History Must Repeat Itself

Chapter 17

          My brain woke up to a car alarm blaring outside. I groaned, nuzzling my head further into the pillow. Except my nose got squished against something hard. I groaned from the shot of uncomfortable pain, lifting my head. What I thought was a pillow, began chuckling.

"I don't know how many times you've done that."

Opening my eyes, I lightly glaring at Steve's smile. I shut my eyes again, pushing my face into the crook of his neck. Steve's arms tighter around me. I was quickly falling back asleep, but the loud snore from the next room shook the walls.

"We need to get up before Robin does," I muttered.

"Or we could scare the crap out of her by finding us."

A giggle escaped in a huff of air, rolling over on my back. Steve grumbled, rolling with me. He hugged my torso to him. Mentally pushing out the warmth, I squirmed under Steve.

"Steve, I have to get up."

I heard a grumble of complaint from his chest but we both froze as Madison's bedroom door opened. We silently listened to Robin stumble to the bathroom. When the door creaked shut, Steve and I jumped up. I grabbed my sweatpants, running downstairs without them on. I began filling the kettle with water to put it on the stove.

"You forgot something."

I glanced back, smiling at Steve holding out my scrunchie. After placing the kettle on the stovetop, I mouthed thank you to him, and put my hair up. Struggling to shuffle my sweatpants up my legs, I glanced at his shirt.

"You know that's mine, right?"

Steve pulled out the fabric to see a Cabbage Patch Doll staring up at him. He crossed his arms over the fabric.

"Hm," Steve said, "well it looks better on me anyways."

         Pulling up to the Henderson's house, I pressed the horn twice. Looking in the rear view mirror, Robin fiddle with the red tie on her uniform. Her eyes were barely open. I snorted, glancing at Steve. His head rested against the headrest, looking back at me. I winked at him as Dustin's footsteps thudded down the driveway.

"You guys look miserable. Did you sleep at all last night?" Dustin asked as he got into the car.

Steve sat up, turning back to his daytime ward, "I had a great sleep last night."

With the sounds of WHAM playing through the car, everyone was silent as I drove us to the mall. I'd worn an outfit similar to the one from the day before. We knew there was something hidden in the shipping rooms used by Lynx Transportation. And somehow, the boy in the backseat had peaked my interest enough for me to join in on finding out what it was.

          For the next few hours I sat in the back of Scoops Ahoy, book in hand. Steve and Robin had to finish their shift while Dustin slunk around Starcourt, trying to find out more about Lynx Transportation. Dustin wanted me to come with him, but Steve pointed out a thirteen year old boy had an easier time hiding in plain sight than an eighteen year old girl. I'd called Max's house already, her mother saying the girls had left early this morning. At least my sister was still alive. 

My day of reading was interrupted when Scoops Ahoy's phone began to ring. Steve picked it up, mumbling into the mouth piece.

The back door pushed open slight. "Jess, it's for you," Steve called through.

I looked at Steve with confusion. Unless Susan told Madison, no one knew I was here.

"Hello?"

"Hey sweetheart, I've been searching for you," the comforting male voice said on the other end.