Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 46875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
I’m literally speechless, and apart from being the most beautiful thing anyone’s ever said to me, it’s as if he’s reading my mind when he tells me because I couldn’t have said it better myself.
He leans over to kiss me, and I feel myself in a near swoon by the time his warm palm is against my face, pulling me closer.
But the sudden loud and unmistakable sound of paper crinkling, followed by a familiar voice, makes us both freeze.
“Uhhh… Are you guys going to eat this?”
It’s Joey.
Joey!? What the?
Both our necks crane to look in the backseat, and there he is in his pajamas, his school satchel packed with what looks like a change of clothes.
And already helping himself to our breakfast.
But how the…?
“Joey!? I exclaim, not sure who I need to ask first what the hell’s going on.
My head pivots from Joey to Zak, but one look at Zak and I can tell he’s as shocked and surprised as I am.
The only one who seems perfectly at home, which is where he should be right now, is Joey.
He smiles at Zak, showing the gap where he recently lost a tooth.
“I’m running away with you guys,” he announces. Informing us, not asking.
Zak draws a breath to speak, but my rising panic beats him to it.
“Joey?” I ask him in a quivering, trying to stay calm voice. “Why are you in Zak’s car?” Trying to smile but feeling the grimace of near horror spreading over my face.
“I saw Zak kissing you last night from my window,” Joey boasts. “And when he came back this morning, I figured you were both running away. But you can’t run away without me. I’m like your best friend, Jade,” he says, matter of fact.
I make a short, wheezing sound trying to begin to even process what’s happening.
Zak saves me.
Speaking calmly but with authority to Joey.
“Hiya, Joey,” he says, starting off cheerfully.
“Did you climb in all by yourself just now?” he asks. “I mean, how long have you…?” he starts to ask, but Joey spells it out for us both again.
Narrating his adventure as if he’s recounting the story so far.
“I saw you parked out front all night. I’m grounded,” Joey recounts. “And then you drove off but came back. That’s when I knew you were running away,” he says with conviction.
“Okay,” Zak murmurs to me. “He’s only been in the car as long as you have. If we turn around now, we can drop him straight back and keep….”
But Joey’s not having any of it.
“You can’t make me go back there!” he cries loudly. “Mom’s already crazy mad at me, and if you’re going anyplace with Jade, then I’m coming too!” he shouts, even folding his arms and pouting for full effect.
Delivering the kind of ultimatum that only a ten-year-old can.
And you want the whole package, right Zak? White picket fence…House? Kids? Take a good look, buddy, ‘cause this is what they turn into.
“We’re not running away, sweetie,” I explain, shooting Zak a glance that tells him I’ll take care of this.
He puts the car into drive, and turning around before we reach the freeway, he heads back home.
“Zak wants me to do some work. Computer science stuff, and we’re just… going to go over a few things,” I reason with him.
“Grown-up stuff,” I add for effect, which he knows always means things that don’t include him.
He looks like he’s going to cry, but he reigns it in. He was never one to show his emotions for long.
“I’ll be home later, and I think I’ll have something you might be interested in,” I say, teasing him a little, knowing how he loves a good surprise.
“What is it? Jade, tell me,” he demands, unable to stay mad for more than a minute, his cheeky smile lighting up his face at the hint of something just for him.
“It’ll have to be a surprise,” I chime, turning back in my seat and starting to lecture him instead on how wrong it is to just creep into other people’s cars.
“I know you only wanted to tag along, but your mom, Joey. She’d be worried sick if she found you gone like this.”
My words have their proper effect, and it isn’t long before Zak has us parked on the corner of our street.
“I’ll be right back,” I promise him, tugging Joey’s arm by his sleeve as he waves goodbye to Zak.
I take him around back, through the back door he’s left unlocked, and plead with him to stay there.
“I’m not running away, Joey,” I remind him in a whisper, not wanting to get caught myself right now.
“I’m just going to work, okay? And I’ll have that surprise for you when I come back later. How’s that?” I ask him, already feeling lousy for having to bring him home like this.
“Promise?” he asks, sounding every bit like the ten-year-old boy he is, not his username.