So Just Fly With Me

-Lisa's POV-

It was the most miserable week of my life, full of all kinds of mixed feelings wondering if Craig was okay, and if he was going to come back for me. He didn't have a phone so I couldn't contact him, and eventually I figured I'd just have to move on and accept the loss. I'd keep fighting with my dad about everything, and at one point I'd proclaimed that I hated him for what he did. I knew I could never really hate my parents, but I was more than upset that I could have everything handed to me by my rich family, and the one thing I wanted most I was forbidden to have. Things took an even worse turn when I overheard my dad on the phone, hearing Craig's name and the words 'I want him dead' used in the same sentence. I feared for Craig more than I ever had, but my heart skipped a few beats when I had gotten a text message from him using a friend's phone. Later that night I called to hear his voice, and then made the plans for me to leave here the following day.

The whole day was a mixture of nerves, anxiety, anticipation, and excitement for me. It was also another day of hearing my dad proclaim his disappointment in me for what happened. As always, I'd argue back that he couldn't control who I fell in love with, and that it was his fault for hiring someone close to my age. I'd been trying to come up with any conclusion I could've about my father, especially after he said he wanted Craig dead. There had to be more to the test than just myself. He had to have been testing Craig, and he had to have been testing himself in some way. Whatever it was, I knew that Craig and I had to get out of here before he really did end up dead. He was the one I loved, and I wasn't going to let anybody come in between that who didn't support it.

I held my phone close to me all day, repeatedly going outside to try and see where he was. I'd look around from my front yard, clueless. I was even more lost when my phone vibrated in my hands. I can see you, but you can't see us. Don't worry. Just be in your backyard by nine and we'll find you. I took one last glance around before going back inside. I paced my room, making sure I had what I needed. Just the necessary toiletries, some clothes, and cash that I had been saving up ever since I met Craig and we'd been talking about getting away together. It wasn't a lot, just a couple hundred that would help us in any possible way.

Night was falling and my parents had disappeared around the house. My mom had went to bed, and my dad went into the basement. It's where he did his work from, and I wasn't allowed down there. Not that I ever had an interest in what he did anyways, until now since he was out to kill my boyfriend. I crept outside to the backyard with my bag and hid it by a bush. Back inside, I poked my head into my parent's bedroom to quietly say goodbye to my mom. In my room, I shut off my phone and set it on my desk, seeing my clock read 8:55 pm.

I sighed as I closed my door and went back outside, holding a book just in case I happened to run into my dad. I didn't and I stepped out into my backyard, wondering if he was around. “Craig?” I called out in a whisper, getting no response. I had no idea how he'd signal me, and I knew he couldn't just walk up here. I bit my lip as I slowly walked to the other side of the pool, out of sight of the house. “Craig?” I called out a few more times, still getting no response.

Bushes rustled around me, and I thought it was just the wind. I sighed and turned around to go back to the patio to wait for a signal. That was when I heard the whispers, but before I could turn around a hand clamped over my mouth while an arm wrapped around my waist. Following my first instinct, I struggled to get out of the grip, whimpering as I did so. “Sshh. Calm down,” someone whispered into my ear, dragging me back into the darkness behind the pool.

“Matt!” Someone shouted in a whisper behind us. “Stop fucking around.”

A laugh rang into my ear as I was let go. I swung around to see a tall man standing there. Icy blue eyes, shaggy black hair, a few days unshaven, covered in tattoos, wearing a smug grin. “Who the fuck are you?” I asked in a low voice.

“Umm, delivery guy?”

I gave him an odd look but quickly saw the silhouette of someone walking up behind him, wearing all black with a hood that covered his face. As I was about to shakily ask who the second person was, he pulled the hood away, smiling. I almost cried as I ran into his arms, hugging him tightly. “I'm so happy you came.”

“I told you I would. We gotta get out of here now.”

I pulled from the hug to get a quick kiss from him. After I grabbed my bag, I followed them out of my yard and to a car. It was a car I recognized from earlier in the day, parked along the street a few houses down. He joined me in the backseat as his friend drove off. I clung to his arm, not wanting to let go, and never letting the smile fade from my face.

“So who's he?” I asked, pointing to the driver that I heard him call Matt. “He about scared me to death.”

“That's Matt. One of my friends. He went for the grab before I could stop him, trying to be funny. He's taking off with us tonight. You'll meet the other three at the house, because we have to stop to get my bag and to get my car.”

“Mind if I follow you guys in my car?” Matt asked. “If this piece of shit makes it to where ever we end up, I can sell it, or sell it along the way.”

“Whatever you wanna do, man.”

The rest of the ride was silent and it wasn't long until we pulled up a driveway. I was a bit nervous, seeing as I never really interacted with a lot of other people, nor had I been this far away from home. As I thought about it, I realized how ridiculous I was for living like I did, and now I was glad to get to change it. I followed the two men into the house, hesitant to enter at first. There wasn't a whole lot to offer from the place. Everything was very basic. It didn't scream that they were poor, just showed that they were making enough to get by happily.

I followed them into the kitchen where I heard voices coming from. Three other guys were sitting at the table playing a card game. As soon as we walked in, they all turned towards us, and I froze. The shortest one who was about the same height as me came and flung an arm over my shoulders. “So you're the one, eh?” He asked with a smile. “Now I know why my boy went through all the trouble. I'm Nick.”

“Lisa,” I said quietly. I wasn't nervous that I was in a room with five men. I was nervous that they'd hate me because I was the reason their best friend had to leave town or die.

“Hey, shitface, don't scare her,” Craig said with a laugh before coming to my other side. “Don't worry, they won't bite.” I glanced around again, seeing Matt grab a seat at the table with the other two that hadn't greeted us yet. One was average size with dark hair, and the other was tall and skinny with light brown hair. Craig pointed to the lanky guy first. “That's Adam-” he paused and pointed to the other. “-and that's Aaron. He's the one that answered your call yesterday.”

I introduced myself to them both but before we could really do much in the way of hanging out, Craig said that we should hurry up and get on the road. They all seemed like nice guys, and a close group of friends. While he went to get his bag, I talked with the other four, answering a few questions they had. I was relieved that they were in complete support of the situation, and didn't have any problem with leaving their home because of it. When Craig was ready, I said my quick goodbyes to the three that were staying, and stood back to let them all say what they needed to say. It was a mixture of 'be careful' and 'stay in touch' before we were leaving to get on the road. Matt was in his car behind us as we got on the highway and sped away from the place we once called home. Watching the Chicago skyline disappear into the night as we headed west.

“Where are we going?” I asked, grabbing his right hand over the center console.

“Anywhere that's not here.” He paused and brought the back of my hand to his lips. “Do you have any places you'd wanna go?”

“Not really. Maybe somewhere that doesn't get cold in the winter,” I said with a laugh.

“We'll just keep heading west then, and then south. As long as where ever we end up, you'll be there with me.”

I just smiled and rested my head back against the seat. A feeling of relief washed over me, but I couldn't shake the nerves that my father would eventually find us.