One Way Ticket to Anywhere | ✔️

Chapter 1

February 23rd, 1:03 AM
Spokane, Washington

I'd done it.

I'd finally done it. I was sitting in the passenger seat of my best friend Matt's car with my feet up on the dashboard. I laughed as I saw the "Welcome to Washington!" sign.

Goodbye, Idaho.

Man, that felt good.

Matt looked over at me. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Without a doubt." And I was sure. I'd never been more sure of anything in my entire life. I'd always wanted to travel. No, I'd always needed to travel. The fact that some people never left the state that they were born in was something that I just couldn't fathom. The world was calling for me and tonight I was picking up the phone.

Okay, I get how cliche that sounded, but I really was doing it. I'd graduated early back in January and sat around biding my time until my birthday when I'd turn 18.

My birthday was yesterday. It was a nice birthday I guess, until I made the announcement. The announcement that I was leaving for Venice, Italy and didn't plan on coming back until I went to college at Boston University in the fall.

That didn't go over so well.

My mom started crying and my dad started screaming and all my friends were pushed out the door so we could "talk" about my "decision".

"We're not paying for you to throw your life away." My dad had said.

"I know. I'll be paying for it myself." I had said, trying to sound like a decent respectable daughter. But really, my head was already thousands of miles away in the Piazza San Marco.

"How?" My dad boomed. And I got what he was saying. We'd always been kind of poor. One story house. One car. Jobs from the age of 15. Cheap Christmas gifts. Vacations to places like Butte, Montana.

But I'd been working and hardly spent anything. I'd also somehow managed to sell my ancient pick-up for $30,000 (long story), so I did have some extra cash.

After about an hour more of this painful conversation, I called Matt to pick me up. My parents said everything they could think of to try to stop me from going, but as I'd reminded them, many times: I was 18, an adult, and could make my own decisions.

So now it was one in the morning on a snowy winter's night and I'd never been happier. Matt glanced at me as he turned into the airport but didn't say anything. Neither of us said anything even when he cut the ignition.

"Emma's meeting you in customs, right?" Matt asked, breaking the silence.

I opened my mouth to respond but then my phone chimed.

Hey, my car broke down and I won't be able to make the flight!! But you GO! I'll catch a later flight tomorrow.

"Uhh, apparently not. She says her car broke down but she's going to try to catch another flight in the morning."

Matt's brow creased in worry. "Well, do you want to wait for her? I hate to sound like your parents, but flying all the way to--"

"It's fine. I'll be fine." I said cutting him off. Matt sighed. I knew that he didn't want me running off to a different country in the middle of our senior year. But this was something I needed to do and he just didn't get it. Matt knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life. Graduate high school. Then the local community college. Then settle down and get married in our little town of Hayden, Idaho. Just as his parents did.

But as for me, the thought of living here another day made my stomach churn. So I was getting on that plane.

"Raegan..." Matt said, his sapphire blue eyes piercing my gaze.