62
The morning air was sharp and biting, every gust of wind a reminder of the mess we’d found ourselves in. Standing outside Adeline’s house with only the sound of the front door slamming behind us, I folded my arms against the chill creeping through my thin jacket. Bunny stood by the curb, his car idling, the only warmth in sight.
He leaned casually against the driver’s side door, arms crossed, his expression tight with frustration. The whole situation was as ridiculous as it was infuriating.
“Bunny,” Dominic began, his tone cautious as he stepped closer to the car. “Let me drive you back after we get to the motel.”
Bunny arched an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “You want to drive my car after getting us thrown out? Not happening.”
Dominic sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he glanced back at me. I was too cold and too annoyed to care about his pleading look. Crossing my arms tighter around myself, I stared at Bunny expectantly.
“Fine,” Bunny muttered after a beat. “I’ll drive. But you’re covering gas for this circus.”
Dominic didn’t argue. Instead, he opened the passenger door, sliding in with a quiet sigh. Bunny shot him a warning glance before looking over his shoulder at me.
“You coming, or are you planning to camp on the lawn?”
I didn’t dignify the comment with a response. Sliding into the backseat, I slammed the door harder than necessary. The warm air blasting from the vents was a small mercy as Bunny pulled away from the curb, leaving Adeline and her smug grin behind us.
The drive was quiet at first, tension hanging in the car like a thick fog. I sat stiffly in the backseat, staring out at the passing houses. The quaint charm of the neighborhood felt like a cruel joke, a reminder of how far we were from any semblance of normalcy.
Bunny broke the silence first. “So... what’s the plan, Dominic?”
Dominic didn’t respond immediately. He stared out the passenger window, his jaw tight.
“I’ll figure it out,” he said eventually, his voice low.
“That’s not a plan,” Bunny shot back, his tone sharper now. “That’s just you hoping something magically works out.”
I leaned forward, unable to stop myself from chiming in. “Exactly. You dragged me into this mess, and now we’re homeless with no clue what to do next. So forgive me if I’m not feeling particularly trusting right now.”
Dominic turned in his seat to face me, his expression frustrated. “Do you think I planned for this to happen, Eleanor? I’m trying to fix it.”
“Try harder,” I snapped.
Bunny groaned, slamming his palm against the steering wheel. “Alright, both of you, enough! You want to bicker, do it when we’re not crammed into my car. Right now, we need to focus on finding somewhere to stay.”
The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the hum of the engine and the faint buzz of static from the radio.
The gas station came into view after another fifteen minutes of uncomfortable quiet. Bunny pulled in, parking by one of the pumps before cutting the engine.
“I’ll get gas and snacks,” he said, unbuckling his seatbelt. “Stay here.”
Without waiting for a response, he climbed out, slamming the door behind him.
I leaned back in my seat, exhaling slowly as I stared out the window. The lot was nearly empty, save for an old pickup truck parked by the store entrance. The fluorescent lights overhead flickered weakly, adding to the sense of bleakness that had settled over the morning.
“You’re awfully quiet,” Dominic said, his voice breaking the silence.
“Maybe I don’t have anything worth saying,” I replied without looking at him.
He sighed. “Look, Eleanor, I know you’re angry—”
“Angry doesn’t even begin to cover it,” I interrupted, finally turning to face him. “I’m furious, Dominic. Furious that you got us into this mess, furious that you have no plan, and furious that you’re acting like everything will magically work itself out!”
He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Bunny returned, tossing a plastic bag into Dominic’s lap as he slid back into the driver’s seat.
“Eat something,” he said curtly, starting the car.
An hour later, we pulled into the gravel lot of a run-down motel on the outskirts of town. The building was a depressing sight: peeling paint, flickering neon signs, and a general air of neglect that made me question its structural integrity.
“This is it?” I asked, my tone flat as I stared at the motel from the backseat.
Bunny shrugged. “It’s cheap, and they don’t ask questions. Best we can do right now.”
Dominic didn’t argue, climbing out of the car without a word. I followed, the cold air biting at my face as I adjusted my jacket. Bunny led the way inside, the dingy lobby smelling faintly of mildew and cigarette smoke.
The man behind the counter barely glanced up as Bunny paid for the room, handing over a single key.
“Room 12,” he muttered, his voice as gruff as his appearance.
We made our way down the narrow hallway, the stained carpet and yellowed walls adding to the motel’s charm—or lack thereof. Bunny unlocked the door, pushing it open to reveal a small, dingy room with two twin beds and a chair by the window.
“Well,” Bunny said, tossing the key onto the nearest bed. “Home sweet home.”
Dominic and I didn’t respond. He sat on the edge of one bed, his head in his hands, while I took the other, sitting as far from him as possible.
Bunny leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed as he looked between us.
“I’m heading back to grab my car,” he said eventually. “Don’t burn the place down while I’m gone.”
With that, he left, the door clicking shut behind him.
The silence in the room was suffocating. I stared at the peeling wallpaper, the pattern faded and barely visible, as I tried to process everything that had happened.
“Eleanor,” Dominic said softly, breaking the silence.
I didn’t respond, keeping my gaze fixed on the wall.
“I’m sorry,” he continued. “For everything.”
His words caught me off guard, and I turned to look at him. His shoulders were slumped, his expression tired and worn. For a moment, I saw past the frustration and anger to the man beneath—the man who was trying, even if he didn’t always succeed.
“I know I’ve screwed up,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “But I’m doing my best. I just... I don’t know what else to do right now.”
For the first time all morning, my anger began to waver. Sighing, I leaned back against the headboard, closing my eyes.
“We can’t keep running forever,” I said after a moment.
“I know,” he replied.
I opened my eyes, meeting his gaze. “Then we need a plan. A real one.”
He nodded slowly, his expression determined. “We’ll figure it out. Together.”
By the time Bunny returned, the sun had risen higher, casting a harsh light through the thin curtains. He looked exhausted but relieved as he dropped his keys onto the table by the door.
“Car’s fine,” he said, flopping onto the chair by the window. “Now, what’s the plan?”
Dominic glanced at me, then back at Bunny. “We start over. Find somewhere safe, lay low, and figure out our next move.”
Bunny raised an eyebrow. “That’s pretty vague.”
“It’s a start,” I said, surprising even myself.
Bunny nodded, leaning back in the chair. “Alright. But next time, let’s try not to get thrown out of anywhere, yeah?”
I couldn’t help but laugh, the tension in the room finally breaking. It wasn’t much, but it was a start. And for now, that was enough.
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