AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I've beenin the car for at least two hours. I know this because I took one of the black and gold designer watches in my closet. Fuck him.
My closet.
I’ve gotten so used to claiming rooms and things in that house and it makes discomfort stretch all along my stomach. Nothing in that house was mine. Not the room, clothes, bed and definitely not that man. None of it was mine, not even my own freedom was mine. He had taken everything from me, stripped me down, left me bare and sent me out the door.
The only thing I ever was to that man was a roadblock set in the middle of his path towards revenge. Even with my departure, he still has a camera lens on me. Still has his own comfortable control of my life. I’ll never be free until Juan Carlos, the evil sperm donor that is my father, was dead by Dante’s hands.
We’re coming to a stop and all is quiet until once again, Sergio’s voice rings over the intercom.
“You are free to go now. Remember, you’re still under heavy monitoring. I trust that you know not to mention anything about your recent...vacation. Especially names.”
The intercom shuts off and I am hesitant to open the door. My entire livelihood is outside and I am hesitant to leave my abductor's vehicle. I definitely do have a case of Stockholm syndrome. My hand wraps around the handle of the door and I pull it, pushing the door open and grabbing my luggage behind me.
I take my first steps towards freedom and plant my feet on the grounds of my college campus, shutting the door of the SUV closed behind me. Within seconds, Sergio is speeding away and leaving me behind in his dust. I know he never liked me, but he’s especially hated me since I released that fugitive.
It’s only been a week and I feel like a stranger here. What would Ricky say about my sudden and silent absence? I have to think of something clever, a fitting story to cover my tracks. Dante may want me silent for his sake, but I have a mission of my own in regards to my father. So silence is needed for the time being.
I walk the half block to my dorm and climb the stairs before stopping outside of my door. My keys that were somehow in the front pocket of my suitcase now lie in my sweaty grasp. I know it’s only a matter of time before I hear from someone. My mother was left behind and he may be a monster, but he’s always had a knack of not leaving us completely, so I’ve come to find out.
I unlock the door to my dorm room and step inside, the lights are on and the familiar warmth and coziness of my home greets me with a gentle hug. I close the door and bask in the yellow light shining through the open windows. Ricky and I have decorated this dorm room perfectly for the last two years we’ve been here.
His mom’s handmade and colorful blankets are spread across the couches. Our worn coffee table has a lit candle and magazines on top of it. Ricky must be home. I drop my keys on our small kitchen island and walk inside. The plants my best friend loves are standing tall and looking as green as ever. The air is clean and I’ve missed it so much that I try not to cry. I feel like I’ve been away for a lifetime, even if it’s only been a week.
I hear footsteps around the corner and am greeted by the sight of Ricky. He’s wearing yellow bell bottoms with a color block sweater tucked in. Orange sunglasses rim his eyes and I smile. He’s inside his house, but always makes time for fashion. I can see now that his face is angry when he looks at me. He slams his iced coffee down on the counter. Condensation from it splashes.
"Wanna tell me where you've been, bitch?"
Even his sass is welcoming. I run to him and wrap my arms around him. He smells of flowers and vanilla latte. Uniquely Ricky. He is home and I wrap myself around him until he hugs me back, laughing into my hair.
"It's been a week, Em. But seriously. Where've you been? You left your phone and laptop here. It's not like you."
I didn't leave my electronics here, I left them at my mom's. It seems once again Dante has impeded my space and messed with my belongings without my knowledge once more. Why am I even surprised?
"My mom and I went to her sister’s. She apparently hasn't been doing well and wanted me to take her there. I stayed with her to make sure the transition was easy. I didn't think it'd be a week and I left in such a rush after her phone call…"
I try to sound flustered, to match the situation. Which was easy because I am fucking flustered. I'm pissed and confused and so fucking exhausted. He steps back and grabs his latte, sipping it through the straw with fervor.
"I didn't know she had a sister. Is she fucked up again?"
I grab my suitcase and set it outside of my bedroom door. I missed him, but I would die for pajamas and a hot cup of tea right now. The twenty questions might have to wait.
"She just told me about her, you know how she loves her secrets. She probably had taken too much money from her in the past, maybe even pawned off some belongings before I was born so they were estranged. I met her, and she was nice enough. I just wanted to get back home."
I go to the kitchen cupboard and grab my favorite mug, it's pink with green ivy all over it. I put a bag of oolong tea in it and started filling the tea kettle with water.
"Well, I'm glad you're back in time. We're officially twenty-one, baby. Happy birthday."
He puts a big box wrapped in light pink polka dot paper. I may not be overly girly, but God do I love the color pink. He knows me better than anyone. I put the kettle on the stove and started heating it, rushing towards my gift and unwrapping it quickly.
Ricky always gives me the best gifts. Mostly because he's the only person that's really given me a gift, but they're always thoughtful and match my personality and interests. He's just my person.
I open the box and pull out a knit fabric from tissue paper. It is a thick, pink crocheted cardigan and I rub my face in it, getting lost in its comfort.
"Mom made it for you, I embroidered the patches and sewed in the buttons." I look at the front of the sweater and notice two colorful patches on the right side. There's a little recipe book that looks exactly like mine and small cursive lettering that readsAlways. The buttons are beautiful, wooden buttons that almost have a marble effect.
I'm speechless and tears come to my eyes. This man is my better half. He's my brother, protector and best friend and I can't believe I was almost left without him. No one's ever paid this close attention to me or handled me with such care except for him and his family. I wipe a tear from my eye and murmur a smallthank youto him.
"Don't cry, Emmie. It's just a sweater. I'm sorry if it's been a long week. Go get comfy and we can watch Gossip Girl reruns."
