Hide (Sequel to RUN)

Chapter 9

Carly hopped onto her own board in the sand, reminding me how to stand and how to shift the board in what direction I wanted. I observed her intensely, effectively blocking out the world around me. It worked even better when I got on my own board. I was actually having a good time.

We'd put a ball under my board for the balancing part when it all turned sour.

"Excuse me?" I jumped slightly, looking down from my board to the guy who'd appeared next to me. Somehow, I managed to keep my balance on the board.

"Yeah?" I asked. The boy was probably a couple years older than me, around Maki's age, and built like a football player. On closer inspection, he had scars running up the inside of his arm. Just like mine.

I hopped off the board, intrigued and preparing to be civil.

"Umm...This is actually a lot more awkward than it sounded in my head," he chuckled nervously.

"I can take awkward." I sensed Carly jump off her board behind me.

"Well I....umm... it's just that...I saw your scars." I stiffened inwardly. I had known it would most likely turn to this subject, but that didn't make it any easier to hear about.

"I just wanted to let you know that it does get better, you know? And...umm....and God is there for you. You don't have to keep hurting yourself." I didn't meet his eyes. He was off. He was so incredibly off.

But he was speaking from experience. That was what his scars were from.

"That's very nice of you," I whispered. "But my scars aren't from self-harm." My hands fingered the bumps, rubbing them as if they would go away if I pressed hard enough.

Curiosity got the better of him, "What are they from?" I looked back at Carly, remembering her words from our first time shopping.

"Curtis!" A familiar voice met my ears. I looked to my left and made eye contact with the one and only: M and M. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw me.

"I thought you had school?" was all he said. I smiled deviously, "I bribed Palika."

Maki laughed, "It couldn't have taken much."

"Not really," I smiled.

"Curtis, meet Lekia Born," Maki walked up next to the boy, waving a hand in my direction.

"I am so sorry," Curtis looked horrified. I grinned knowingly, finally meeting his eyes.

"Don't worry about it. I've had a lot worse than people mistaking my scars for self-harm." Curtis smiled for a second before Maki backhanded him in the stomach.

"Didn't I say that she looked familiar and to wait for me? I was gone for two minutes getting the boards!" Curtis rubbed his bare stomach ruefully while smacking Maki in the back of the head.

I laughed loudly, shocking both the boys and Carly.

"You guys going surfing?" Carly asked the silent boys quickly. It wasn't that common for me to get a good gut laugh out. Even I was surprised at myself.

"Yeah," Maki's face brightened. "You guys too? We can go grab a couple waves together."

"Sounds good to me," I shrugged, suddenly passive again. Curtis eyed me oddly.

"Let's go then."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Palika sat at an outdoor table at the café he'd told Lekia about. He looked around nervously, then down at his watch.

It was almost eight.

Was he being stupid showing up a half hour early? He didn't want Lekia showing up early and him not be there. It helped that he worked there and had just gone home and changed real quick.