It was going to be his last day. David had finally made up his mind to leave, to pack up his stuff, take the money he'd saved and hitch a ride out of town. All he had left to do was clean out his locker at school. He wouldn't have even bothered, he kept practically nothing there, but the janitor, Klein, was on vacation and David didn't want to leave him extra work when he got back. Plus, it couldn't hurt to make sure there was nothing in there that could lead anyone to him.

The hood of his black hoodie pulled up over his head, leaving only his face and a fringe of black hair over charcoal lined eyes visible, David stood in front of his locker emptying the few notebooks and miscellany into his messenger bag. The hallway was swarming with students as they changed classes, and someone bumped into him from behind. He glanced behind with a fed up twist of his mouth, as the person didn't stop, or apologize. David's gaze followed the guy as he walked away. It swept over a point down the hall, returned to his locker, then back for a second look.

About twenty feet away a handful of students stood with a man not much older than them. He was in his early twenties, six feet tall, with dark close cut hair and an easy smile that creased the corners of his mouth. Dressed in a blue button down shirt tucked into dark jeans, with the sleeves rolled up his forearm, silver dog tags hung down over his chest, and his crossed arms showed off a leather bracelet, a string of beads, and three silver rings on his fingers. David vaguely knew who he was—a recruiter for the army or navy or something.

The man looked up then, and like David he glanced at him, looked away, then glanced back, catching David's gaze. David held it for a second, then looked away. Shutting his locker, he slung his bag over his shoulder, turned and walked in the opposite direction.

**

In the quiet of class time, David peeked out of the bathroom, checked left and right, then darted down the hall to the door marked Maintenance. It went to the stairs that led to the basement and back exit the janitors used for their smoke break. He'd used it many times before, and even waved at the men as he passed their break room.

"Going somewhere?"

David stopped dead. Leaning against the door was the man from before, looking as if he just happened to be there. Surprised, but not afraid, David looked at him. "Kind of a stupid question," he said.

"I guess it is."

"How did you know I'd be here?"

"I know the look of someone who's about to run."

"So? What are you going to do?"

The man looked at him. "There's not much I can do," he said. "If I tell on you, what are they going to do, expel you?" He thought he saw the boy smile, but it was gone too quickly, if it ever existed. "The school will tell your parents," he continued. "But then again, how much power over you could they have if you're running?"

David smiled, briefly. "So you made up for the stupid first question. I'll be on my way now." He moved towards the door.

The man didn't move. "Isn't there anything I can say to change your mind?"

"Why do you want to?" David asked, somewhat exasperatingly.

"Because I care."

"No, you don't."

"Are you me? Can you read my mind? You don't know what I feel."

David stopped and looked up at him. "You don't care, because you don't know me."

"If the people who knew you cared, you wouldn't be running. So, logically, someone who doesn't know you has a better chance of caring."

David opened his mouth, then shut it, frowning as he searched for some flaw in that logic.

The man smiled. "What's your name?"

David hesitated. "David."

"David what?"

Silence. Then, "David Otto."

"How old are you, David?"

"Seventeen. How old are you?"

"Twenty-four."

"That's old."

"Hey!"

David lowered his head, but the man saw his smile.

"I'm Jason," the man said, holding out his hand. David shook it and found himself holding a business card. "My number is on the back," Jason said. "Use it, if you want." He pushed away from the door and walked past David. "Travel safe."

David turned. "That's it?"

Jason glanced back. "Did you want me to stop you bodily? Because I can."

"No," David said, taking a hasty step back.

Jason slipped his hands into his jeans pocket and spoke conversationally. "Where are you going, by the way?"

"I don't know."

"How are you getting there?"

David shrugged.

"How do you plan to fund this?"

Another shrug.

"Solid plan." Jason looked at him, and David avoided his gaze. "It feels like you're just trying to get away," he said. "But running blind won't let you get as far as you want to go. Take the day, think about tomorrow, and then think about five years from now, and how far you'll get without even a high school degree. Then come talk to me."

David glanced up at the man's retreating back, listening to the attenuating footsteps as he stood on the threshold of the door, one foot leading out, and one leading in.

**

Jason sat on the edge of the table in the recruitment office, chatting with a group of seniors, answering questions, and handing out pamphlets. It was Friday afternoon, and the office was semi-full, most of the students only there to talk to the cool recruiter, who they liked and admired, and maybe with some hope that he would notice them. Jason was mid-sentence when his gaze flicked to the door, and he saw a hooded figure in black, with a bag slung over his shoulder, and dark outlined eyes under a fringe of inky hair. He couldn't help the smile that parted his lips. It had been a week since he last saw the boy, and he was beginning to think the boy had left for good.

Pushing off from the table Jason stood. "There's going to be an obstacle course at the fair, which I will take part in too, and more information available about our programs afterwards," he said by way of wrap up. "I hope to see you all there. Have a good weekend, guys."

The disappointed group watched him walk towards the door and saw the boy waiting there. They scoffed. "What's Mr. Travis wasting his time on him for? Look at the way he's dressed."

"He looks like a ghoul."

"Maybe he can scare the enemy away by trying to eat their brains."

They laughed. David glanced at them, and they turned away from him. He could guess what they were saying. It was nothing they hadn't already said to his face, or sneered behind his back within earshot. He knew they were only being discrete because of the man, who, to his credit, looked genuinely glad to see David.

"Hey," Jason said. "How was your trip?"

"Short," David said. "Someone ruined it for me."

Jason laughed. "Not sorry." He glanced back in the room. "Want to come in?"

"I don't think I'm quite what you're looking for."

"You never know."

David hesitated. "I just came to say thanks."

Jason smiled. "For what?"

David looked down. "For caring," he said to his shoes.

Jason looked at him, the smile slipping into a soft expression. "Thank you, then."

Dark eyes looked up. "For what?"

"For being worth my care."

The eyeliner rimmed eyes widened, then looked down, shielded by hair and the top of the hood on his sweatshirt. Jason hid a chuckle. For all the boy's scary accoutrements he was surprisingly innocent. "Are you free right now?"

David shrugged.

"Want to talk?"

David glanced back in the room, where his classmates were waiting for Jason to come back. "No," he said. "It's okay."

Jason didn't have to look behind him to understand what was happening. "Then walk me out," he said. "I'm done for the day. Hang on."

Jason went back in to collect his stuff then returned and fell into step with the young man. David glanced back once more into the room to see the other's disgruntled faces, as the man they fawned over walked away from them with him.