Hi. It's been awhile. Sorry I've been so busy, and I don't know where my Beta went. So this chapter is not Betaed. I just started school on Monday, but I promise you once I fall back into my old routine I'll upload fast like I did before. How do you guys feel about long chapters? Do you hate them or love them? Okay well Read and Review. Like I said before Reviews make me happy and excited to keep writing.

Cruz

"Dude, don't cough on me," Eli warned as he sat down next to me on the couch.

I groaned and slammed my head on the arm of the couch.

"You are aware my parents are going to be back in two days, right?"

I picked my head up and looked at him, "No."

"So basically, you're gonna get kicked out. I can't really explain why the hell I have a crazy Mexican lying on our couch, who by the way is almost dead."

"So you're just gonna throw me on the streets of Arkansas?"

"Here's an idea. How about you call your parents or maybe you can go live at the hospital?"

I glared at me. Sure I've been coughing really badly lately, but it's not like I was dying. It was a cold, from living out of a wet tent for a week. It wasn't serious.

"I'm not calling my fuckin' parents and I'm not gonna go to the fuckin' hospital."

"Well then what the hell are you gonna do?"

I shrugged and put my head back down, "I don't know, I'll figure something out."

"And, I am not hiding you under my bed."

I shook my head and got to my feet, "I'm going for a walk."

"I hope you collapse and are hauled to the hospital. Then your parents will have to come and get you," Eli called from the couch as I reached the door, skateboard in hand.

I grunted and headed out the door.

Eli was a pretty cool kid. He reminded me of Rio. You know, before Rio went all gangbanger on me. I knew Eli wouldn't be in my life forever, I knew eventually I would have to go home. I knew that eventually reality would crash back into my life.

I didn't know anywhere to skate, so I ended up in the Wal-Mart parking lot. It was a hot day in Arkansas. I was wearing a pair of plaid shorts that I stole from Eli. They were baggy, but I didn't care. I also snagged a tee shirt from him, it clashed with the plaid horribly. If Licia or AJ saw what I was wearing they would cringe and make me change.

I stayed clear from the front of the store, not wanting to get thrown out. I skated in the back of the parking lot where all the semi's were parked. There wasn't anything to use for ramps or rails, but I managed with just doing kick flips off the ground. I wasn't looking for the adrenaline chase, just a chance to think.

The way I saw it I had three options, call my parents, find a job, or buy another tent. The problem was I had a total of seventeen dollars left, after spending three on a bottle of cough syrup. I didn't want to call my parents, but I wanted more than anything to go home. I considered dialing AJ's number, but then figured he would just run to my parents.

You probably think I'm crazy by not calling my parents. I was crazy for not calling my parents, but I was afraid to. I wanted to show them that if I dug a hole I could manage to fill it in. Also I didn't know what to tell them, what do you say to your parents when you're twelve hours away from them?

Just as I was rounding the corner on the last semi, I came about thirty feet away from a black Suburban heading full speed. My eyes grew wide, literally being the deer in the headlights. I quickly came to my sense and turned my board around. I got away from the car just in time, but ended up snagging my front wheel on a rock. Not only did I go flying off the board, but the board snapped in two. One of the jagged pieces of board scraped along my leg. I could practically feel the skin being flanked off my shin.

The Suburban had came to a stop with a screech. The driver quickly jumping from the driver's seat and seeing if he hit me or not.

"What the hell?" I asked and dared to glance at my leg for the first time. I was right, my shin was just a puddle of blood, no skin was visible from where my shoe stopped to an inch below my knee.

"Please tell me I didn't hit you. I don't have time to hit a kid," He mumbled the last part as he neared me.

"What if I said you hit me?" I asked him.

"Then, I'd have to take you to the hospital."

I made a face, "No, you didn't hit me."

He sighed in relief.

I got a good look at him. He was probably around my parents age. He sported blonde hair that was cut short. He was wearing a suit and tie and looked like he was somebody important.

Then my mind flashed to a picture of Jessica Adams. Jessica was Courtney Yankton's best friend. They were the bitches of our class, the cool girls who everybody wanted to be like or sleep with. I was one of the many guys Courtney slept with. Jessica was quieter, she lived in the shadow of Courtney. I always felt sorry for her.

"Wait, you're Jessica's dad," I said looking up at him.

He stared down at me, "How do you know Jessica?"

"She's in my class."

"Wait, you go to Fairfield High?"

I nodded.

"What the hell are you doing in the middle of Arkansas?"

I shrugged and shot back, "What the hell are you doing in the middle of Arkansas?"

"I'm here for work."

I made a face and got to my feet with a grunt.

Mr. Adams looked at me, "So you didn't answer my question, why are you here?"

I examined my arm, also ripped up, "So, I ran away. My family's used to it."

"You ran away to Arkansas? My idea of running away is staying at a friend's house for a night."

I rolled my eyes, "Trust me, I've done that enough times."

"What's your name anyways, kid?"

"Cruz."

"Okay, Cruz. You need a ride home. I'm heading back to Fairfield this afternoon actually."

I raised my eyebrows, "You'd really give me a ride back?"

He nodded, "Just tell me where you're staying and I'll drive by and pick you up."

"Why would you do that? You don't even know me."

"You need a ride home. I get bored on long car trips by myself."

I sighed and told him where Eli lived. He nodded and as he got back in his car I turned to Eli's house.

"I'm leaving your sorry ass!" I yelled at Eli as I came up his driveway.

He was shooting hoops down by his barn.

"What?" He asked.

"I ran into a guy from Fairfield, he's giving me a ride home."

"Isn't that kind of stupid, Cruz? Do you even know this guy?"

I nodded, "In fact I do. Mr. Adams, his daughter goes to my school."

"Is she hot?"

I sighed, "Hate to admit it, but she's got it going on. Complete bitch though."

Eli made a face, "I like nice girls."

I nodded, "Me too."

"Lia was a nice girl wasn't she?"

I shrugged, "That's what I thought."

He shook his head and started up to the house, I followed him.

"What happened to your legs and arm?" He asked, flinging himself onto the couch.

"Skateboard sliced me, nothing major."

"It looks pretty gross. You better not have aids or anything."

"It's a cold, not aids," I reassured him.

He shrugged and wrote something down on a piece of paper.

"Here," He said handing me the paper.

"What's this?"

"My e-mail, idiot."

I smiled, "I don't think this can work long distance."

"Shut the fuck up and email me once in awhile. You know tell me if you've gone pro or not. Send me some money if you do."

"Oh, you'll know once I go pro. My face will be everywhere."

He rolled his eyes and turned the TV on. We both sat on the couch watching re-runs of some reality show on MTV for three hours. While watching I peeled band aids off and stuck them on my tore up skin, and Eli munched on chips.

"Hey, Eli you want your shorts back?" I asked trying to chip away a puddle of dried blood on them.

"What the hell are you gonna wear then?"

I shrugged, "My boxers."

He cringed, "Keep the pants."

I chuckled, "I think my ride's here," I said as I heard a car pull onto the gravel.

Eli jumped to his feet and we both walked to the door together. He opened the door to find Mr. Adams just climbing out of his car.

"This dude looks like a hot-shot," Eli muttered to me.

I shrugged, "So, he's rich."

"And blonde."

"Therefore, a swoon worthy guy. Must have a hot ass wife."

Eli nodded in agreement as my ride came closer.

"Hey," I said.

He nodded, "You got any bags or anything?"

"Nah."

Mr. Adams nodded, "Okay, then let's get on the road."

I turned to Eli and outstretched my hand, "Thanks for everything, man."

He nodded and took my hand and pulled me into a hug, "It's been nice Cruz. You better shoot me an email sometime soon."

I smiled and pulled away, "I'll miss you."

"You too, my Mexican."

I followed Mr. Adams to his car with one last smile at Eli. I climbed up into the passenger seat and watched Eli become smaller and smaller as we drove away.

"So, Cruz, you talk to Jess at all?" He asked.

I shrugged, "Every now and then. She's usually with Courtney."

He nodded, "She's been best friends with Court ever since I can remember. I don't mind it, keeps her out of trouble."

I nodded, but in the inside I was really thinking what an idiot this guy was. He still thought his little girl was an angel. He probably still thought she was a virgin too.

In an hour I had two coughing fits and my chest was killing me. I put my head against the coolness of the glass window and tried to fall asleep.

"You in any sports?"

I sighed, "No."

"Clubs?"

"Nah."

"You make good grades."

"Nope."

"What do you do outside school?"

"Skateboard."

He nodded, "My son's tried his hand at skateboarding a few time. He never really stuck with it after he kept falling and hurting himself."

"How old is he?"

"He's twelve."

"Hate to break it to him, but the broken bones and the ripped up limbs is part of the hobby."

He grunted, "I just don't get it."

I shrugged, "Neither do I."

I fell asleep for three hours. It was a dreamless sleep. My head was spinning and my chest was throbbing. I just wanted to get home and crash in my bed.

Once I woke up Adams pulled through McDonald's. I wasn't hungry, but he ordered me a cheeseburger anyways.

Another two hours in with Mr. Adams and his questions started again.

"So, what's your last name?"

I chuckled, "So you ask me about my grades, but you forget to ask me what my last name is?"

He shrugged, "I mean a name is a name."

"Fine my last name is Fuentes."

He went silent. I don't think he wanted to hear that answer.

I repeated what he said, "A name is a name."

He tapped his fingers against the steering wheel and muttered, "Yeah."

I put my head against the steering wheel again and slept for another four hours. This time dreams of my family played over in my head. I woke up with a bolt as a picture of me drowning in a lake came through my dreams.

As soon as I opened my eyes I noticed that we were getting close to home. We still probably had two hours left in the drive, but at least I knew he wasn't kidnapping me or anything.

"We got like an hour and half left. You slept most the way."

I nodded and felt like I could curl up and pass out once again.

"You don't look very good."

I grunted and turned the heat on to try and stop the violent shivers.

"So did your parents go to Fairfield too?"

"Yeah."

"I did too. Who're they?"

I raised my eyebrow, "I have a feeling you have a pretty good guess on who they are."

He shrugged, "I knew a Fuentes once."

"Really? I would've never guessed. Let me guess came off as a jackass, a douchebag, a pendejo?"

He grunted, "My girlfriend left me for him."

I chuckled, "Let me guess your girlfriend was blonde, smart, and didn't take any shit?"

"Jesus, you're really their son."

"Cruz Parker Fuentes, born July second to Britney Ellis and Alex Fuentes."

"So it's true she did love him."

I rolled my eyes, "Still does. Quite frankly, it's gross. They can't keep their hands off each other."

He threw his head back and groaned, "Don't tell me how happy there are. Your mom was my first love and she broke my heart going after your gangbanging father. I mean I might have cheated on her, but that didn't change the fact that I loved her. Now I'm the one going through a divorce."

I clicked my tongue, "Tough stuff man. Maybe you should've cheated on her. You missed out."

He sighed, "You look like your dad. Act like him too."

I grinned cockily, "Killer confidence and looks that will send any chica head over heels."

He rolled his eyes, "You talk a big game. I know you're type. I was one of them. You know pretend to be all experienced with girls in order to get one."

I snickered, "No, I don't pretend. Ask your daughter's best friend."

He turned pale and then he looked pissed.

We were both silent for the remainder of the ride. I pointed out the way to my house and he dropped me off without another word. He only grunted as I told him thanks.

As soon as he drove off I locked my eyes on my house. I was afraid to go in. The porch light was on and casted over the lawn. Mi mamá always left the porch light on when I ran away, she always knew I would return.

I walked to the porch and sat on the step. I didn't want to do this. I couldn't do this. So instead I just stared across the yard. My hands shaking from the chills and the chilly late May air. I coughed a few times, cleared the bile out of my mouth by spitting, and took a deep breath.

I closed my eyes and a million options popped into my head. I could run to Salem's, I could find a way back to Arkansas and live under Eli's bed for the rest of my life, I could go to Adam's, or I could suck it up and go inside. I didn't like the last option, but I knew that it was the only option for getting me out of this mess. The only problem was I couldn't get my body to move.

So I sat there, and watched the moon. I imagined that the moon would be long gone by the time I found the courage to go in, but then the door opened and stopped that from happening.

I put my head in my hands and muttered, "Fuck."

So there you go. I know major cliffy, but let me know who you think it is. So please read and review!