We walked in the direction the clerk had pointed us and about ten minutes later, the buildings started looking more rundown, and groups of people stood on street corners, some laughing and others just seeming to mill around. Xander and I didn't talk. We were so busy looking around, taking everything in, trying to understand how the big society that we were now a part of, worked. I thought I had understood a lot of it from the people who talked about the lives they'd lived before Acadia, but being among it was a completely different experience.
"Look," Xander said, pointing his finger across the street. I turned my head to see a giant sign that said, "PAWN SHOP." I couldn't help laughing softly. "Well that's not easy to miss. Come on."
We crossed the street and entered the shop and went to the counter. A man came out from the back. "Can I help you?"
Xander took the piece of jewelry he'd brought out of his pocket and put it on the counter. "I want to sell this."
The man picked up the heavy chain and looked it over, squinting his eyes and rolling the small stick in his mouth. My heart picked up in speed. What if this didn't work? We'd have basically no cash left.
"You got ID?"
"No, all our stuff got stolen," Xander said.
The man studied him. "You need an ID to pawn something in my shop."
Xander blinked at him, opening his mouth and then closing it as he looked down at the chain in the man's hand.
"But I'll buy it from you, no ID required."
I wasn't too stupid to see we were about to be cheated. "How much?" I asked.
"Five hundred dollars."
Which meant it was probably worth four times that. "We'll take it," Xander said. I nodded. What other choice did we have? Plus, we had some more. Maybe Kristi would help us out next time and we'd get a fairer price.
The guy nodded and went to the back. When he came back out, he counted out five one hundred dollar bills and put them down on the counter. "Nice doing business with you boys," he said, looking to the side and belching.
I grimaced and pulled Xander's arm as he picked up the cash. He put it in his pocket and we walked to the door. I kept having the feeling someone was going to reach out and pull us back, so when we let the heavy door close behind us, I let my breath out in relief.
"Let's get back," I said, suddenly not liking the feel of this particular neighborhood. Xander seemed to feel the same way as he looked around nervously.
We walked back to the hotel, moving as quickly as possible.
Being in the city with cars racing by us, sudden noises I wasn't acquainted with, shouts of people I didn't know, eyes of strangers on me, caused a brief longing for Acadia and all I was familiar with. It was confusing since I'd wanted so badly to experience the outside world and now here I was doing that. But inside, I longed for the familiar, for the things and surroundings that made me feel confident and in control, for the way of life I understood.
Eden, I needed Eden, my comfort, my purpose, the other half of my heart. I picked up speed and Xander jogged to catch up with me, not asking any questions, seeming to understand why I was in such a hurry.
**********
Xander used the key to open the hotel room door and I practically pushed him aside to get through. "Eden?"
All the curtains were open, showing the night sky. The beds were made and everything looked like it'd been straightened. But where was Eden? "Eden?" I called again.
I dropped all the bags in my hands on the bed, my heart rate starting to increase.
"In here," she called, walking out of the bathroom. I breathed out, putting my hand over my chest.
I rushed toward her and picked her up in my arms and she laughed as I squeezed her tight.
"Success?" she asked.
"Yeah," I said, burying my nose in her fragrant neck. I drew in her scent, feeling at peace. "We got money and clothes and food."
Eden sucked in a breath. "Big success. Let me see. Oh, and I'm starving. Feed me."
I laughed and put her down, leaning back to open the bag with the food in it.
As I got all the food out, Eden went back in the bathroom. When she came out a few minutes later wearing the small sundress and sweater, I stopped what I was doing and simply stared. Her slim, but shapely legs were fully on view, and the fitted sundress showed her curves, her creamy cleavage on view at the top. I raised my eyes to look at her face and she was biting her lip, waiting for me to speak. "You look beautiful," I said. "Almost too beautiful. I'm going to have to get used to the way people dress out here."
Eden let out a breath and smiled, looking down at the bright fabric and raising her eyebrows. "Me, too."
I looked back at Xander and he was staring at Eden, too, a small smile on his face. "Whoa," he said. When he saw me looking at him, the smile vanished. "It's really . . . bright, that's all."
I looked back at Eden and she started laughing first, and I couldn't help but to join her.
We sat down on the bed and ate bread, broken off pieces of cheese, and apples. We told Eden about our "adventures" in the aisles of Target and the pawnshop.
As Eden and Xander laughed and chatted about something, I chewed my apple and watched them, a small smile on my face. Whatever happened from here on out, whatever struggles we had, I'd never forget this moment. For some reason, it felt important to take a mental picture that very second. I shook my head slightly, and focused back in on their conversation.
"I'm gonna try Kristi now," Xander said. "Eden, will you walk me through this phone thing?"
Eden and Xander went over to the phone on the bedside table while I cleaned up the food.
I looked back when I heard Xander say, "Kristi?"
Eden came over and wrapped her arms around me from behind and nuzzled her face into my back. I turned around and gathered her in my arms, kissing the top of her head as I listened to Xander give Kristi a brief breakdown on what had happened since yesterday. Had it only been yesterday? It seemed incomprehensible that life had changed so much in twenty-four hours.
"Yeah," Xander said, "okay . . . right. Half an hour? Okay, yeah."
I looked at him questioningly over Eden's head.
Xander hung up the phone and stood there for a second, looking at the wall. Finally, he turned toward us. "Kristi's going to pick us up in half an hour. She said the police were all over the ranger station today asking about Eden."
Cold dread ran down my spine.
"She said we're not safe here at a hotel, especially one of the first ones at the entrance to the city."
I nodded and Eden stood back. "Right. Okay," I said, starting to gather up our stuff. "Is it safe to go to Kristi's house?"
"Probably safer than here. She suggested we get out of town as quickly as possible."
"Out of town?" Eden asked stuffing things into the canvas bag we'd brought.
"Yeah. We can ask her when she picks us up."
"Can we get our money back for the room?" Eden asked.
Xander shook his head. "We have a thousand dollars now with Kristi's money. I don't think it's worth drawing attention to ourselves right now."
We were packed up in ten minutes and watched the clock for the next twenty. I paced while Xander and Eden sat on the bed watching me. The police were looking for Eden, which meant Hector had called them. I didn't know why I had doubted he'd call the authorities. True, Eden was a minor, for now, but she wouldn't be for long. And Hector had always seemed so adamant about keeping our community separate from the big community, operated by its own laws. The laws of the gods as spoken to him.
A few minutes later, we were stepping out onto the street. A small, red car pulled up to the curb and a pretty woman, with dark-blonde hair pulled up into a ponytail, was stepping out. She immediately went to Xander and gave him a hug.
"Kristi, this is Calder and Eden," Xander said, opening the back door so we could get in.
Kristi's eyes widened as she held out her hand to me. "Wow. Okay," she said, almost so I didn't hear. I frowned in confu
sion. Then she turned to Eden and shook her hand, smiling warmly at her.
We all got in the car, and Kristi turned around and instructed us on how to attach the seatbelt. I grabbed Eden's hand.
Kristi pulled the car back onto the road and I sat back, looking nervously out the window as the buildings flew by. My heart picked up in speed and I tightened my grip on Eden's hand. She squeezed it back and gave me a reassuring smile.
"So," Kristi said from the front seat, "you guys really did it. You made a break for it."
Xander chuckled from the front seat. "Yeah, we were kind of forced to."
Kristi looked over at him and furrowed her brow. "You did the right thing, Xander."
"Gods, I hope so," Xander muttered.
"God, singular," Kristi said, grinning at him.
"Right." He looked back over his shoulder at Eden and me. "I forgot to mention to you guys, in the big society, people pray to a god, singular. There aren't plural gods like in Acadia."
"Yes . . . I think I remember that," Eden said. Her eyes got big. "Which one is it?" she asked, sitting forward. I smiled over at her. I knew which one she was hoping for.
"Uh, just, you know, the creator of the universe," Kristi said, looking in her mirror at us and shrugging. "But there's also Jesus, Buddha, and Muhammad . . . Allah. Different people, different religions and cultures pray to different gods, or prophets, or whatever. But only one . . . generally."
Eden sat back, a dissatisfied look on her face. I looked at her and grinned and squeezed her hand again. Gods, I loved her. God, I loved her.
"So," I said, "Xander mentioned that you thought we should leave town."
Kristi nodded her head. "If it were me, I would. The police came to the ranger station today, said you were an underage runaway, Eden, and they were looking for you. Obviously I didn't say anything about ever having seen any of you." She glanced at Xander. "But I'd get far away from here if I were you." She paused. "If you decide not to, I know some people who I'm sure would help you get a start here. But I encourage you to get far away."
"Where should we go?" Xander asked.
"Well, that's up to you guys. You don't know anyone at all?"
We all shook our heads. "No one except you," Xander said.
"Which, by the way," I said, "we can't thank you enough, Kristi. I don't know where we'd be if Xander hadn't met you, and without your help."
Kristi looked in her mirror at me and seemed to blush slightly. "Hey, if I were in your position, I'd hope someone would help me, too."
I nodded, not completely understanding her meaning.
"Speaking of help, we have some more jewelry we were hoping you could help us sell," Xander said.
"That's no problem," Kristi said. "I've sold gold before. It's easy. And there are plenty of reputable places."
"Yeah," Xander said, "I don't think the place we went to yesterday was very reputable."
Kristi looked at Xander a little confused and laughed softly. "You'll have to tell me about it." She pulled into a parking lot, turned off the car, and got out. We followed with our meager possessions.
We walked behind Kristi down a path and up a stairway and watched as she took out a key and opened a door that had "8C" on it in a chipped gold paint.
Kristi shut the door behind us and we all looked around at the apartment. In addition to the large pieces of furniture, there were boxes piled up against one wall.
"I know it's small," Kristi said, looking embarrassed. "And you guys know I'm moving in a couple weeks, so . . ."
I looked at Xander and we both started laughing.
"What?" Kristi asked.
I knew it was rude, but I couldn't get a hold of my laughter, and Xander apparently couldn't either as we both doubled over, clutching our stomachs. It was almost as if the stress of the last few days crumbled our self-control.
"Don't mind them," I heard Eden say. "It's just they both grew up in a whole cabin about an eighth of this size." I was still laughing, but I had to admit I was proud of her fraction usage in ordinary conversation. I had taught her that.
We both straightened up. "Sorry, sorry," I said, containing myself. "Kristi, to us, this is a palace, I swear. You have no idea."
Kristi grinned and laughed, too, rolling her eyes. "Okay, then, you're going to be really excited about this. Calder and Eden, you have a whole room to yourselves right through there. Xander, you get the couch."
"Story of my life," Xander said, throwing our stuff down on the large brown piece of furniture. I chuckled and pushed him slightly, which he took good-naturedly.
"So guys, I know it's still early," Kristi said, "but I'm going to turn in because I have class really early and tomorrow is my last day of work at the ranger station." She yawned. "But help yourselves to anything in my kitchen and we'll talk more tomorrow about your plan. The thing you're all going to need is IDs. But, we'll discuss that. Also, Xander, leave the rest of the jewelry on the coffee table there. I'll grab it in the morning and stop at a jewelry store on my way home from work."
I nodded. "Hey, thanks again, Kristi, for everything." I reached out to shake her hand, not knowing exactly what to do. She smiled and shook my hand, blushing slightly.
She smiled at Xander and Eden who thanked her, too, and we all said goodnight.
I took Eden by the hand and pulled her into the room that Kristi had pointed us to. There was nothing except a mattress sitting on a metal frame, made up with sheets and a blanket folded up at the end of the bed.
I took Eden's face in my hands and kissed her long and deep. I couldn't believe we were in a room together, and could simply enjoy each other so freely. The feeling was incredible.
"Your bed is my bed now," she whispered.
"Forever. From this day forward, we'll never sleep apart again."
There was peacefulness in Eden's smile. I loved seeing her smile like that. As I watched her, she covered her mouth to hide a yawn. "Sorry, I have no idea why I'm still so tired."
"Because you went through a really scary experience and then walked twenty miles practically barefoot." I raised one brow. "Let's get a really good night's sleep and then we'll get up early and figure things out."
Eden nodded, biting her lip. "Do you really think we should leave here right away?"
I considered it for a second, taking my bottom lip under my teeth. "Yeah, I think so."
"Your parents . . ." she said, looking up at me with those trusting, deep blue eyes.
My chest tightened and I breathed out. "Someday . . . maybe we'll go back . . . for now, I have a life to build for us. That's my focus, my only focus."
Eden nodded, still frowning slightly.
I leaned forward and kissed her lips gently again. "You go use the bathroom first."
"Okay."
Eden took her turn in the bathroom, using the products we'd bought, and then I took mine, using toothpaste for the very first time in my life. It was overly sweet and tasted odd to me, but after I'd brushed, I loved the slightly minty taste in my mouth.
When I got back to the room, Eden was already under the covers, half asleep. I stripped off my clothes and joined her, taking her in my arms, feeling her warmth envelop me, her sweet smell surround me. Our hands started roaming, but we must have been overly tired because the next thing I knew, the first dim light of dawn was streaming through the edges of the shades on the windows and I heard the faint sounds of birds chirping outside the glass.
**********
A little later in the morning, after getting some quick instructions from Kristi as she was on her way out the door, Xander and I left the apartment to see what we could do about getting a copy of our birth certificates for ID purposes, and to find out about bus tickets. I left Eden curled up in bed, her long hair spread over the pillow, her breathing smooth and even. We'd agreed the night before she'd stay in the safety of Kristi's apartment while Xander and I went out. It made me breathe easier. Plus, the only one being looked for was Eden. Both Xander and I were of
legal age.
We stepped back through the apartment door at three thirty. "Eden?" I called, Xander shutting the door behind us.
"Right here," she called out quietly. I hadn't even seen her curled up in a chair on the opposite side of the couch, books scattered all around her.
A grin spread across my face, despite the fact I didn't have much good news to give to her. I'd missed her, and I'd allowed myself to miss her. I'd never willingly done that before, it'd never been safe to do that, but now. . . Now everything was different.
Eden started standing up, her face flushed and her eyes bright. She looked . . . feverish. I stopped. "Are you okay?"
She nodded and set down the book she had in her hands and walked over to me, grabbed my hand and started to walk toward our room. "Hi, Xander," she called, pulling me.
I looked back at Xander, confused and Xander shrugged, picking up a small black controller and pressing a button. "Television," he called behind me. "I watched some last night. You've gotta check this out."
"Okay, we'll be out in a few," I called, closing the door behind us. Eden turned toward me, lifting the bottom of my shirt. "Whoa, hi." I laughed, letting her pull my T-shirt up and over my head. She smiled up at me and then stood back, just staring at my chest.
"You have a beautiful body, Calder. It's . . . so manly, and," she ran her hands up my chest, "sexy." She leaned in and kissed my skin, dragging her tongue around one nipple.
I groaned, hardening. That was one thing about jeans—they didn't allow much . . . expansion. "Uh, Eden, this isn't unwelcome, but what exactly have you been doing for the last several hours?"
She leaned back and looked up at me. "I've been reading." She sighed, looking somewhere behind me. "Beautiful love stories about people destined to be together."
I raised an eyebrow. "People? What people?"
Eden brought her hands down my arms and then started unbuttoning my pants. All thoughts fled my brain. Who cared what she had been doing? If this was the result, I wanted her to do more of it.
She pulled my zipper down, dragged my pants down my hips, and let them fall to the floor. I kicked them aside and her eyes went to my straining erection, and her eyes seemed to grow even glassier as she reached out and stroked me once. I sucked in a breath.