Anywhere But Here

Chapter Three

Photos of Ione and Riley to the side :-) ==>

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        Ione’s chin rested upon her closed fist while her nose pressed against the smudged class window. Small clouds of fog disappeared and reappeared blocking her view of moving cars and scenery as she inhaled and exhaled.

        It was nearing seven thirty P.M and the effects of being stuck in one sitting position for seven hours was beginning to take its toll on her body. Wiggling in her seat she readjusted herself, placing her legs underneath her butt and her cheek against the window frame.

        The reality of being in a bus with random strangers on a journey far from home to a new city barley tickled her brain each time she saw the miles away sign on the side of the freeway to her destination.

        She couldn’t believe Tabby gave her permission (even though she didn’t need it) to leave the shelter and hop on a bus from San Francisco to Los Angeles; nor could she believe she actually had the courage to do so.

        Nerves tickled her palms and warmed her ears when she sat atop of the counter while Tabby was cooking breakfast. Over and over she bounced the question about leaving in her mind, debating whether or not she should go for it or back out. Part of her wanted to high tail it back upstairs to her room while the other half desperately wanted a way out.

        The more she had read her fathers’ journal the more questions she pondered, curiosity lingering about her within every page. Each page held a different story in a different location, some good and some bad. She was reading a story about her parents when they were her age, but she wanted to do more than just read. She wanted to live it, in hopes that maybe she could be one step closer to her parents.

        Although she was iffy about doing so, Ione didn’t want to always wonder about the two she resembled, she wanted to know; and with those exact words Tabitha gave her a grin and a nod in agreement. Sure, there were a few tears and tight hugs shared in between ‘oh my god’ , ‘be safe’ , ‘you’re just like your father’ , and ‘I trust you’ but once everything was said the two headed up to Iones’ shared room and packed up her belongings.

        The next morning, Tabitha dropped Ione off at the bus stop and gave her a fifteen minute hug goodbye after being reassured for the seventeenth time by Ione that she was positive about her decision and would be fine on her own.

        The moment Ione stepped into the bus and sat in seat 13B her nerves were replaced with jitters of anxiousness; and the closer she came towards LA the more she found herself on the edge of her seat.

        “Relax” she whispered to her reflection in the mirror then leaned back in her seat, placing her head on the head rest. Leaning over her knees she grabbed her knapsack and placed it on her lap, opening the top flap in the process.

        With a small smile she pulled out her fathers’ brown leather journal and turned to the twenty-first page where the faded Polaroid rested in the binding. Grabbing the photo she repeatedly ran her index finger softly over her parents’ faces.

        If it hadn’t been for her fathers’ journal or the photograph inside it, Ione would still be perched upon a stool in the kitchen or lounged around the room with others at the shelter. Not once did she actually think she’d find a reason to leave without hesitation.

        Once Riley left the shelter and moved to the City of Angels with Kyle, he spent weeks upon weeks begging for Ione to travel out. With every single beg there was always an uneasy sigh met with a shrug. She was always unsure about leaving but now that she had done so she was more than sure she made the right decision.