"Nope." she laughs, but it's not an amused laugh. "That didn't answer my question, Chris."

"Yes, it did." I put the pad in my bag.

"You forget that I lost mine to my boyfriend back in Manhattan two whole years ago," she reminds me of the boyfriend she has waiting for her back in New York. "There was not so much blood that I had to wear a pad."

You're so right. Last night he was super rough -- despite it being my first time -- and made me bleed way too much, and this morning he took me by force against a tree near the creek. Now let's go eat fattening food and enjoy skipping school.

"I know, it was just really painful," I reply. "It was so...just tight down there that it felt like I was being split in half. I'm fine though, I'm hoping he'll give me time to heal." he probably won't.

"He better." she grits her teeth. "He didn't force you, did he?"

"No, last night was consensual," I don't lie about that. I almost never lie to her, just withhold information. I'm so bad at lying that I only get away with half-truths. "It was just painful."

"That, my friend, is exactly what it is." she nods, agreeing with me. "Where are we going anyway?" she changes the subject.

I look up and out the front windshield. We have already made it to the outskirts of town. The trees have become dense and I spot more wildlife scurrying around in the shadows of the branches.

"Wanna head to the city?" I suggest, shrugging. From here, there is nowhere else to go anyway. Unless we have a picnic in the woods. "My mom told me about a new thrift shop that opened up. Supposedly they have a tonne of retro, chic stuff."

"That's like an hour and a half drive, Chris," she whines. "I don't have money for the gas it'll take to come back."

"I'll pay." I roll my eyes - gas prices are low right now - and laugh.

"Awesome." she smiles widely. That was her plan. "Free gas, a trip to the city, an awesome new thrift store, and hanging out with my bestie! This is gonna rock!"

We hold up rock n' roll symbols in unison and laugh our heads off. That is until Christiane almost runs over a squirrel. At that time, we decided to just turn on the radio and jam out to whatever is playing rather than laugh until she cries and kills us both.

The fun we have together is special to me. These are memories that I will hold dear even after we graduate and quite possibly separate. I mean, the possibility of us both attending the same college is very real. The reason being, that when we graduate, Christiane plans to go back to New York and live with the boyfriend that she has been dating for four years now. My plans are to also go to New York and go to school to become a makeup artist for the rich and famous - hopefully even a full-fledged fashion designer. It is a dream I've had for as long as I can remember.

The only thing standing in the way of that dream is quite possibly, Cole. I told him about it, but he didn't really seem to be paying attention at the time. I know that he plans to use his baseball scholarship and his dad's money to go to a school here close to home, but I don't remember which one. Most likely the one in the city. Though that wouldn't make sense because that school is nowhere near Ivy League. All I remember for sure is that it is very far from New York.

Over an hour later, we pull up to the outskirts of the city, and I suddenly feel super giddy. Chris and I have been here once before, but it wasn't for very long. That's actually the day that Tom caught us in a popular cafe in the middle of the city. He didn't say anything. Just pulled out his keys, gestured for us to get into the car, and drove us to the school. Somehow, he talked the front office secretary into changing our attendance and making it perfect. It could have been his smooth talking and experience with women due to the fact he got around a lot in his younger years. Plus, he writes romance, mystery, thriller novels. His main audience just happens to be women and he knows exactly what they like to hear.

The city is really nice for someone in this part of the country. The outskirts of the city are a bit old, but hold a simple, charming feel to them. The buildings are mostly made of multicoloured bricks and nearly all windows have shutters.

"Do you think that we will run into anybody we know?" I ask while unbuckling my seatbelt and getting out of the car slowly.

"My matti and vatti have work in the shop today," she replies. Her parents own a small craft shop in the middle of Hollydale. "My younger sister and brother are in school... So as long as your family doesn't show up, we're in the clear."

"Mom is working in the square today and Tom has a new book he is working on so I know he's going to be holed up in his office for a while." I think about Jeremiah's whereabouts. "Jer Bear is too good a kid to skip school."

"Cool." she punches the palm of her hand. "Let's hurry to that thrift shop." Christiane locks her car and walks off, leaving it parked in front of a shop. She puts so many coins in the meter, she might've robbed a laundromat. "Shall we, milady?"

"We shall." I chuckle.

Locking arms, we make our way a bit deeper into the city. I peer up at the shop we are searching for and the map on my phone leading us directly to the place we are standing not too far away from.

Before walking in, we get a good laugh out of the fact that the shop is actually called Thrift. Neither of us knew why it was so funny, but I just needed something else to laugh at and she joined me.

"Holy shit, this is so cool." Chris gets all excited the moment we walk in the quaint little mixed red brick shop. "Look at this stuff, Chris."

"Quiet!" an older woman, probably in her late forties, shushes us immediately. Walking over to us hurriedly, she keeps a finger to her lips. "I'm sorry, girls. But, my mother is sleeping in the back. If you stay you have to be silent. I'm sorry. It won't always be like this, it's just that we just moved here for the relative silence and I haven't been successful in finding her a nurse yet."

"No problem," I smile at her apologetic. "We will keep it down for you."

"Thank, God." she breathes a sigh of relief. "Would you also put your cellular devices on a quieter setting for me? If you don't mind."

I chew on my lip.

Chris doesn't hesitate. "Sure." she turns her phone all the way off without a care in the world. "Nobody calls me anyway. Except for you." she pinches my side lightly.

"Uh, me too." I take out my phone. "I'm sure it'll be fine if I put it on vibrate." I push the button on the side of my phone until it's on the pulse setting.

"He wouldn't call you during school, will he?" Chris spits. "What a control freak."

"Chris, stop." I reply. The last thing I want to do is get into this in front of a stranger. "He usually doesn't I'm just being careful."

"Whatever." she rolls her eyes.

The shop owner looks back and forth between us both. "Thank you, girls." she smiles softly, settling her eyes on me. "I'll give you both a twenty percent discount for being such nice young ladies."

"Oh no, we don't want to cut into your income or anything. I mean, all we did was turn our phones down." I shake my head.

"Don't worry about my income, dear," she tells me. "When you add up all the money my mother and I get from my father's life insurance, my ex-husband's alimony checks, and my retirement money, we are living comfortably."

"I'll bet," Christiane says, nodding her head as if she is impressed.

I laugh. "Well allow us to add to your income." I push Chris away towards the clothes rack. "Miss?"

"Oh, my name is Billy Grace." she shrugs. "But, I don't like to feel old, so I don't want either of y'all to call me Ms. anything."

"Gotcha, Billy." Christiane winks at her. "Let's get shopping, Chris."

For around four whole hours, Christiane and I roam around the thrift shop, trying on multiple clothes and accessories for our pure enjoyment. Every now and then, Billy would join us and we would put on dated outfits. Dressed in clothes from different decades, we made up characters and talked like people from their time. It was so much fun and the vast majority of clothes from such a wide range of eras in America's history made the small shop seem like a fantasy time warp.

For the first couple hours, we are here, I listen carefully for the sound of vibration to come from my phone. One never comes and once Chris notices me continuously checking my phone, she takes it from me and throws it in my backpack.

Billy does ask us at one point how old we were, where we live, and what our names were, but never did she ask us about school or why we were skipping. She seems to be a very laid back and easy to talk to the woman. Rare around here if I do say so myself. She lets us know that she has a son around our age and a granddaughter. I ask more about her son, but she waves it off and says that we'll just have to ask him about himself when he comes down here from Chicago.

When it is finally time to go, Billy keeps true to her word and takes twenty percent off of our separate purchases, saving me like five bucks. That's a lot for someone like me with no job. My only income is my allowance from my parents and money that Cole gives me every now and then for no particular reason. I didn't ask for it, but he gives it to me. Around fifty bucks every Sunday.

Saying bye to Billy took forever. We said it maybe four times before we actually stepped foot outside of the shop. She said next time we had to meet her mom and then wished us a good day.

"Woah." Christiane looks at her wristwatch and then shows it to me as we get in the car. "Chris, look."

My heart sinks. "Please tell me that your time is off." my voice shakes. "That you forgot to change it during daylight savings or something."

Her watch read 2:00 p.m.

"It's cool!" she starts the car up immediately and peels out on the street that leads directly out of the city. "Shit. We are so fucked!" she exclaims right after trying to reassure me. "What if we don't get there 'til school is over and they call our parents? Fuck. I really shouldn't have turned off my phone."

The people that work in the school office are far from my main concern. School is out at three o' clock for the high school. There is no way we will get back in time. My eyes water and my hands shake as I reach for my phone at the bottom of my bag.

Five missed calls, two voice-mail messages, and thirteen text messages from Cole monopolise my notification bar. All of which no doubt asking about my whereabouts.

A sob tries to force it's way out, but I cover my mouth. Abnormally cold tears rush from my eyes and over my cheekbones, only to fall from the chin and onto my chest.

"Chris?!" she hits the break. "What's wrong?!"

I quickly wipe my cheeks. "Nothing, just keep driving."

"I'll drive slower if you want," she suggests. "Or I can take you directly to my place and you can hang out there for a bit."

"No!" I startle her. "I mean....just keep going and go on the back road so Sheriff Cooley doesn't stop us. " I tell her while getting ready to text Cole.

She slowly nods and speeds off down the street.

When I look at the very last text he sent me, I cringe. The way it's in all capital letters sends a chill down my spine.

WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU, CHRISTINA!

I put the phone back in my backpack without replying. What would I even say? Leaning back in the seat I try to keep my mind clear. All I want to do is close my eyes and not think about anything.

<>

My cheek stings. The pain killers I took this morning have worn off.

"I'll ask you again..." Cole stands over me shaking the hand that just slapped me in the air. "Where were you, Chris?"

"I already told you where I was." I can only give him my word. Christiane dropped me off outside the school and went home. The things I bought from the shop still in her trunk.

Cole was waiting there for me when I walked to the student parking lot. His red truck the only vehicle still here.

"Why weren't you answerin' your phone?" he questions. "You and that bitch friend of yours were out with some guys in the city weren't you?!"

He pulls me to my feet by my braid. "No, we were just at a shop!" I whimper, helpless. "Believe me!"

"I cain't trust you anymore, remember?" he reminds me while slamming me into the side of the truck. The door handle hits me in my back. "You are nothin' but a handful. Always needin' to be disciplined."