Somehow, even though she had cancer, she could still outrun him. Suddenly, she stopped and turned around. He slowed. Still at least twenty yards away, he walked towards her slowly. He could hear her sobs and, as he got closer, he could see the tears running down her cheeks.
"Let's just get out of here," she cried between her sobs.
"What?" He could barely understand what she was saying. He had never seen her so visibly upset. Even when she first told him that she was moving, her face wasn't as anguished as it was now. She was physically shaking, her body racked with sobs.
"Let's get out of here together. Just run away and never look back."
"Andy…"
"Please don't say anything unless you're going to say yes."
Finally close enough to touch her, he rested his hand against her cheek, wiping her tears away with his thumb.
"You know I'd do anything for you," he said quietly.
"Then let's just get in your car and go."
"I wish we could, but…"
"But what?"
He put his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him. Andy looked at him so pleadingly. He wanted to say yes. He wanted to take her away and to make her tears disappear.
"But we're only sixteen."
She put her hands against his chest, trying to push him away. She wanted to keep running, but he held onto her.
"Andy, I know that you want to get as far away from here as possible. I know you don't want to go, but it's not forever."
She struggled against him. "Let me go!"
"If we ran away together, how far would we get? Where would we go?"
"Anywhere but here!" She answered.
"Andy, I've got maybe two hundred dollars in the bank. And while I would give that and everything else I own up in a heartbeat to be with you, I can't because I need it for something else."
She looked up at him with teary eyes. "What?"
"To buy a plane ticket to Boston on the first day of summer vacation."
She smiled weakly and finally stopped pushing against him. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, tucking her head under his chin. They stayed that way, standing on the sidewalk, for a long time.
"I'm sorry," she finally whispered. "I know my emotions have been all over the place recently. And to hear my mother say that what we have is only…" she sniffled, unable to finish her sentence. "I guess I sort of overreacted."
"Well, that's what I'm here for. To keep you in check." She smiled a real smile this time. "Now that's what I've been looking for," he said before he planted a light kiss on her lips. She leaned her head in the crook of his neck, sighing deeply while closing her eyes. She loved kissing him, but she loved just being held by him even more.
"Andy," he said softly. She picked up her head to look at him. "Did you mean what you said back there to your moms?"
She nodded. "Every word."
"Good, because I love you, too."
This time their kiss was anything but light. She practically melted into him as passion and love erupted between them.
"I want to be with you tonight," she whispered.
"What?" He asked, unsure if he heard her correctly. His head was still spinning from the kiss.
"I want to spend my last night here with you. Not alone in a house that barely feels like mine anymore."
He nodded. "I think I'd be okay with that."
"Good," she said simply. He disentangled his arms from her body and held her hand. They began to walk off in the direction of Josh's house. As they walked, Andy leaned her head on his shoulder. They walked in silence until they arrived at his house. Josh began to head for the front door.
"Where are you going?" Andy asked.
"I thought you wanted to stay with me," he replied.
"I do, but don't you think your parents won't be so keen on the idea. And even if by some miracle they are, the secret code of parent ethics says that they'll have to call my moms and they definitely won't be too keen on the idea."
"Wow, you've really thought his through."
She shrugged. "It was a long walk."
"Well, how about this? Since I'd rather not get grounded for the rest of my life for spending the night in my car, which is probably our only other option, I promise that I will be able to convince my parents to let you stay."
"Yes, but the whole point is to stay with you, not in the guest bedroom."
"We don't have a guest bedroom." There was that sarcasm she loved so much. "Trust me," he continued. "Nothing will keep me away from you."
She nodded and let herself be led inside. They walked through the house and up the stairs, both thankful that, at least for the time being, they were alone. Josh led the way into his room, closing the bedroom door behind him. As Andy sat down on the edge of his bed, he began to feel nervous. They had never discussed moving their relationship to the next level and yet, she was sitting as if waiting for him to make the first move.
"Josh…"
"Andy…" he said at the same time. They both laughed nervously.
"We could…you know, if you wanted to," she said, staring down at the floor, unable to look at him. It's not like this was the first time she had thought of him in that way, but it was the first time it felt possible.
He didn't know what to say. Did he want to? Well, of course he wanted to. He had always imagined them together in that way, but this was moving fast. It was probably every teenage boy's dream to have a girl sitting on his bed telling him it was okay, but Josh just wasn't as excited as he should have been.
"Do you want to?" He asked.
She began to shuffle her feet on the floor.
"Yes," she answered. He didn't know what to say or do. "Someday," she continued. "Just…"
"What?"
"Part of me thinks that this might be our only chance and the other part of me thinks that I don't want to rush anything just because I'm leaving. I mean, we wouldn't even be having this conversation if I weren't moving."
"You're right, we wouldn't be."
"But I just don't want you to be disappointed. We still can if you want to."
He walked over to her and kneeled down in front of her. "You could never disappoint me," he said, taking her hand in his. "And I think we should wait, too. Besides, we'll be together again."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because I love you." The words sent shivers down her spine. They were still so new to her. She didn't think she'd ever get tired of hearing them. She leaned down and kissed him deeply. He began to stand while their lips were still connected in a passionate kiss. He was about to tumble on top of her onto the bed when they both heard the front door open and close.
"Josh!" Nicole yelled in a 'you better get down here right now' sort of way.
"Well," Josh said, running his hand through her hair. "I guess it's time to hope that my parents are as cool as they say they are." He squeezed her hand. "Everything's going to be okay."
She nodded. "I know."
Author's Note: Another chapter done. I'm sorry it's taking me so long to finish this story, but life is busier than ever. I promise I'm working on it as much as I can, though! Thanks for the great reviews!
