: ̗̀➛ part one of the
one for the road series
THE LONG GAME / GR63
Talia Agu's life was finally back on track after a couple of hectic years where she moved across the world, dealt with fake friends and a toxic rela...
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TW: panic attacks, mentions of anxiety (latter half of the chapter)
— TALIA —
I was pacing up and down the room, as quietly as possible, stuffing my skincare bottles and discarded makeup items in their designated toiletry bags. It took everything in me not to dump them on George's head, rage bottling up inside me like a goddamn shaken champagne bottle.
He was fast asleep, looking like a Greek God had carved him out of marble, long eyelashes fluttering against his cheeks, the slightest dusting of chest hair peeking out above the duvet. Nope. I stopped myself from admiring him, focussing once again on the anger inside of me.
"I can't do this," He'd mumbled right before falling asleep, at the same time that he'd squeezed my hip and pulled me closer. What the fuck? It made no sense to me, why someone would go all day whispering dirty words in your ear and making grand speeches while looking directly at you only to fuck you and then say something like that.
Maybe he hadn't changed at all. After everything, all he could do was think with his fucking dick. I thought we'd... we'd formed a connection. Maybe I was too naive, maybe I'd interpreted it wrong and it was all fake for him. Maybe I'd trusted the wrong boy with my heart, again.
The rage inside of me made it incredibly hard to take a deep breath and think this through rationally. I looked at myself in the mirror, my dishevelled hair and the maroon bruises splattered over my chest and neck, and something inside of me broke. I trembled, dropping the toiletry bag in the sink and closing the door to the bedroom as quietly as possible.
"Please, please pick up," I muttered as my phone rang, Layla's contact flashing across the screen. It ended with the familiar voicemail message, her sweet voice letting me know she was unable to reach her phone, but to leave a message after the tone. My bottom lip trembled, and I pulled it between my teeth to stop a sob from escaping. I wouldn't let myself break down entirely just yet.
My gaze landed on the contact name right above Layla's. Lando. I didn't know who else to call, who would be awake at fucking 2 a.m.? I took a deep breath, clicking the name and then the call button.
"Talia? Are you okay?" A familiar voice sounded on the other end of the line after a few rings, tinny but still rough from sleep. "Where are you?"
"I need you to come get me, please. I wouldn't... No one else is awake."
"I'll be right there. Text me the address."
— —
It was an effort, finding my way through a massive estate with nothing but a couple of sconces on the wall guiding my way through a maze of halls. However, I managed to get out, finding Lando's McLaren parked outside the gates. I shut the small doorway behind me, as quietly as possible.
