Page 148 of Run
But, because I am who I am, I can’t just ignore Lena. My relationship with her may not be as screwed as the one I had with Axel, but it’s definitely complicated. However, one thing that's not complicated is my renewed vow to be transparent withEthan. So, before I respond to Lena, I call him. It rings and rings before his voicemail picks up.
“Oh, hey. Hi. Um, it’s Ari … Obviously. This is possibly the first time I have ever left you a voice message and it’s weird as shit. Anyway, Lena texted me. She needs to be picked up at the house because her car won’t start and she’s scared Axel’s going to come back. I’m gonna go get her. I’ll text her that I will pull up so she can get in and then I’m leaving. I’m not going to turn the car off. If I see Axel’s car in the driveway I’m not pulling in. I’ll text her and she can meet me at the road. I just wanted you to know … OK, so, I guess that’s it. So, bye. Oh, I love you.”
I hang up, rolling my eyes at my awkwardness, then also shoot Ethan a text, in case he sees that first.
I have to pick Lena up from her house. Listen to your voicemail …
Letting out a sigh and feeling bad for wishing there was anyone else who could help her out, I text Lena, telling her to be ready for me.
I keep checking my phone on the drive over, but she doesn’t text back. The closer I get to the house, the bigger my goosebumps get. I turn onto the street and am practically shaking with nervous energy. I pass Fonz’s parents’ house, craning my head to see if anyone’s there, before I go a little further and my childhood home comes into view. I curse when I don’t see Lena waiting outside for me—or her car.
But I don’t see Axel’s car, either, so I pull into the driveway and put the car in park, then call Lena’s phone. It rings and rings, and it sounds … close.
I roll the windows down and listen, realizing I can hear her phone ringing outside somewhere. The call goes to voicemail, and I end it, then call her again. Once again, I hear her phone ringing. I unlock the car door and open it, stepping just outsideand looking for where the ringing is coming from. My eyes shoot to the garage and my fingertips prickle with unease.
I hate that garage.
But it would make sense if Lena’s car is parked in there, and maybe she left her phone inside the car.
I blow out a breath and head in that direction, phone in hand, leaving my car running in the driveway with the door open. My sneakers drag across the loose gravel, kicking up dirt onto my bare legs below the shorts I changed into after class ended today. Nervous sweat starts to bead up on my back and stick to the T-shirt I’m wearing. I stop halfway to the garage and look back at the car.
I try calling Ethan again, but he doesn’t answer.
You know what? … Fuck. This.
I turn to head back to the car but hear a noise in the garage that causes me to stop. “Lena?” I pivot back toward the garage. “Are you there?” I hear a car door close and decide to just go get her and tell her to get in my damn car so we can get the hell out of here.
“Lena, just leave your car here.” I go around the back of the house where the garage is and see it’s empty. My eyes trail to the side of the garage, where Axel’s car is parked, and my mouth goes dry.
My head whips in the other direction, toward the inside of the garage, when I hear a familiar gravelly voice. “Hello, girl.”
My stomach drops and my limbs tremble as I stand frozen. Every cell in my body tells me to run, but I stay rooted in place.
I’m tired of running. I’m exhausted by it. I don’t want to do it anymore. So instead, I stand there and stare into the eyes of the monster as he takes slow steps toward me.
CHAPTER 48
ETHAN
Pulling into the parking lot next to what I think is Lena’s car at the pub, I turn off the engine and kick the bike stand down. The sun is only just starting to set so my eyes have to adjust to the darkness as I step inside the bar. It’s dead in here, so I walk right up to the pine and set my helmet down, nodding at the bartender.
I opt not to sit. I just want to get this address and get the hell out of here.
“Hey, Ethan.” Lena’s voice causes me to turn as she comes out of the kitchen.
I give her a nod. “Hello.”
“I was hoping Ari might be with you today. I haven’t seen her in a bit.”
“Look.” I sigh. “I have to get to work. I just came by to get that address.”
“Of course.” Lena pulls a piece of paper from her back pocket and hands it to me. I unfold it and look at the words scribbled down. “That’s the last known address I have for Shirley.”
“What about Bonnie?”
“They’ll be together,” she answers without hesitation.
Pulling my phone out of my pocket with the intention of putting the address into my maps app, to see just how far away the address is, I’m distracted by the missed calls and text from Ari. “Shit,” I grumble, realizing the phone was silenced.
