The Runaways
Chapter Four
Riley leads me the remaining distance to the house. Once we reach the front door and climb the frail steps, he pulls out an old, rusted key.
"You'll get one of these, eventually." Riley says holding up the key.
"When exactly would 'eventually' be?" I question. Riley puts on that smirk of his.
"We only give keys to the people we trust," he replies before unlocking the door.
"Oh," I say softly. I watch as he opens the door and follow him as he enters.
The house is small but is surprisingly clean, for once being abandoned. A musty scent combined with pine trees and rain flows throughout the home. A staircase to my left has crooked steps jutting out of the wall, with only a slender railing. Straight in front of me is a, what I assume, living room filled with tired and worn furniture; the kind of furniture that fills the whole house. The drapes covering the windows are deep crimson in color and were closed, letting no light in.
"Well, here it is," Riley announces, "it actually starts to feel like home after while." I nod and follow him as he steps into a dainty kitchen.
"Riley!" yells a small brunette girl. She runs towards us and jumps into Riley's recently opened arms.
"Lilly! What's up?" Riley exclaims to the cutie in his arms.
"Skye is making us lunch and Kenny is trying to help. It's not working though. Kenny messes everything up. Skye says it's because he's your brother and you share the same genes." Lilly babbles. I couldn't help but smile.
"Skye said that, huh?" Riley replies and glances over to another brunette. She put on an innocent smile and went back to working. Riley rolls his eyes and I finally let out a laugh at the whole scene, apparently announcing my presence.
Skye snaps her head up and looks straight at me with an apprehensive look.
"Riley? Who is she?" I turn down my eyes to the floor. I haven't been good at eye contact since, well, since before.
"Relax Skye," explains Riley, "she's one of us." I look back up at Skye only to see her gaze on me hardening.
"How can you be sure?" she questions. Riley smiles at her overprotection and shakes his head.
"Skye, come on now. I saw her sleeping in a tree, go wash her hair in a gas station bathroom, and sprint away from a cop when she didn't even need to." She nods after a second and her frown quickly turns into a friendly smile.
"Welcome to the family, hun." She greets. I smile and a sigh of relief washes over me.
Family...
A low chuckle brings my attention back to Riley. My gaze narrows.
"You were watching me?" Riley grins.
"Hey, hey, chill out now, you should be thanking me right now." I roll my eyes and walk over to him. He's too cute to be mad at.
"Thank a creeper?" I tease. He nods,
"Go ahead."
"Yeah, yeah, thank you Riley," I mutter wrapping my arms around him.
"You are very welcome," he replies returning my hug. I grin against his chest,
"I still think you're kind of a creeper."
"You'll get one of these, eventually." Riley says holding up the key.
"When exactly would 'eventually' be?" I question. Riley puts on that smirk of his.
"We only give keys to the people we trust," he replies before unlocking the door.
"Oh," I say softly. I watch as he opens the door and follow him as he enters.
The house is small but is surprisingly clean, for once being abandoned. A musty scent combined with pine trees and rain flows throughout the home. A staircase to my left has crooked steps jutting out of the wall, with only a slender railing. Straight in front of me is a, what I assume, living room filled with tired and worn furniture; the kind of furniture that fills the whole house. The drapes covering the windows are deep crimson in color and were closed, letting no light in.
"Well, here it is," Riley announces, "it actually starts to feel like home after while." I nod and follow him as he steps into a dainty kitchen.
"Riley!" yells a small brunette girl. She runs towards us and jumps into Riley's recently opened arms.
"Lilly! What's up?" Riley exclaims to the cutie in his arms.
"Skye is making us lunch and Kenny is trying to help. It's not working though. Kenny messes everything up. Skye says it's because he's your brother and you share the same genes." Lilly babbles. I couldn't help but smile.
"Skye said that, huh?" Riley replies and glances over to another brunette. She put on an innocent smile and went back to working. Riley rolls his eyes and I finally let out a laugh at the whole scene, apparently announcing my presence.
Skye snaps her head up and looks straight at me with an apprehensive look.
"Riley? Who is she?" I turn down my eyes to the floor. I haven't been good at eye contact since, well, since before.
"Relax Skye," explains Riley, "she's one of us." I look back up at Skye only to see her gaze on me hardening.
"How can you be sure?" she questions. Riley smiles at her overprotection and shakes his head.
"Skye, come on now. I saw her sleeping in a tree, go wash her hair in a gas station bathroom, and sprint away from a cop when she didn't even need to." She nods after a second and her frown quickly turns into a friendly smile.
"Welcome to the family, hun." She greets. I smile and a sigh of relief washes over me.
Family...
A low chuckle brings my attention back to Riley. My gaze narrows.
"You were watching me?" Riley grins.
"Hey, hey, chill out now, you should be thanking me right now." I roll my eyes and walk over to him. He's too cute to be mad at.
"Thank a creeper?" I tease. He nods,
"Go ahead."
"Yeah, yeah, thank you Riley," I mutter wrapping my arms around him.
"You are very welcome," he replies returning my hug. I grin against his chest,
"I still think you're kind of a creeper."