She whirled around, fear flooding her insides. Relief found her then, as she recognized a familiar face. It was Bruce, the neighborhood watchman. Even though it was a crappy part of an Arizona town, it still had a watchman.
"Hey, Audri, sorry did I frighten you?" he had a slight southern accent, but it was gentle, concerned.
Audri took a deep breath and exhaled.
"No, it's okay. I was just, uh, on my way out."
"This late?" he was suspicious, she knew.
"Yeah, um, I wanted to get an early start, you know, going to see some relatives in Kansas," she said, trying her hardest to sound calm. She didn't mean to lie to him, but she didn't want to tell him the truth.
Audri had known Bruce since the first day they had moved into the apartment. He had been a security guard at the Phoenix Memorial Hospital then. She had been ten years old, just a little shy, but mature for her age regardless. He had helped them move in their belongings, then proceeded to invite them across the street for dinner at his home. He had surprisingly been an excellent cook and Audri took to him well. She had noticed his lucid blue eyes, and how they held a sort of emptiness, like something wasn't quite complete. Her parents and Bruce had become close friends, almost like they had known each other forever.
When Audri was twelve, Bruce had married Jesica Porter, a waitress at the corner café that he frequented, and almost at once, the emptiness in Bruce's eyes had disappeared. Audri loved Jesica since she had first met her. She had a motherly quality about her, different from Audri's mother that was invigorating. Jesica had taken to Audri almost at once and in no time, had made her a frequent guest at their house. She had taught the young girl how to sew, bake and little remedies to fixing every day problems. Things Audri's mother had yet to learn herself.
After a while, Jesica had introduced Audri to her son, Cole, who had been her only child from her previous marriage. Cole was almost two years older than Audri, and lived with his father on the other part of town. He and Audri had gone to the same school however. Arriving every other weekend to visit his mother, Cole had been quite a handsome young man, standing at almost five foot ten, with short dark brown hair and hazel eyes. He had his mother's eyes; she knew that instantly the first time they had met. She had been reasonably close with him, and had developed somewhat of a crush on him. She had been just another girl to have just another crush on a popular guy. She had been closer than any other girl when he had comforted her one night after she had experienced one of the first series of fights that would break out in the household. He had given her a place to stay for the night, and when she had awoken the next morning comfortable on the couch, he had made her breakfast. All throughout their time together, the most they had done was kissed a few times. Audri had remained a virgin, and didn't understand how she had gotten pregnant, or when.
A few weeks later, things had taken an unexpected turn when Jesica was diagnosed with progressive breast cancer and died three months later. All at once, Cole stopped coming by. Bruce had regained the emptiness in his eyes, more so than before. Audri's parents had made fighting their new hobby, and eventually, each one had separately picked up their own escape habit. Then ultimately, Audri's stomach had grown little by little.
A gunshot fired without warning through the night air, snapping Audri back to reality. Both her and Bruce stared back at the apartment building for any signs of explanation. A tear slipped from the corner of Audri's eye and traced a line down her face. She turned back to Bruce, who was returning her gaze.
"What the hell was that?"
"I have to go."
"Audri, what is…why did…?"
"Bruce, listen to me," she started then just let the words come out all at once, "the police are inside. They're arresting my parents you do the math. I'm getting out of here, and I'm not coming back. Please, assist the cops with what ever they need, just don't tell them who I am or where I've gone. I can't help them anymore. Please promise me."
"Audri…"
"Promise me!"
"Alright," he replied, barely a whisper, a tear slipping down his own cheek.
As she saw his tears, her own resurfaced. She gave him a hug; him holding her as if he didn't want to ever let her go. He probably didn't, and that made it even harder.
"At least tell me where you're going, where you're really going."
"I did, I'm going…" she knew that he knew she was lying. He deserved to know. "I'm going to California, to…to Playa Linda."
"Your uncle."
Audri's eyes grew wide, "how did you know?"
"Your mother told me about him years ago. She said he was your only other living relative. You said you were going to visit relatives, so I just put two and two together."
She smiled, "You always did know me a little better than they did."
He smiled back, and watched without another word as she climbed into the car and started the engine. She could see the sadness in his eyes, as she waved goodbye, and felt her heart breaking, leaving behind the only person who she could really call her family in that town. But a glimmer of hope arose again, as she turned her mind and thoughts toward her seemingly brighter future.