My Favorite Pouge // JJ MAYBANKS

~ ONE // New Start ~

"Are you nervous?" I ask Ryan as we throw our bags into the trunk. "No I'm exited, finally getting my own place, getting out of this ghetto shit hole" he says with a smile and he closes the trunk and looks at me.

It made me happy he wasn't nervous, to be honest neither was I and I think he knew that, it was the chance I had been waiting for. The chance we had been waiting for.

"Yeah well does your fancy new apartment have an extra room?" I saw raising my eyes brows up and down joking with him. "Because you know I'm gonna be over like every day, I mean not legally... but most of the shit we do isn't legal anyways" I say In my sarcastic voice and let out a little giggle.

I thought back to when My brother dropped out of school when he was 16, we decided I'd be the brains he'd be the money maker. He's been saving up for us moving out for the last 6 years but the last 3 have been most affective without him having to go to school plus once I turned 14 I got a real job. So he had enough money to buy his own place. Now the reason I wasn't legally moving in with him but kinda was hoping to stay there most days was I am not 18 yet, therefore have to legally stay with my mom. Which sucked but it's a law you can't break and get away with breaking.

After zoning out for a second "You know I kinda have been meaning to tell you something" he says before we hop into the car " I actually do have a room for you at my place" I jump up in excitement letting a little squeal escape my lips, I jump up in his arms and hug him. I kinda figured he would have done that  and surprised me last second, because as kids growing up all we would talk about was getting out together and what we would do.

"I love you to much big brother" he just smiles and says "I love you too, couldn't have done it without you" I hug him for a couple moments longer,  I let a single tear run down my face and quickly wipe it before he noticed. "Cmon let's get this show on the road" I say as we hop into the car.

We had a long car ride in front of us. 12 hours and 45 minutes.

-Flashback to yesterday-

After work work I got home around 6:30 when I walked through the beaten down door, I breathed in my meth scented house, and sighed wishing I could just be anywhere else or anyone else.

My mom was on the couch with rob, who stared at me like I was some kind blowing inhuman creature. I just ignored him looking away, Fucking freak.
"Pack your shit we leave tomorrow"
My mom said to me with her raspy cigarette voice.
I didn't know what the fuck she was talking about so I just ignored her and went to see Ryan In his room.

When I open his door he has a worn down duffel bag he's packing on his bed. " Yo What are you doing?" I say as I walk in bringing him a slice of pizza I stole from my work, setting it on the bed. He looks up at me and smirks a little "Apparently.. long lost uncle ray has invited us to live in down in outer banks." I just look up confused "Huh" "yeah, ya know since jen lost her job can't pay the bills anymore, and we're losing the house she called him for help  and apparently he won the lottery or some shit I don't know ari" he stops packing and looks at me "all I know is you better get packing because we are out of here kid"

This is it. Or I hope it is. This is my chance to get the fuck out of here.

"No fucking way" I look at him with a smile while also being in disbelief. "Are you sure Ryan I mean mom makes up this shit all the time. How do you know this is real?" I say with uncertainty in my voice
" We'll I thought the same thing, so I made a little phone call" he pauses for a sec like he has more to tell me " he says he's clean, he won the lottery, and wants a relationship with Jen and us again." He sighs and gestures a thank you to me for the pizza "So it's a win win we move down there and get a clean slate and can finally be on our own" his way of saying new start.