𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘦

Chapter Twenty: Welcome to D.C

I froze dead in my tracks. Ben stopped next to me. I felt that same feeling of vomiting again, except it wasn't because of guilt. It was pure fear. I felt the same way I did that day with Julia. I hated this feeling and I wanted it to stop.

But the man kept coming towards us.

"What's wrong?" Ben asked.

"T-there's a man right there, in all black, he killed Julia," I whispered.
"What?" Ben said, surprised.

Just as Ben said that line, the man in black walked by us and disappeared.

"He killed Julia!" I shouted.

"Chantelle, I think you're overreacting. That dude was a businessman in a grey suit, not someone in all black,"

"B-but-"
"Why don't we go inside, I'll get you a cup of water and we can talk about this,"

"O-okay," I agreed, and walked inside the room with Ben.

He closed the door behind us and shut the blinds. I turned on the lights next to me.

"Are you okay?" Ben asked, and he sat down on the bed in the center of the room.

"Yeah, I think so," I said.

"Are you sure? You still look really shaken up,"

"Yeah, I-I don't know why I freaked out so much. I've been having flashbacks recently and it's just been getting into my head. I'm sorry,"
Ben sat up and hugged me, "It's okay, seeing your dead sister would definitely mess me up too. I would know,"
I hugged him back, "How would you know?"
Ben let go of me, and he motioned me to sit with him on the bed. I sat next to him.

"Well, you know how my dad is involved with gambling,"
"Yeah, you mentioned it, what about it?"
"Remember how I said he did...stuff? Like - really bad stuff?"
"Oh -" I said, shocked.

"Yeah," He sighed, and looked straight at the ugly red and mustard yellow wall that seemed to have followed us upstairs.

"Was she young?" I asked after a moment of silence.

"Yes, he was young."
"I'm so sorry," I said.

Ben sighed, "Back in Texas, my dad got really drunk, and zooted. He didn't know which was left and right. Um - he got into a bar fight with some other dude, and the body guards told them to take it outside," Ben gulped, "I was outside in the car because he told me he was only going to be a little while. The other dude - um, he had a gun, and he was going to shoot my dad. My dad ripped the gun out of his hands and tried to shoot the other dude, but he missed. He hit a little boy across the street with his mom,"
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," I managed to say, I was so shocked at Ben's story, I was at a loss for words.

A tear fell from Ben's face, "He fell splat on the concrete, the mom was screaming. My dad threw the gun on the ground and ran to the car. He stepped on the gas and I watched the mother sobbing on the ground, I couldn't do anything about it."

I didn't know what else to say, so instead I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and gave him a little hug. He rested his left arm on top of mine.

"My dad made me promise not to tell anyone about what I just saw. He was never the same after that, which is why my parents started fighting. I couldn't say anything about what happened, and it just got all in my head,"
"I'm so sorry, Ben,"

"Thank you, but this isn't all about me you know, I want you to tell me what you need to get off your chest too," Ben turned to me.

"I've said what I've said," This - of course - wasn't true. I have already said way too much to someone I barely knew. And, if I really was a criminal, I need him to have the least amount of information on me as possible.

Of course, that is a little late.

Ben took another deep breath, and wiped the tear away from his face, "I have no idea why I'm telling you all of this right now, I shouldn't be telling you this at all,"
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I had a mental breakdown two seconds ago, and I sobbed in my car with you trying to comfort me about two hours ago. By the way - I'm sorry you had to witness all of that,"
He chuckled, "No, it's okay. Yeah - I guess that does make me feel better,"
I awkwardly laughed, "Haha, yeah,"

He clearly didn't know what to say, and I didn't know what to say. What do you talk about after someone tells you that their father just killed someone years ago, 'Oh yeah, same' or 'That's so cool, let's go get ice cream'

Finally, Ben said something, "Why don't we watch the news? That Lady at the front desk said you were on T.V,"
"Good idea," I replied.

He got up and searched for the remote for the small, old television that looked like it was about to explode any second. I honestly don't know if the T.V will even turn on, it looks older than me. He finds next to the ice bucket, and starts clicking through the channels.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, totally," He replied. I couldn't tell if he was lying or genuinely serious. He has a resting angry face, and you can never really tell with him.

"What do you think Becca, John and Adam are up to?"
"Honestly I have no idea, probably still at the party,"
"Yeah, probably," I said.

They probably don't even know I'm gone.

After a while of clicking through channels, Ben found the local news channel.

Without a doubt there I was, my ugly ass face on the news.

"A local girl from Annapolis, Maryland, is currently on the run from police. She is marked armed and dangerous and will most likely act alone. She may be spotted in her hometown. There have been possible sightings of her in Delaware, and even as far as New York," The woman read off the prompter.
"Armed and dangerous?" I said in shock.

Ben chuckled, "I don't think you could even take me out,"
"Hey!" I said in a remark.

"She is a number one suspect in the murder of her seven year old little sister, Julia. She is about 5'5 to 5'9, black, and wearing a yellow dress. Be cautious when walking alone outside..."
"Wow," I said. I didn't know what else to say. I was still in shock that I was on the news.

"Wow's right," Ben replied, "We better stay inside tonight,"

"Are you kidding me?" The T.V was showing old highschool photos of me, I tuned out the T.V though. "Cops don't even know we're in D.C, this is perfect! We did it!" I was so excited.
"I mean -" Ben tried to say.

"Why don't we explore D.C a but, I've never been here before, the cops think we're in another state, meaning that we can have fun!"
"Chantelle, are you out of your mind? There are cops outside still! You fit the description the news said to a point, you'll get caught like that!" Ben exclaimed

I sighed, "You're right,"

Ben turns off the T.V, and walks over to the bathroom, "I'm going to take a shower, hopefully I don't die from lead poisoning from the water" He chuckled at his own joke.

I laughed a little, "Haha, yeah,"
Ben walked into the bathroom and closed the door.

Perfect.

I grabbed a black sweatshirt from my duffle bag, and some sneakers. I slid into both of them, grabbed the keys, and walked out the motel door.

D.C, here I come. 

a/n: thank you to @TheBookKween for making me a banner for my chapters! i suggest that everyone go check her out! thank you!