Jaime's POV
That bitch. Where does she get off judging me? After I'd said my piece, which was going to be an apology for overreacting. Until I heard what she was saying, I slammed out the front door and took off running. I had no idea where I was going. I didn't know the neighbourhood at all, but I just ran. Running always made me feel better.
I saw a cut-through between a couple of houses and followed it. It took me into a sort of wooded area, so I ran along the path that had been cut through, presumably by hikers.
I just kept running, increasing my speed as I ran up a hill and along the winding pathways. I ran until my lungs burned. I felt better but I was so angry still. Who does she think she is? What did she think I was going to do? Kill her kid? The only person I wanted to kill was myself. And I wasn't about to do that.
I kept walking along the path, following the twists and turns. It was quiet up here. I was going to have to remember how to get up here. It was a good place to run.
Eventually, there wasn't much of a path, so I just sort of forged my own.
I was tired and came across a big rock, so I sat down on it to catch my breath and just... think.
I got up a few minutes later and kept walking. I came to a sort of clearing and lay down in the grass, looking up at the blue sky.
How did my life get so messed up?
I lay there in the warm sunshine, until I wound up falling asleep.
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Pete's POV
"What do you mean he's gone?"
"I went up to his room to see if he's okay, and he's not in it," Meagan said.
"Did you check his bathroom?"
"Yes, of course. He's not in his bathroom. He's not in his room. He's not in the house."
"Did you check the basement?" I asked. "Maybe he went to bang around on the drum kit."
"First of all, I would have heard some drumming, don't you think? Second I don't think he'd go down there without your permission. He's a good kid," she said that last bit glaring at Ashlee.
"Where did Jaime go?" Saint asked.
"I don't know. But we have to find him. He doesn't know the neighbourhood yet," I said. "Great job, Ashlee. Really great."
"Oh, it's my fault your son ran away?"
"Yeah," I spat back at her. "It is. With everything that's happened, with as mad as he's been at me, and at Meagan, he hasn't run. But you, you meet him once, judge him without really getting to know him, and he takes off!"
"I'm going home. I don't need this. Bronx, let's go."
"No. I'm staying to help find Jaime!" Bronx said. "And you should too. You made him mad and you made him run off. You should help find him."
Ashlee looked stunned.
"I'm getting in the car and looking for him. Meagan, do you want to stay here?"
"Yeah. I'll stay. Marvel and I will wait to see if he comes home."
"Saint, Bronx, why don't you guys check around the neighbourhood? Maybe check the path by the reservoir. But not too far. Stay on the path."
"Okay, Dad," the boys said.
"And stay together!" I said. "You have your phones?"
"We will," they said. "And yes! We have our phones! We'll call if we find him."
They went out the front door.
I looked at Marvel and saw she was crying.
"What is it, baby?" I asked her.
"Why'd Jaime go?" She asked.
"He was mad. He'll be okay. We'll find him, okay?"
Marvel nodded. I handed her over to Meagan.
"What do you want me to do?" Ashlee asked.
"Get in your car and check the neighbourhood going north. I'll go south. We'll meet back here in two hours."
I got in my car and called Patrick first.
"Yo dude. What's going on?" He asked.
"Jaime's run away," I said. "Ashlee made him angry and he took off. He doesnt know this area at all and I have no idea where he might have gone. Can you guys come up and help us scour the neighborhood? I'll ask Andy to check the bus routes between here and Santa Monica. In case he went back down there. God. I don't even know if he has money or a bus pass on him. Or his phone! Fuck. I don't even have his phone number!"
"Okay, shit. Okay, calm down. You'll find him. I'll call Joe. We'll head to yours. You call Andy."
"Thanks, man," I said, and hung up. I dialled Andy's number as I drove slowly through the streets of our neighborhood.
"Pete, man. What's the good news?" He asked.
"None. Jaime took off and I'm out looking for him. Ashlee said some really cruel things and he got pissed. Understandably. But he doesn't know the area. Can you hop in your car and check the bus routes between here and Santa Monica? Maybe he hopped a bus?"
"Have you tried calling him?" Andy asked.
"That would have been a great idea, if I'd had the brains to get his phone number from him at some point this week. I feel so stupid. I don't even know my own kid's phone number."
"Don't feel stupid. You all have had a lot going on. I'm getting in my car now. I'll drive the route I think would be most likely the quickest. I'll check the routes as well. Like which ones run between yours and Santa Monica. Think he'd go to the Pier?"
"I don't know. Maybe. Check there too?"
"Sure. I'll call you if I find anything. Otherwise I'll come by your place in a couple of hours and we can figure it out."
"Thanks, man," I said.
I knew I could count on them.