Alice poured some cheap vodka into filthy, half broken mugs. Swirling around a tiny amount of booze, dumping it out, checking it, then pouring the rest. 
    He found it funny, looking around “their place”. A quaint little plot located in the trees of a local country park. Their “living room” put together from various scraps of plastic, metal and cardboard boxes, held together by tape. A sofa, reclaimed from the roots of the tree they’d made a home under. The only place with any sort of protection from the elements was the bed. A cardboard mattress topped with tired looking sleeping bags, and a surprisingly solid plastic tarp tied to the tree above.
All they had in the world was right here, dingy and dirty - but she made sure the mugs were clean. 
    It was something he appreciated about the people he met out here.
    His mug presented to him, Alice wearing a big fat smile.
    “I want to propose a toast.” She held up her mug, checking behind her to see if Pete was still with them. He was. They both followed, holding up theirs.
    “To… the future! May it be with us soon, so we can all look back at this shit and laugh.”
    They cheered. Alice took a deep swig of her vodka.
    She wasted no time filling up the mugs again. This time planting herself next to Pete on the couch.
    “So… John. You’re leaving the city? Alice asked, “Where for?”

​

        “Not sure yet,” he replied, “I’ve had a few thoughts but nothing solid. I can’t really afford the bus right now, so that kind of limits…”
    “We’ll give you money!” Alice leaped to her feet, and practically sprinted towards the bed.
    “Oh no, Alice, I didn’t mean…” He’d really put his foot in it now. 
    Alice reached underneath the sleeping bags, pulling out a tattered purse.
    “It’s no problem!”
    Her voice always had funny upward ticks, like when you fill a balloon with helium and sometimes the air squeeks out from the tank when you remove the balloon. He remembered finding it kind of cute.
    She handed him a five pound note. He tried to push it away.
    “It’s fine honestly, thank you but…”
    “I insist.” She shoved it in his hand. He looked at the crumpled note, and for a moment wondered what it took for Alice to get it, but he pushed it to the back of his mind as he realised this too probably meant more to Alice than to him. He put the fiver in his jacket pocket.
    “Thanks.” He smiled.
    “Now you can go anywhere you want, thanks to me, ha!” she said, with genuine joy in her voice. He enjoyed the fact she seemed so happy to help.

​

    “What are you running from?” 

​

        Pete had a much deeper voice than he first imagined. It took him by surprise. Pete had clearly been calculating the whole time what his first contribution was going to be. He suddenly felt nervous, not helped by Pete’s relentless stare, waiting for his answer. 
    “Um… everything, I guess.” He let slip some nervous laughter. 
    “Everyone out here’s runnin’ from somethin‘, ” Pete added.
    “It’s... not really something I like to think about.” He started to feel the need to protect himself, arms holding on to his chest.
    Pete grunted as he nodded. “I hear that.”
    “Pete and I would love to go down south,” Alice joined in,             “He’s got family down there. But everytime we start moving I get cold feet. I don’t know. Home’s here, you know?”
    He did know. The idea of leaving home was unthinkable a few short years ago, now he was moving on every few months. It was a way of life for sure, and not for everyone.
    “For me it was my father, the prick,” Pete said quietly. Alice’s attempt to change the subject fruitless. 
    “When I was young, he told me I was nothin’,” Pete continued, “That as soon as I turned eighteen I had to be gone. Unlucky for him, I didn’t give him the chance of kicking me out, ‘cause I left early.” Pete smirked.
    This one struck deep. A familiar story suddenly spoken by someone else. He noticed Alice had given Pete her hand. It’s a story she’d heard before. She watched over him with loving eyes.

​

        “Mine too,” he said, “My beloved father, I mean. Nothing I or anybody ever did was good enough for him. He knew best.”
    Digging into various pockets, he tried desperately to find a cigarette. He was positive there was at least one left. Finally he found it, and started the search for a lighter. But Alice was too quick, she’s in there with a flame as fast as the cigarette hit his mouth. Alice gave him a reassuring smile.
    “One time I came home from school. The house a mess. My Mum, well, let’s just say she was useless at the best of times but she tried her best.” 
    He took a draw. “She must have done something he really didn’t like. I never found out because by the time I got there, my Dad was choking her up against the living room wall.” 
    He looked at Alice, tears were slowly filling her eyes as she listened. 
    “I’d had enough. Was the first time I’d gotten into a fist fight with my Dad. The worst part though, was when we were done, and I went upstairs to clean up, at the top of the stairs listening was my little brother…”
    “You have a brother?” Alice perked up, minor shock at information she’d never even thought to ask about before.
    “Yeah… sorry, no one wants to hear that story.” He downed the drink from his mug.
    “No it’s ok.” Alice said, fighting the awkwardness that was descending. “One day I just realised my Mum was a total bitch, so I said that to her. She demanded I leave. So I did, and I’ve been living my best life since!”

​

        Alice hoped the two would find amusement in her story, trying hard to spread positivity across them. He again remembered the things he liked about her, and smiled not only at what she said, but at all the times she made him feel better.
    “All that doesn’t matter now anyway, does it?” Alice wondered. “After all, you’re heading off for a new life, and I’ve got my Sweetie here. Things change for the better!”
    “Not always,” Pete lamented. Alice gave him a gentle punch on the arm for undermining her point.
    “My dads dead now,” Pete continued, “I tried to go to his funeral, but the bastard had written up an official document disownin’ me and forbiddin‘ me from going. It hurt at the time, but I don’t care now.”
    Pete and Alice had their arms entwined. Part of him wondered if he’d made a mistake walking away from Alice, that if it was too late for them now. Besides, in what world could they ever get back together? The other part wondered if his dad was still alive, and on that note, if anything ever happened to his mum or brother, would he ever find out? 
    It planted a seed of anxiety in his stomach, one he knew he couldn’t ignore for long.

​

    He finished his drink. By now it was getting dark.
    “Thanks for everything guys. I better get going”. 
    He handed his mug to Alice, but she held onto his wrist.
    “Don’t go! There’s so much to catch up on! Still lots of drink left!” Clearly this was her wildcard.

        “Alice, I’ve got to get going!” he protested, almost dragging Alice along with him. They laughed playfully as he struggled to free his arm, then afterwards settling down, almost forgetting the distance between them now, despite the time passed since they were together.
    But the quiet of the woods around them didn’t return.                   

     Instead, the rising drone of an engine in the distance took over.
    “Groundskeepers! Get down!” Alice gasped, dragging him down into the dirt. 
    She shoved her hand over his mouth, forcing him to hold his breath.
    The engine noise grew, unsure if it was just the echo or the keeper getting closer. 
    He looked at Alice. Once again they found themselves in a perilous situation. It’s like the universe was getting frustrated with their pairing.
    It’s getting closer. This might be it. 
    All the things he’s done to survive up till now, and he gets lifted squatting in a park with his ex and her new boyfriend.
    Great.
    But the sound started to fade. 
    Followed by relief.
    Alice raised her head, assessing the situation. 
    Coast is clear. 
    She let her hand go from his mouth, by now he was gasping for air. 

       “Looks like you’ve got to stay till they open the gates in the morning,” Alice whispered.
    On the outside he maintained disappointment, but there was something comforting knowing he wasn’t spending the night alone.

​

    The happy couple were fast asleep in bed. 
    Sitting guard from a distance, he played with the fiver Alice gave him, trying to straighten it out, hoping to get a few moments of entertainment out of it. 
    On the couch, he noticed Alice’s purse. It was slightly open, and he could see it contained a few more of those fivers.
In what later he likened to an out of body experience, he leaned forward, gently taking the purse from the couch, and started rummaging through it’s contents.
    And then his heart hit his throat.
    Pete was awake, and staring straight at him.
    Without saying a thing, he quickly placed everything he took back into the purse, including the fiver.
    Pete’s face remained unchanged, even at the receiving end of the biggest apologetic expression he’d ever witness. Pete was silent right up until the purse was placed back where it was left before…

​

    “Your name isn’t John,”

​

        Pete said calmly. “I met you a few years ago, that wasn’t your name then.”
    Before he could think of an excuse, Pete asked,
    “What’s your real name?”
    He paused. It was like he had to try and remember it himself.
    “Casey. My name’s Casey.”
    Pete took a moment to process, then snorted, “That’s a stupid name.”
    He rolled over, resting his head back on Alice’s.

​

    Casey let out a sigh of relief, closely followed by an intense twinge of regret. 
    He looked back over at the couple in their bed. Alice soundly sleeping with the person she trusted most.
    In a world as cruel to them as it was, somehow they’d found peace with each other. 
    Casey grappled with how little monetary value the purse held, but he seemed willing to trade her happiness and security for an easier shot at his own.
    Now he had made up his mind. 
    An oath to himself to never be the person he was so close to becoming.

    He knew he had to make things right.

​

        He knew he was heading home.