Set In Stone

•Escape•

I hope you enjoy this chapter.
(Edited)
~~~

This was it. It had been 12 hours since Aiden told me that the Crimson Dolla Mafia had been alerted about my situation and agreed to provide me shelter for the next 6 months.

It was a daunting thought, knowing that I would be hunted by my own family, the people I had grown up with and had known my entire life.

Yet, I had no other choice but to trust these strangers to keep me safe, even though they had the power to end my life in an instant. It was a risky move, but it was my only chance at freedom.

I quickly gathered my essentials and took $5,000 from my father's office, knowing he was rarely home. It was a simple task, yet it felt like a significant step towards my escape.

Aiden drove me to a nearby train station. He had thoughtfully provided me with a burner phone, that already had his contact, ensuring I could stay connected and to reach out for help whenever I needed.

"Okay, we're just 5 minutes away now. Are you absolutely sure about this?" Aiden asked, his anxiety radiated.

"I'm not backing out now, Aiden. I need this, and it's going to happen" I replied firmly.

He turned away from me and parked the car.

As we both stepped out, Aiden opened the backseat door to retrieve my bag, ensuring that I had everything I needed.

"Okay, call me tonight and let me know where you are. When you get to your stop you should be looking for two girls named Gracie and Riley, Tell them Aiden sent you, and they'll know who you are." He rambled his explaination.

Taking a moment to observe my surroundings, I noticed that the train wasn't the most pleasant. The crowd was filled with pedestrians who wouldn't recognize me, that was a positive.

"Aria are you listening?" Aiden snapped me out of it. Sighing, he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"When I get off the train, find the girls tell them Aiden sent me yadda yadda I get it" internally laughing at myself at the sight of him. He was clearly annoyed.

"I love you, stay safe okay? Good luck" he side-hugged me and got back in his car.

Now I was alone. The train station was loud and crowed. I put in my earphones and cut out the loud noises.

As I made my way down the hall, my bag rolling behind me, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation.

I sped towards the train, scanning my ticket and finding a seat to travel alone.

~~~

The train ride was quiet, along with the unpleasant smell of pee and vomit. Four hours of continuous travel from Nevada to far California.

I scanned the platform, there were groups of people who were heading off and onto the train.

Finally, I spotted two girls around my age, practically identical. They wore matching outfits, but one had her hair tied up while the other didn't.

I quickly moved towards them with my bag in hand. As they saw me, they whispered to each other, one of them finally speaking.

"Did someone send you here?" A girl with her hair resting on her shoulders neatly. The other girl kept glancing at a photo and then back at me repeatedly.

"Aiden sent me..." I told them, suspicious but trusting since this is what Aiden had told me to say.

"Okay, thank god, I thought we were at the wrong train station" The girl with the photo dramatically sighed. Rolling her eyes at the same time.