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I get dressed and reach under my bed for an even bigger bag this time. Making sure to get the dress I bought for the dinner at Regina's out of the closet, I carefully fold it and put it in before packing a few pairs of jeans and some shirts. I put the hoodies I have from Elijah in the bag simply because I don't want them to be here when I leave. No telling what my parents would do with them.
I hurry to get my stuff from the bathroom, moving as quietly as I can. Then I'm zipping the bag shut and leaving my room. When I reach the front door, I realize my keys are no longer in the dish I placed them in when I got home. I laugh to myself, shaking my head. I order an Uber and stand right at the door while I wait the three minutes it takes for it to arrive. The moment the blue sedan pulls up outside, I open the door and slam it closed, making sure they know I'm leaving, and more importantly, that it's too late to stop me.
Knowing Elijah won't be home for hours, I have the Uber bring me to the movie theater instead of his house. The cashier eyes my huge bag weirdly, but gives me the ticket.
I watch the movie with unseeing eyes, my parents' words replaying in my mind. The entire situation leaving me trying to figure out what I’m going to do. They already paid for my spring semester, so there's not much they can do there, but next year, what the hell will I do. There's no way my job will cover the expenses, and the cost of me paying rent somewhere. Plus, apparently, the cost of me now having to take Uber's everywhere.
But all that also means I can be free. I only packed clothes for the rest of the week, so I will need to go back home at some point. But until then, until I have to face them again, I also have no need to answer their calls or texts. They've played their card, and it's not going to work.
When the movie ends, I go to the small diner next door, texting Elijah where I am. He calls instead of texting back, and I tell him what happened.
"I’m coming to get you," he says.
"Elijah. No. I don't want you to leave work. I'll take an Uber to your house when you're done. I'll be fine here for a little while. Gonna eat real slow so they don't kick me out."
I chuckle but do not hear the same from the other end. What I hear is a door slamming shut and a car starting.
"Elijah." I groan.
"I'm coming to get you. I couldn't concentrate on working knowing you're sitting somewhere with a bag full of clothes, basically looking like a runaway orphan or something."
I laugh. "Thanks. I needed that. But really, I'm okay. This was a long time coming anyway. It was bound to happen. They want all the control, and I want to live my life. Those two don't fit together."
"It still sucks though," he murmurs.
"Yes, but it also means I get to spend every day with you."
I can hear the smile in his voice when he speaks. "Yes, that is a definite plus. I'm almost there. Order me something not cold."
I chuckle. "I'll think about it."
His dish is arriving just as he walks in the door. I wave him over and although his eyes get sad when they land on the bag in the booth beside me, they become happy as he leans over and kisses me.
"Thank you," he says, looking over the grilled chicken sandwich in front of him.
"So, did you just ditch work without a word?"
He shakes his head. "I muted myself for a few seconds while I told Regina I had an emergency. She just nodded and waved me out the door."
"Oh okay. You really didn't have to..."
"Yes, I did," he cuts me off. "And you would have done the exact same for me, so."
He's right. I would have.
"Do you think your grandma will mind me being there all day?” I ask.
He gives me an exasperated look. "No, she won't. In fact, she'll love the company. I'm sure she gets bored sitting at home all day. Ever since she retired a few years ago, I often wonder what she does all day. Besides bake."
"Hey, don't knock the baking. I love that your house always smells so, I don't know, loved, I guess."
"Yeah, me too. Plus I always had the best snacks in elementary school."
We leave and go back to Elijah's house. He puts my bag at the foot of his bed and then simply lays down and opens his arms for me. I crawl into his embrace, not even having realized how much I needed him to hold me right now.
Because even if I wanted to leave my parents’ house anyway. Even if I hate the way they try to control and manipulate. They're still my parents and their words cut deep. Their lack of understanding hurts. Their lack of care even more.
We stay like that, Elijah turning on the TV at some point, until Louise calls him to the kitchen for dinner. Her eyes widen when she sees me.
