"-And now I'm getting picked up to see my grandparents in exactly thirty minutes," I told her as we stepped out the school. The familiar van rolled up the curb, Asher poked his head out the window. He watched the two of us before I turned back to look at her with a pleading expression. "What am I suppose to say?"

Valeria patted my shoulder and suggested, "Hello would be a good first start."

I laughed. "I guess. Maybe they'll do all the talking for me."

"I wouldn't be surprised, if they did," she laughed. She looked at the van and gave me a push. "Go on. You'll be fine."

Gripping my bag, I started off towards the van, not before calling back, "I'll see you later."

^~^

Mrs. Haley parked the van next to a park. Two elders sat at a picnic table chatting happily and I watched then with close eyes. I glanced at Mrs. Haley and asked, "Is that them?" They looked harmless enough with their grey hair and cheerful faces.

"No. I don't think they are here yet," she said as she glanced around. She pulled out her phone before looking at the three of us. "We'll meet them at one of the benches, okay?"

The boys looked unsure but nevertheless jumped out of the car to walk to a bench. We sat at the bench for a while as Mrs. Haley typed at her phone. The boys started to get bored and I suggested that we played Eye Spy.

"I spy with my little eye something... red!" Asher said, a sly grin on his face. "You're never going to guess it!"

"The apple!"

"No."

"The leaf!"

"No."

"The stop sign!"

"Yes!"

Oliver glanced around before smiling. "My turn! I spy wif my lil' eye somefing... blue!"

"The sky," I guessed. Mostly because it's what he always chose.

"No fair!" Oliver pouted. "You're cheating!"

Asher patted his arm. "I thought it was going to be the blue truck."

My attention snapped to Asher with wide eyes. "What did you say?" My eyes searched his movements and he quickly flinched, scared.

"There! The truck," he said, as he pointed to a faded blue truck.

I glanced at the truck as my heart stopped. I wasted no time as I quickly jumped up and turned to Mrs. Haley. "We have to leave. NOW," I hissed. The boys looked at each other and I pulled them up. Mrs. Haley narrowed her eyes before taking in my frightened figure.

She started the car as the boys plucked in their seat belts. She quickly put the car in drive as I caught a glance of a man. His face hidden behind a camera as he took a picture of our car. I couldn't help but narrow my eyes through the rearview mirror.

He looked much different than a year ago. While he kept his face completely covered, the familiar beard was replaced with a mustache while his potbelly was completely gone. He had cleaned up nicely from escaping the police but I didn't see my mother anywhere. 

"He's here. I don't know how he found us but he's here," I told Mrs. Haley as she quickly drove out of the park. My father made no attempt to follow us as we were out of sight.

She nodded. "I sent word to the office so they will be on it." She looked at me with a fake smile. "It'll be alright, North. You're safe."

The world can be a dangerous place. We are preparing you for that.