Hunger

Austin: Stupid

"I wish we cud stay here but that means I have to trust rory blanca and seth. thats 3 people. 1 of them will snitch or call CPS. it felt so good to sleep this morning and not worry about shit. i cant believe rory trust me enough to leave me in her room all day. maybe i should just snatch some stuff and go but i dont think i can steel from rory. not now."

I put my notebook back in my bag and force myself to get up. I've slept too long. Despite Rory's advice to take it easy, I can't seem to let myself relax. I've been in survival mode for so long, it's the only thing I know how to do.

Downstairs, Pixie is still fast asleep in front of the TV, thumb in her mouth, her other arm dangling off the couch. I gently pick it up and put it beside her and then cover her with a blue and white knit blanket that's hanging over the back of the couch. I touch her forehead. Even without the thermometer, I can feel that she's cooler. Maybe the fever will break today.

"Well good morning. Again," says a voice from behind me.

I whirl around to see Blanca standing at the edge of the kitchen, which opens right onto the living room. She's leaning against the granite countertop and smiling at me.

"Hi," I say nervously.

"Come sit at the table. Let's talk," she says, motioning for me to follow her.

I reluctantly leave Pixie and sit down across from Blanca at the kitchen table. There's a bay window streaming sunlight across the surface, and through it I can see a screened-in pool and hot tub outside.

"Where are your parents?" Blanca asks.

"It's a long story," I say, folding my hands on the table and staring at them.

"Well I need to hear it, young man. I've had CPS in my phone all day, and all I need to do is press the call button. So it's better if you just start talking," she says.

My stomach flip-flops with dread and nerves at the thought. As much as I don't want to tell a stranger about our situation, it looks like I don't have a choice. This is what I get for trusting Rory and thinking with my dick.

"Our mom is a meth addict. She's not looking for us, believe me. I don't know my real dad, but Pixie's dad is this guy named Ray, my mom's boyfriend. I had to get Pixie away from him," I say.

"Why?" Blanca asks.

"Because he's evil," I say. I look up at her coldly as I say this, daring her to ask more. She doesn't.

"I've worked for this family since Rory was born. I don't like keeping secrets from Mr. Walsh. Especially something like this."

"We're leaving tonight."

"That's not what Rory thinks. She wants you to stay here for good."

This is news to me. Does Rory really want us here? The thought makes me warm, but I shove it out of my head before I can get too excited. There's no one I can trust a hundred percent, not even Rory.

"I can't do that," I say, "I need to stay hidden. Pixie too."

"You're hiding something," Blanca says.

"Why do you say that?" I ask nervously.

"Because there's no good reason for you to turn down that offer. Food, a bed, a nice house, all for free? You're just scared I'll blab to the authorities aren't you?"

"We can't go home. Pixie can't go home. It would be better for us to die than to go home," I mumble.

"What if I agreed to keep your secret? Would you stay then?" Blanca asks.