Run Forest Run (A Zayn Malik Fan Fiction)

Chapter Five - So Sorry

            This was Eleanor Calder. This was the girl who Lottie had said was also a sort of sister to her, like I was. That made us sisters in a way.

            “And she’s missing?” I asked, and looking back I might have sounded a bit to confident in my question. Eleanor nodded, retracting her phone and looking at the picture. “How long?” I asked once more, and Eleanor gulped.

            “Almost two months,” Carly answered for her, appearing at the register again, this time with two steaming cups of Hot Chocolate. I rested the money on the table, but I was in no rush to leave at that moment.

            “That’s terrible,” I breathed out, looking as El took a shaky breath and nodded. “Hey … you ok?” I asked tentatively and Eleanor shrugged her slim shoulders. Carly frowned and placed the money in the cash register, making my change.

            “I just … I’m happy she’s ok,” she replied, and I saw a flash of something in her eyes that I wanted to assure and squash at the same time. It was hope. “I always thought of all the terrible things … prostitution, murder, and really just about anything those cop programs have,” she added, glancing down at the photo again, “with this … well we know she’s in London, and that she’s breathing and … well maybe she’s on the streets.”

            “Forest … I don’t mean to be rude, but I know that you well … “ Eleanor started, biting her tongue as she started saying the words. I watched her as fumbled for the words, but I quickly caught onto what she was trying to say and finished for her.

            “Live on the streets.”

            “Yes,” she replied, her nerves fading away as she continued, “and I was wondering if you’ve maybe ever seen Lottie-”

            I cut her off there. “I’m sorry, I haven’t,” I snapped, “we don’t all meet up at a weekly session. There isn’t any therapy group for the homeless where we gather in a circle around a hobo fire and split our weekly income to pay for a rejected piece of meat that never made it past the chopping block.” Eleanor looked taken aback, and so did Carly, and I really wanted to slap myself at that moment.

            “I know that … I just wanted to know if you’ve seen Lottie,” she murmured, and her voice was once again shaky, but this time it was different, like she was on the verge of tears.

            “I have,” Carly blurted, and both of us tore our vision to her, while she was stuck staring at me. “The girl … the girl who you’ve taken under your wing,” she started, looking at me in disbelief, “I didn’t realize it before … she’s been with you all along.” I felt trapped, trapped by Carly’s disappointing look and Eleanor’s parted mouth.

            “You know where Lottie is?” Eleanor asked as her brown eyes widened. I gulped, my shoulders suddenly carrying a million kilos. “Please,” she added softly, her eyes pleading, “her family misses her so much.” I wanted to snap back that a member of her family was the reason she ran away in the first place, but I didn’t, I just stood there, a deer caught in headlights.

            “She’s with her,” Carly reminded, her hand on the top of my two hot chocolates, keeping me from grabbing them, her ring flashing in my eye.

            “I forgot to ask, how are things with Blake?” I asked, desperate for a topic change. Her eyes widened for a moment, caught off guard, but Eleanor swooped right in and balanced her on her feet.

            “Stagnant,” Eleanor blurted so quickly I could barely make out the word, “but that’s not the matter, we need Lottie back.” I raised my head a bit higher and shrugged.

            “I have no idea where she is, and that’s the-“ I started saying when a ring echoed throughout the store and I heard the familiar clacking of weathered rubber soles on the floors of the shop.

            The movement froze though, stagnant as Eleanor would say, and without looking back I knew who it was. I knew who it was by the look on Eleanor’s face. I knew who it was from the look on Carly’s face. I, I knew who it was from the footsteps, the familiar tread that was like hearing a roommate breathing.

            “Shite,” I heard the voice say, confirming to me that it was in fact, Charlotte Tomlinson, in the flesh. She could have said so many things … that she was happy to see Eleanor, or that she was shocked to see her, or she could’ve said nothing at all and ran. The later would’ve been my favorite option, but that’s what I used to, running. She said something though, and what she said could’ve made me unravel right on the spot.

            “I’m sorry Forest.”

            I was to, but I was to busy fighting away tears to say anything back.

Authors Note ~ Everyone, ignore the fact I totally lied about her not being found so soon and be happy for the fact I updated so fast! *waits for nonexistent cheers* Oh well ... some of you were pretty spot on with the guesses, only none of you said Eleanor *pats self on back awkwardly* ... OH WELL! I love this story and I might just update it a lot, but I won't say that for sure because when I say that it's like a curse (*cough* LWWY, ITBR, Antiquity *cough*)

And as y'all can see there's going to be a lot of Carly in this ... a while ahead of Antiquity (I need to update that story don't I?), so if you haven't already I suggest you read that little Leeyum fanfic I have going on. Some of you may say I'm spoiling that book by writing the future of that story in here ... but I see it a vague sneak peek ... that's kind of easy to figure out ...

Oh well (I say that a lot don't I?), I have one more announcement for all you lovely Rubber Duckies. In this story I will be dedicating the chapters of the book to the people who have the best comment on the said chapter *waits for more cheers that never come* SO if you feel in the mood to leave a nice long comment about your feelings on this little book I have writtent than you are more than welcome to. I enjoy reading long comments, and this is my way of tricking y'all into writing them with bribery ... like blackmail except it's not illegal!

I have also noticed this has gottent to be quite a long authors note, and I like writing them long (even if it delays posting the chapter a bit), and I'm going to do long AN's for now on! If you've read this far I'd like for you to include some Sarah Dessen thing into your comment (which I hope is long *wink wink*). It can be the book title, a character, or ya know ... anything you like. Be creative children. 

I'm going to say one more thing as people who didn't bother to read the authors note will comment with you know what ;) It's actually more like a question ...

Now that you have how Eleanor and Lottie see each other how do you imagine the boys will meet Lottie and Forest?

<3

Luce