Twisted Deceit (Deceit #3)

Chapter 9

“I just need to stop at a couple of places before we head home,” Dawn mumbled, turning into a shopping center-like place. There were too many cars, too many people, for my liking. It kind of sucked that it was something I had to start getting used to.

“You can stay in the car. I shouldn’t be too long.”

That sounded good enough to me, so I nodded. Staying in some sort of fake safety would be better than going into a store with too bright of lights and with too many people.

Dawn parked in front of some store, the windows too big with huge stickers on them. The red word at the top of the storefront was easy enough to see, even if I didn’t have glasses.

“Just gotta get a new phone,” she said, turning the car off, but leaving the key in the ignition. “Shouldn’t be more than a few minutes.”

When I didn’t reply, not like she expected it anyhow, she gave me a soft smile before leaving the car. I watched her walk, her purple skirt flowing with each step around her legs.

I envied her right at that moment. To not be afraid of what was around the corner, not caring what others could possibly think of her, and to just speak so freely.

Sighing, I leaned my head back as thoughts swam forward. I thought I had been doing so good at keeping them all at bay by just living in the moment. But of course, that wasn’t going to last. I knew that, but I could still hope.

The moments of cold hands touching me caused me to shiver and my breath to hitch. Today, overall, hadn’t been bad, considering everything. No one touched me that I didn’t want. No one told me how much of a baby I was.

Actually, since being with Dawn, not a single person had spat words of hate towards me. I kept waiting, sure it’d happen. Not by Dawn, though. No. She was too kind to utter anything mean to anyone.

But the damage was already done. I’d never be able to be free mentally. It was hard enough to wrap my mind around the fact that I was safe. I was in a place where I’d never have to serve another man again.

That second part was hard to believe, too. My time with Dawn would come to an end. I’d mess up too many times. Even the nicest of people could only deal with so much.

I didn’t think she’d send me back to where I came from, though. But people did change. I’ve seen it more than once.

Being born to a set of people who would rather do drugs than care for me had been bad enough. Now, no other family but one person wanted to try to get to know me. Did they even try? Did they know I was here with Dawn? Had she talked to them?

So many questions I couldn’t ask. I didn’t want to know the answers, yet my heart said otherwise.

I didn’t think knowing would help me any. All it’d do would prove to me how awful the world is.

Wiping away tears again from my cheeks, I turned my gaze to the front entrance of the store, watching and waiting for Dawn.

Thankfully, by the time I got the tears under control, she was coming out of the door, carrying a bag in one hand. The cell phone store’s logo was on the front, big and bold.

Moments later, Dawn was back in the car, all but putting the bag into my lap.

I sort of held it like it would bite me as she got into the car, turning towards me as much as she could in the small area.

“It’s for you. Happy birthday, Koda.”

I squinted. I didn’t have birthdays. Nor did I ever get things on them, unless you counted a mouthful of sperm.

“Open it.” She encouraged me. When I still didn’t move, blinking and a bit dazed, Dawn reached in and grabbed one of the smaller boxes that was inside the bag. “It’s yours.”

Slowly, I reached out, taking the heavier small box from her. With two hands, I opened the lid, finding a shiny phone staring up at me.

“I hate the idea of leaving you at home without a way to contact me,” she explained. “My number is already programmed. All I ask is please don't create any social media accounts with your real name or location. And no posting pictures of yourself, or looking up porn.”

Well, that wasn’t going to happen. I’d follow those orders easily enough, because I had no inkling to do any of that. Ever. Plus, I was technically under what the police officer said, was a witness protection thing. It was more my safety that no one found me. Which, only my last name had been changed but that didn’t matter. It wasn’t like I knew it all that well anyhow.

“And then this.” Dawn pulled out the other box. It was bigger, and more like a square than the phone box had come in.

Like before, I slowly opened it after setting the phone down gently under my leg, afraid it was going to fall.

Inside the second box was something that was like a phone, but different. I’d seen them sometimes, but wasn’t all that familiar with the item.

“A tablet. It’s so you can read, if you want. Or find games to play. Or watch something. Bigger screen and all that. Plus, it’ll be good to do some homeschool stuff.”

I looked at her quickly, confused.

“I don’t think you’d like public school. At least not right away. You can learn a bunch of stuff on the internet these days. And I think getting used to new changes slowly would be better.”

It took a moment for the shock to pass, then the tears started once more.

Even if I could get my words to work, I wouldn’t know what to say.

“They are yours, Koda. Wherever you go in life, those two things are yours and yours alone. Unless I feel like you are getting into something you shouldn’t with reading or researching or talking to strangers online. Then, I’ll have to step in, but I don’t foresee any of that happening right now. If ever.”

Me talking to strangers? That alone was laughable. I didn’t even talk to Dawn, so how the heck would I talk to someone I didn’t know.

I sniffed, wiping a hand under my nose before putting the items back in the bag, where I found a phone case which I slipped on to the new cell phone as Dawn started the car and backed out of the spot.

“I know you aren’t used to getting things, but you’re fifteen now. Teenagers should want the newest gadgets.”

I felt ten years older than that, I thought.

“Dr. Shaw said it was a good idea when I mentioned it. Even if you don’t want to work with her, I think she has some good advice we can both work with.”

I turned my head to gaze out the window. I didn’t want to know what they had talked about. But on the other hand, I did.

“I hope I’m doing the right thing,” Dawn went on, more to herself than to me. “I’ve never been around kids, least of all teenagers. And I feel like I’m letting you down. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t change a thing. I’m glad you’re here with me, Koda. Just…you gotta let me know somehow if I’m not being a good role model or do something you don’t like. Heck,” she laughed softly to herself with a shake of her head that I caught out of the corner of my eye. “I don’t even know if you can read or write. I didn’t bother to ask. For all I know, you may have never learned and I wouldn’t be surprised if you didn’t with how much you bounced from home to home.”

Even though my heart beat too quickly in my chest, I placed my hand on her arm, my touch light, to stop her rambling.

Here I thought, I was the one that was worrying over every little thing. I guess I wasn’t as alone as I thought I was.

“You can read and write?”

I nodded, withdrawing my hand. I actually loved to read, and would read whatever I got my hands on wherever I was. I wasn’t stupid, despite so many people thinking so.

Just because I refused to speak didn’t mean I couldn’t read words or put them together on a sheet of paper. I just never wanted to. There’d never been a reason.

Maybe Dawn could be worth it, though. She deserved answers, at least.

“That’s good to know. I…I wouldn’t know where to start if you didn’t.” She cleared her throat, turning into another parking lot. “Now, a big question. What kind of cake do you like?”

I sighed, wanting to tell her that she didn’t have to do that. Any of this. I wasn’t into sweet stuff, anyhow.

Once Dawn parked once again, she pulled out the phone from the bag before opening a text thread, her name at the top.

“Type what kind. Any kind.”

I didn’t know. I didn’t know flavors or types or anything.

I shrugged, letting the phone rest in my palm. Then I pointed to her. She could just pick whatever.

“My favorite is red velvet. It’s like chocolate, but not so chocolatey. It’s not as sweet, either.”

I pointed at her again. That one sounded fine to me.

“Okay, I’ll get us both a cupcake to eat at home.” She gave me yet another smile before leaving the car, already knowing I wouldn’t want to tag along here either.

Since her text message thread was still up, I bit the corner of my lip and typed out two words. I hoped she understood how much today meant, even if I didn’t need any of it.

Thank you.