Runaway by Delaney Knight (i read book .TXT) 📕

But it did.

At 3:11 the beeps clashed angrily into a single, horrifying scream of a sound. The hospital staff rushed around him as he watched horrified. A doctor began to shock the woman's heart to life again. A nurse ushered them out into the hall and Clay felt himself convulse in sobs. As Beth buried her face in Max's shirt, Clay just stood helplessly as Max consoled the girl. He heard her cry out. The sound was so distant and he felt empty.

Marcie Wilkes was pronounced dead at 3:15.

"No you're not! You can't!" Colette paced the living room angrily, holding her belly and concentrating on evening her breath. "My friend is missing! You can't just stop looking! What else is there for you to do in this backwash town?" Clay yelled into the phone. Officer Lee remained calm and giving his regrets, he hung up. The line buzzed, its signature sound of death, and Clay slammed the phone onto the receiver. "God damn it!" He screamed, dropping his head into his hands. He felt tears fill his eyes. He was unaware that Colette's face had drained of color and she was sweating profusely. Raising his eyes, he realized what was happening. "Oh god, sit down." Colette did as she was told and she broke down into shaky cries.

"It's okay it's just my...anxiety." She felt the baby bump and let out a lengthy breath.

"What are we going to do?" Clay stared at his enwombed child. He knew it should have been Beth's. Colette knew it should have been Beth's. But the matter was to be unspoken of; it turned to be sort of an obvious secrecy.

"I don't know." The clocks in the room ticked at an uneven pace that resembled a heartbeat.  The tapping that came to the door cracked the silence. Clay rose to answer.

"Hi Clay." The figure spoke before Clay had fully opened the door. He blinked, unsure of whether to speak in anger or confusion.

"Why are you-“

"I talked to Beth." Clay dropped his anger and let Max come in.

"We can't just pretend this didn't happen." Beth's voice drained the forest of quietness. Clay looked up from the book he was reading and ran his fingers through his hair.

"What are you talking about?" He asked nonchalantly, though he knew very well what she was referring to.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Clay." Clay blinked.  Her usual tone was not so snappy, even when irritated.

"It was a mistake." Beth dropped her eyes to her hands that were hidden in her sweater sleeves.

"Um, yeah I mean... Yeah. But why did you…?" Clay grinned sarcastically.

"We were both a wreck that night. I figured it was what you wanted. It was a mistake. I wouldn't want to ruin your relationship with Max." Building up all of his confidence, he glanced into her eyes. A glimmer of pain flashed but Beth blinked it away.

"Don't tell Max about this, okay?" Clay nodded.

"Of course." Beth shivered. Clay noticed and peeled off his coat, wrapping it around her. She smiled up at him. Both had an overwhelming urge to kiss one another as their eyes met. Clay thought she looked so vulnerable, so he pulled her into a hug. Her head rested on his chest.

"I miss her a lot.” He felt her cry against him. He pulled her in tighter, resting his lips on her forehead.

“I know. Me too." He smoothed her hair down and sighed.

I love you, Beth. The words rang in his head and mocked his weakness. He couldn't say it. He loved her too much. It filled his lungs and chest like water would, suffocating him.

The words would not come out, no matter how hard he tried to rid his bones of them.

"Happy Birthday Clay!" His mother sang as she presented Clay with a fully overdone cake. He smiled, though his mind was on Beth. He hadn't seen her all week and he prayed she wouldn't forget. After kissing his mother on the cheek, he cut himself a piece of cake and sat out on the back deck.

"Clay?" Beth approached the deck.  He stood up and held his hand out to help her up the stairs. He was raised to be a gentleman, as Beth knew all too well. As their eyes met, she blushed and turned away. "Happy birthday." He cocked his head and looked into her eyes.

"Thank you." He smirked. 

"I thought I'd look nice for my best friend's birthday party." Clay's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Party? It's just my mom and me." Beth grabbed his hand and pulled him closer to her. The urge to kiss her smacked him in the face. She blushed again.

"Not anymore." She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. His hands found her waist and he pulled her up close to him.

"Max and I broke up." She whispered in his ear. He let go of her.

"Oh god Beth, what happened? Sit down." She smoothed her dress and sat down, crossing her legs daintily. "Mom, Beth's here, will you bring us a couple of cokes?" He shouted into the house. His mother returned soon after with two sodas.

"He just didn't feel the same way anymore I guess." She sniffled. Clay scooted his chair closer.

"He always was a bit of a tool." She smiled through her tears and sipped at her soda.

"I guess I always knew it wouldn't work out. He was never very supportive..." A sob escaped her throat. Clay couldn't handle seeing her so sad. He was unaware that anybody could ever hurt someone so beautiful.

"Beth, I..." Before he could finish she twined her fingers on the back of his neck. He watched her hair tumble down her shoulders. He was so in awe.

"I know." Leaning forward, their lips brushed. Beth paused, unsure of her actions. Clay surged forward, kissing her slightly. Beth pulled back moments later, smiling.

"It's about time!" Clay's mother whooped from the door. Beth thrust herself off of Clay and sat back in her chair.

"Ma!" Clay yelled, embarrassed.

"Sorry! Continue!" She closed the door and peeked through the window.

"Ma!” The mother's apology was muffled by the sound of the blinds being closed.

"I...Wow, um..." Beth brushed a finger across her lip, trying to process the kiss. Clay smiled into the silence. She put her hand over his and everything fit together again.

"She called me last night saying that she wanted to get back together." Clay stood beside Max and took notice of their similar build. Both skinny and tall, but somewhat built.

"Where did she call you from?"

"Arizona. Apparently she went to the house her grandfather left her."

"I didn't know he left her a house."

"Neither did I." Colette had remained silent since Max had showed up.

"I asked her about you but she just said you two didn't work out." Colette's hands bunched into fists, then loosened and met her belly worriedly.

"Clay..."

"I’m fine Colette. She’s right, we didn’t work out.” Colette, at am impatient loss for words, pointed angrily at her bloated stomach.

"No Clay, it's the baby."

"Now?!"

"NOW." Clay wasted no time in helping her up.

"Clay? Clay!" His mother called from her bedroom. He slipped a flannel over his head and stumbled tiredly to his mother's room. Her room was much tidier than Clay's. "I need help getting out of bed Honey." He wrapped her arm around his neck and gently rose, helping her up. In the past few years she had gotten much weaker, and though Clay never spoke of it, he was terrified of