Foolish Games

23. Sneaking out

They sneaked out of the house after midnight when everyone was sleeping. Joni had left a note on the table, simply explaining his reasons for leaving and revealing the true nature that his and Chris's relationship had taken. Assuring that he would be fine and would contact his father later.

It was a cold night; they walked ahead on the snowy dirt road to reach the main one. The plan was to hitchhike, get to some motel, spend the night there, and continue their journey the next day. Joni felt a little better having Chris with him, he felt safer with him than he would have felt doing this alone. Especially when it seemed that Chris was still interested in him, maybe even liked him. He did like Chris too, maybe not quite the same way that he had liked Misha, but maybe it was for the better.

It took them twenty minutes to reach the highway; Joni walked to the side of the road and lifted his thumb, hoping that someone would stop to pick them up soon before they would both freeze to death.

"This is the first time I've ever tried hitch-hiking," Joni snickered looking at the man.

"You know, if you undress, we might have better luck," Chris teased him, grinning, standing behind him.

"Oh sure, I bet everyone would want to stop and pick up the crazy boy standing naked in this weather." Joni snorted and focused back on watching the road; the traffic was slow at that hour.  A few female drivers had passed them, looked towards them, but continued their way without even slowing down.

"They're too scared to pick up two men." Joni groaned and glanced at Chris measuring him with his eyes; He was tall and strong, and he couldn't blame the people for choosing not to stop.

"You can hide in the bushes while I try, when someone stops, you'll jump out," Chris laughed.

"Hm, I bet I can make them stop faster, I look more harmless after all," Joni pointed out.

"Yeah, you're right. You look like a future rape victim," Chris grinned but backed off.

Joni narrowed his eyes at him. "No, I don't! Don't be silly," he protested before turning his focus back to the road. He was shivering from the cold and kept repeating in his mind the hope that someone would stop. Still, he was surprised when before long someone did.

A man pulled over to the side of the road and reached to open the door for him. "Where are you heading boy?" he asked and Joni walked cautiously closer; the man was a little over fifty by the looks of him, balding and slightly overweight, and the way he was looking at him... If Chris hadn't been with him, Joni wouldn't have wanted to get into the car.

"To the nearest motel," he replied, settling his hand on the open door, glancing behind him to see Chris.

"Well hop in, I'll take you there," the man grinned.

"I hope you don't mind, my friend is coming with me," Joni asked with a sweet smile, taking a seat down when Chris had reached them; opening the door to the backseat before the man could say no.

The man looked annoyed, glancing at Chris in the rearview mirror with his eyes narrowed.

"Thank you for stopping, you're an angel, it was so cold out," Joni told him smiling still, the man looked at him and his expression softened slightly.

"It's alright," he nodded before continuing to drive.

"You're running from home or what?" he asked then.

"No, just from my relatives."

"I see," The man nodded, "you look somehow familiar, maybe I've seen you before?"