That wasn’t at all what I expected him to say. “Being trapped here with me feels like a new beginning?”
“Being far away from Mr. Pruitt definitely feels like a fresh start. I never thought I’d ever get to leave that apartment.”
Right.That made sense.
“And if I could choose anyone to be stranded with…it would be you.”
My chest ached a little less when he said that. It shouldn’t have. But I’d be lying if I said I felt nothing. I’d meant what I said earlier. I’d never stopped liking him. How could I possibly?
“It’s okay,” he said. “You don’t have to say it back. I know you’re thinking about Matt.”
I didn’t want to talk about Matt right now. I couldn’t even think about him without feeling paralyzed. What was he doing right now? Was he missing me? Was he grieving me? “I’m glad you’re here too, Miller. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
He held me a little closer.
“So you don’t regret agreeing to my dad’s crazy plan?” I asked.
“No. And not just because apparently he would have killed me if I’d said no. I know you’re not happy about being locked up here. But he showed me one of Isabella’s plans he found. It was…horrifying.”
“What was it?”
“I’m not going to give you nightmares too.”
I laughed. “It gave you nightmares?”
“I think it even gave Mr. Pruitt nightmares.”
Wow.I couldn’t even imagine what horrible thing she was plotting. But it must have been terrible. Especially if it was in retaliation to the pudding prank. “So you’re happy to be here.Does that mean you really don’t want to create a plan to get away from my dad for good?”
“I’m not in any condition to make some grand escape plan right now. And I don’t think you are either. Rumor has it that you haven’t been eating.”
“I don’t like the food here.” That wasn’t exactly true. I’d only ever tried the applesauce. But it was kind of blah.
“Hm. You gotta eat though.”
“Maybe I’m on a hunger strike,” I said.
“And how is that working out for you?”
I slowly exhaled. I would have said that no one had noticed. But that evil nurse had noticed and snitched to my dad. And Miller had clearly noticed too. “No one seems to care.”
He ran his fingers through my hair. “I care.”
I know.I snuggled into his chest and yawned. “You should probably go before you accidentally fall asleep in here and get caught with your arms around me.”
He laughed. “Just go to sleep, kid. Let me worry about that.”
Runaway - Chapter 11
Sunday
The door opened and I held my breath. I’d left the light on this time, hoping that when Miller came I’d be able to sneak a glance at him.
But all I saw was his arm reach in and hit the lights. And then he ducked into my room without me being able to see him again.
“Miller, please. I just want to see you. You’re the only other human I’m allowed to see besides Evil Nurse.”
“Trust me, I look like a monster.”
