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       I stood there for a brief moment, mouth agape, staring at him like a buffoon. I blinked several times, trying to comprehend the stupidity of my own admission. I swear, the room turned six million degrees, rivaling that of the sun.
    "I.. have to go." I stated slowly, before I pulled myself out of his embrace, running from the room. I hit the door to the gym and sprinted to the car, pulling the handle realizing it was still locked. Luckily I always have a spare key somewhere on the outside of my car.
    I pulled the magnetic box out from under the wheel well in record time, unlocking the car. I fired it up faster then I ever have, while buckling my seat. I peeled out of the drive way like professional stunt car driver, panic had set in to say the least.
     As I raced home as fast as heavy traffic would let me on MLK boulevard, replaying the entire scene from beginning to end. All I wanted to do was fall into a whole and die, I fumbled with the radio trying to take my mind off of it all as contemplated driving my car into Willamette River.

      Over an hour later I pulled up my steep drive way and killed my car. Sighing heavily as I reached the door, I turned the knob walking forward face first into the locked door.  If this day could get any worse it would surprise the hell out of me.
     It was about this time I came to realization that a.) I was only in my sports bra and shorts, b.) I didn't have my keys cause they were in my gym bag that was, you know, at the gym, and c.) I couldn't even call my sister for help because that too was left behind at the gym. I leaned my forehead against the cool glass of the front door.
     "Renee, can you at least go twenty four hours without making a complete ass out of yourself." I asked myself, turning and sliding down the door to my butt. I leaned my head back, his face looked so hopeful. And I blew it again, I panicked, ugh. I banged my head back against the door.
      "Why can't I just be normal?" I hung my head down in shame, normal people would of said something coy, something smooth. Hell, I'm a writer for gods sake and I've written shit smoother then what just happened. I ran my hand over my fuzzy head, reminding myself that after all this was over I was growing my hair out and moving to the arctic. At least there I couldn't make a fool of myself.
    Actually I probably could, so hopefully the fates don't try to take that up as a challenge.
The faint hum of car pulling up pulled me from my thoughts of self humiliation. I glanced up seeing the rental car pull in behind mine. It was about this time I really did wonder where the hell my sister was hiding.
    Chris stepped out the drivers side, pulling his sunglasses off his face. He looked over at me, still standing behind the door, that damn smirk on his face. He shook his head at me.
    "Someone call for the pity bus?" He asked, not moving.
    "Didn't know the pity bus was a Lexus, or that you drove it." I responded, watching him from my spot.
    "Just get in the car." He stated exasperated with me.
    "Where are we going cause I don't have a shirt." I asked standing up, skipping down the steps to the car.
    "I don't know, and I have an extra shirt." He quipped back, sitting back down. I climbed in the passenger seat, looking in the back, snagging the first shirt I saw.
    "So, I think I know the answer but I'm still going to ask, what are you doing here?" I pulled the shirt on, buckling myself in as he back out of the drive.
    "Well, somebody seemed to have panicked at the gym earlier." He calmly reminded me, I looked out the window.
    "Wouldn't know who that was." I remarked before I mumbled. "Thanks for the reminder."
     "You know, for someone who really likes Karl, you have a funny way of showing it." He remarked. Slowly I turned my head to him, if it wasn't for the fact I actually did value my life, even though I joke about jumping or driving myself into the river, I really would smack him right now.
    "Are we really going there?" I asked a bit snippier then I should. I knew it was misplaced anger but it had to come out somewhere since he rudely interrupted my beating myself up.
    "Ohh," he chuckled to himself. "We are definitely going there." I really shouldn't of gotten into the car, it was conversations like this one I was trying to avoid with my sister. Yet here I was going to get the verbal beat down by Captain Kirk, and I wasn't quite sure if I really wanted that.
     "Chris, you can let me out of the car then. I do a good enough job on my own making an ass out of myself, I dont need anyone else in my head clouding my insanity." I sighed, looking back out the window as he headed back down MLK boulevard back towards Portland.
     "Not happening." He stated, flicking on his blinker, swerving around a slow passing car.
     "And why is that?" I snapped whipping my head back around to face him, glaring hard.
     "Glare at me all you want, but I'm locking you in a room with Karl till the two of you get this shit sorted out." His words clipped out as his spoke, there was an edge to his voice. "Tired of mopey Karl and of mopey Renee."
     "You know, you really shouldn't tell me your super secret plan. That's where all the villains always make their mistake." I smirked back at him, plan in my head as to how I was going to get out of this already.
    "Oh, but I haven't told you the whole thing, so go a head and plot to run." He glance over at me, smirk on his face.

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