When Caden returned, it was with Ria.

They fraternized a lot in the short time they got to know each other, I felt. But something on their faces showed me that they had not been out enjoying themselves. It was as if they ran home or something, which they did.

“Phinx, you better get out of here!” Ria cut me off before I had a chance to speak. She was in such a rush to tell the news that she didn’t even take off her book bag. The straps were now clutched forcefully in her fists. Her face was pale and she was still gasping for air. Caden, too.

“What? Why?” I sounded defensive and suspicious rolled in one. We all stood in the kitchen in an invisible triangle.

“Kole…you beat him pretty badly,” Caden said quietly. “He’s hospitalized and in intensive care right now.”

“Good for the rat bastard,” I answered lightly.

“You don’t get it, Phinx!” Ria screamed. “His father is filing a lawsuit against whoever did it. Plenty of witnesses were there, Phinx. You can’t remain here any longer. I’m scared for you.” She put a hand up against my arm and rubbed it gently.

I stared at her. Somehow, my eyes roamed over to Caden and he nodded in confirmation.

Shit. Trouble had found me again. I had dragged the lot of us down a sinking ship.

“I’m sorry,” was all I could say to her face.

“You two need to leave soon as possible. I don’t want them to find you.”

“I guess. There’s nothing here to offer me, anyway.” My voice managed to come out apathetic. When I left the kitchen, Caden and Ria exchanged sad glances. It could have meant anything but I wasn’t going to bust my head trying to figure it out.

I stormed upstairs and stuffed what worldly possessions I had into my bag. Inside, I was fuming. There was an injustice in this situation that I couldn’t exactly pinpoint. Why was I running? Why was I being scapegoated for every situation that I tried make right and instead came out wrong? As if I normally didn’t cause enough trouble…I couldn’t say “sorry” enough, never to Ria anyway.

Just why the hell do I drag people into shits all the time?

Caden was behind me before I knew it. He already threw all his stuff into his bag in slow motion. Now he ran his hand into his curly hair, looking lost.

“Where are we going from here?”

“The third city east of here.” I managed a wry grin. Caden laughed. It was a short-lived laugh. I realized he didn’t want to leave. Not yet. Not when he was relating to Ria so well. I wondered if he blamed me.

“We’ll come visit her again,” I said, hoping to comfort him. Maybe it was more of an act to alleviate my guilty conscience. Hell, who knew. Who cared?

His bright eyes slowly focused on my face. He had nothing to comment. “Let’s head down,” I said. He nodded.

At the door, I hugged Ria tightly. She tiptoed to reach me.

“You better come back,” she whispered in a broken voice. Tears threatened to roll.

She then moved on to Caden and gave him a great, lingering embrace.

“I’ll miss you very much, Caden. Make sure to watch Phinx for me. Make sure he won’t do anything crazy anymore. I hope they won’t find you. You have to come back and see me again sometime,” Ria was starting to ramble. That was when I realized she was really reluctant on seeing Caden leave.

“Take this.” She stuffed three Twenty-dollars into his hand.

“What’s this?”

“Gas money. Grocery. Whatever.”

“No—I can’t take this.”

There he went on acting like a boy scout again.

“Damn it, Caden, just take it so we can be on our fucking way.”

They both glared at me for being so insensitive at this critical timing. I was already out the door. I just couldn’t bear to see their somebody-has-died faces and expressions.