Tenses | LRH

Runaways

IT WAS ten o'clock in the evening and we were standing in the middle of an abandoned school field. Andi had her arms stretched as she breathed in and out peacefully. I was carefully watching her, not knowing what was going on.

"So, is this nowhere?" I stuffed my hands in my trousers' pockets as I glanced around.

"Yes," she replied, still looking at the stars. She was pretty dazed. I, on the other hand, was surprised. Really, she brought me to an abandoned field?

I observed my surroundings and spotted a suspiciously large box placed not far away from us. I walked towards it and unconsciously lifted it up; I was kind of surprised that it was heavy. I dropped it as soon as I was back to where I was standing a while ago, the loud sound snatching Andi out of her dreamy state.

She scowled at me as I gave her an impatient look while pointing to the box between our feet. Her eyes widened when she looked at it. "Why did you drop it?" She screeched at my face, quickly examining the box.

"Why look at the sky when you already have a star beside you to stare at?" I smirked. "Hey, that was pretty smart. What do you say?" I said, admiring myself. Her scowl only deepened.

"Please do me a favor and shut up," she retorted, rolling her eyes at my pick-up line.

She managed to remove the tape that secured the box and started to take its contents out one by one. She put out a tent and dropped it on the solid ground, ready to be set up.

"Hey is this yours?" I asked as I picked up the tent. "I'll set it up."

We finished setting it up after several fail attempts (they were mostly caused by me). "Stop laughing at me! It's not my fault the tent won't stand," I argued, scowling at Andi. "Why do you even have these things kept in this place?"

"I sometimes sleep here," she answered. She felt distant even though we were inches apart. "Especially at times like this."

I wasn't quite satisfied with the answer I got, so I asked, "Why?"

She faced me again, though I couldn't read her expression at all. It was irritating.

"Why? Because I'm a pro at running away from my problems," she whispers, and with that she stood up and entered the tent, probably going to sleep after a very long day.

She was smiling just a while ago, but when she uttered those words, her eyes reflected nothing but sadness.

➳||

"Ugh, I'm starving," I muttered as soon as I woke up. I sat up and stretched my limbs. I was too big to fit inside the tent so I slept outside last night.

"What are you eating?" I walked over to Andi, my face immediately scrunching up as soon as I saw the bag of chips on her hand. "That is unhealthy. Don't you have anything more edible than that - perhaps some cereal and fresh milk?"

She rolled her eyes. "I have nothing else. Don't be so demanding," she told me. I rolled my eyes in return.

For a moment, only the soft sound of rustling leaves and the cheerful humming of birds could be heard. I was in deep thought and admiration as we watched the sunrise together.

"I love sunrises," Andi mumbled beside me.

"It symbolizes new beginnings," we said at the same time, much to our surprise. I offered her a small smile which she heartily returned.

My gaze stayed at her as she stood up, watching her every move. She patted her bottom, probably not aware that I was watching her. I looked away. I was not supposed to see that. I felt my cheeks getting warmer.

"I know a place where we can eat," she said without facing me, already walking towards the broken fences where we climbed up the night before, and I followed her in silence.

We stopped by a old house on our way. "Is this where you live?" I asked, observing the cracked windows and the scrapped wooden door.

"Uh, no, this isn't my house," Andi replied.

I faced her, one brow raised and arms crossed on my chest, and asked, "Then what brings us here?"

Her lips formed into a devilish smile and she rubbed her palms together. "To steal some clothes." She paused and look at me from head to toe, and adds, "Your fashion style is so outmoded."

I was shocked and offended, because one, I thought that I looked just fine, and two, I knew that my outfit was on trend - in the year 2000, anyway.

My trance of thoughts were put into a halt when I felt Andi's grasp on my wrist as she pulled me with her into the back of the house. The crunching of dried leaves and twigs under our shoes were the only sounds that could be heard.

"You know, for thieves, we sure are very loud," I said, but she just scoffed at me.

"Do you think someone's home? Because I don't think so," she retorted, reaching for a red flannel that was probably oversized for me and a pair of black jeans. "It's a little bit ripped at some parts, but that'll do, and I prefer it more than that baggy outfit of yours," Andi said while handing me the clothes, motioning for me to change as she left.

I finished changing after a few minutes. I was waddling while I walked and kept on bending my legs from time to time. Andi gave me a funny look and I made a face.

"What's wrong?" I could tell that she was suppressing her laughter.

I squatted in front of her as an answer. She covered her mouth with her hand. "These jeans are so fit. I'm not used to wearing this kind of pants," I explained. She seemed to be unmoved by my awkwardness because she chose to laugh at my face.

We started to walk again, a bit slower this time because I kept complaining about not feeling my legs anymorIk Andi, of course, was still greatly amused of my misery, and to even entertain herself, she thought of an evil idea. "I'll race ya!" She announced and got down on one knee, her hands pressed on the ground.

I gave her a terrified look. "What? No!"

I tried to block her path but she was quick. She already took off running, leaving me to suffer the numbness in my legs.