The Runaway 2

There was something it didn't take me long to learn about the city I had chosen to live in. It was a college town. So there were always college students at the restaurant where I worked. The pretty girls in their short skirts and low cut tops were always flirting with me during my shift and of course, I flirted back. I had a vague interest in them, but the things I had done in my past had perverted my sexuality. I couldn't seem to find sexual relief in any of the ones that actually thought I was old enough to have sex with. I mean, I could climax, but it wasn't fulfilling.

I began to experiment with toys, finding that I had to have something shoved up my ass to find any real sexual relief. It sickened me to no end. It was a secret that I forced myself to keep because I didn't want to accept it. I didn't want to see the truth. I didn't want to think for a moment that I was gay. It was something I simply couldn't accept.

In an effort to cope with the growing distress of my sexual perversion, I had picked up smoking. The kid at the corner mart by my building never carded me, so cigarettes were easy to come by. But it wasn't as if I had become a chain smoker. No, in actuality, I only smoked when the desire to be fucked by a man became overwhelming. And when I was done, I always snuffed it out on my skin, namely the inside of my upper arm. The rubbing of my shirt over it kept the thoughts at bay and no one ever noticed. No one ever saw the small circular burn marks no matter how intimate I was with them.

Months passed. I had turned seventeen over the summer while most of the college kids were gone back home to their real lives. My boss had given me a small cake and a bonus check for my birthday. He never tried to talk to me about why I was sixteen and working from breakfast until dark. It was like he understood that I was running from something and it wasn't something he felt brave enough to touch. I was grateful for that small favour. I didn't want to remember my past.

College was starting back up and the traffic at the restaurant was increasing. The regular local were still coming, but I was busier. I had less time for idle chit chat about the weather, but that was alright. It kept people from having a chance to ask me why I wasn't in school or why my smile didn't touch my blue eyes. I could smile and flirt and chatter happily, but I was far from actually happy. My secrets were dragging me down.

Today was especially difficult with those urges and when I got a chance I went to take a smoke break in the alley beside the restaurant. I lit the cigarette and leaned back against the wall with a heavy sigh. It wasn't until I was putting out the cigarette on my arm that I noticed him. A scrawny boy a little younger than me, playing in a nasty puddle of water. For a moment, I hesitated. He looked just how I had imagined I would if I had run away too soon.

"Hey! You know that water's dirty, right?" I called, pushing off the wall some. He turned quickly, almost falling, but managed to catch himself before studying me for a moment.

"Yeah... I know..." he said. His eyes fell on my uniform shirt. "You... work here?" he asked almost as if he didn't believe it.

"Yeah, I do..." I said slowly. "How long... how long have you been here?" I asked, still unable to shake the feeling that he was like me somehow. I mean, the city wasn't that big. It was bound to have its homeless, but there was just something about him that said it was much more than that.

"Only a bit…" he answered vaguely. "You wouldn't be willing to trade me something to eat would you? It doesn't have to be big or anything. Whatever someone won't notice. And I always give a fair trade for it…" he offered.

"Wait here a minute, okay?" I said without even considering what he was planning to offer for a trade. I knew the look of hunger. I'd seen it far too often on my own face in the mirror. I went back inside and bought a lunch special to go. The boss looked at me oddly, but I simply explained that I was doing a good deed. He let it go at that and I went back outside with the to go box and a sweet tea. His eyes widened some and he inched closer without standing up.

"Thanks..." he said as his hands came up and started undoing my jeans.

"Whoa! Wait! What are you doing?" I asked as I dropped into a crouch to stop his hands and look him in the eye. His eyes widened and he recoiled a bit.

"S-sorry... I just... that's all I have to trade," he explained hastily as he pulled his hands free and scrambled away. "Sorry," he said again as he quickly bolted down the alley.

"Wait! The food is yours! I just didn't agree to a trade!" I called after him. "Please!" He hesitantly glanced around a dumpster at me.

"You... won't call the cops?"  he asked, just loud enough for me to hear him.

"No.. never," I replied. "I'm just... not into taking advantage of people who need something..." I stayed crouched, holding out the box of food and the drink to him. "If you really want to trade... will you tell me why you're afraid of the cops?" He hesitated for another moment before he hurried over to grab the box.

"He'll find me," he answered, though he didn't elaborate more than that. I nodded some, accepting a simple answer like that. After all, it was the same reason I didn't want to talk to the cops.

"If... you want to..." I started as I stood and fixed my pants back. "Come back at sundown. I'll give you a place to sleep that's probably more comfortable and safer than where you are now." I didn't even bother to give him a smile, knowing that it was forced and he didn't need to feel pitied right now. I just knew his pain. He studied me for a minute before nodding. I left him there to enjoy his food in peace and went back inside to finish my shift. I couldn't stop myself from thinking about him though and how quick he had been to go for my pants. It had been the life I had feared having myself. Running away from home was meant to end the abuse from perverted men. Not lead to having to sell my body for food.

At the end of my shift, I put in an order for two dinners to go. I wasn't sure if the boy would take me up on my offer, but I could at least have something for him to eat. With the bag in hand, I pocketed what was left of my tips for the day and threw my apron into the laundry. I walked out into the alley and pulled out a cigarette, lighting it to give the boy a few minutes to show up.

"Why... would you help me?" the boy asked quietly as he came over to me from whatever place he'd been hiding. I jumped, startled and turned to him as I put my hand on my chest.

"Because..." I said as I tried regain a normal pulse rate. "If... my step father had been just a little smarter... I might be in the same position you are." He shifted some uneasily.

"You would?" he asked, slightly confused. I sighed and leaned back against the wall.

"Yeah... I... ran away... about seven months ago..." I murmured.  "He used to sell me to other men... I just skimmed off the top for years... until I knew I was old enough to work..." He shifted again.

"I... had to leave early," he muttered. "I'd have waited but... I couldn't. He'd have killed me..." I nodded some. My step father wasn't particularly abusive unless I tried to get out of being sold that night.

"I.. won't help him find you... I don't want to be found either," I said as I slowly exhaled the cigarette smoke. "So... would you like someplace to stay? If not, you can still have this dinner I got for you. Everyone deserves a break now and then."

"What do you want?" he asked hesitantly.

"To help you," I replied. "Somewhere to sleep, shower... figure out where you want to go from there... Like I said... I planned my escape so I was prepared for it... I don't want you to have to sell yourself just for a meal..." He nodded a bit.

"Alright... where are we going?"

"My apartment is only about a block from here," I replied. "It's small, but the couch pulls out into a bed so it's at least more comfortable and you won't have to share with me." I ticked my head in the direction of the street and started leading him in that direction. He nodded and followed me, keeping his head down. I led the way back to my apartment building and upstairs to the second floor. I let us into the apartment and set the bag of food on the kitchenette counter.

"The shower is the first door on the right," I said, gesturing to it. "I'll get you something clean to wear while you clean up." He nodded again and made his way to where I'd indicated.

"Thanks for this," he muttered before closing the door behind him. I just nodded some and went to my room to find something that might come close enough to fitting him to be comfortable. I settled on a tshirt and some athletic shorts I generally lounged in on Sundays, my only day off. A clean pair of boxers and a towel from the closet and I went back to the bathroom.

"Towel and clothes are on the counter," I said as I opened the door. I kept my head down so that I didn't catch sight of his silhouette through the shower glass and set everything on the sink counter before shutting the door again. I went back to my room, stripping out of my work clothes and putting on a pair of pajama pants. I fixed myself a drink in the kitchenette. I had finished it and was pouring another when I heard the shower shut off. I got out another glass and filled it with ice as I waited for him to come out. When he did, he glanced around, but had missed me in the kitchen where I was standing.

"Would you like something to drink?" I asked to catch his attention. He jumped a bit and turned fast.

"Uh...  yes thanks," he said. I nodded and poured him some of the same soda I was drinking.

"You hungry?" I asked as I handed him one of the glasses. "I got dinner for you too, so don't worry about it."

"Yeah, a bit," he answered as he took a sip from the glass. "Though... I can't remember the last time I had two meals in a day before..." he admitted, his cheeks turning a bit redder.

"I can remember life like that..." I murmured as I got out some silverware and nodded towards the sparse furniture in the living area. "Have a seat and let's eat. "I'll answer any questions you might have if it makes  you more comfortable. I won't hurt you. I can promise you that much." He nodded and followed me over to the living area before sitting down.

"I really... don't need to know much," he said. "But.. how can you afford to live on your own in this place?" he asked.

"That was in the planning..." I replied, handing him his box of dinner. "My step father never actually set the price with the men he sold me to before I was sent to see them. So I charged them double what he expected me to give him afterwards. I pocketed the extra every night for six years before I took the leap and left."

"So... you're living off your savings mostly?" he asked, seeming worried. I shook my head some.

"I earn around four hundred a week during the school year and three hundred when the college kids go home for summer," I replied. "I almost never have to touch my savings. Not that I don't. I keep my appearance difference from how I looked back home and on occasion take a girl out on a date. But beyond the set up costs, I haven't had to touch it much." His eyes widened.

"You... you make that much from being a waiter?" he asked in shock.

"It's... not really that much, if you think about it," I replied. "He pays me three dollars an hour under the table so I don't have taxes taken out which means my social security number isn't in the system for my step father to find me. But, I work from six a.m. until six p.m. every day he's open. The rest of it is in tips and being able to pretend to be a happy guy and flirt with the girls who flirt with me."

"That's... a lot of work. Don't you have any time off for yourself or anything?" he asked. I nodded some as I leaned back into the corner of the couch I was sitting at.

"Sundays," I replied. "He always closes on Sundays to give himself a day off. Besides... what do I need with time for myself? All it does is give me time to remember the life I ran away from..."

"You ran away from it so you could have one that's better... what's better about sitting in your house all alone?" he asked softly.

"Not worrying about being hungry... or the lights being turned off... or the water not working..." I replied, as I stared at my food. "I don't have to worry about my step father selling my body for his beer money... or going to school every day in tattered clothes that were most of the time too small... I'm safe, warm, and full here. That's better by a long shot."

"Sounds like an existence rather than a life," he muttered. "If all you're worried about are those things… then I don't see why you bother with savings at all."

"The savings was so I wouldn't have to sell myself once I got out..." I murmured, sighing heavily. "I didn't expect to find a job right away that actually managed to cover everything. And I go out sometimes... What do you think I should be doing?"

"Finding something you enjoy doing or someone you enjoy being with..." he suggested hesitantly.

"That's a little more difficult to do," I replied as I finally started poking at my dinner. "To get close to someone, you have to spill your secrets. To spill my secrets might get me found and sent back or land me in a position I don't know if I want to be in. Ah but I do go to some of the baseball games at the college when I get off work. I always enjoyed watching live baseball."

"Well, I suppose that's a start," he admitted. "And… I didn't mean falling head over heels for someone right away. Even just having a couple friends you can hang out with would be nice, wouldn't it?" I shrugged some.

"Most the people I see are adults or college kids," I replied. "I'm younger than the college kids. I should be in my senior year of high school right now. But I've got you for now. Until you decide to move on somewhere else anyhow."

"You have me?" he echoed in a bit of confusion.

"Well, you won't rat me out to the cops for the same reason I wouldn't go to them about you," I replied. "And, I'm sure you're looking for a better life than the one you had. Perhaps you can get me to go out and do things I hadn't considered doing."

"I guess…" he said warily. "Are you saying that you want me to hang around though? That… isn't what I expected. At all."

"Yes... That is if you are tired of trading for food," I replied. "I know my boss is looking for a part time dish washer if you're thinking that you owe me anything. You can use the money you make however you want. Whether to save it to get away from me or help pay for whatever. I'll leave that up to you."

"You'd help me get a job?" he asked in surprise. "But... nobody will hire me because I'm too young." I hummed a bit at that and turned my eyes over to him.

"When do you turn fifteen?" I asked. "Fifteen is apparently the legal age to work certain jobs in this state."

"I turned fifteen a month ago but nobody believes me when I tell them that. And I can't confirm it because I don't have any ID," he explained as he picked at his food some.

"Well, I think I can swing it with my boss," I replied. "But it'll be easier if I tell him you're my brother. I'll tell him the truth about me if I have to and tell him I took you with me to protect you. He hasn't asked anything personal of me so far so it should go over easily enough. He was willing to keep me from having a paper trail, so I imagine that he wouldn't be against doing the same for my brother." He nodded some.

"I'm Blake," he said, extending his hand some.

"Andre," I replied as I took his hand carefully. "And my boss thinks my last name is Taylor, so we'll just stick with that, okay?" I said as I slowly withdrew my hand.

"Taylor then," he agreed. "I can live with that. But, are you sure you want to help me? I mean… you don't know anything about me…" I nodded a bit.

"Yes... I believe you'll open up when you're ready to," I replied. "I know you're probably running from something similar to what I am and that's really all I need to know right now. I want to give you the chance to live a life you want to."

"Thank you, Andre," he muttered. "That's more than I had hoped I would get."

"No one deserves the lives we've lived through, Blake," I replied. "So it's the least I can do to help you survive until he can't take you back. Tomorrow, I'm going to give you some money. I want you to go to the hair dresser and get a hair cut different from what you've always had. Colour it if you want to. I did and I can promise, I don't look much like the kid who arrived here." He fingered his hair absently before nodding. He didn't really need to colour it since I'd already highlighted mine and it gave us similar hair colours.

"I will," he promised.

"That's only the first step," I said quickly. "The next step is what you do with the rest of the money I give you tomorrow. There's a clothing store that caters to teenage and college age males near the hair dresser. Just tell the girls working there that you need some new clothes. They'll help you out and you can just buy whatever they suggest that looks good on you. Trust me, they know what they're doing."

"Alright," he muttered.

"Forget the costs," I said. "I know it's hard, but you'll feel better about yourself. And I think my clothes are a bit too big for you..."

"I'll try... but it's so much money," he said and I nodded some.

"It's my money and I want you to do this, for yourself," I replied. "Besides, it's not going anywhere right now so spending it on you doesn't bother me." Again he nodded.

"I'll do my best to remember that," he told me. "I can't say how successful I'll be at it though. What should I do after that though?" he asked.

"Well, drop your stuff off here and then come by the restaurant to meet the boss," I said after a moment of thought. "I should have had a chance to talk to him by then."

"I won't be able to get in," he pointed out. "Unless you give me a key I guess…"

"I have a set of spare keys in the kitchen drawer," I replied. "You'll probably need them even after tomorrow."

"Alright then... again thanks for this. It's an unexpected turn of good luck," he said, putting the empty box that had held his dinner off to the side. I smiled a little and handed him the remote to the tv.

"Everyone deserves a stroke of good luck every now and then," I said as I finally started to actually eat me dinner. "Find something decent on there if you want. I usually end up watching the news to make sure that my face hasn't appeared on there yet."

"Are you from around here then?" he asked as he turned the tv on and started flipping through the channels.

"No... I'm actually from a small town in Virginia," I replied. "I got as far from there as I possibly could without buying a plane ticket to go to Hawaii or Alaska."

"Then you probably won't appear on the news this far out unless they think someone abducted you. And it's been long enough that they probably ruled that out already," he supplied. "My father was a police officer. He told me all the time how many kids went missing that the news just ignored. Especially older kids…"

"Was he the good guy or the bad guy for you?" I asked. "My father... was a bank teller. He was killed in a hit and run accident and they never found the driver..." He shook his head some.

"He was… the half there guy," he answered. "He got injured in the line of duty… paralyzed from the waist down. And after that he was just… not the same." I nodded some, sort of understanding. My mother was never quite the same with me after my father died. It was why I didn't care that I'd left her with that man.

"Ah..." was all I could think to say. I didn't want to press into him about his past. This was all about forgetting the past and moving on to better lives. We sat in silence for awhile, neither of us really knowing what to say.

"What time do you usually leave in the morning?" he finally asked.

"About ten 'til six," I replied. "I'll try not to wake you when I go though. I'm sure you'll probably want to sleep in.."

"It's alright. I'm usually up pretty early anyway. It's safer that way," he said and I looked down some. I had let myself forget that he'd been sleeping on the streets.

"I'm sure it is... but you're safe here," I said softly. I doubted I would ever be able to tell him about my sexual perversion created by the things my step father had made me do.

"I know.. if I wasn't you'd have made your move by now probably..." he admitted. "But I can't change my habits so fast..." I nodded and got up with the empty container before grabbing his.

"I know that one too," I said I took the empty containers to throw in the trash. "Did you need a refill on your drink while I'm in the kitchen?" I asked, looking over the counter at him as I opened the fridge.

"No, I'm fine. I am kind of cold though..." he said. I nodded some and pulled a drink out for myself, setting it on the counter before going to the closet in my room. The fact that I had prepared to have visitors was weird considering that I was such a paranoid person, but I did have some spare blankets and pillows that I pulled off the top shelf. I brought them back out and dropped them on the couch beside him.

"I'll help you pull out the bed whenever you're ready," I said as I  picked up my glass and went back to the kitchen. I lit up one of my cigarettes as I refilled my glass, being kind enough to at least be on the other side of the room. If I needed to I could turn the vent of the stove on to suck the smoke away. He quickly curled up under the blanket as he rubbed his arms.

"You really don't need to pull out the bed. I'm fine here on the couch," he told me.

"If you'd rather sleep on the couch itself, I'm not gonna fight you on it," I replied. I'd only offered to pull out the bed to make him more comfortable. If he didn't want it, far be it for me to argue with what made him comfortable.

"Thanks," he said, backing into the couch a bit more. "Hey, um, do you have any aspirin? I'm getting one of those nagging headaches," he said, rubbing the temple on the side that hurt.

"Yeah, I do," I said as I went to the bathroom to get the bottle for him. I took my cigarette with me, taking a moment to put it out on my arm before dropping the butt in the trash. I carried the bottle back out to him figuring that he knew just how many he needed.

"Some water would be nice," he said as he took the bottle of aspirin from me and opened it. He poured out a few pills into his hand and recapped the bottle as I went back to the kitchen. I quickly got him a glass of ice water and carried it back to him, my drink in my other hand.

"Here you go, Blake," I said, handing him the glass, but I didn't sit down. "I'm going to turn in for the night and you should too if you've got a headache. I'll see you tomorrow." I made my way to my room and curled up under my sheets like I always did. It didn't take me long at all to fall asleep even though I was plagued by dreams of my past.