All Too Well

Chapter 15

(You're On Your Own Kid By Taylor Swift)

Eryn's Pov

I looked at my parents grave one last time.

"I love you guys so much." I put my hand on the stone and my heart picked up.

"I've got to do this though, and I know that you both would be so proud of me."

I could imagine both of my parents being extremely proud of me, and what I've been doing. Winter was flowing in, and I knew Texas wasn't going to be like sunny Florida.

"I've always dreamed of getting out of this town, and I'm finally doing this." I waited ages for this, and I've put myself through hell and back. I deserve to be happy.

"This is not a goodbye, this is a see you later. I know you'll be watching over me, but I won't be here." I laid down the last flowers I will lay down here for a while, and I stood up.

They were carnations. They were my favorite flower. I opened the door of my car, and got into the driver's seat. I closed the door, taking one last look at the gravestone.

I turned forward and started the car before driving off. The radio, and my thoughts would keep me company on this 20 hour car ride.

My passenger seat has blankets and pillows for when I need to sleep. Since I wasn't getting a hotel, I would find a nice parking lot, and I would put window blockers up, and sleep in my car.

It would save so much money, especially since I had just spent so much money on a place I'm gonna need to put some work into.

I was finally, fully, on my own. I never knew what the feeling of being alone was like. I always had someone with me. For the first time, I was getting a breath of freedom that I was creating for myself.

And it was so amazing.

I didn't stop driving for around 8 hours. It was nighttime, I had got food, and used the bathroom at the rest stop, before covering my windows, and sleeping through the night in my car.

When I woke up, curled into my driver's seat in a ball, I felt amazing. I wasn't in the house that destroyed me, and I was on the road. I went inside the rest stop after taking my window blockers out. People didn't look at me with concerned looks, people looked at me with smiles, and happiness. Nothing has ever felt better than this.

I got back in my car and I got on the road.

12 and a half hours later, I was outside of a rustic old place. The black steel roofing, the stained wooden walls, with giant windows in it. The two barn doors, that matched the walls.

"Eryn Blake?" An old woman looked at me with a smile.

"That would be me!" I shook her hand, and noticed the giant diamond on her other.

"This is an upgraded one, I lost my last one." She laughed, causing me to join in.

"I sold my last one." I said, causing her to smile and shake her head.

"Welcome to what used to be, doves cove." The lady unlocked the doors and I felt myself smile.

"What are you thinking?" She asked me, and I turned to face her.

"Smokey's. Smokey's Bar."

"That sounds like an amazing name. I'm glad the bar is going to you, and I can't wait to see what you do to the place." She handed me the keys, and gave me a tour.

"You have a couple extra rooms, this one is a big one, normally for the boss." She winked at me, I felt myself laugh.

She walked me through everything and I was beyond excited. Once she left, I locked the doors, and went through the place once more.

It needs a lot of new things, but I'm willing to put in the effort for this place. I went out to my car, and brought in all the boxes I had, sticking them in the boss's room.

I heard the door open, causing me to grab my keys and stick them in between my fingers. The sound of crying made me rush out. In the main room of the bar, a girl was sitting on the floor of my bar.

"Oh my god, are you okay?" I looked out of the window of the bar, locking the door once again. I must've forgotten to lock it after bringing in my stuff.

The girl looked up at me and shook her head. I looked at her with a confused look.

She wrote down on a piece of paper how her parents kicked her out, and she had nowhere to go, she was freezing, and her boyfriend was threatening her. I felt my heartbreak for her.

"Stay here with me. Help me get this bar on its feet, and you can be a manager. I'll help you put your life together." I held my hand out to her. She looked up at me with a questioning look, she was weighing her options, you could see it on her face.

She grabbed my hand and got up off of the floor. I smiled, and she looked at me with fear, but happiness.

"I'm Eryn, what's your name?" She leaned down to grab the paper and pen on the floor before leaning on the bar.

"Julie, that's a pretty name." She smiled at me with one of the prettiest smiles ever.

Over the course of six months, Julie and I brought this bar back to life. She had become my best friend, and she was the best person ever. I honestly don't know how far I would've gotten without her.

She keeps me on my toes. She gives me honest opinions. Though she hasn't spoken to me, her actions say more than I think a person could ever say.

Julie and I recruited so many other abused women while fixing the bar, and they were all ready to get started to work.

The final piece got delivered for the bar, and I opened up the large box while Julie got the ladder. The neon white sign that says 'Smokey's' emerged and I felt myself tear up. I finally made it. I finally am where I want to be.

I stood on the ladder out front of the bar, and hung the sign up above the door. All of the other girls clapped and cheered, Julie had a huge smile on her face, and I was crying tears of happiness.

We cleaned up, and got ready to open. Once everything was ready, I flipped the neon open sign on, with a smile on my face.

"Ladies! Smokey's Bar is officially open!"

1139 Words