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I wake up a little groggy,wondering why, before I remember Knox letting the doctor give me a sedative. I’m instantly pissed at him for doing that.Thankfully, my room is empty right now, well, except for what must be hundreds of flowers filling the space. I scoff. Does he think flowers will butter me up to forgive him?
Without thinking, I rip all the tubes I’m attached to out of me before getting to my feet. I see a bag on one of the chairs in my room and I slowly open it. I see clothes for me and I’m instantly relieved that I don’t need to run out of here in a hospital gown. That would get me caught quicker than anything. I quickly get changed and slip on the pair of flats that were also in there.
I slip out of the room and keep my head down as I make my way to the exit. I’m filled with nerves and anxiety as I walk fast but not too fast to arouse suspicion. When I make it outside, I quickly grab one of the taxis and give them the address to the house.
When we get to our destination, I ask the guy to wait for me and he agrees. I quickly rush up to my room and pack a duffel bag with some clothes before running down to one of Jonathan’s studies.
He showed me this one with the safe in it and said that money was in there in case we ever needed it. Obviously, I know it’s probably not the main one but I hope there’s at least enough in there that it will last me a while for where I’m going. I’ve never been inside of it before so I’m not sure.
I quickly open it and see that there’s one wad of cash in there and I grab it. I see the strip of paper wrapped around it showing there’s ten thousand here. I guess that will just have to do. There’s nothing else in here and I’m not surprised.
I stuff the cash into my duffle bag and head out the door and back toward the cab. I didn’t want to waste time going to the bank. I needed to get out of here as fast as I can before they notice I’m missing and come look for me.
“I need to make a stop at Riverside Academy before we head to the bus stop,” I tell the cab driver once I’m inside.
“Sure thing, miss,” he says before driving.
“Stop. Please park here and wait for me,” I tell him when we’re a block away from the school.
He stops and I get out. I start making my way toward the school. I sneak my way to one of the side entrances and use the key I swiped from Jonathan’s office to open the door. Of course he has one. He owns the school.
I hide in one of the alcoves when I hear the security guards doing their round of checks. Once they’re gone, I make my way into the library quickly. I hate to do this because I love books so much but it needs to be done.
I grab a few and tear out the pages from them before lighting the books on fire. I start one at the back of the library and one in the middle before heading to the office. I open one of the file cabinets and take everything out and throw it on the principal’s desk before lighting it on fire as well.
Hopefully it’ll catch soon. I fucking hate this place. I wish I could have stayed to watch it burn but I need to get out of here. With that thought in mind, I quickly make my way out the same way I came in and rush back to the car.
“Thanks!” I tell the driver as he starts to drive to the bus station. That felt quite liberating, I must say. When we get there, I pay him and then hop out before rushing into the bus station.
I look at the schedule and see that there’s one leaving for New York in thirty minutes. I get a ticket and then sit and wait, my anxiety ramping up the whole time. I’m worried someone will stop me.
Thankfully that doesn’t happen and when it’s time, I get onto the bus without incident. I need to make a stop in New York before I lie low for a while. I settle in for the ride and even manage to get a little shut-eye.
When I finally make it to New York, after hours on that bus, I find a cheap motel and check in. I pay up for a month in advance because that’s as far as I know what to do with my life. I leave my bag in the room and grab some money before heading out again.
As soon as I get into the cab, it starts to pour. I guess I was right when I say all my important moments seem to happen when it rains. I don’t mind because I love the rain. Somehow it soothes me, even if for a little while when nothing else works. The cab stops in front of the house and I pay him before stepping out onto the sidewalk.
It feels like a fucking cliché as I stand there with the rain pouring down on me as I watch through the window at the family that’s about to have dinner. A hollow sounding laugh escapes me at the absurdity of it all.
It’s the man and his wife and they have a baby sitting in a high chair by the table with them. They look so happy, like the all-American type of family and an ache begins to form in my chest.
I had that once with the man inside. Though I can barely remember it now with it being overshadowed by the constant fights and arguments. I don’t know if he can feel my gaze but suddenly, he looks up and out the window right at me. He says something to the woman and then places a kiss on her forehead before he makes his way to the front door.
I take that as my cue and make my way up the steps. A moment later, he steps outside and onto the porch. I’m a little cold right now because New York in November is a bit chilly but I pay none of that any mind as I stare at the man I used to call dad.
“Did you know?” I ask, my voice choking up with emotions. I didn’t want to cry but just seeing him brings all the emotions that I’m trying to keep locked up, out.
“Sweetheart,” he says with a pained expression on his face and I already know the truth. I let out a hollow laugh.
“That’s why you and Mom kept fighting. That’s why you left and never cared to call me or why you said I couldn’t come see you. You said you were traveling a lot but you just didn’t want to see someone who wasn’t yours,” I say.
“Do you want to come in so we can talk about this out of the cold? It’s not as simple as that, sweetheart.”
“No. Why didn’t you tell me?” I question. “Why does everyone in my life keep betraying me?” I sob out.
“It wasn’t my place, sweetheart. When I met your mother, she was already pregnant with you. She said the father wasn’t present in her life so I took her at her word. I loved her and I loved you too from the moment you came out kicking and screaming. Things were going well for years. By the time I found out about the affair, she had been doing it for years. Actually, she was doing it the whole time we were married. He wasn’t present because he was married to someone else. When I confronted her, she said they were soul mates and college sweethearts, but he was forced to marry someone else because of his parents. She said she’d stop. I tried to stay for you but then it just got to be too much when I found out that she never did…” he says, trailing off.
“They ruined so many lives with their lies…” I say trailing off since I don’t know what else to say. I guess I wanted closure. For me, things never added up with my mother and who I thought was my father but I guess now I know the whole story.
