8. Gabby

I had no idea where the man was taking me. I just blindly followed along, still clutching his sleeve as he strode down the hall, leaving his mother’s apartment far behind.

It didn’t occur to me that we could part ways now, not until he’d pushed through a side exit and paused us beside a nice, tan-colored sedan sitting next to the curb. And still, I stuck by him.

“You can put your things back in here now,” he murmured, tugging the crinkled sack from the back waistband of his pants and snapping it open.

I nodded without speaking. After slipping in the bottle of soda and saltines, I glanced up to watch him remove everything from his person and toss them into the bag as well. Then he tied it closed with a knot and opened the back door of the car next to us. After shutting it away inside, he opened the front passenger side door, and glanced at me, telling me to get inside with a single tip of his head.

I didn’t say anything in return. I just got into the car. I have no idea why I did th