Chapter 6

• BLAIR’S POV
• I followed Ashley, a little scared to a garage we snuck into.
• “Common,” she said, noticing my skepticism and hesitation.
• I looked around, and having no choice, I followed her in.
• The garage was attached to a glorious mansion at an estate not very far off.
• Ashley turned on the lights and there were loads of cartons at one corner, and a little bed, barely enough for one person at the other side.
• “You can stay with me for a while,” she said, bringing out a burger from a paper bag.
• “Where are your parents?” I questioned.
• “I've never had any,” she replied.
• I felt my heart sink at her reply.
• “So, you live here? Taking care of yourself?” I inquired calmly.
• “I ran away from the foster home since I was ten,” she said, “it's not so much out here, but at least it's better than the foster home.” she said, pulling out a burger from a paper bag.
• “I can't take that,” I said,
• “It's okay, I have another,” she said, “I got two offers today,” she said, pulling out another paper bag.
• My stomach was rumbling and I was starving from having nothing to eat all day, barely touching my breakfast. I took the burger from her.
• “Ashley, how do you survive out here on your own?” I questioned, “I know it's not safe out here in the streets,” I added.
• “There are a lot of ways to fund for yourself out here,” she said.
• “I have a little knowledge on technical repairs, I buy broken wristwatches, clocks and alarms, I fix them and sell for a good price,” she said.
• I was very impressed with her response, and it didn't take long for me to sight the pile of junk parts, close to the cartons in the garage.
• “And this place?” I questioned.
• “The owners haven't been in the country for years now,” she replied, “no one knows I live here, and no one can know,” she added.
• “I leave here very early, and return at sun down,” she explained, “I do not want to be returned to the foster home,” she said.
• I nodded affirmatively. I could imagine her fear, but never would I have thought that anyone would prefer being in the streets than in a home, where they are taken care of.
• “So, what are you running from?” She asked.
• “Uhmm, my husband?” I said, having some reservations.
• “Husband?” Her voice tone and facial expression carried her surprise.
• “I'm married to a stranger,” I said, digging into my burger.
• “He is not at all who he claims he is,” I found myself very expressive to a stranger.
• “My fear, however, is that he is in some kind of trouble, and can no longer run. Whatever it is, it is catching up with him very quickly,” I said.
• Ashley only took huge bites from her burger and I couldn't help but feel she was barely listening.
• “You should try to get some rest,” she replied lightly, “we have to leave early, so the neighbors don't discover us,” she added, throwing her paper bag into a tiny trash bucket and adjusting into bed.
• I slowly ate my burger, lost in thoughts.
• I struggled to fit myself into bed but couldn't seem to find any comfort.
• Sure it was quite small at Brian's apartment, but this was way worse. It made me not realize how luxurious my attic was. Although it wasn't much, I could still call it mine.
• All through the night, sleep was far from me. I shuffled the thoughts of Brian being in trouble and the reasons he possibly has to have a different identity.
• I feared for his safety and prayed that no harm came to him. I hadn't realized how much I had fallen for him until I had to be away from him for a while.
• I kept looking at the garage entrance, hoping he'd pop up, having found me somehow.
• I thought myself to sleep, but before I could get any decent rest, I felt a hand tapping my arm.
• “Blair,” I heard a distant call.
• I jumped right out of bed, expecting a cup of water to follow.
• “It's just me, it's me,” came Ashley's tender voice.
• “We have to leave now,” she said.
• “What?” I expressed shock, “what time is it now?” I queried.
• “It's 5:30am,and we have to leave before the neighbors get up, common,” she said, pulling me out of bed.
• I hadn't had up to two hours rest, when her wake up call came, and I felt drowsy and a strong headache followed.
• We snuck out of the garage and I just kept following her, with no particular destination. Well, at least, not in my mind.
• “Where are we going?” I dared to ask, after ten minutes of walking down the quiet, dark streets.
• “There's a bathroom around the corner, we freshen up there,” she said, pointing a distance away.
• I couldn't believe the downward turn my life kept taking.
• Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, it got a lot worse, or a little.
• There was no hitting rock bottom for me, because the situation just kept drilling through the rocks.
• We finally arrived at the bathroom, after another ten minutes' walk, and I immediately understood why we had to leave the garage so early.
• I entered the bathroom, feeling the water wash over my body and was barely five minutes into the bath when Ashley began calling.
• “We have to leave, Blair,” she said, with a sense of urgency, “Mr. Jonas does not allow anyone in here before 6:30am, and we have to tip him,”
• This had to be the biggest nightmare of my life. I couldn't believe my ears, but I couldn't dare to get the little girl into trouble.
• She was only trying to help me, and I could only imagine what inconvenience I was being on her life's schedule.
• I hurried through the bath and met her at the other side of the curtain where she handed me some clothes, folding the ones I had on and packing them in her backpack.
• When we got out, it was already sunrise, and we barely managed to beat Mr. Jonas to the bathroom. He arrived as soon as we left the premises.
• Ashley led another walk which lasted fifteen minutes, before I dared to ask,
• “So what now?”