Street 237

Chapter 26: One Year

I began my search on the street in which my box--or home-- is on. I didn't see Chase nowhere. I saw Mr. Peterson but he wasn't much help. I just had to remind him of who I was again. I started heading to the street where the group always meets up. He had to be there. If he wasn't, I don't know what I would do.

    The cold breeze his my bare legs as I ran as fast as I could. I lost so much muscle mass over the course of a year. I arrived at the usual intersection that you always had to cross to even continue heading to the group meet street. I stood and waited for the traffic to clear so I could cross. The pedestrian walk-signal had been broken for a month.

The traffic cleared and I hurried across and headed straight to the group. Everyone was making trades  for drugs, clothes, sex. The usual.

I searched the crowd for Chase, but I didn't see him. A feeling in my stomach sunk and I felt scared to death. I had to find him. He couldn't be gone forever. I couldn't accept that if I never found him that it would mean he was dead.

I bit my lip and I felt myself shiver. I hurried over to one of his friends that he would do trades with for clothing. Paige.

"Paige!" I said half running into her.

"Do I know you?" She raised an eyebrow.

"It's me!--London!"

"London?"

Holding the 'D' word for a rather long time, she finally continued her sentence.

"You look HOT! Well not temperature but looks! I didn't recognize you."

"Yeah-yeah, where's Chase?!"

"I saw him earlier. He said he was heading to the bridge."

"The bridge?"

She nodded and I immediately took off.

I didn't understand what business he had the bridge. He never went there. He always said it was too lonely. It had been abandoned because it wasn't stable for traffic to go over. So they closed it off and built a new one a mile or so from it. They even closed off the road completely so traffic wouldn't have to meet a dead end.

    I ran as long as I could until I stopped to catch my breath. I felt my heart beating hard against my left breast. I felt like I was going to pass out. I was thirsty and tired. My legs felt like jelly and I was hardly out of city limits. The bridges road use to be paved until they decided to tear up the concrete in hopes that it would decrease the chance of confusion.

   I somehow got the strength to keep going and I reached the road. I half collapsed onto the sign that said, "road closed." But I had to continue. So I did. After about 20 minutes of running as if for my life. I reached the bridge. I spotted a figure from afar.

It was Chase's slender figure. He was standing on the edge of the bridge. His arms extended shoulder height to his sides. His head tilted back. The breeze blowing his plaid over shirt back behind him. He looked amazing... But I felt somewhat sick. I hurried over to him.

"Chase!"

He slightly jumped in shock and turned to see me looking up at him.

"London?!" He hopped down, "What are you doing here?"

"I was going to ask you the same."

"I thought if I told you-"

"Chase, you didn't tell the others to keep quiet. Besides, what are you doing here?"

He looked down at the ground, "No reason. Lets get you back to the city."

I felt like he was hiding something from me. What was it? I didn't feel cleansed from the feeling.

"Chase whats going on? Why are you here when you were suppose to be at the group at this time?"

"Because," His voice was shaken slightly.

"You said you would be at the group at this time everyday and if you weren't you were---" Just then it clicked. My heart dropped. I felt nauseous and dizzy. I was burning up and I needed to sit down. I grabbed onto the rail of the bridge and Chase tried to stable me.

"Chase you were going to--"

"London, don't say it."

"Why! Why did--why was--WHY?!" I tried not to over react. I tried not to yell at him. But it was no use. I had to let it out. He had me thinking he was badly sick and going to die and here all along he was going to die by the result of his own actions!

"Chase what were you thinking?! What are you thinking?!" I wanted answers. I was desperate.

Chase shrugged, "Here's what I'll tell you. I am not loved by anybody, I have my reasons for this."

I so bad wanted to tell him how I felt, but I still didn't feel it was the time to do it.

"Chase," I grabbed his hand and cupped his one in both of mine.

"Please don't do this, please. Just--"

"Why shouldn't I? London, you don't need me." He said.

My eyes met his, "Huh?"

"I seen you and that guy," he softly smiled, "He wants to help you, London. He can offer you everything you need to get onto your feet. And he likes you, I can tell." his small, soft smile turned into a big grin as he continued, "You should go for it! Go out there and get into the good part of life London! It's your chance." I forced myself to smile. But I couldn't get my heart to do the same.

    "But Chase, I can't leave you behind."

"You're not. You're doing what I want you to do. Do it, London."

"Chase,"

"Hm?"

"Can you please, put this off. One more year at least."

"Why?"

"Because there's someone worth living out there for you."

"Highly doubtful London, nobody loves me.."

I felt a sharp emotional pain in my heart. For someone who was always so bright, he was hurting the most.

"One year..." I simply said. I held his hand tighter.

"Okay...one year--that's it.."