Run To Me

Chapter 2 - Loralie

Chapter Two - Loralie

“I’m here,” I whisper into the phone, eyes fixed on the road. The bus stop bench is cold under me, the metal pressing through my clothes. I keep my backpack pulled tight against my chest, fingers curled into the fabric.

“You’re doing good,” Cali says softly. “Thomas is almost there.”

I hum in response, my eyes flicking to every pair of headlights that pass. Each one makes my heart jump. Each one fills me with the fear of “what if it’s him.”

“I feel like he’s going to come back,” I admit, voice barely holding together.

“I know,” she says. “But even if he does, you won’t be there.”

Her words settle somewhere deep, not fully comforting… but enough to keep me breathing. Headlights appear at the end of the street again, and I tense automatically. They slow. My grip tightens on the phone. The car then turns and pulls toward the curb till it stops.

My breath catches, and Cali hears it. “Breathe Lora, that’s him,” Cali says quietly.

The driver’s door opens. The second I see him, something in me moves before I can think. I’m already on my feet. Already stepping forward. Thomas barely has time to shut the door before I’m there, closing the distance like it’s the only thing that matters. Then I’m in his arms. There’s no question. No hesitation. He catches me instantly, like he expected it, one arm wrapping around my shoulders, the other steady at my back.

I didn’t realize how much I needed this until it happened. My fingers clutch into his shirt, grounding myself. He doesn’t squeeze too tight. Just holds.

“Hey,” he murmurs softly, voice low near my hair. “I’ve got you.”

My eyes burn, but I don’t let anything fall, not yet anyway.

“You’re okay,” he adds, quieter this time.

And for a second, I almost believe it.

I pull back just enough to breathe, but not enough to fully let go. He looks down at me then, really looks. I see it in his expression, the shift, quick and controlled. His eyes catch on my face for half a second too long, something tightening behind them. But he doesn’t say anything. Just softens his grip slightly, like he’s adjusting without making it obvious.

“I’m here,” he says instead.

I nod, swallowing hard. “I know.”

I realize then I’m still holding the phone. “I’m with Tommy,” I say quietly.

“Good,” Cali replies, relief clear in her voice. “I’ll see you at the bar. Text me when you’re on the way.”

“Okay.”

The line clicks off. Thomas steps back just enough to look at me properly, one hand still lightly on my arm like he’s making sure I don’t disappear.

“Let’s get you out of here,” he says, and I nod. This time, it’s easier to move.

The car feels warmer, the heat cutting through the chill autom night air. I sit curled slightly into myself, backpack pulled into my lap again, fingers brushing against the fabric. Thomas starts the car and drives off from the bus stop. Watching the world outside, I’m honestly in a state of shock. I’m out, but why does it feel like my world is crumbling around. I distract myself and glance over at Thomas.

The scrawny kid I remember is gone. In his place is someone else entirely. He’s taller now, way taller than I ever noticed before. Broader too, shoulders filling out his frame, dark hair slightly messy like he hasn’t had time to fix it, but always clean-shaven. He would be quite the lady killer if he weren’t batting for the other team.

“Cali said you’re an EMT now,” I say softly, trying to distract my running thoughts.

He huffs a small breath, almost a laugh. “Yeah. Certified and everything.” There’s something lighter in his tone, like he’s trying to keep things normal too.

“It suits you,” I say softly.

He glances over briefly. “Why’s that?”

I shrug, looking back out the window. “You were always paying attention. Even when we thought you weren’t. Always playing doctor to your sister and me.”

A small smile tugs at his mouth. “Guess it stuck.”

Silence settles again, but it’s not suffocating. After a moment, his voice comes back, quieter. “You don’t have to explain anything right now.”

My chest tightens slightly. “Okay.”

His eyes flick toward me again, quick but observant. “We’ll figure it out,” he adds.

Something in that we lands deeper than I expect.

Johnny’s Place comes into view not long after. The sign flickers slightly, the same way it always has. The building itself is small, worn in places, but there’s something about it that always feels cozy. Like it’s been holding stories long before mine showed up. Thomas pulls into the side lot and parks near the back entrance.

“I’ll walk you in,” he says, already unbuckling.

I nod, following his lead.

The second I step out of the car, I see Cali. She’s pacing just outside the door, arms wrapped around herself, eyes scanning until they land on me. Then she’s moving. Fast.

“Loralie!”

Her arms wrap around me instantly, tight but careful, like she’s holding something fragile.

“You’re okay,” she murmurs into my hair. “You’re okay.”

Finally, I crack. Tears start falling down my cheeks, and I sob softly as Cali holds me.

“I’ve got you,” she adds softly.

The words echo Thomas’s. And this time, I believe them just a little more. She pulls back, her hands moving to my face, gentle but searching. Her expression shifts instantly. Something sharp flashes in her eyes before she smooths it over.

“We’re going inside,” she says, voice firm.

I nod. I glance at Thomas, and he’s already moving to open the back door for us.

The back office is small and a bit cluttered, but familiar. Cali shuts the door behind us and the door that leads into the bar, cutting off the noise completely. The sudden quiet feels… different than before, more protected.

Thomas steps closer, his demeanor shifting slightly. “Hey,” he says gently. “Is it all right if I take a look?”

I hesitate for a second. Then nod. “Okay.”

He moves carefully, not crowding me. His fingers are light, practiced, checking the bruise without making it worse. His expression stays controlled, but there’s tension to his features.

“Alright,” he murmurs. “It’s nothing too serious.”

Cali exhales sharply, turning away for a second before pacing across the room. “We’re not sending her back there.”

“No,” Thomas says immediately.

Cali leans against the desk, arms crossed, pacing energy still humming under her skin.

“We need a plan,” she says, more to the room than to me. “Not just tonight. Long-term.”

The words make my stomach tighten again. Long-term. That means this is real that I’m not going back. Thomas glances at her, then back at me, like he’s measuring how much to say.

“I might know someone,” he says carefully.

Cali looks up immediately. “Who?”

“Friend of mine,” he replies. “Jamie Monroe. He’s an officer and has ties with the other departments. Works closely with the team that… moves people when they need to disappear for a while.”

Disappear. The word sends a strange chill through me.

Cali’s expression sharpens. “Are you talking like witness protection?”

Thomas rubs the back of his neck. “I mean, yeah, that's the technical term, but this wouldn’t be anything official. Just helping her relocate for a while. She won’t need to change her whole identity, just get her out of town without the ass hole knowing where to.”

“You trust him?” Cali asked.

“Yeah,” Thomas says without hesitation. “I do.”

Silence settles for a second. I look down at my hands, at the way my fingers are twisting together without me realizing it.

Disappear?

Start over?

It all feels so unreal, too big to hold onto right now. Is this really what I want? Is this really what I need to do? My mind starts spiraling with thoughts. Cali and Thomas must have noticed my spiral, and Thomas gently places his hand on my knee, but I still flinch. His eyes fill with sorrow before he speaks.

“We don’t have to decide that tonight,” Thomas adds quickly, his voice softening. “Just… putting it out there.”

Cali exhales, pushing off the desk. “Alright. One thing at a time.” She looks at me, her expression gentler now. “You’re not going back there tonight.” The certainty in her voice makes something in my chest loosen.

“I know,” I say quietly.

She glances toward the door, then back at Thomas. “As for tonight, unfortunately, you can’t stay with me. He knows where I live.”

Thomas nods. “Yeah. Too risky.”

A small knot forms in my stomach again. “Then where?”

“Here,” Cali says immediately.

I blink. “Here?”

She gestures around the office. “Johnny’s Place isn’t just a bar. You know that. My husband is paranoid as hell. There are cameras everywhere, a security system, and alarms on every door. No one’s getting in here without us knowing.”

Thomas gives a small nod of agreement. “It’s probably the safest place you can be right now.”

I look around the room again. The clutter. The worn couch in the corner. The familiarity. It doesn’t feel like much. But it feels… secure.

“You can take the couch,” Cali adds. “I’ll bring blankets. We’ll lock everything up tight.”

I swallow, the weight of it settling in.

“I don’t want to put you guys in danger,” I admit quietly.

“You’re not,” Cali says immediately, stepping closer. “You hear me? You’re not.”

Thomas leans back slightly against the wall, arms crossed loosely, but his voice is just as firm. “He made his choices. This is just us making ours.”

Something about that eases the guilt just enough to breathe through it. I nod. “Okay.”

Cali’s shoulders drop slightly, like she’s been holding tension she didn’t realize was there. “Good,” she says. “Then that’s settled.”

Later, after the bar quiets down and the lights dim, Cali brings in a blanket and a pillow, setting them down on the couch before glancing back at me. “You sure you’re okay?” she asks.

I nod, even if it’s not entirely true. “Yeah, I am.”

Thomas lingers by the door for a moment, like he doesn’t want to leave just yet. “I’ll be nearby,” he says. “If you need anything.”

I nod again. “Thank you.”

He gives a small, reassuring look before stepping out, closing the door behind him. It’s just me and Cali for a second. She squeezes my hand once before heading out too.

“Get some rest,” she says softly. “We’ll figure everything out tomorrow.”

The door clicks shut behind her. I sit there for a moment, staring at the couch like I don’t quite believe it’s mine to use. Slowly, I move. I set my backpack down, unzipping it carefully. My fingers find the stuffed pig almost instantly, pulling it out and holding it close for just a second. I place it beside me on the couch before pulling the blanket around my shoulders, curling into myself.

The office is dim, the faint glow of security monitors lighting the room just enough to see. For the first time in what feels like forever, I’m somewhere he isn’t. Somewhere he can’t just walk into. My eyes drift toward the door. It stays closed and locked. I pull the blanket tighter around me, one hand resting against the soft fabric of the pig.

Slowly, my body starts to relax, and I fall asleep.