Kaitlyn
It was a beautiful day as Gabriel and I watched Joyce, Lydia, Tamsin, Bri, Renny, Anna, Lewis, Rob, Marisol, and Tony leave. We stood there side by side, hand in hand, and watched the cars fade away into the distance. As they got farther away, I could feel the distance through the web. And then, as the cars disappeared down the road, I couldn't feel Anna, Lewis, and Rob anymore. I could feel that Gabriel couldn't, either.
For a few moments, neither of us said anything. The silence filled the air. For once in a long time, I was glad for the silence. I didn't have to worry for a while now. Mr. Zetes was dead and the institute we stood outside of would be closed soon. But even though the institute would be closed, Joyce had said a little while ago that we could stay here. Now it was our choice. I had the choice to stay here at the former institute with Gabriel, go back to Thoroughfare and live with my dad, or go anywhere I wanted with Gabriel.
Gabriel
As we stood there, I pondered on what layed before us. What would we do? I didn't want to exactly stay here where bad memories existed in almost every room of the house. But if we didn't know what to do next or where to go, we had no choice but to stay here. I just hoped it was a better future than our past was. But out of all of us, my past was the worse. I had killed a guy in self-defense, accidentally killed a girl I had loved, and had done two years in jail and a few months on parole.
After a few moments of utter silence, I broke it.
Do you want to go back inside? We can stay the night and go from there, I thought to her.
"Sure," she replied back, instead of using her thoughts.
I could tell that she was deep in thought like I was.
I let go of her hand and put an arm around her, as we both turned around and headed inside.
Once upstairs, we headed into our rooms. We would be leaving tomorrow we agreed, so we packed early. We would grab what we could from the kitchen tomorrow before we left. We didn't know where we would go, but we wanted a life; as normal a life as we could get. And once Joyce had recovered from the crystal's effects on her, she would give us scholarships so we could go to college. This time, it would be different. We would be on our own and with effort, we would make something of ourselves. And if normal people didn't like us, we wouldn't care. It didn't matter what others thought of us, as long as we weren't in danger.
After we were packed and it was dark outside, we got dressed for bed and then she met me in my room.
I smiled when I saw her, as I sat on my bed. She was so beautiful. I didn't think I could or would ever get over it. And I hoped I wouldn't. I was glad I hadn't given up or shut her out. If I had, I would've lost my chance at love again. This time, I was determined to keep her safe. She was my girl and I would make it up to her what I had done. I would show her how worthy I was of her.
She smiled back and closed the door behind herself, before she walked over and joined me in bed.
A moment later, we kissed and kept kissing. And as we did, I felt both of us let down our shields completely. We saw through one another, as our walls tumbled down. I didn't know what she saw, but I saw what she felt, her past, and everything else she had hidden from me and everyone else. And I immediately felt sorry for her. All her life, she had been hurt mentally. Nobody had ever understood her, so they had called her a witch after she had drawn a picture when she had been four years old. But her father had been proud after the incident she had drawn had happened. And people even called her eyes witch eyes when she got older and after her mom died when she was eight. Every time she looked at someone, they would be afraid because of her eyes. But her father always said they were beautiful.
I won't let anyone hurt you ever again, I thought to her, as we continued on.
You don't have to feel sorry for me, but thank you, Gabriel.
I felt happiness swell through her.
I'll do anything for you, Kait.
For once in a very long time, I was loved and felt happy.
Kaitlyn
I woke up the next day with sun streaming in through my window. Gabriel was beside me still asleep. And he looked so peaceful; like an angel. I leaned in and kissed his cheek lightly, before I silently got out of bed and entered the bathroom to get ready for the day.
When I came out half an hour later, Gabriel was dressed and ready for the day as was I.
We smiled at one another, before we headed down the stairs for breakfast. This would be the last time in a while that we would have shelter; a home. After breakfast, we wouldn't have a home. Once again, we would be homeless. We wouldn't have a place to go. This time would be different, though. We wouldn't have any motor vehicles. We would have to walk until we could find a car to hot wire. And we would be alone. It would be just Gabriel and me. Lewis, Anna, Lydia, and Rob wouldn't be with us. But it would be okay, because we wouldn't draw any attention to ourselves. We would be able to go anywhere together silently. Even if people saw us, they wouldn't think much of it. Not when there were only two people. They would probably just think that we were a couple going away somewhere. Technically, that's what Gabriel and me were doing.
After breakfast, we packed what we could from the kitchen and made sure we had everything. And then we left the institute forever. We were so glad to be rid of it that we didn't once look back at it, as we walked away from it.
Gabriel
We walked hand in hand down the sidewalk, me with a black duffel bag of food, Kait with a black duffel bag of clothes and supplies for both of us, as well as what we could find of money. We had our bags slung over our shoulders, as we continued to walk. We would have to wait until dark for me to hot wire a car. It was one of my many talents I had discovered. I had few talents, but I didn't use them usually unless I had to.
Where are we going? she thought to me.
I thought we would retrace our steps to that parking lot. We might find a car there that I can hot wire.
Well, that's a start.
Soon, it was dark and I had hot wired a car in the parking lot. We were on the road now with me driving, Kait in the passenger's seat, our bags in the back seat of the 1999 black Impala. It was a beautiful car, but not too conspicuous. We had to be careful in case Mr. Z's contacts wanted to chase us down.
An hour later, I parked by a gas pump and paid a twenty for the gas and another ten for the gas I had put in a red gas container. Then I put the container in the back seat of the Impala and drove us towards the highway. And as I drove, I turned the music on and searched for the perfect station. I stopped and turned it up a little as it started to play Highway to Hell by ACDC.
As I drove onto the highway, I was in a very good mood. I couldn't remember when I had been in such a good mood. Maybe five years ago? That had been a very long time ago. It had been such a long time ago that I barely remembered it at all.
We listened to Highway to Hell as it played on the radio on the mixed station.
I'm on my way to the
Highway to Hell
No speed limit
No stop signs
Gonna slow me down
I'm on my way to
The Highway to Hell."
The song soon ended to be replaced by I should Go.
Here we are
Isn't it familiar?
Haven't had someone to talk to
In such a long time
And it's strange
All we have in common
And your company was just the thing I needed tonight
Somehow I feel I should apologize
Cuz I'm just a little shaken
By what's going on inside
I should go
Before my will gets any weaker
And my eyes begin to linger
Longer than they should
I should go
Before I lose my sense of reason
And this hour holds more meaning
Than it ever could
I should go
I should go
Baby, I should go
It's so hard
Keeping my composure
And pretend I don't see how
Your body curves beneath your clothes
And your laugh
Is pure and unaffected
It frightens me to know so well the place I shouldn't go
I know I gotta take the noble path
Cuz I don't want you to question
The intentions that I have
I should go
Before my will gets weaker
And my eyes begin to linger
Longer than they should
I should go
Before I lose my sense of reason
And this hour holds more meaning
Than it ever could
I should go
I should go
Baby, I should go
I don't mean to leave you with a trivial excuse
And when you call tomorrow, I'll know what to do
I should go
Before my will gets any weaker
And my eyes begin to linger
Longer than they should
I should go
Before I lose my sense of reason
And this hour holds more meaning
Than it ever could
I should go
I should go
Baby, I should go
A few hours later, I saw Kait asleep. I smiled at how beautiful she was asleep. She was like an angel; a peaceful angel. She would always be my beautiful angel. I vowed that I would protect her with my life if it came down to it. If there was a God, God I prayed silently, don't let it come down to that. But for now, I would concentrate on the present.
Kaitlyn
When I woke up, it was daylight and we were passing a sign that said Welcome to Texas. I looked at Gabriel. He looked tired, which I understood. He had used all the power he could muster back in California to help me with Mr. Zetes. We had both had a night of sleep, but Gabriel needed more sleep. He needed to be restored.
"Good morning," he greeted me.
"Morning," I greeted back. I then suggested, "Why don't you let me take the wheel? You're exhausted."
He looked grateful when I suggested it.
"Thanks, Kait," he said, before he pulled over to the shoulder.
After we traded spots, we got back on the road.
"Where do you think we should go next?" I asked.
"I was thinking we could settle somewhere in Nebraska; Lincoln, maybe. Nobody knows us there. We could make ourselves a home there," he answered.
"Until college, depending on which one we decide," I added after him.
"Yes. Until college," he agreed.
A few days later we were settled in Lincoln, Nebraska in a two bedroom one bathroom white house. It had a fenced in front and backyard. This was definitely a place we could call our home. We even had our own Impala and furniture. All we needed were jobs and college. My father would be proud once I called him up and told him.
We sat down on our black leather couch and smiled at one another. Then, a moment later, we started to kiss romantically.
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