“Tell me that’s not who I think it is,” he orders River, a bite in his tone. “The sites are full of chatter about a girl Raven is hunting.” He backs up. “There’s a description of her floating around but no name or pictures. Tall. Dishwater blond. Green eyes. Our age. Is this her? Why did you bring her here? I don’t want any part of this, man.”
River drops my hand and holds up both of his. “I seem to recall helping you escape Raven yourself last year. You know me.” Jordan starts to walk off. “Man, I need your help.” The guy stops moving. “Just hear us out. We’re only here for a night or two. That’s it. Look, it’s lunchtime. Why don’t we grab some food, and if you still want us to leave, we will.”
With a surly look in my direction, the guy shuffles forward. “Fine, but you’re buying, and we’re staying on campus. I know this place like the back of my hand, and if I see one sign of Raven, I’m out of here and you’re on your own.”
River grins like the guy agreed to be his best friend. “Totally understand, man. Is the BBQ joint still open?”
CHAPTER15
WILLA / GREER
Somehow, River convinced Jordan to let us stay. It was remarkable to see but left an oddly unsettled feeling in the pit of my stomach. Every word he said was the truth but living and hearing it are two different things. Or maybe it was the slant River put on it. As if I’m a newborn baby bird that needs protecting until I learn a few survival skills. I mean, I actually don’t know much about this world, but thewayhe said it guilts Jordan into helping us against his better judgement.
Still, I can’t say I’m unhappy as I stare at the house in front of me. Jordan’s place is a two-story white house with siding that needs a fresh coat of paint, a rough, cracked asphalt driveway, and some seriously overgrown landscaping. All of which sounds terrible, but for some reason, the worn house looks cozy.
Cold winter wind pierces my jacket. Shivering, I huddle into my windbreaker, and River bends over to rub his hands down my shoulders. He looks at Jordan. “Let’s get inside. The temperature is dropping.”
Jordan gestures toward a set of stairs on the left side of the house that leads up to the second story. “I live upstairs.”
Inside, it’s not much warmer, but at least it’s shielded from the wind. Size wise, the apartment is similar to the studio I had at home, with one side of the room serving as the living area and the other side as the bedroom. Shabby green carpet runs the length of the room. Along one wall is a tired-looking brown and golden yellow floral couch that looks like it came out of the seventies with a scratched up wooden lattice-laced coffee table sitting in front of it. A large, outdated TV with the letters RCA sits on a small stand on the opposite wall.
In the bedroom area, a small blow up bed takes up most of the floor, with only a stack of books topped with a coaster and small lamp that seems to be serving as a nightstand beside it.
Jordan’s eyes flick to me and he sneers, “Not fancy enough for you?”
“Reminds me of home,” I inform him, and surprisingly, it does, maybe a bit more sparse than my garage apartment and the furnishings a bit more worn, but it’s comfortable. “Where can I put this?” I hold up the container of leftover BBQ from earlier.
He leads me around the corner to a tiny hallway. Along one side is a small hanging closet with only a few clothes in it and on the other, a kitchenette with a small college refrigerator, a sink, and a single cabinet for dishes. Jordan motions to the fridge. “In there.”
As I place the Styrofoam container in the fridge, I notice it’s pretty bare. A couple of waters, a pack of ham, and a bottle of mustard. I place the BBQ on the top shelf and close the door. Standing, I look at Jordan. He’s watching me closely, as if he can’t decide whether I’m going to steal his food or make a disparaging remark.
“Thanks,” I tell him. Wringing my hands, I walk back to the living room. “What now?” I direct my question toward River, who’s standing in the middle of the room.
“I need to grab us a few things,” he tells me. “Burner phone, little bit of food that we can take with us when we leave, and some fresh clothes.” He pulls out the cash I gave him at the BBQ place. “Do you need anything?”
Uneasy with the thought of him leaving me here with Jordan, I open my larger backpack and dig through it to give myself a moment to think. All my toiletries are in there, along with a few clothes. “No, I’m good.” I really, really want to take a shower, but if River’s leaving, I’ll wait until later.
Jordan plops down on the couch and picks up the remote. “Can you pick me up a loaf of bread?” Not once does he look at River.
“Sure,” River answers with a shrug. “I’ll be back shortly.”
River pulls me to the door and leans down to whisper in my ear, “If I’m not back in an hour, take your things and leave. Don’t wait for me.”
Unnerved at the thought, I stare at him. “Why can’t I go with you? If we see them, we can run together.”
He forces a smile. “Jordan told us earlier that most of the chatter is about you. The longer you stay hidden, the better. I’ll be back.” Leaving no room for argument, he opens the door and heads down the stairs.
With a sigh, I close it behind him and walk back over to the couch. “Mind if I join you?” Without answering, Jordan slides over, and I curl up in the other corner. I’d love to take off this windbreaker, but I don’t want Jordan to see the go bag. “What’s your major?”
He gives a harsh laugh. “I wish.” When he sees the frown on my face, he lifts a shoulder. “Hard to register for school when you’re hiding from the government.”
When I smile sadly, he shrugs. “Don’t feel sorry for me. Auditing the classes means I get to learn everything I want for free. A top-notch education for zero dollars. The only thing sad about it is that I won’t be able to get a real job afterward.” His eyes travel around the small apartment. “And make enough money to afford something better.”
“I miss school,” I admit to him, feeling like we have some common ground. “I was only a semester away from earning my Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Maybe I’ll be able to go back someday.”
He snorts. “I doubt it, but you’re still in the initial stages. Every day you’ll wake up full of hope, and every night you’ll go to sleep with less. Until one day, it’s gone.” He flashes a knowing smile when he sees my chin lift, but he changes the subject. “So, Greer, what’s your power?”
River formally introduced us at lunch, but it’s still startling to hear someone call me by my new name. I stare at him, unsure of whether I should tell him the truth. I guess he reads me well because he simply turns his attention back to the TV while he waits.
