Eadlin walked out of the school building fast without stopping. He reached the car park. Rows of cars lined up neatly, but his stood out, immediately he walked straight to it, pulled the door open, and got in and then shut the door.
He leaned back slightly.
Exhaled.
Then reached for his phone, he dialled a number.
"Sir," the voice answered almost immediately.
Their conversation did not last for so long.
Eadlin rested his elbow on the armrest, his fingers lightly against his temple as he waited.
His phone buzzed almost immediately. He looked at the message for a few seconds then dropped his phone, started the car and drove off.
He drives into a block, which was so untidy, few houses are well painted while most had paints that are fading, with the roofing sheets rusting while some houses had mould around it. The road are o bad that the car kept falling into the pot hole no matter how Eadlin tried to avoid it . Eadlin kept cursing every time his car had to hit the ground hard because of the road. Those in the neighbourhood stood outside watching as Eadlin passes.
He turns the car to enter a building, he horns but no body answered. He came down, he realized that the gate was not locked. The gate, very rusted, it looked like one which is capable of giving tetanus. the gate made a low creaking sound anytime it moved which annoyed Eadlin.
The house was a bungalow, it wasn't anything special. The paint on the walls had started to fade, and some parts were already peeling off like the other houses around. The compound was small, a bit rough around the edges. He opened the gate and drove in as he was driving, the gate moved and hit his car…..Eadlin cursed loudly.
Outside Gabrielle's house, Eadlin stood waiting.
It looked… normal.
Simple.
Definitely not the kind of place someone like him would be standing in front of.
Right behind him, his car was parked the headlight broken from the impact of the gate but even with that it still stood out, different, clean….
Shiny.
Expensive.
It didn't match the environment at all. It stood out too much, like it didn't belong there.
Like him.
For over an hour, Eadlin stood infront waiting. He didn't move, sometimes on his phone or he just looked around trying to understand the environment.
Finally, the gate opened, Gabrielle walked in. The moment she saw him, she paused...Shock was written all over her face. She walked toward him slowly, trying to understand what he was even doing there.
For a second, as she got closer—
Eadlin's could feel his heart skipped.
"I thought you said we should never cross paths again," she said. "And I have kept my own side of the deal. Why are you breaking yours?"
Before she could even react,
He hugged her.
Tightly.
Like he had been waiting for that moment for a long time.
Gabrielle froze. Then quickly pushed him away.
"I don't think we are friends," she said.
"Yeah, I know," Eadlin replied. "I was just checking if you had any broken bones."
She blinked, then laughed but Eadlin kept a straight face. He just stood and watch her laugh. Unknown to him a smile escaped.
"Broken bones?" she repeated. "Why are you here? Running from home?"
"Yeah kind of." He replied. Then looked toward the house. "Aren't you going to invite your visitor inside?" he added.
"I did not invite you here, okay? You can leave," she said nonchalantly. "You tried to kill me. You left me there in the cold, handcuffed."
"I am sorry about that." he replied calmly and then bit his lower lip and looked down. He looked so helpless and vulnerable.
They both went quiet standing there for almost thirty minutes without saying anything.
Gabrielle sighed breaking the silence.
"Fine. You win. Come in."
They walked inside with Gabrielle leading the way.
The house was small, The furniture looked old, and the foam on the chair had clearly seen better days. Things weren't arranged perfectly, and you could tell someone actually lived there, not like those perfect houses that looked untouched. There are clothes on the chair in the living room, a bed at the centre right in front of the box television that is on the floor. The sink, although not that full, but had things on it. Some shoes on the bed, socks all around.
Eadlin stepped in and looked around.
Then said—
"Is this the bunker?"
Gabrielle turned to him immediately.
"No. This is where I live. And I get it, it's not as fancy as yours," she snapped.
"I didn't mean it that way," he said softly. "I just… never mind."
He sat down.
Then immediately stood up again.
"What happened?" Gabrielle asked.
"It is hard."
"The foam is bad," she replied. "You either manage it or go back home."
He paused. "I will manage it."
Then he tried to sit again struggling a little.
Gabrielle noticed.
"Why don't you want to go home?" she asked, sitting beside him.
"Nothing much… let's just say I'm not so interested in speaking with my dad," he said.
Then casually—
"Also, what is for dinner?"
She looked at him.
"What do you want to eat?"
"Let me order it."
"Before the order comes, how about you help me arrange." Gabrielle said as she stands and then dragged him up.
"What of the maids?" He asked lazily.
"Well, I guess for today you are one. I will arrange the house while you wash the plates. That should be easy. " Eadlin tried to talk but Gabrielle cuts in. "The soap is at the cup board, the faster we work the better." She said and then entered a room.
"Where is the dishwasher?" He said in a very low tone. He walks over to the kitchen, brings out his phone and then searched…."How to wash plate"
Following the directions he was able to complete the task given to him.
By the time he was finishing, Gabrielle was already done.
"You done?" Gabrielle asked as she walked over to him.
"Yeah, it was fun." He replied happily.
Gabrielle screamed, Eadlin looked at her confused…
"You used everything?" She asked as she raised the bottle of the soap.
"The video said I should as much as possible."
"That was one litre of dishwashing soap you used to wash eight plates?" Gabrielle responded sadly. "It is fine."
The door bell rang, it was their order. Gabrielle dropped the bottle walked to the door to get it.
"Lets eat." Gabrielle said as she sits. She points to the bed at the middle. "Sit there, it is better."
Eadlin sits.
"Lemme guess, you are man of few words? Well don't worry, I have git you covered. I have just the best movie to watch while eating."
"Does that not dulling the brain?" Eadlin asked.
"Gabrielle stands up then plugs the TV. "Why do you think that?"
"Too much screen time."
"When you get home, you can worry about screen time."
They watched a film and ate together.
Eadlin knows fully well that he was breaking his father's rule but he did not mind.
The light suddenly went out, Gabrielle moans.
"Why now? I really want to know how the movie ends." She turns on the lamp.
"Why do you want to know. All it does is to make you curious. "
"Yes and that is the point. Suspense."
They talked about different things, then Gabrielle talked about how playful she was at school that the principal did not know she was in a foster home till she had to relocate.
While Eadlin listened.
"I wish that was my story." He said. "My parents are always in my business," he continued. "They never let me make decisions on my own." He added.
Gabrielle shook her head. "You should still love them anyway," she said.
Then joking,
"What if we are siblings separated from birth?" Gabrielle said and then laugh but Eadlin didn't laugh. "It is supposed to be funny."
"Ohh" Eadlin laughs at himself.
Something moved rapidly, they both froze.
"What was that?" Eadlin asked opening his eyes so wide.
"Not sure." Gabrielle replied, with here eyes fixed at the place where the sound was hears.
She stood up slowly and then,
Thud …
She cut it,
It was a rat, she held it by its tale while it dangles in the air squealing.
"Ewww, ratus."
"It is called a rat Eadlin" Gabrielle replied. "You wanna touch?" She added as she brought the rat closer to him.
"No, not interested, I am fine." He said moving away quickly.
Gabrielle laughs at him, she takes the rat outside.
"You havent told me yet, why are you in my house?" Gabrielle asked as she enters back.
"I cant stay home."
"You are running away from home?"
"Yes and nobody will ever know that I am here."
"And if they find you here?"
"They wont. My Dad travelled and he is back. He is such a perfectionist and I am always under a lot of tension when he is back and now that he is sick, it is worse." Eadlin replies. "How about we go to bed, we've got school tomorrow." Eadlin added changing the topic.
The next morning, Gabrielle acted so grumpy. She made breakfast in the same mood but when asked about it, she simply replies; "I am fine."
Gabrielle stood outside her house, arms folded.
"I'm not going with you, Leave so I can close the gate." she said.
Eadlin didn't even argue., he entered his car, drove out. While Gabrielle closed the gate, he stepped out of the car. He just looked at her for a second… then stepped forward.
"Eadlin, don't..."
Too late.
He lifted her.
She screams. "Put me down now!" she snapped, struggling slightly.
"No," he replied calmly, already walking toward the car.
"You're actually insane."
"I've heard worse."
He opened the car door and placed her inside.
She glared at him.
Hard.
"I said I'm not going."
"And I said you are," he replied, closing the door.
The drive was quiet.
Gabrielle looked out the window the whole time, clearly annoyed.
"Why don't you want to go with me?" Eadlin asked.
But Gabrielle did not reply. When they got to school, he stepped out first and walked around to her side.
The moment he opened the door;
She tried to step out quickly.
He grabbed her bag before she could.
"I can carry my own bag," she said.
"I know," he replied. "I just don't want you to."
They started walking toward the university.
Side by side.
Not touching but close enough for people to notice and the people did not fail them.
Heads turned.
Whispers started.
Some students even slowed down just to look properly, some didn't even hide it—they recorded.
Eadlin didn't react, to him it was normal but Gabrielle noticed everything. The stares, the quiet murmurs.
"This is why I didn't want to come with you," she muttered.
"You'll survive," he said.
From a distance, his friends spotted him.
"Guy, that's him," Freddie said.
"And he's smiling," Jason added.
"That's not normal."
They walked over to him.
"What with the smile all over." Freddie asked teasing.
"Your dad is so pissed and he will…" Jason puts his hand on Eadlin's neck.
"Guys, meet Gabrielle."
Gabrielle shook their hands but she was so absent minded that their voice faded in her ear.
Instead, her eyes moved around—
Then , she saw her.
Joan.
Standing not too far away. Looking in their direction.
Gabrielle froze.
"No… no, no, no…"
She quickly turned her face.
Trying to avoid eye contact, so as to act like she hadn't seen her.
"She didn't see me," she muttered under her breath. "She didn't see me."
Joan started walking closer.
Gabrielle panicked although not vivid. Her mind raced.
Fast.
I wish a car would just appear and hit her right now so we wont have to deal with this here.
Silence.
It felt like relieve to Gabrielle after she mumbled this words.
Then,
A loud screech.
Bam!!!!