Gravity | Embry. Call. |

Chapter Eighteen

Gravity
Chapter Eighteen
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Eli leaned back against the seat as she waited patiently for her brother and his girlfriend to return from the gas station. They were only thirty minutes away from their mom's house, but Paul insisted that they needed to stop for gas- even though both Eli and Rachel could see that the gauge was barely halfway.

They both knew that he was stalling. Though he didn't show it, he was extremely nervous about seeing his mom, especially on such short notice. He only spoke to her the night prior, letting her know they were coming to Seattle. She sounded excited to see them, so that was a good sign.

He was most worried about both him and Eli getting triggered by something. But he needed to show the pack that he could control his anger now. He needed to prove himself stable enough to be out and about in the real world. And this was his chance.

Rachel pulled open the passenger door and climbed inside, holding a bag filled with snacks and drinks. She pulled a soda bottle from the bag and held it back to Eli, who took it from her happily. After Paul had filled his truck up they headed in the direction where their mother's house was.

"I thought we were stopping at a cafe or something?" Rachel furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, looking over at her boyfriend.

Paul was about to respond until his sister beat him to it. "It was part of the deal Paul made with Sam and the tribal members. We only go to our moms then back- which is totally unfair!" She said in clear annoyance.

Rachel gave her an apologetic smile.

She desperately wanted to stop at her two favorite places but she knew that wouldn't fly with anyone. She was tired of being controlled; she honestly didn't understand how Paul handled it.

The whole ride there was filled with small-talk and music. Mainly Paul singing along, quite horribly, to the rock music he usually listened to. Rachel was grinning the whole time while Eli couldn't help the annoyed expression that was placed on her facial features. She wasn't exactly annoyed at him but rather the stores they had just driven past.

Before Paul could even place the truck into park, Eli was already hopping out. He shouted profanities at her as she rushed towards the front door and grabbed the spare keys that were in her backpack. She unlocked the door and rushed inside the house. Their mother wasn't home.

Eli tossed her bag onto the couch and took in a deep breath, letting the scent of cinnamon fill her senses. It smelt like home. She made her way through the house and down the hallway, heading towards her bedroom. The bedroom looked exactly how she left it; messy and unorganized.

She walked towards her bed and fell back down on it, the familiarity of the mattress causing her body to relax. That room was her safe haven.

She had no nightmares there, she heard no voices, and she was never suddenly sick there. The only bad memories the bedroom held were when she lost her friends. However, it was also the only place where she felt comfort during those times.

The lavender scent and maroon-colored walls brought her a sense of comfort along with the Christmas lights she hung around the ceiling. Art covered her walls- some pieces being a cause of concern had anyone paid any attention to them. There were a few pictures of her and her family, as well as a few of her old friend group since she never got around to taking those down.

Her desk was filled with art supplies, the mess being overwhelming to anyone else that saw it. Her bookshelves were covered with sketchbooks, notebooks, CDs, tapes, and records. The floor was covered in clothes, a mess she had made when packing. Her bed was messy and covered with a ridiculous amount of blankets and pillows that she often covered herself with when cold or having a bad day, the security of them calming for her.