#4| SS 140417
#93| TF 250717
WINNER OF BEST TEEN FICTION & BEST OVERALL STORY IN TFA2017
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❝They will screw over anyone and everyone...
I've already considered the idea of running away to Michigan once before, but I didn't mean it seriously. It was just a blip. But this time is different.
Sarah took the easy way out as always; deciding to sleep over at her friend's house for the rest of the week, but even if she didn't make that decision, there's not a single threat waiting for her inside our house. Because for whatever sick reason, Brad doesn't dare to harm a hair of her's. And for the life of me, I can't find out why.
"You going somewhere?" Rose's brows shoot up in surprise before they land on my jammed backpack, and I turn my head to face the window because I can't handle lying to her face.
"Not really," I mutter, "just staying over at friend's house." I don't want to make her suspicious, so I add, "Just for the rest of the weekend. It's not a big deal."
"Okay," sighing, she reverses the car, backing out of the driveway. "Is Greyhound fine with you?"
"Yep, Greyhound is awesome." I reply as I let my cheek press against the cold window, allowing the tiredness to overcome me.
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"What am I supposed to do now? You said you're gonna be home tonight."
Slowly, ever so slowly, I open one eye, peeking through my eyelashes in the direction of the familiar voice coming from outside. Rose is standing beside her driver's door, the crunch of the gravel getting more and more audible as she paces nervously, and for a second, everything seems so confusing.
"No, it's fine. I can take care of it. Thanks anyway."
She ends the call, her hand flying immediately to the back of her neck to squeeze out the tension in her muscles, I guess, before she turns around, her body freezing.
"Aspen," she huffs out, shock lacing through her voice, "I didn't mean to wake you up."
My brows knit together, causing her to take a seat inside the car again as she offers me a warming smile. What's going on? "That came out in kind of a wrong way. I meant 'wake you' up with the phone call. Not like I didn't mean to wake you up at all . . ." She trails off, wringing her hands together in her lap, and I notice she's nervous. Why the hell is she nervous?
"Where are we?" I ask as I take in my surroundings, the blood in my veins freezing immediately when I spot the stage set in front of me. "Why are we at your house, Rose?"
The moment the question rolls off my tongue, her eyes close momentarily and she inhales a deep breath. "Uh, look. This is going to sound weird. . . and I know I'm overstepping the boundaries here . . . but I'm not taking you to Greyhound."
The confusion swirling through my mind increases even more, causing my shoulders to tense instantly. Is it just me, or are her words really not making any sense? "What? Where are you taking me then?"
