RUNAWAY GIRL

CHAPTER 11

MELLISSA POV

“Yes. I am Astrid.” I say.

“What?!” Jack says and falls down on the sofa next to me. 

“Why would you do what you did, Azzi?” Jack says and Moses takes a seat next to me on the other side.

“What happened that you had to change your whole identity? Where are your parents and Adrian?” Moses asks.

“Guys it was not easy to do what I did and since then not one day has passed when I don’t think of that fateful day.” I say tears brimming in my eyes.

“What happened, Azzi. You can tell us everything.” Jack says and Moses nods.

So I then took a deep breath and told them everything and saw the expressions on the boys’ faces change time to time as I progressed with the event. 

“So, you basically are running away from M-” As Jack was going to say his name I stopped him from saying the name. 

“Please don’t. Please don’t say his name.” I say.

“Okay. So let me get this straight. You are Astrid but now your identity is Mellissa Scott. Adrian is Lucas, our English teacher and your parents are FBI Special Agents posing as your parents to protect you. And you dye your hair to this brown colour every three weeks.” Moses says.

“Damn. You live in the Bourne movies or what.” Jack says trying to be funny but earns a hit on the head from Moses. 

“I am seriously really sorry for how I treated you before. It’s just that Nate’s life hasn’t been easy and I was just looking out for him.” Moses says. 

“It’s really okay. I understand.” I say. 

“So you were trained with the FBI recruits. s**t that’s amazing.” Jack says. 

“Yeah. I always wanted to go there.” Moses says. 

“Yeah, I remember Nate always told me how you always played the cop and this poor guy always had to be the criminal.” I say and the three of us laugh.

“So Azzi, why don’t tell him who you really are?” Jack says.

“There is no point in telling anyone anything. I only told you both because you caught me. I don’t know when I will be called back or something might just happen.” I say.

“Azzi, then why get close to us in this manner. If you were not going to settle then why did you do it again. I am not going to watch my brother get heartbroken again. He was devastated before but we somehow helped him out. But this time he is not going to recover and will really end up doing something bad. Damn it, that was selfish of you. ” Moses says angrily. 

“Selfish.” I scoffed.  

“Do you think I intended for this to happen? I was supposed to stay low. I was supposed to be a loner girl who did not have any friends. But it was luck that when Bethany was picking on me Riley came and stood up for me. I wanted to be unseen but I couldn’t do that. Then I did try to stay away from you guys but Riley always has all her classes with me and to be honest I did really miss you guys too. So yes, Moses, I am selfish because I wanted a little bit of happiness in my life.” I say crying and looking at the now stunned faces of the boys. 

“Sorry.” He says and puts his head down in shame. 

“Guys, please for heaven sakes do not tell anyone. I cannot be seen by anyone on any type of social media websites too as he might just catch me.” I say. 

“It’s okay, Azzi. We are there for you and we will always support you.” Jack says and Moses nods. 

“I guess that's why Nate is so attached to you. He thinks of her as a version of Azzi. I mean we also have talked so many times that your characteristics and mannerisms are like her. That is why I guess you fitted with us so nicely because you were always a part of us.” Moses says and that literally brought tears to my eyes.

“So how is the academy like?” Moses asks again.

“Well, have you watched that series Quantico?” I ask.

“Yep. Loved that show. Moses and I watched it together.” Jack says.

“Well, it was exactly like that. After we were rescued from here, we were taken to the hospital first. You know St. Marcus Memorial Hospital has a special underground wing for all these FBI related cases. Highly classified and only doctors from certain family legacies know about it. We were there for about, uhh,  give or take two months. Then after that we were also put into the initiation program. After six month we graduated from there and then were put back to resume our lives but in a different town. They thought that he had been taken care of. But he showed up again and we were hurt again so after that we were given fake ids.” I say.

“So these Special Agents were always with you?” Jack asks.

“Nope. Agent Booth, that is my dad, was given the responsibility of us. We were his personal case since the doctor who was on our case is his sister and became really close to the both us kids. Then this time the head, Ms. Cowel, made sure that we were protected. In a span of 3 years we had to change our id four times. So she called Agent McCarthy, that is my mom, and told us to pose as a family.” I said.

“Ohkk. Is it weird, I mean being someone you are not?” Moses asks. 

“It’s just my name and my physical appearance which is different. Otherwise I really don’t know how to be a different person.” I said. 

“That is there. Do you always change your hair colour and all, I mean you had red- orangish hair before.” Jack says.

“Yea. Every three weeks I have to dye the roots again. It's always different but what I really don’t know is how he always manages to find is. I mean we have already moved like 4 times before coming back here.” I say.

“But shouldn’t you be away from this place? But you moved back here, why?” Moses asks.

“Well, you tell me if something terrible happened to you at a place would you go back there?” I ask.

“No.”

“Nope.”

“Exactly, that is why we moved back because no one would think that we would come back to this fateful place.” I say.

“Yep. That is true.” Jack says.

Should I ask them about Nathan? 

Obviously, duh!

I shake my head at the stupid tumble in my brain and decide to ask about it anyway.

“So guys, umm… if you don’t mind me asking but I really want to know what is wrong with Nathan? Where are his parents and brother?” I ask.

“It’s really not our place to tell, Azzi. Nate won't be comfortable plus I don’t think you’ll be able to look at him the same way you look at him now.” Moses says.

“Trust me on this Azzi, when the time will come he will open up to you, I guess, because he is only opening up to you and not any of us.” I just sighed and nodded at his reply. 

“It’s late guys. We should really call it a night.” Jack says. 

“Yeah. Let’s take the guest rooms upstairs.” Moses says and they both get up to go to the guest rooms.

“Umm. Guys, is it okay if I stay here and keep checking up on Nathan. I feel he will need checking up throughout the night.” I say.

“Okay, sure. But you also get some sleep, okay. Cannot have the only person handling the brute sick now.” Jack says and ruffles my hair. 

“Hey! I’m not a small kid. Don’t touch my hair like that!” I whine.

“Oh but Azzi, you are. You are the youngest of us all.” Moses says smirking and they walk off together. 

I shake my head at their behavior with a small smile on my face and walk towards Nathan’s room.

I enter his room slowly so that my feet do not make any noise and sit on the bed beside Nathan close to his head so I can run my hands through his hair.

I look at him and see that his tears have dried on his face and he looks peaceful yet troubled. How can someone so young and beautiful and smart so f*****g f****d up. 

“You know, Nathan, I really want that you would open up to me and tell me what is wrong and bothering you, but me wanting this just makes me a hypocrite because if I was in your position I could never tell you anything about me. I so badly want to tell you and everyone that I am Azzi, your best friend, but I can’t. I can’t risk you all.” I say and move my hand through his hair.

He moves a little and opens his gorgeous hazel eyes and says, “Why are you so far, Azzi. Come here.” 

WHAT THE ACTUAL f**k!

DID THE FUCKER LISTEN TO EVERYTHING! 

OH f**k AZZI! YOU COULDN’T HAVE KEPT YOUR MOUTH SHUT!

FUCK! f**k! f**k! f**k! 

MISSION ABORT SUSAN! MISSION f*****g ABORT!

Excuse me Susan who? 

SUSAN ME! YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS DUMBASS!

Ohh!

“Wha...at? What did you just call me?” I asked.

When I said that suddenly his eyes widened and he tried to sit up but failed miserably.

“s**t I am so sorry, Melly. It’s just that you remind me so much of someone that I by mistake called you that. f**k, I am really sorry.” He says holding my hand.

BEAUTIFUL! HE DIDN’T HEAR ANYTHING! THANK THE f*****g GOD, SUSAN!

“Will you lay down with me, please?” He says.

I nod and lie down with him and he cuddles me from behind. 

“I am really sorry you had to see me like this. I am usually not like this but AI really can’t help when they bring my family or her up. By the way where are those two fuckers?” He says.

“It’s okay, Nate. The two of them went to sleep in the guest room around 10 minutes ago.” I say. 

“Okay.” He says and quickly cuddles into me again. 

SHOULD I ASK HIM? 

NOOOOOO. IT WILL FEEL WEIRD TO HEAR ABOUT YOURSELF FROM HIM.

“You won't ask me about them?” Nathan asks.

“Not unless you want me to?” I say. 

“I guess you do deserve to know about Azzi at least.” He says.  

“I would love to.” I say. 

“So well we met at the local daycare centre. She was that feisty girl who wasn't shy of speaking her mind even when she was small. I still remember the first time I saw her. It was the first day of my daycare after the Christmas holidays and I never liked being there because all the other older kids always made fun of me. I was that scrawny little ugly duckling but now I am a beautiful swan.” He says and both of us laugh  at it. 

“Continue, I want to listen more.” I say.

“Really? I hope I’m not boring you or anything?” He asks. 

NATHANIEL POV

“Bore? Are you serious. I can never get tired of hearing you speak.” She speaks and for a minute I saw the same fire in her green eyes that I always saw in Azzi’s. Wait? She has green eyes?

‘Oh.. Okay, so my mom signed me in and I went and sat in a corner reading a picture book……

FLASHBACK START 

It has been half an hour since mom has left me and I have completed two books already. Mrs Buckley will be proud of me, I thought. 

I looked up to see what else I could play with when I saw the older kids who called me bad names coming towards me. 

“Oh no! Oh no! Mommy! Mommy!” I kept muttering under my breadth. 

“Nathy! What have you got here today! Aww! Momma’s boy is reading the picture books again like whittle girls read.” Samuel, their leader says. 

“Yes, Nathy! Did mommy not tell you big boys like us do not read these books but whittle girls like you read these books.” Samantha, his twin, says.  

“Shame! Shame” The other kids say and start laughing. 

“Oii.” We hear a little voice say and all of us look towards the source of the voice.  

The voice came from a small but tall girl having red hair. One look at her and my little heart skipped a beat.

“You cannot trouble anyone like that. Say sorry and be friends.” She says authoritatively putting her hands on her hips and walking towards us. 

She was wearing a back top with denim skirt and sparkle shoes with her hair open and I just couldn’t take my eyes away from her. 

Woah! I guess I just fell in love! 

“And who are you to tell us anything you wittle girl.” Samuel says. 

“Yes. My brother here is very strong. He will punch you and make you cry, wittle girl.” Samantha continues. 

The girl suddenly starts laughing and all of us look at her like she is mad or something. 

“Wittle girl, why are you laughing?” Samuel asked. 

“I am laughing because it is not whittle but little.” She says and continues to laugh.

“Are you making fun of us?” Samantha asks.

“Yes.” She says and continues, “Wittle. Wittle. Wittle.” And laughs. 

And I can’t help but join in. So both of us look at each other and laugh which, I guess irritates the twins and Samuel decides to speak, “ Wittle girl, I will punch you?” 

“No. You cannot.” I say which surprises me also since I have never spoken back but I could not let him do anything to this girl. 

“Here, children what is happening?” Mrs Buckley says walking over to us. 

Suddenly the girl runs towards Mrs Buckley and starts crying. 

“What happened child? Why are you crying?” Mrs Buckley asks her. 

“Ma’am Samuel, Samantha and their friends are very bad. They called this boy and I bad names and when I said not to call us that Samuel said he will punch me.” She says sniffing. 

“Samuel and gang I have had so many complaints against you and now I am going to talk to all your parents when they come to pick you up. Now all of you are on time out. Go and sit on the time out chairs. Say sorry to these two and go.” Mrs. Buckley says and they mutter a low sorry and go away.

When the gang leaves she comes and stands in front of me.

“Hello. My name is Astrid Emily Miller, a.k.a, Azzi. MY address is 42 on Pine Street, Delwood. Would you like to be my friend?” She says extending her pinky finger to me.

“Huh!” I just say staring at her.

“My friend?” She says moving her pinky finger in front of me.

“Yes.” I say and join my pinky finger with hers. 

“Good. What is your name?” She says sitting next to me.

“Nathaniel Vivian Johnson. My dad calls me bud, mommy calls me baby and Cally calls me Nate.” He says. 

“Nice. Can I call you Nathan or better Vivian.” She says and starts laughing. 

And at that moment this four year old decided to be hers forever. 

FLASHBACK OVER

“Since that day, we were inseparable. The rest of the gang joined us the next week I guess.” I say.  

“Damn. All of you are so close knit.” She says and I can’t help but notice a little sadness in her voice and eyes. 

“Melly, you don’t mind me asking you a question?” I say. 

“No. Ask away.” She says. 

“Remember the other day, we were checking eye colours and you said you have brown eyes but all I can see are f*****g beautiful green eyes.” I say. 

She just stares at me and says hiding her eyes with her hair, “N..No. You are mistaken.” 

I then move over to her side, force her to look me in the eyes and say, “ I am looking right in your eyes and all I see is green and not brown, Melly. So tell me what are you hiding?” I say basing these words on my observations of her.  

She doesn’t say anything but her eyes move slightly towards my lips and move back again. This makes me look at her full, red, luscious lips inviting me to capture them within mine and never let go. 

“Melly can you please look me in the eye because if you don’t and keep looking at my lips then I really don’t know what I will do.” I say my voice getting huskier by the minute. 

“I.. I…” She says and bites her lips and was all it took for me to cup her face and move closer to her whilst licking my own lips. 

“You know, I have been waiting to taste these beautiful and luscious lips of yours since the day you kissed me on my cheek. I am telling you, my restraint is borderline right now and if you don’t stop biting these sinful lips of yours, I will be forced to bite them, suck them, devour them till both of us are satisfied.” I say holding her face in one hand and moving the other hand up and down her neck. 

“Na...Nathan.” She said biting her lip again which sounded more like her moaning my name more than anything else. 

“I guess, I’ll just have to show you, Melly, that I am a man of my word.” I say and plant my lips on her and taste her heavenly, sinful lips.