Chapter 9

Everything was just going sideways.

I'm no where closer to finding my mother and now Joy is missing.

I looked over to Danny who was sitting beside me on the sidewalk. He looks like he just gave up.

I suddenly felt a sharp cramp in my stomach,I've been feeling them since morning.

Must be the alcohol from last night coming back to haunt me.

"Danny we can't just stay here"

I got up and held out my hand to him which he took.

We started walking when he put a hand on my back, indicating that I should stop.

"What is it now?" I said.

Danny says nothing, just takes off his jacket and ties it around my waist.

"You're stained"

"Wha-"

Why God?

Just why?

I cover my face in embarrassment.

"Wait here" he says before walking off.

I sit back down on the sidewalk and wait for him to come back.

How embarrassing....

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Danny later comes back with a plastic bag and hands it to me.

I look inside to see a box of tampons and another one with pads.

"I didn't know which ones you wanted...." he says while scratching the back of his neck. A habit of his when he's nervous.

"Thanks" I say awkwardly." But I need to umm..

Shower"

He nods.

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"Will you stop?!"

"I didn't even do anything"

"You're breathing too loud!"

Danny had checked us into a cheap motel.

And after buying ourselves some clothes at a thrift store, and getting something to eat, we were now officially broke again.

I had just finished showering and my hair was now back into its curly form.

I was sitting on the bed cross legged while Danny sat on a couch beside the bed.

"Oh I'm sorry,should I just stop breathing then?!" He shouts sarcastically.

I let out a sigh.

"Sorry"

"It's fine" he says

"It's just...."

"Yeah I know"

"Danny?" I say after a while.

"Hmm?"

"What's our next step?"

"Honestly, I don't know"

"Hey" I say to him "we'll find Joy ok. She's a smart girl, I'm sure she's safe."

He just nods.

"Danny?"

"Hmm?"

I get off the bed and sit next to him on the couch.

"You're a good brother"

"Thanks Gravity"

Woah, that's the first time he's ever called me by my name.

"Tell me about your mother" he says after a while, suprising me.

"Well, she's the kindest person I know. She's strong and  fearless. Sweet like honey, tough as stone, if you know what I mean."

"She sounds alot like you" he says which catches me by suprise.

"Oh please. I'm not fearless"

"And what do you call a girl who outsmarts a police officer and breaks out of prison? Definately not a coward"

I laugh.

"What?"he asks

"That's the longest sentence you've said since we met"

He smiles. A rare occurrence.

" Danny?"

"Hmm"

"I'm kind of losing hope of ever finding my mother"

"Hey," he takes the ring out of his pocket and gives it to me. "As long as we have this, there's still hope"

I put the ring on my right middle finger.

I rest my head on his shoulder, and to my suprise he doesn't protest, but instead puts his hand on top of mine.

And that is how we stay.

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"No"

"Yes"

"No"

Danny and I had just left the motel, and now he wants to steal food.

"But you're hungry" he says.

"Dann-"

I'm interupted by the sound of a guitar.

I look to see a man playing to himself.

I smile.

"Oh no, I know what you're thinking" Danny says but I ignore him.

I go over to the man and ask if I can borrow.

He suprisingly says yes.

I run back over to Danny with the guitar.

"Give me your hat"

"No"

"Daniel.."

"Fine, here"

I lay his hat on the ground and start playing.

"What is this? Fucking Disney?" Danny says but I ignore him and start singing.

Feel the wind in my hair spinning me around, around.

Caught in mid air not afraid of nothing now.

A woman passes and drops some coins in the hat.

Take a breath, take a chance, and let it take me away.

I'll never let the weight of the world pull me down.

Another person drops a few bills in the hat.

I'm going over, I'm falling free

Don't care if no one's there to catch me.

A small crowd starts forming around us.

I look over to Danny who just watches in amazement.

I'll close my eyes, and I'm gonna let it be

I'm gonna go with gravity, go with gravity.

By time I finish the song, the hat is almost full.

The crowd deflates and I count the money.

$83

"You can sing" Danny says as more of a question.

"Well... Yeah"

He nods, still looking at me.

"Here's your hat."

I brush it off and Jam it onto his head.

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"This is soo good" I moan while eating the chicken.

Danny just stares at me with an unreadable expression on his face.

Maybe I'm eating too messy?

Who cares I'm hungry.

What does he think this is? A wattpad Story?

He probably thinks you're a blobfish.

Just as I was about to say something, a waiter trips and spills water all over me.

"Are you blind?"

Danny yells at the guy.

"S... Sorry" he stutters

"It's ok" I say while Danny glares at him still.

The waiter walks off without even giving me a paper towel or something to dry myself off.

I feel a tap on my back and someone hands me a napkin.

"Thanks" I say and turn around.

Wait.

" Joy?!"

Unknown POV.

"You said she had curly hair right?"

I look over to the boy and girl eating.

"And the boy had dark brown hair?"

"Yes" the female voice on the phone says.

"It's them, what do you want me to do now?

"Oh, nothing. They're gonna get what's comimg to them. I have their location now, and that's all that matters" the voice says.

Then the line goes dead.

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