Imani waited awhile after everyone had left the school. She lived slightly out of district and it would be easier to take the city bus than to ride out-of-the-way on a school bus and then have to walk about 2 miles, not that she minded the exercises, but it wasn't worth it. The questioning wouldn't be the best thing either. School let out at 3:10 so she waited until 3:20 to leave to catch the 3:25 bus. I can't wait to get home. She thought. It wasn't really "home" but it's a roof over her head, breakfast, a bed, and a shower, which was really all she needed. Her day was good so now she was tired. She got onto the bus. The bus driver wasn't the same on as the morning, which was expected. She tugged on the yellow cord to request her stop. She tossed a few cents in the bucket, as she had done that morning, and walked back to her hotel. She grabbed a few cookies from the lobby, and walked quickly to her room. She opened the small mini-fridge that she bought with some of her savings. She took the half-gallon of milk carton and poured some into a glass. Imani's first day was pretty good. She at least knew someone.

Imani turned on the television to watch reruns of My Wife and Kids. She remembered almost all the famous quotes. She hadn't seen every episode but she'd seen most of them but they had memories. She would remember when her mom would watch the episodes with her. She had a brief flashback about how her mom used to spend time with her and how Imani felt when she died. A small tear ran down her cheek. She flicked the tear off her face as quickly as it came. She leaned back and collapsed onto the bed. She turned her face into the pillow and screamed as loudly as she could. She was so upset. She couldn't even figure out why but she wanted to scream, and that she did. She screamed into pillow as loud as she could. After she screamed for about 10 minutes she sighed deeply. She massaged her temples and got up. She switched the television off, grabbed her bag and left the room. She got on the next bus to the mall. Maybe shopping would make her feel better. She doubted it, but she guessed it wouldn't do any worse.

She walked towards the rue21®. She needed to buy some more earrings and a few shirts. She saw a baby tee that was white with pink sleeves and said, "Luck has nothing to do with it when You're HOT!" in shiny green lettering and two clovers on it. She picked it up and grabbed some pink hoop earrings that matched the top perfectly. Then she went to the register.

"The top will be $10.99 and the earrings, $5.95. Your total will come to---" the cashier was interrupted.

"17.90, with tax," Imani smiled as she pulled a crisp 20 dollar bill out of her wallet.

"Thanks and come back soon," the cashier said annoyed while handing Imani back her change.

Imani pretended to ignore the girl's annoyed tone as she grabbed her bag and left the store.

She walked to the food court. She was a little hungry. She went to Cold Stone Creamery®. She ordered her favorite, a Birthday Cake Remix but instead of sprinkles she wanted an extra brownieShe grabbed her spoon and took a huge bite. "Yum" she thought as she took a bite she closed her eyes to savor the moment, but when she opened them she saw a familiar face.

"I'm guessing that ice cream is pretty good," Chad said sitting down in the small chair next to her.

She smiled at him sarcastically and then took another bite of the ice cream. "This is the best ice cream in the world," she said swallowing the ice cream.

"I bet it's not all that great," Chad said looking at it and thinking about how Imani had eaten a bug on a dare when they were seven and said it tasted fine, it just needed some salt. "But it does look kind of good," he smiled.

"Here" she said as she used her spoon to cut a small piece of the ice cream off and slid it into his mouth in one fluid motion.

Chad's eyes flew open as the ice cream hit his taste buds. Imani slid the spoon out of his mouth slowly, because his lips were wrapped so tightly around it, it was nearly impossible to get it out of his mouth. "You were right that is the best ice cream in the world," he smiled.

He offered her the spoon back but she refused.

"When are you gonna learn, I am always right. Even back when we were kids I would always try to explain to you the logic of the world. Chad Danforth needs mental help, and Imani Jones is always right," Imani replied using her sarcastic smile.

"Shut up," Chad said laughing. "You think you are so-----"

"Oh, know I am" she said looking at him and raising one eyebrow "Whose the one that's been a straight 'A' student since the first grade, and who has been just been an amateur b-ball player since elementary."

"'Amateur'? I'm a great basketball player,"

"If you play anything like you did when we were eight, you ain't shit," Imani said smiling and finishing her ice cream. She pulled out her cell phone out of her to look at the time. "Damn it" she said sharply. "I'm supposed to be there in 2 hours ago. And I'm hours away. I don't know how I forgot," she thought out loud.

Chad looked at her concerned. "What's up?"

"I have to go pick up my car. I have to get El Paso and I'm going to be late. I already missed my train and the place I'm picking it up is gonna close."

"I can give you a ride if you need one," Chad suggested looking up at her.

"If you don't have anything planned. I mean, I don't want to…"

"Don't sweat it."

She hugged him tightly and whispered something inaudible in his ear. Then she pulled away from him and kissed him friendly on the cheek. "Thanks so much"

She got up and grabbed her bags and followed him to his car.

They didn't know they were being watched. After they were gone a blonde girl stood up from behind the fake bushes at the mall. She looked at her phone to make sure she had everything filmed. "Technology is a fabulous, fabulous thing almost as fabulous as me," she thought out loud as she looked at her pink-rhinestone-studded Sidekick®. "Oh, poor, poor, wittle, Taylor; she's going to be crushed when I show her this," she said and, then squeaked her signature high pitched laugh, as she played back the video. Sharpay fixed her pink sunglasses and walked from bushes. She knew if her mother found out she would get the "spying is beneath a young lady of your stature, bearing, talent…blah, blah, blah" speech. Sharpay was satisfied with her work now she would make sure she timed it right to ruin Taylor's life. Sharpay partially blamed Taylor, more so Gabriella but somewhat Taylor, for her understudy role as Minnie in the Twinkle Towne Musical. If Taylor hadn't been the brains behind the plan to get the gym and scholastic decathlon room evacuated to get Gabriella and Troy their audition then lead the school to two championships, in addition to, taking her musicale from her, and her brother, but mostly her; then ruined her chances with Troy at the same time. She walked out of the mall and into her pink Mustang convertible with her initials on it in white. She backed out of the parking space and headed home.

Meanwhile…

Chad and Imani were cruising down the highway. Chad didn't have the nicest car she'd ever seen but it worked, barely. Imani glanced at the map to see how far they were as she changed to radio station. "Pop Bottles" by Birdman and Lil' Wayne came on.

Chad began to rap the hook. "Okay, we poppin' champagne like we won a championship game…"

"That's the exit," Imani said looking up from the map onto the road to the sign that read "Exit to I-10 East ½ mile"

"…feel like I got on a championship ring…" Chad continued the song as they passed the sign that said ¼ mile to exit

"Here comes the exit," Imani said a little louder and a little annoyed at the fact he was in the far left lane, and making no attempt to get over.

"'Cause we ball hard; oh we ball harder. I am the Birdman and I'm the… "

"There's the exit Chad!!" Imani yelled as they went under the bridge of the exit they had missed. She messaged her temples as she sighed deeply. They were already late and the next exit was about 10 miles down the interstate. "Pull-over I'm driving," Imani said.

"What do you mean your driving?" Chad asked.

"Just what I said. Now pull-over,"

Chad looked at the expression on her face and knew she was not in the mood to argue. Then, he reluctantly pulled his '93 Nissan Maxima over onto the shoulder. He pulled it into park and got out. Imani slid herself over the armrest and into the driver's seat. She waited for him to get into the car, then she adjusted the mirrors. She pulled back into the lane and started driving. She knew what she was about to do was dangerous and illegal but she was to upset and on a schedule to care. She got into the far left lane and waited until the traffic subsided on the opposite side of the interstate then she pulled the car medium between the two sides of the interstate. She was very quick and precise with her motions for two reasons. One, it was illegal and two people died every day doing this. It was stupid but that was the last thing on her mind. She finished her turn and then drove in the middle lane as if she had done nothing wrong. She smirked at Chad as she pulled onto the exit ramp to get on to Interstate 10 going east.

"See, that's why you're never going to drive my car again," Chad said looking at her and raising his voice.

"After I get my car in El Paso I won't ever have to drive it again," she spat back as she continued down the highway, "and if you would pay attention I wouldn't have had to do that." She sighed sharply as she kept driving.

"I'm sorry," Chad breathed out looking at her.

"It's fine. I appreciate the ride and everything,"

The angry expression on her face quickly faded into calmness. They continued the 50 minutes in silence with the exception of the radio still playing and Chad occasionally singing along with the music. Imani pulled the car into the small parking lot that was about three miles from the highway. Imani walked over to the garage. She knocked on it and looked into the small window. After a few moments she felt the garage door starting to lift.

All Chad could her were a few words being exchanged that were being yelled. He saw Imani snatch the keys from the tallish man and saw her walking away from him and into the shady-looking garage. After a few minutes of her being in the garage she drove out an ice blue Mercedes Benz.

"Nice car," Chad said getting out of his car to move to the driver's seat.

Imani smiled as she pulled out of the parking lot at 70-miles-per-hour and back onto the interstate without saying anything else.

About three hours later Imani arrived back at her dump-of-a hotel room. She took a hot shower and then lied down on her bed. It was almost 11:30pm. She reached onto the nightstand and into her small bag to pull out her White BlackBerry® Pearl. She was still lying on the bed but she pulled the phone close to her face. "hey pops, im doin fine here. don't worry bout me. hows cali been since i left. txt bac if u can. thnx 4 send'n my car. wish u coulda dropped it off urself but I kno how busy u r. hope u get dis soon luv u. mani xoxo." She pressed the send button and the text message was gone. She hoped her dad would reply soon but she knew how busy he was. He'd probably get the message and right before he could respond he'd have to meet with a new client, or have to sign some important papers, or something else famous CEO's of an important record labels do. She didn't like the rich life, but that wasn't the reason she ran away. The reason was far bigger.