Road Tripping with the Baseball Team

Chapter 6 - Mystery Machine

Sighing in relief carter is in the kitchen. Wearing his boxers from last night. And making breakfast and by breakfast, I mean he has two bowls out and some lucky charms. Which happens to be my favorite cereal.

"Hey," I said smiling slightly. "I thought you left," I said looking down. All my insecurities surfacing.

"I wouldn't do that to you," Carter says closing the space between us. Giving me a soft reassuring kiss.

"I know, I just thought... that you didn't want me anymore," I said letting out a breath. Finally looking up at him.

Mesmerized by him, from his morning bed head to his chest which looked like it came straight out of a magazine. How did I get so lucky?

"I should be asking you that," Carter says.

Blushing I asked, "Did I say that out loud?" I ask burying my face into his chest trying to hide my embarrassment.

"Yes, you did," he said with that boyish grin I have grown to love.

"I love how I can literally say or tell you anything," I say. "You're like my personal therapist at times," I said smiling.

"And how does that make you feel," he says trying to keep a straight face but failing.

" no, but in all seriousness, when I told you I liked you I thought you would laugh, but when you said it back, I thought you were kidding. I still can't believe you were serious," I say

"Well if last night isn't enough proof for you, I'm up or round two. I think you owe me something anyway," he said smirking.

"p*****t," I say smacking his bare chest.

"Hey it's not my fault my personal check engine light just came on, know anyone good with their hands?" he says. Making my cheek blush a furious red. "I know someone who was very eager last night,"

"f**k you," I said stalking towards the table grabbing my bowl and filling it to the brim with cereal.

"What time sweetheart," he says coming up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waste.

"Can you go five minutes without making a s****l remark, Mr. I-think-with-my-d**k," I Say quickly getting out of his grasp and sitting down at the mahogany table.

"Not if you're around me munchkin,"

"On a serious note, what the hell are we going to do about this whole road trip thing? Your foster parents know nothing right?" I asked.

"I don't think they suspect anything," he says reassuring my thoughts.

"Good, so we leave Friday then, two days," I said getting excited. "Are we going to pick up the RV today?" I asked shoveling more cereal in my mouth. Very ladylike if you asked me. Note the sarcasm.

"Yeah, we could if you wanted. I still have the car, plus we need to go back to my house and get the evidence we found yesterday. I still can't believe that happened." he says sounding confused "Who put that stuff in there and how did they know we would have been down there,"

"I feel like this whole thing is bigger than just the three of us, there has got to be more people involved," I said nervously.

"We'll be fine munchkin, I promise," he says.

Out of nowhere the doorbell rings. I opted to answer it since my boyfriend decides to walk around in his boxers only, not that I'm complaining. I scoop up the remainder of my cereal in my mouth and dump it in the sink. And make my way to the door.

"I guess I'll clean these up," I hear carter says.

"See these are the reasons I keep you around," I said looking back at him.

Finally reaching the door. I open it and there is nothing there. I looked left and right. And I could have sworn I saw a car turn the corner when I looked to the left. I was about to close the door when something at my feet caught my attention. It was an off-yellow folder and It looked like it had something in it. It was addressed to Carter and me.

Picking it up I did a double check to make sure no one was outside. I wondered dropped this off. When I got back to the kitchen, I set the folder down on the table. Carter had his back to me washing dishes.

"Who was at the door?" he said oblivious to anything that just happened.

"No one was at the door," I said slowly" but this was," and he turned around finally seeing the mysterious folder.

"What's in it?" he voices.

"Open it, and find out," I said sitting across the table from him as he opens the folder and tips it upside down. And a whole bunch of pictures spills out onto the table. Along with a note, but my main focus is on the pictures. They look like stalker pictures of all of us, meaning Carter, Henry, Isaac, Derek, and even Kelly and my dad. They were from when we were stuck in the school and some from when we all got together that night.

"Holy s**t," I hear Carter whisper.

I look at every picture I'm sure it has to be some sort of stalker. All of the pictures none of us are looking directly at the camera. I'm trying to think back to when we were in the building and nothing sketchy comes to mind. They even have one picture that scares the s**t out of me. It's us all sleeping when we were in the school.

"What the hell," I say.

"Do you think these are the same people who gave us the pictures of your mom?" I ask.

"No, they seemed like they were trying to help us. But we never know," he said studying each picture.

I picked up the small note and all it said was:

Nothing happens without a reason

- T

I feel like we just jumped back to square one. I'm so confused because none of this adds up. But I'm 99.9% sure these are two different people. But I could be very well wrong. It's just this gut feeling.

"What's that supposed to mean," Carter says.

"I don't have a clue; nothing happens without a reason?" I say letting the words roll off of my tongue.

Right now, I felt so vulnerable. Someone was stalking us, but who and also why? So many unanswered questions I feel like I'm in a god damned Scooby-Doo movie.

"We are calling the RV the mystery machine," I blurted out. yeah, I don't know if I made this clear but I make awkward situations even more awkward or serious ones well awkward because of my word diarrhea I just say the first thing that comes to mind.

Definitely, something I should work on.

"You're so weird," Carter says flashing that grin again " but I like weird,"

"Good," I say reaching across the table joining our hands.

Then it all clicked, I felt like every piece just fell into place. My eyes grew wide, and I snapped my eyes up to meet carters who held a look of pure curiosity.

"The day of the storm, how did you guys get stuck in the locker room?" I say slowly. I can see the gears turning in his head.

"We were supposed to be putting equipment away. And when we tried opening the door it was locked," he says looking like he was in deep concentration.

"Do you remember anything else from that day?" I ask hoping, praying for some sort of answer.

"I know for a fact coach didn't tell us to put the equipment away. I don't remember who did now that I think about it. Nothing out of the ordinary happened either." he says.

"Ok so obviously they or whoever this is wanted you to all be in one room or at least one of you, and what about me. Do you think something would have happened if Henry hadn't texted me?" I said.

 So, I was meant to be down there, maybe, but why?