Chapter 23: So How Do You Like Being A Fugitive?

Chapter 23: So How Do You Like Being A Fugitive?

Sarah woke up confused. Where am I? She thought. Right, we're on the run. Lovely. Sarah went to sit up but couldn't move. She felt arms wrapped around her waist. She turned her head ever so slightly to see Apollo fast asleep, his head resting on her jacket's hood. "Hey." She whispered. "Wake up Apollo. We should…...we should go find somewhere to eat." She heard her stomach growl. "But...I'm comfy." Apollo mumbly complained. "You are such a child. What's wrong with you Apollo? Everything about you reeks that you refute any physical connection but you're holding me like I'm going to leave you." Sarah asked, pondering what could make him change so quickly. He started blushing, "I don't know, I just feel comfortable around you. It's nice, I never feel this way around anyone. My gut is telling me to never let you go because if I do, you might be gone forever. That's what happened to everyone else I decided to care about, and I'm not letting it happen again. Can we stay here a little longer? I didn't get a lot of sleep." Sarah responded, "sure." About an hour later Apollo finally let go of Sarah and got up. "What did Blake say? I know it's him that's been blowing my phone up but I didn't read all of it. Accusing me of kidnapping again?" Apollo asked mockingly. "Something like that. We should try to find a tavern or hotel nearby, get something to eat and actually try to get a good night's sleep." Sarah said. "Yeah, go on my phone and look on maps. Maybe we can find somewhere to hide out. We made it pretty far yesterday so I don't think news of our appearances will be out for a while." Apollo said, while covering his failure fire with stones. "Found one! Let's get going! This way!" Sarah said excitedly. After walking for some time, they arrived at the front of what seemed to be both a bar, and an inn. They walked into the inside of the building, it was full of people. Mostly older couples, but a few isolated people as well. "Well how can I help you, you adorable couple?" The host asked kindly. He seemed to be in his mid-30's. Sarah's face showed her fluster. "We need a room for the night, and a proper meal if we could get one sir." Apollo said politely. "Hmmm, you two look awfully young to be traveling around on your own. You don't have any guardians with you?" The man asked questionably. "No sir, we seem to get told that a lot. We are both 17, the rural adult age. We both have bad cases of baby faces." Apollo let out a fake chuckle and the man laughed. "Alright then, I won't dwell on it too much. You said you're only staying for one night?" The host asked. "As far as we know, but we've come to expect the unexpected." Apollo let an obnoxiously loud fake laugh. "Alrighty my friends, right this way." They followed him up a flight of stairs and into a cramped room with a double bed. "This will be your humble abode for the next night or few, make good use of it! We will have dinner ready at 6, and breakfast tomorrow at 9. If you need anything, please let me know. Have fun you two!" He said, as he joyfully walked back down the stairs. "So I get why we slept so close together yesterday, it was freezing and both of us are too incompitent to make a fire. But why couldn't we get twin beds now that there's indoor heating?" Sarah asked. "Because, what would be the point in that? We have a really small amount of money and need to stay close together in case they find us." He paused for a moment, "so how do you like being a fugitive?" Apollo asked with a chuckle, it seemed like a real one this time. "I don't. I guess it is kinda nice to be independent, besides being around you of course. Apollo...…..I have a real question. What makes you like me? Mallory always said I had to be perfect, or what she called perfect anyway." Sarah rolled her eyes. "She was always critiquing and refining who I was because if she didn't, she said no one would like me. But she hasn't been trying to reshape me at all in over a month, not counting the time we've been "away", and you seem to like me. Enough to put your life on the line." Sarah finished, her face showing her curiosity. "Because, Sarah. First, I'm tied to you. When you're out of control, I have to feel it as an emotion, but I also have to hear your thoughts. It'd be really hard to separate myself from you just because of that. But on top of that, I feel like I can be who I am in front of you. I'm not scared to show myself like I am with everyone else. You make me feel comfortable, and I feel the instinct to protect you. It is definitely interesting", he laughed again, "but I'd rather be stuck in this mess with you than someone like my sister. Does that answer your question?" Apollo asked. "Yes, u-" Sarah began but was cut off. "What makes you like me, Sarah?" He asked. "You're always there now when I feel like everything's falling apart Apollo. I feel safe around you, and you're definitely not ugly" She couldn't help but to start laughing. "I definitely miss being able to laugh like this. You miss this type of banter when you numb yourself. I'm glad those days are over." The two sat around talking for hours, as they really had nothing better to do. Sarah talked about Mallory, and how her mother always seemed so preoccupied and absent. Apollo shared more of his childhood, part of which he had never really shared before. Everything was fun and comfortable until Apollo got a phone call. When Apollo looked down, he saw the name of a person he never wanted to talk to again. Her.