Well it's almost been a year. I'd say I've been busy but I haven't been. I just didn't have the will to write. If anyone is still reading this, welcome back and to all the new readers hello. This is a short update but I just really wanted to put a new chapter up to show that yes, I'm still writing this. I'll never make a chapter this short ever again, I promise.
Outside the San Francisco area, everything started to get cheaper again. We came across a Dennys and decided to load up on calories for the day. That way, we could walk to the next city before night.
The Dennys was small but clean and inviting. Kendall found us a booth and we sat on either side. He began talking about what he planned on ordering but I could barely listen. All I could think about was his confession and how he was treating it like it was nothing. No, it wasn't obvious before that Kendall felt something for me and there was no reason for him to not bring it up again! If I was in his position, I'd beg for an answer, I couldn't stand living in the dark.
Yet, throughout our whole meal, he said nothing about it and I said nothing about it. He left our bill, totaling in eight dollars, and a two dollar tip on the table before continuing south. The back roads were no longer heading in the direction we wanted so we hopped a fence near an expressway and began following south with the trees hiding us from the passerbys. My feet began to hurt from walking on such uneven land but I said nothing until the trees began to let up and we were deposited into a run down neighborhood.
"Let's find a children's park and take a break while we figure out how we're supposed to get back on track." I suggested. Kendall shrugged in agreement and we began looking for a park. We found it deserted in an empty lot, looking just as bad as the houses surrounding it.
I took a seat on top of a weathered picnic table and Kendall sat incredibly close to me. He took out our map and a pack of cigarettes before lighting up and studying the area.
"Well we were on US 101, but if we can find a way onto I-5 or 80, I think we'll have better luck. I mean, this route will lead us there too. Yeah, let's just stay on this route and one we hit a city again, let's take our first bus. We're almost out of North California and I need a new map. Plus, it's not like we don't have the money." He told me as he folded the map back up and put it back.
I was kind of hesitant on taking the bus but it would take a major chunk of our time off. Just bus fare was so expensive these days. Almost ten dollars a person to go from city to city. However, I agreed. We needed to find Carlos, and that was a little more important than saving money.
We didn't move until Kendall and I finished up the cigarette that I was starting to get better at smoking. He teased how it was like we were indirectly kissing and I just weakly smiled. I didn't really know what to say or do now. When the filter was beginning to burn as well, Kendall dropped it onto the ground and stepped on it. He looked to me then, one hand on my wrist and his eyes downcast. I was sure he was about to say something but a loud female voice cut him off.
"Hey, what are you doing out here, don't you know it's about to rain?" Both of us looked over to see a girl with long brown hair and a figure smaller than her swagger walking towards us.
"Uh, no, we didn't." Kendall had answered honestly. Neither of us had even paid attention to how it had gotten so cloudy.
"Well then go home before you get sick out here! Oh, have either of you seen a blond girl about my height and wearing a light blue blazer? She went off to find some kids but they returned and she hasn't." She asked us, looking rather upset than worried.
"No, but we'll tell you if we do. Would you know of a place we could hide for the night? We're not from the area and don't really have a place to stay." Kendall gave back. The girl smirked and nodded her head once.
"As a matter of fact, I do. Just follow me; we got a shelter just down the street. Me and my friend Jo have been staying there for a while now. I'm Camille, by the way." She said, sticking out a hand. Kendall took it with a smile.
"I'm Kendall and this is my friend Logan." I gave a small smile and wave as he eyes turned to me finally.
"Well hello hottie, I barely even noticed you." She said, letting go of Kendall's hand to take mine. I slowly reached out and shook her hand. Her grip was strong but her skin was soft. I almost forgot what a woman felt like.
"Aw look, little Logie's blushing." Kendall teased. I let go if the girl's hand and touched my cheeks. Was I really?
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about my little Logie, I'm sure Gabby likes you just as much as you like her."
The shelter was noisy and there were teens running around like crazy. We walked through this chaos and into the kitchen where a woman most likely in her mid-fifties was cooking with a couple girls. One looking a lot like how Camille's friend Jo was described.
"Jo you're back! What took you so long?" Camille angrily asked. Jo shrugged her shoulders.
"I just went to take a walk. I see you found more kids." She said, looking and us.
"Oh yeah, this is Kendall and his hot friend Logan. They were in the park so I invited them in before the storm came. I heard it's gonna be terrible." Camille said. The older lady was looking at us now. She looked tired but kind, like one would expect a loving mother with many kids to look like.
"Well welcome boys. We don't have any open rooms but I'm sure we can make a bed for you in the living room. I'm Ms. Fairly, if you have any questions just ask me or one of my wonderful girls." She introduced before going back to cooking whatever it was she was making.
"Thank you." Kendall and I said in unison. Camille then snatched my hand and pulled me out of the kitchen to show me the rest of the house. Kendall stayed behind, but I really wished he hadn't. I didn't want to be alone with her; I didn't have the courage to be alone with her.
She led me through the few bedrooms and bathrooms of the house. She told me the names of all the kids we past and parts of their story as well. Even though I felt bad for some of them, it felt nice to know I wasn't the only person who lived a horrible life.
We sat down on her bed once we finished the tour and she was silent for once. It felt odd to not have her talking to me.
"So, what brought you here?" I asked her to fill the silence. She frowned and shrugged her shoulders weakly.
"I ran away to become an actress. My father didn't support my dreams and my mother forgot how to think for herself so I just left. It's not a real tear jerker but it's my story." I nodded my head, not really knowing what to say. It didn't matter though because she continued to talk.
"I just really got upset that they never even reported me missing. It's like it didn't even matter if their only child existed or not. I used to search my name on google in public libraries all the time, hoping they would want me back but I never found anything about me. Not a fucking thing." I put my arm around her and she leaned into my side. She didn't cry or anything but I could tell that she regretted saying all of that to me.
"Anyways, we should probably get you settled and then head down to dinner. We gotta get there early if we want to eat at the table" She said after composing herself. I nodded and we both got up.
"If you continue like this, you'll have no future. Logan, think about tomorrow for once."