After Austin steered Kristy's red SUV underneath the green traffic lights, the rain has finally stopped pouring. Most roads are covered in small pools of water, but there are a few that looked as if they haven't been inflicted by the plummeting raindrops.

Pushing back my hazelnut brown dread, I carefully looked at the girl, sitting in the back seat, eating the remains of my Egg McMuffin. Like Austin, she appears to be very tired.

Dark rings around her eyes claimed that she hasn't slept a wink for months; but thanks to the small sandwich, her frail body is gaining some weight. But despite this, I became very concerned about her appetite that I asked Austin to buy the girl some burgers, soda, and fries, to which he obeyed without complaining.

Spotting a vegan restaurant, Austin rolled under the drive-through, ordered a veggie burger, fries, and cherry soda, purchased the meal, then handed the greasy-coated, white, paper bag to the homeless girl, who devoured her meal in seconds.

Watching her eat, I said to Austin: "Damn, how did you know she was a vegan?"

"A few seconds ago, I saw her picked out a sausage patty from her Egg McMuffin." he responded.

"Oh," I say, glancing in Austin's glistening mirror.

Behind us, a cheerful face grew on her dirt-covered face, as the girl consumed her meal.

The minute she nibbled the veggie burger streaks of ketchup stained on her chipmunk cheeks.

Onion and meat wedged in between her teeth, but as for the lettuce and tomato, it flew down her stomach.

Surprised by her vicious appetite, Austin suddenly remembers his bashful words from earlier then sighed with remorse.

Driving between the solid white lanes, Austin takes a deep breath and apologizes to the girl, who looked up from her half-eaten sandwich.

"What?" she muffled.

Austin ducked his head then said, "I am very sorry about my behavior from earlier, I didn't know how hungry you were until now."

"It's fine," the homeless girl insisted. "I mean, I did break into your car."

"Did you steal anything?" I ask curiously.

She truthfully shakes her head. "No, I didn't steal any of your things. I just came inside to sleep-not to steal."

"You can sleep here if you want," Austin offered.

"Yeah," I agreed, nodding in his way. "Austin has another blanket in his backpack, and I also have some clothes."

"Do you also have some pads?" she blurted. "You know...for cramps?"

Aware of what the girl is implying, Austin pretended not to listen as he continued steering along the road. His hands relaxed, his shoulders straightened, and his mind was clear from any distractions.

In the meantime, I politely asked the girl if she is wearing a pad right now.

The homeless teen nodded. "Yes, but I need some new ones."

"Okay," I smiled. "You can have some of mine."

"Oh," said the girl. "Have you started yours?"

"Not yet," I replied. "I'm sure if we get into an airport, I can take you to the bathroom to change."

"Yeah, " Austin scoffed, turning his blinker on. "and that's if we will go to the airport."

I shot him a glare. "I heard that Debby Downer."

Austin sighed, making a left turn. "I am just being realistic, Jack. I mean, what if we might get recognized by someone we know?"

I scoffed. "Like who? Joseph?"

Worried that the girl might be listening, Austin lowered his voice.

"No, more like my moms, " he whispered.

I raise my eyebrow at him. "What do you mean?"

Austin groaned when he caught a glimpse of rain appearing on the glass surface. Turning on his windshield wipers again, Austin continued to drive under the undefeated rain.

"My moms have friends who work as flight attendants," he explained in a hushed voice. "If one of them sees us, then they will ask questions."

I released an annoyed sigh. "Okay, so before we leave, we have to put on our disguises."

"Disguises?" the homeless girl looked up from her half-eaten veggie burger. "Why are you trying to hide yourselves?"

Austin and I glanced at each other, daring ourselves not to say another word.

"Oh, come on." she sighed. "I am not going to snitch."

I was about to speak when Austin mouthed the word "No." in my way.

He didn't want me to rat out the fact that I had stolen Elle Jones' ashes or ran away from home. Instead, he carefully looked at the homeless girl in the mirror then replied: "because we are celebrities."

When he said that line, Austin winked at me as a way of saying, "Play along, Jack."

Confused, the homeless girl tilts her head in my way. "Celebrities?"

"Yeah," I lie. "We have received a call from our director that he wants us to go to Australia, but because of the paparazzi on our tail, we have decided to wear disguises."

"Are you guys filming a movie?"

We both nodded.

"Do your parents know you are going to an airport by yourselves?"

"No," I insisted slowly. "We are making a movie to surprise my mother. Today is her birthday, and we want to make it very special."

Amazed, the homeless girl's brown eyes sparkled. "Really?"

"Yeah," I answer. "And speaking of families, do they know that you have run off?"

The homeless girl frowned instantly. "No, why?"

I smiled at her. "Because I know of someplace where they can take you."

"Really?" piqued a curious Austin, stopping near a red traffic light. "Where?"

"Saint Adam's Sanctuary," I answer.

Saint Adam's Sanctuary is a church where they take in homeless children. Nuns would give them warm blankets and food, while the priest taught kids the ways of the Lord.

While I was working late shifts at a nursing home, I heard a couple patients telling each other stories about how Saint Adam's having over a dozen recreational activities, hiking, and other fun things.

And since I know one of the staff members in Saint Adam's, I am sure that she will welcome the teenage girl with open arms.

Get her new clothes, make new friends-that kind of stuff.

Intrigued by Saint Adam's name, the homeless girl asked me what it was.

"It's a shelter for homeless kids," I answer. "They have food, fun, and warm beds."

"Really?"

I nod slowly. "Yeah, in fact, I know one of them from my school. I can call her and-"

"Can't I stay with you guys?"

I shake my head stubbornly. "We are going to take you someplace safe."

"Why?" asked the girl. "You guys seem pretty cool to hang out with."

Even Austin shakes his head.

"You seem like a nice girl, " he begins to explain, "but what if someone might be looking for you?"

She frowned instantly. "Well, I don't care."

"Well, we do." I respond flatly. "and you are going to Saint Adam's whether you like it or not."

The homeless teen muttered something under her breath, then continued eating the remains of her veggie burger.

Meanwhile, her fries are gone, the beverage has been drained from its cup, and the veggie patty was almost falling off of the sandwiched bun-along with the lettuce, tomato, and onions.

But thankfully, none of the ingredients had fallen on the floor.

As much as I was glad to see the girl in good health, I had no choice, but to agree with Austin's words.

Joseph might find this girl and demand to ask her what she knows. If she tells him the truth, then Austin and I will be done for.

Speaking of her, the girl who is finished eating her food-asked if we are a couple.

"What?" I ask.

Unfazed by my reaction, the girl repeated the same question again.

"Are you two a couple?"

I rolled my annoyed eyes onto the ceiling, while Austin shoots her a glare.

"No, we are not a couple," he says coldly.

"Well, you two bitch like a couple." the homeless girl noted.

"That's because we are teenagers," Austin sighed. "Get used to it."

Swallowing her food, the homeless girl sighed.

"Look, " she grunts. "I don't know anything about you guys; I just know that you two lovebirds are running away from something."

Austin and I blushed then eyed at each other.

"Okay first things first, " he began, pointing his finger in my direction. "I am not dating her-she is my best friend."

As soon as the traffic lights turned green, Austin proceeded.

"Yeah, I doubt that, " she retorted. "So anyway, I heard you two were doing some movie based off of some comic book."

While peering through the left window, she added, "why are you going to the airport?"

"To film a movie," I answer.

"I know, " said the girl. "But why? Are you two famous?"

"Not really, " Austin responded, propelling the car forward. "We are just ordinary teenagers who love making films."

"Oh," the homeless girl wipes her greasy fingers on a white napkin, crumpled it, and tossed it into the take-out bag. "What can you do?"

"Well, she is a director," Austin explained, pointing his right index finger at me. "and I am a make-up artist and special effects guy."

"Special-effects?" asked the homeless girl.

"It's a specific job for artists who make actors look good in movies. Is that understandable?"

The homeless girl nodded. "Yeah, and I also hear you wanted to be some kind of comic book artist."

"Your ears are very sharp," Austin noted, driving South.

"And your sarcasm is very fluent." the homeless teen retorted.

"It's his natural language, " I commented, earning a groan from Austin.

"Can I see your work?" she asked.

Austin simply shakes his head. "No."

"Why?" the girl asked. "Is it because you don't trust me?"

"Because I hate showing my art to anyone," he grunted.

"Except me," I added, snorting.

Austin flashes me a fake smile. "You are not helping."

"I wasn't planning on helping you," I replied.

My best friend rolled his eyes.

"Come on, " the homeless girl moaned. "Just let me see your drawings, I won't tell anyone."

He groaned, removed his sketchbook from his backpack, and reluctantly handed it over to the girl.

"Here, " he grunted. "just don't ruin it."

Sticking her pink tongue at Austin, the girl takes his sketchbook, opened the hard black cover, and examined the pages.

She flipped a couple to see pictures of vast landscapes, abstracts, Marvel characters, people, and other comic book drawings.

While some pages are acrylic; others were charcoal, watercolor, colored pencil, and pastel.

"Wow, you are REALLY good!" the girl exclaimed.

I smiled widely, while Austin blushed.

"They are just shitty doodles," he says.

"You capture the person's eyes so well, " she breathed, flipping another page. "and the nose."

"Don't put your fingers on my drawings." he scolded.

I frowned. "Stop being such a bitch."

"I'm germaphobic, okay?"

"You never bitch whenever I touch your shit," I remarked.

"That's because you are gentle with my stuff." Austin reasoned.

Since Austin is driving the car, the homeless girl handed the sketchbook to me.

"Are you using them to make your movie?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, we are."

"Cool."

"In the meantime, we really need to keep our identities a secret. Is it okay if you don't tell anyone about us?"

"What?"

"Please?" I begged. "I will give you twenty bucks."

"Make it fifty." the homeless girl insisted.

I released a sigh. "Deal."

By the way, what is your name?" Austin asked, turning the SUV around a curb.

Tall buildings slowly trudged passed us as Austin journeyed past the anxious drivers and stoplights.

And since we are far away from 78th Haven, I can only imagine Joseph's discomfort when he, Kristy and Olivia are looking for us.

But as I tried to regain my calm facade, I examined the homeless girl's relaxed eyes as she eventually tells us her name.

"Erykah," she replied simply.

"Erica?" I repeated.

The homeless teen shakes her head.

"It's Erykah, " she explained. "E-R-Y-K-A-H. I was named after a neo-soul singer."

"Oh, " I say, "as in Erykah Badu?"

Erykah bobbed her head. "Yep."

I held my hand out to her. "My name is Josephine Baker."

Then gesturing my head over to Austin's direction, I told Erykah that his name is Toby.

"Nice to meet you Toby and Josephine." she beamed.

Though I felt guilty for lying, I was glad to see Erykah in good spirits.

Crumbling the take-out bag, Erykah held the massive ball in her hands, gathered her ripped blanket, and held them close.

In the meantime, Austin drove at a very steady speed limit of thirty miles, while I stared at my window, feeling the cool breeze flowing out of the air conditioner.

Everything was perfect: the clouds had once again hardly produced any drop of rain, the traffic is clear, and tinkling jazz music continued to play in the background.

That is until the news came up.

"Breaking news, " announced a female reporter, "billionaire Warren Cole claims to have his grandmother's ashes robbed last night in Central Park."

Alarmed by the announcement, Austin, who is shaken from his daze, stared hard at the radio then at me, whose color immediately drained from my face.

Unperturbed, the female reporter went on, "According to some sources, the felony had started when Warren went to look after his three-year-old son, Donny."

"He was trying to find his pacifier when all of a sudden, Warren had forgotten his grandmother's ashes in the middle of a playground."

"Horrified, Warren quickly returns to the park, but to find the ash jar disappear without a trace? How shocking is-"

The news reporter's words have been rudely interrupted by Austin's pale finger, pushing the silver OFF button on the radio.

After shutting it down, Austin gives me a calm look then asked if I was okay.

Besides the fact that I am a suspect?

"Yeah, " I lied weakly. "I am fine."

"Are you sure?"

I nodded very quickly. "Yeah, just keep driving."

Obeying my command, Austin presses his foot against the gas pedal and continued our risky passage to the airport.