Running from Love Pt. 01 - Introduction

I stare hard at Ellis, "Yes, just like you're a Southern Belle from Little Rock, and your best friend, Sherry's half Black."

Southern Belle, Ellis puts her hands on her hips Beauty Queen style, "I like you Ava, so when do we meet your friend, Dania, the Palestinian?"

I briefly explain Dania's issues, asking if they'll have breakfast at my apartment tomorrow morning, to meet and learn more about her?"

I offer to pick them up on East Campus, but Ellis says no there's a University shuttle from East Campus to the gardens. So, we'll meet at the usual space where Dania and I start our run together.

***

THE GANGS ALL HERE: AVA POV

We four girls are at my place getting to know each other while having a breakfast of coffee, tea, juice, and pastry.

I know everyone, so start the conversation, telling Dania that I fully open up with Ellis and Sherry about her situation. I also tell Dania about Sherry growing up as an orphan, and the two of them have just become friends this spring, the same as she and I.

Ellis is kind of mouthy, but in a cute way, "So Dania, do you truly want out of the place you live, or are you yanking Eva's chain?"

Dania looks at me, "Ava, please translate for me, I don't understand your Southern Belle Friend's English?"

Sherry giggles, "Don't sweat it, Dania, a person needs to have oodles of money to understand Southern Belle English," slapping Ellis's bottom.

Dania smiles, shaking her head like she already enjoying our comradery as friends.

I take Dania's hands looking deep into her eyes, "Are you serious about escaping from this couple, staying in the US, and hopefully studying at Duke? If your answer is yes, Ellis knows some people at the NSA who can help us, so we need to know you're 100% committed.

"Ellis, Sherry, and I want to run track for Duke's Women's Team and if you join us, we think the four of us can form a great 4 X 400m relay team. If we start practicing now, we'll be ready to compete in the Spring term when the outdoor track and field season begins."

Dania shudders, "I want to be friends and run with you, but it's scary. I don't have any money, and the Arab Professor keeps my Passport locked up all the time." now weeping.

I hug Dania patting her booty for the first time, and she looks a little bewildered. So, I explain that in the US, especially with sports, friends often pat each other's bottoms, as a sign of loyalty.

Dania smiles, "Okay now I know why Sherry slaps Ellis's bottom a lot."

Looking at Ellis, I say, "Southern Belle, Ellis, and I the JAP have access to money and will happily spend it on the four of us. I do not want to live in a dorm so hopefully, we can rent an apartment together either on or off campus.

"Ellis and I are both A students with 4.00 GPAs, so we will gladly tutor both of you in specific classes as needed. Dania is great in English and some subjects, but we'll need to go all out with her tutoring if she's going to compete next year."

Ellis asks, "Dania, do you have a photo of your Passport ID page on your phone, which she does not?

"Okay, I'll take a photo with my phone and list your details as they will appear on the Passport. My contact can likely access the photo page of your Passport from when you entered the US last month. We'll then go forward from that point getting you a new Passport, and other USA ID."

Dania commits, and Ellis slaps everyone's bottoms giggling, we're all in this together now, because I like you both, Ava and Dania. She explains to Dania that from today forward, the name for her posterior or buttocks or bottom is Booty, among us friends.

It's mid-June, and the Track & Field open tryouts are 5-weeks away, the 3^rd weekend in JULY. We lecture Dania on trying to act normal so the Arab couple she lives with doesn't get suspicious.

We hope to spring Dania from these oppressive people before the 4^th of JULY, with Ellis and me also searching for a larger apartment. My place is small, but Sherry, Ellis, and I are comfortable here together for now.

They're almost living here, only going to their dorm briefly on occasion. I bought 4 nice pallets for the floor, which we'll sleep on until finding a bigger apartment. So, we'll be ready for another body in our place after busting Dania out of her slavery.

***

COMING CLEAN WITH MOM: AVA POV

We're now at the point of rescuing Dania, and there's no turning back, so I face the music and talk with my Mom. I'm uncertain how much to share with her, but will certainly not tell her my best friend is Palestinian on the phone.

We chat easily for a few minutes, me telling her about my running several hours daily in the beautiful Sarah P Duke Memorial Gardens. I talk in detail about meeting other female Freshers and our planning to try out for the Duke Women's Track & Field team.

Mom giggles, "My darling Ava, I didn't know you wanted to run track competitively, just thought you liked to jog."

Me, "Mom, I've thought about joining the track team since getting the Duke scholarship. Running calms me and I can do it alone, but must admit is also nice having running partners. The weather's much warmer in Durham so you can run year-round, and running track will be a perfect sport for me to stay healthy.

"The three girls I meet while running in the gardens and hope to form a 4 X 400m relay team. One girl, Ellis is kind of a cute Southern Belle and has a 4.00 GPA like me. The two other girls are smart but poorer, so Ellis and I will tutor and help them financially.

"One of the girls already has a probationary scholarship, so she needs a 3.70 GPA for the Fall term, and then most student expenses will be set for her four-year BS degree. The other girl is testing now, and hopefully will also receive an academic scholarship.

"There are a few other key details I want to share with you in person, but all four of us are good girls, do not drink alcohol or party, and are virgins. We want to share an apartment starting in September when my current lease ends but we must get approval from Coach Angel if it's off campus.

"Ellis and I will share the rent for the first semester, and then the other girls' scholarships fully kick in. All our scholarship monetary portion for room and board can be used to live in dorms or private apartments.

"So, I want to use a little extra money off the Credit Card until the Fall Semester starts. I won't know the exact dollar amount until we find a place and then I want you to visit Durham for a couple of weeks, and see everything firsthand.

"I know this is a big ask Mom, but I want this talk kept between you and me until all the details are resolved and you visit Durham. I'm not a spendthrift so I will use your CC wisely.

"Ellis's Mom has agreed for her to cover half of the extra expenses for one semester. She suggests we 4-girls and you visit her summer vacation home in Beaufort, NC, where Duke University has its Marine Biology Campus.

"Well, that's all for now Mom, and I'll understand if you say no, but I'm not yet ready to deal with Dad. I won't need the extra money until late August when we need to sign a lease for the apartment. Think about it for a week, and if my asking will cause you problems with Dad, I'll apply for a student loan from a local on-campus bank."

Mom's quiet for a moment, "Sweetie, the CC I gave you is for an account that's privately mine now and has been most of my adult life. Your granddaddy gave it to me so I would always have some personal spending money."

Mom ends, "I love you my darling Ava. Please use the CC as needed and I'll come for a week or two when you give me the dates. Shall I fly into Durham, and then we'll drive to Beaufort?"

I'm weeping, "You're the best Mom ever, and I'll keep you informed every week. We'll work out the Durham and Beaufort visit details after the Women's Track tryouts next month, and wish me luck!"

***

COMING CLEAN WITH MOM: ELLIS POV

Meanwhile, I've had a similar talk with my Mom, Adair, although I'm not nearly as anxious as Ava.

My Mom and I have always been close, as well as me and my late Dad, Jonathan. He was a National Security Agency (NSA) investigator, and FBI consultant, who was killed in an ambush just before my 15^th birthday.

I jokingly refer to myself as both a Mama's & Daddy's Girl, and I love learning about law enforcement, spying, and electronic surveillance. I spend oodles of quality time with Dad before his death.

Mom's nickname by friends is Southern Belle, because of her parent's wealth, and Mom's extra girlish type behavior. In many ways, I'm like Mom, just more of a practical Southern Belle without as much fluff.

Mom and Dad always understood and lovingly shared my time. They always asked if I had plans with the other, before finalizing anything with me. This is so important when there's only one child, especially a girl. So, I grew up into a very girly Southern Belle, like Mom, who similarly loved engineering, security applications, and weapons like Dad.

***

"I openly explain my situation related to the three other girls, noting one is Palestinian, Dania, whose close friend is Jewish, Ava, and my friend, Sherry. We three girls have pledged to help Dania escape from almost being enslaved by an Arab Professor and his wife.

"I tell Mom my friend Sherry, is mixed Black/Native American and has been an orphan her entire life. She's either lived in Foster or Group homes since the earliest she can remember.

"Sherry is poor, but smart, receiving a probationary Full Academic Scholarship to Duke. Her secondary schooling was sporadic at times, with the constant transfer to different foster homes. So, she needs a 3.70 GPA for the first semester, to enshrine her four-year Buick Academic Scholarship."

Mom agrees to stay at our Beaufort, NC waterfront vacation home for the next few months. It's possible my friends and I may need to get out of Dodge in a rush, and Beaufort is only a three-hour drive from there. Mom will be in Beaufort within a week, staying JUL-AUG-SEP.

If there's no crisis, we'll come to Beaufort for a two-week visit after the Duke Women's Track Team open tryouts, 18-21 July 2024.

.

***

DANIA BUSTED: AVA POV

So, Ellis and I have our Moms' approval for spending extra money on a larger apartment in Durham starting in AUG, as well as a couple of weeks of playtime in Beaufort, NC. But, for the moment, my Mom, Gillian doesn't know Dania is Palestinian and Sherry is mixed Black/Native American, as I plan to tell her in person.

All is going well with our plan as Ellis works with one of her late Dad's NSA friends. She trying to get Dania a US Passport and Student Visa, with her Mom, Adair, providing a $50,000 bank guarantee, normally required by immigration.

We four girls run in the gardens for 3 hours every weekday morning, after a light breakfast snack at my place. Ellis tutors Sherry in the evenings while I run for two more hours and Dania works at the Arab Professor's home

One night while we're chatting, there's a pounding on the door, and then a breathless, "Ava, it's Dania, please let me in quick," with Sherry, Ellis and I racing to open the door.

Rushing inside and closing the door, Dania throws her arms around me, "Two men with guns come to talk with the Professor, and his wife and I get scared. Both, he and his wife's been acting strange for two days, so I think he might know about my having special friends in Durham.

"They're talking very loud, so I take my hidden packed bag like you told me and slip out the back door. I run fast because it's nearly time for a campus shuttle, which I take, getting off two stops before here. I then come in through the back walkway, and no one follows me. What should we do?"

I turn to Ellis, "Your call, Ms. Southern Belle since we're dealing in your backyard. Run or Hide?"

Ellis grins wickedly, "The Track & Field open tryouts are more than three weeks off, so we run to Beaufort at daybreak and enjoy a late breakfast with my Mom. We'll lay low there waiting on further developments, from Duke or NSA.

"I'll update my NSA contact via satellite, asking him to courier a temporary ID for Dania to Beaufort in the next 24-36 hours. We'll also send an urgent email to the Duke Law School Dean's Office, telling them we think this Professor is trafficking young girls, as slave workers."

Ellis winks, "I'll ask my Mom to set up a meeting with one of the Law School Deans, at the Duke Marine Biology Campus. Hopefully, one can visit the Beaufort Campus, but a Zoom meeting from Durham can also work."

I add, "Okay, I'll call my Mom, Gillian, asking her to visit Durham and meet with the same Duke Law School Dean. Maybe Mom can ride with the Dean to Beaufort on the Duke shuttle, and we put an end to this crap once and for all.

***

BEAUFORT NC: ELLIS POV

We left Durham at 5:00 a.m. this morning, with most of West Campus as quiet as a Mouse, so no alarms were raised on Dania's missing from the Professor's home.

As a precaution, I take Dania's SIM Card and toss her phone. She doesn't need a phone while with us, but it's important to give the NSA agent her SIM. Ava will buy Dania a nice Smartphone once the coast is clear.

Arriving our summer home at 9:00 a.m., Mom's waiting to greet us at the Security Gate. I know the two on-duty security guys, Gene and Andy, saying hello, gifting them a box of a dozen Krispy Kreme Glazed Donuts.

Mom greets everyone, being especially sweet to Sherry and Dania. She's very beautiful, with me closely resembling her. We're both tall redheads, about 5' 9", 130 lbs. and C-cup boobs.

Mom still has her Southern Drawl, hugging Sherry and Dania, "Y'all come here and stay anytime, being friends with my baby gal, Ellis!"

Looking at Ava, "So Ava, Dania is your good friend, while Sherry and my Ellis are special friends."

I smile cutely, "You're right about us being friends, Mom Adair since we all are proud virgins. We also do not party much, drink any hard booze, or do drugs, being good girls and A-students."

She grins, reeling me in for a hug, "I like you, Ava, since you don't beat around the bush. My Ellis tells me you're a feisty JAP, which is a new term to me. I don't know much about the Jewish culture, but know feisty when I see it."

I return Mom Adair's warm hug, "You're a fantastic Mom, just like Ellis tells us; maybe you can chat a bit with my Mom, Gillian when she arrives in a couple of days. I feel it will be good for her to hear the views of a strong independent woman, having a daughter the same age as me."

Ellis grinning like a Chess Cat, "Mom, did you set up the pallets for us in the upstairs lounge? Of course, you're sleeping on the lounge floor with us, so you can ensure there's no hanky-panky going on and we stay virgins!"

Mom Adair, "That's my girl, there're 12 bedrooms in the joint, but Ellis wants me to sleep on a floor pallet in the upstairs lounge with her friends!" giggling cutely.

***

STUNNING REVELATION: ELLIS POV

Settling in our summer home, I phone my Dad's old NSA friend and learn there's no terrorist-type dirt on the Arab Professor and his wife. The NSA guy thinks they're most likely evil people who bully and enslave vulnerable staff like Dania. This harsh treatment of live-in service workers happens a lot with Middle Eastern professionals.

The couple most likely pays someone at Refugee camps to track young girls who speak good English. After selecting a target girl for the buyer or themselves, they pay the local finder a larger cut of the money and steal/abscond with her as in Slavery.

I thank the contact person, who'll continue processing US ID docs for Dania and advise us to quickly talk with Duke's Administration. So, we phone the Duke Law School Dean's Office.

Introducing ourselves, we describe the crisis in detail to an office person, who checks our admission status. I also provide the person with my NSA contact's information and we're routed to an Associate Dean Peirce of the Law School.

Supposedly, she's handled a similar issue(s) as a Law Professor at the U of Southern Cal but is now transitioning to her new position as the Associate Dean of Duke Law School.

Dean Peirce seems very nice on the phone, as Ava and I explain our fears. We're in hiding at my Mom's summer home near the Duke Marine Biology Beaufort, NC campus, staying here until certain our friend Dania is not in danger.

Dean Peirce has yet to close her LA Condo, finalizing her cross-country move to Durham. She'd planned to stay 7-10 days for this visit but is curious about the Beaufort Campus, so this is a perfect time to visit, maybe in 3 or 4 days.

Ava's excited, "Dean Peirce, I'd asked my Mom, Gillian to visit my place in Durham, and now's an excellent time since she knows about this issue. If you take the midday Thursday inter-campus shuttle, my Mom can fly into RDU early that morning, meet at the Cathedral, and ride to Beaufort on the shuttle with you."

Dean Peirce is delighted to meet the parents of two Fulbright Scholarship girls, on this first Duke visit as the Law School's New Associate Dean. So, Ava phones her Mom and finalizes everything for her meeting Dean Peirce and traveling to Beaufort.

***

Mom's touching up the dining room for a nice Seafood Buffet, which will be delivered and served by a Front Street Grill restaurant server. We're alerted by security that the Duke Shuttle and restaurant delivery van have arrived.

Security leads the restaurant van to the service entrance, while the shuttle drops off Mom Gillian, and Dean Peirce, a tall, slim attractive Black middle-aged lady at the front entrance.

They're chatting like old friends, but it's very hot in the summer afternoons. So, taking their carryalls, we quickly move inside to the living room and introduce everyone.

My Mom comes sashaying from the dining room hand extended to greet our guests, takes one look, and screams, "Needra Jane Peirce, Oh My God It's You!" fainting dead away.

Similarly, Dean Peirce yells, "Adair Rain Emsley, What Are You Doing Here?" and starts loudly boohooing, shaking, shuddering, and trembling.

Ava grins at her Mom, Gillian. "Love You, Mom, Hug Later!" running to steady the Dean, who's close to falling.

Steering Dean Peirce to the living room sofa I yell, "Dania and Sherry quickly get two bottles of cold water and some wet towels."

The restaurant server, Amy hears the living room commotion and dashes in from the kitchen to help, bringing cold wet towels.

Ava's Mom helps me move my Mom, Adair, to lie down on the same large sofa as Needra sits still crying loudly.

I stand there almost in shock shaking my head, "How do they know each other, I don't understand?"

Ava jumps up, "Ellis, get your act together girl, and take care of your Mom. We'll sort out the What-Why-How-When crap later!"

I move instantly, "Sorry for briefly going blank, JAP, your Southern Belle best friend fully loses herself in this crazy drama for a moment!"

I grin at Ava's Mom, "Apologies for the JAP, comment, but we're all best buds with fun call signs/nicknames. I'm Southern Belle; Sherry, our beautiful Black/Native American Orphan is Jemima-Pocahon, and Dania the Palestinian's Camel Toe." blowing her a kiss, as my mom, Adair groans starting to come around.

Ava glances at me since you can hear a pin drop. "Ellis, I am so hungry I can eat a Camel's Toe, and Pancakes smothered in Jemima-Pocahon Syrup. But since we're fresh out, let's enjoy our delicious Sea Food Buffett in the dining room."