Chapter 9
"Tristan?"
Her voice was laced with fear, surprise and relief. I had found her. After making phone call after phone call, I finally found out she was in New York. I even got the address of the bank she went to. She went there the same day every week at the same time. I had waited for her, saw her go in and come out. I began to follow her when all of a sudden a man approached her. He threw her against a wall. I saw them talking to each other. You could see the fear rising in Rory, while the man was steadily getting angrier with her. I saw him raise his arm and before I knew it, I had picked up some hard object and had knocked the man over the head with it. Then I turned to Rory. She still had her eyes shut tight. Finally she opened them and my name managed to emerge form her lips.
"Are you OK Rory?"
She just stared at me for a second and when the realization hit her, flung her arms around my neck.
"How'd you find me?"
"You'd be surprised at what my name can get me. After all, I did manage to get you didn't I?" I joked, "Seriously, I made some calls. You were pretty careful but not careful enough. You let something slip."
"What?"
"You told me that you still used your bank account. I pulled a few strings and found out where you were getting the money. And here I am."
"Oh." She pulled away and cast her eyes down to her feet.
"Hey, let's get you home."
"OK."
I lead her back to my car. When we arrived at her apartment I saw what she had been living in. It was a crummy apartment building, which I swear, was infested by bugs and mice. We walked in and she busied herself with tidying things. She was babbling about being sorry for her place being a mess. While she talked, I used this time to look at her. She was thinner and the colour from her face had paled. There was something different about her hair. I couldn't place my finger on it though.
"Tristan?"
"Hmm… what?"
"I said would you like something to drink?"
"Oh, no thanks. So..." I sat down on her couch and she followed suit.
"OK, don't freak or anything, but this thing is bugging me!"
She took off her wig. That's what had been different about her. She caught me looking at her baldhead and blushed.
"Isn't what you remember is it?"
"No, you're just as beautiful." I wasn't lying. Even with the paleness and all her hair gone, she was gorgeous. She just blushed even redder.
"Thanks..."
We sat there in silence. The awkwardness was killing me. Not able to bear it any longer I spoke up.
"Why'd you run?" She looked down at her hands.
"I told you in the letter. I was scared," she looked up at me, "And I didn't want to hurt you anymore then I already had."
"How could you think that? I've been going insane since you left. I've never known if you were OK or not."
"I told you I was fine! You were the one that had to come find me! Do you think that I wanted this?"
She was on the verge of tears. I didn't know what to say. Sure I was upset, but I didn't want to argue with her.
"Rory. Come home with me. We want to help you. You don't have to go through this alone."
"I know that, I just think that if I were at home people would be going out of their way to help me. I don't need that kind of help!"
"Come on Ror! I know it's just hurting you so much being away from your mom. Come home with me. Please?"
