Cell Mates

05|| Jailed and Jailer

What I saw was a strange sight. Jody and Cleo were leaning over my bed, contemplative gazed trained on a raggedy outfit that should have been thrown out ages ago. It was an ensemble that you knew you shouldn't have, but kept anyways for comfort reasons and the 'what if I need it someday' excuse.

"What are you guys –" I started.

"Shh!" they said in unison and waved me over.

I looked over their shoulders and made a face at the washed out grey sweatshirt and black yoga pants. "Why are you trying to dress me like a homeless person?"

"Or someone who blends in and won't be noticed unless looked for."

"What exactly are you getting at?" Suspicion tugged at the edge of my mind, as they both got a familiar knowing look in their eyes that warned of trouble. Every time they put their minds to it, this same look told me they'd hatched a plan, a plan usually involving ridiculous schemes.

"Trust me, you'll find out," Jody said dragging me into the bathroom and halting me in front of the mirror. "This is your getaway outfit for school. It allows you to go about your day peacefully and undetected, even if looked for. You just pull up the hood of the sweatshirt and with the way your hair got darker and longer Connor shouldn't notice you at all, even if he were looking for you."

Despite myself, I couldn't help but smile in the mirror at my two best friends standing on either side of me and offering me a great means of escape from the nightmare that's sure to become reality once I step on school grounds. "Is this the best you got?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

Jody scowled at me. "You're lucky we came up with this on such short notice, now, are you going to get changed or not?" I glanced at my clock which read 8:25. In fifteen minutes school was starting, I was already too jumpy to even consider getting dressed a second time, and my stomach started to growl.

"Not," I responded, and headed downstairs taking the steps two at a time. "I'm not hiding from him. If he wants to seek me out, he can come and get me." I heard their footsteps as they descended after me and we congregated in the kitchen, our old routine slowly falling into place. They sat at the kitchen island while I rummaged around for the remaining pop tarts to heat up. I came across the last box and popped two in the toaster. While they heated up I turned to the both of them. "I don't need some homeless outfit to dodge Grayson. Don't worry about it, it's...it's fine," I finished lamely.

They exchanged a skeptical look and Cleo shrugged in response as if to say, "whatever you say." I turned my attention from their conversation and directed it to the flashing numbers on the microwave that read 8:30. There was no way we'd make it on time unless we left now.

"Come on, we're going to be late," I said grabbing the pop tarts and stuffing one in my mouth. On my way out, I scooped up my pre-packed bag crammed with back to school supplies my sister had courteously bought, and we headed to my car parked a few feet away from the house. I got in the driver's seat, Cleo took shotgun and Jody climbed in the back.

As I drove I munched on the last remaining bit of Cinnamon tart, relishing its sweetness, no doubt the last bit of joy in this morning if my gut feeling was right. Cleo turned up the radio to the local pop station. As a Justin Bieber song came on Jody right on track began to hum to it flashing me her most irritating grin.

"Jo," I said using her nickname, "would you kindly shut up?" I pushed Cleo's fingers off the dial and turned it until I got the classic rock station I was looking for. On cue Joan Jett's Bad Reputation came on and I absentmindedly drummed my fingers against the dash to the beat. Jody sighed from the back seat at my obsession with the classics, while Cleo only nodded her head along.