This is Home | | | What is Home SEQUEL

Chapter Thirty-Eight

My legs and feet went numb the longer I walked. I couldn't feel the pain of the constant walking after a while. I was good at numbing out pain. All the beatings taught me that skill. I honestly had no idea if I was even headed in the right direction, and at this point I didn't care. I just wanted to get as far away from home as possible.

I entered a convenience store after what felt like five hours of constant walking. I didn't know where I was, but I needed a break. It was the first place I came to that had a little sit down area.

"Miss, may I help you with anything?" A worker said after I had been sitting for a good five minutes resting my body.

"Sorry." I stood up. "I'm okay." I quickly grabbed my bag and threw it back over my shoulder heading straight for the door.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I threw on a fake smile and nodded my head while opening the door.

"Miss, you dropped something." The worker ran over catching the door before it slammed behind me.

I turned around to be greeted by the worker holding my bracelet in his hand.

My eyes widened as Pierce's bracelet laid on this random man's skin. I quickly pulled the bracelet off his hand wrapping my fingers tightly around the metal. "Thank you." I shoved the bracelet into the pocket of my pants before walking away.

"You shouldn't be walking in this cold."

"I'm fine." I headed off down the road again leaving this random man behind.

As I walked down the road, I could hear cars before they would pass me. Each one ignoring the young girl who seemingly looked as though she was running away from home. No one cared. That was until a car pulled off to the side of the road in front of me.

"Miss, where are you headed?" I looked up to see the person who was getting out of the car.

"It's you again." I clenched my fists at my sides. "I told you I'm fine."

"Please, just let me take you to wherever you need to go. It's cold. It's getting late. I couldn't live with myself if I let you walk in these conditions."

"Pine Grove Group Home." I looked at the man who couldn't have been more than a few years older than myself.

"Group Home?" I nodded my head as I lifted myself up into his truck.

"None of my families want me anymore. It's the only other place I've called home."

I looked out the window as the young man typed the group home into his phone. I rested my elbow on the window sill to hold my head up as I watched the trees blow in the winter's wind.

"I'm sure that's not true." The man pulled his shifter into drive and took off down the road.

The drive was silent. There wasn't anything to say. I didn't need to share my life with a stranger. The only stranger I ever wanted to share my life with was Pierce, and he was no longer a stranger to me.

As the group home came into my sights, I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I thought seeing this place would make me feel okay. It only brought back the memories of losing Pierce. The person I had just run from. The only person who would never hurt me like family did.

"Well, here you are." The car came to a stop and I hesitated as I pulled the handle to the door.

"Thank you." I closed my eyes for a second taking a deep breath before dropping my feet to the ground.

"Stay safe."

The car took off leaving me standing outside a place I no longer wanted to be at. I had no other choice. I was here, with no energy to turn around. I was stuck and I had to enter a place I hated. I don't know why I choose here of all places. I could have run to Pierce's. I could have run Grayson's. I could have run to Casey's. I could have gone literally anywhere and I chose here of all fucking places.

I walked up to the building I spent most of my time in opening the door and walking in, this time unforced. My eyes scanned the room. I wasn't greeted by the sweet blue eyes of a broken boy sat across the room observing everything around him. Pine Grove would never be a home without Pierce. Nowhere was home without Pierce.

"Charlee Baker?" I heard a familiar voice pulling my head in the direction of the voice.

"Maya?" I was met by my old roommate, the roommate that had been picked before me.

"What are you doing here? You were just added to the adopted wall." My old roommate pointed to a photo placed on the wall of Pierce and I.

I walked over and ran my fingers over an image I had never seen before. Pierce and I were sat next to each other in the cafeteria completely indulged in conversation. Pierce's leather jacket, that was now draped over my shoulders, was draped over his. A smile was spread across his face. The cut that lined his cheek was prevalent in the photo. It must have been one of the first few days we met. The instant connection captured without our knowledge.

"I could ask you the same thing." I kept my eyes on the image as I replied to Maya.

"I came to visit an old friend for the week. She finally got visit privileges so I had to take advantage before she loses them again. Now answer me. What are you doing back?"

"Ran away. My family didn't want me anymore." I turned away from the image of Pierce and I.

"Pierce does." Maya looked past me at the photo I was just staring at. "Always has, always will." Maya ran her fingers over the leather jacket covering my scarred skin.

"How do you-" Maya cut me off before I could continue my question.

"You're wearing his jacket. Anyone who knew a lick about Pierce knows his jacket is his prize possession. He also tried visiting when you wouldn't leave our room. I may have been a bitch to you. But I pay attention and that boy loved the shit out of you."

"Still does and I have no idea why." I looked back at the photo of the two of us. "He had better than me and left her for me when I showed up back in his life."

"Like I said he'll always want you. Knew it from that first day I walked in on you rule breakers."

"Do you have a phone?" I looked back at Maya as I asked the question.

She instantly handed her phone out to me. "Call him will you. Come find me when you're done."

I walked away from her and dialed the only number I had memorized. The phone rang once before being sent to voicemail. I called again, and again, each time the call being sent to voice mail. After the fourth attempt I left a voicemail.

"P, it's me. I'm safe. I need you. Please call this number back. I need to hear your voice. I love you." I hung up and clenched the phone between my fingers. I paced the room I was in waiting for the phone to ring in my hands. It felt like an eternity wait.

As the phone begun to ring, I answered it right away. "Charlee fucking Baker where the fuck are you?"

"Pine Grove." I said quietly.

"Pine Grove?" He said back with anger in his voice. "What the fuck Charlee?"

"Can you come get me please?"

"I'm on my way." The phone went dead before I could say another word.

Pierce was pissed. He had every right to be. I didn't just run away from my family. I ran away from him. He was pissed because he was hurt. I was willing to leave him. It made me seem selfish. I didn't think before I did things. I was just sick of hurting everyone in my life. Instead of making things better, I made them worse. I always made things worse.