It Started As a Deal

Chapter 1: Running Away

"Running away will never make you free." ~Kenny Loggins

*

"Imogen! Can you come help me set the table?" asked my sister Jessica from the kitchen. I quickly crush my cigarette under my shoe before walking into the kitchen from the outside patio. Knowing Jessica, I go over to the sink to scrub my hands to get rid of the germs before grabbing the plates from the granite countertop to go set the table. It's only been five months since Jessica became my and my siblings legal guardian. She's doing a great job, but I can see the pressure it puts on her.

Jessica's blond hair is in a limo ponytail, and she has so many bags under her eyes that it looks as if they are bruises. Her body used to have a healthy tan from being in the sun often, but it nows looks pale which is so unlike my sister. I'm constantly worried about her and my younger siblings, but they worry more about me because of my condition.

"What are we eating tonight Jess?" I ask while setting down the plates in their appropriate spots.

"I made lasagna for Milly as a reward for getting the best score on a math test out of all the first graders."

"Oh really? I wonder why she didn't say anything to me." I feel very hurt because Milly normally tells me everything. When she and Josh get from school, she would throw her bag down and run up the stairs to my room to sit in my lap and tell me about her day. Today, all she did was tell me she had a good day when I came downstairs to ho outside and smoke.

"Maybe she wanted to surprise you. Last time I checked she and Josh were in the same room, so can you go and get them to come down and eat."

"Ok. You may be right." I leave the kitchen and walk down the hallway leading to the last dkkd in this part of the house. When I open the door, I see them playing the Wii. Both of them aren't saying anything are are leaning forward in their seats in total concentration. I decide to wait until they finished before I told them dinner was ready.

"Milly just give up now. I'm gonna beat you!" Josh says speaking up breaking the silence that had settled over the room apart from the noise from the game.

"Oh really," Milly questions with one eyebrow raised. "I really doubt that because. . . I JUST WON!" She jumped up in the air with the controller still in her hands and does a victory dance. While she does this, Josh slumos down in his chair with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. I chuckle softly finding it absolutely halirious that a first grader beat a third grader at a video game.

"Hey you guys! Dinner is ready!" When I finish getting my sentence out, the both push past me and run to the kitchen. By the time I recover myself and get to the kitchen, they were both shoveling the lasagna down their throats as fast as they can. "Geez guys! Were y'all starving or something?"

"It's my absolute favorite Imogen! I have to eat as much as I can," Milly tells me stopping briefly to say this before she returns back to her food.

"You two need to slow down or Imogen and I won't have any food to eat!" Jessica exclaims shaking her head with a smile spreading across her face. I sat down and start to eat my food when the home phone started ringing. I look at Jessica thinking it's one of her "friends," but by the look on her face, something is wrong. "I'll get it. Just keep eating I'll be right back."

She gets up from the table and takes the phone looking at the caller ID before grimacing and walking outside to the patio. My siblings and I exchange looks at each other wondering who is calling us since nobody has done that since mom was arrested. I look out the window, and I slowly see Jessica's face change to the point to were her face is extremely pale and looks as if she is going to pass out. When I start to get up from my chair to go outside to make sure she is alright, she comes back inside and picks up the phone. She runs her hand down her face and has a blank stare.

"What's wrong Jess?" I ask unable to keep the fear out of my voice. I've never seen my sister look this way before, and it terrified me. She turns to look at me with a sad face before she speaks.

"Mom is getting out on parole because of her good behavior," she whispers guaging my reaction. I sit there in shock not moving, but then my whole body starts trembling as I go into a panic attack as my anxiety raises.

"Jessica! Her medicine!" Josh shouts jumping up from his chair to go hug Milly who started to cry and shiver in fear and worry. Before anything else can happen, I fall out my chair and blackout.

*******

Later that day after I woke up, Jessica informed me that Mom would be arriving back here at eight o'clock the next morning. I made the decision than and there that I just could not be here when she came back. Since I have insomnia, nobody suspects anything as to why I'm awake this early in the morning. Right now, I'm digging through my closet for a bag big enough to fit all my personal belongings I want and need to bring with me before I leave. I finally find a huge backpack and proceed to attempt to fit everything into it.

Since I don't generally actually have many articles of clothing, I fold them all neatly into the bottom of the bag save two sweaters that I'm going to put on top in case it gets cold. I put my three portable chargers (all charged fully) including the original charger, my phone turned off, and my four pairs of headphones in a small pouch on top of my clothes. Next, I pack my tolitrees, including my makeup, medication, and medicine card, along with my three pairs of shoes. Finally, I put my quilt blanket my grandma made me as a baby, my stuffed white tiger named Star, and my two packs of cigarettes in the bag before putting the two sweaters in and zipping it close with only a bit of a struggle.

I take one last look at my room before stopping when I face my full length mirror. My hair is dyed Carmine red and stops half-way between my shoulder and elbow. I have a silver nose ring in my right nostril, and my eyes are a pretty green color. My skin isn't too pale, but it isn't anywhere near tan. I am of good height, and my lips are full and my cheeks chubby. Not being able to look at myself anymore in the mirror, I leave my room without looking back.

Before I go downstairs, I stop at each of my siblings' rooms. The first room I stop at is Josh's. I go in it and kiss him on the forehead before I go to Milly's room. My eyes are starting to tear up, so I move quickly so that I don't have time to change my mind. I kiss her on her forehead like I did for Josh, but I also squeeze her hand before I leave and go to Jess's room with my tears threatening to spill over. By the the time I get to Jess's room, tears are leaking slowly out of my eyes. I wrote a letter to leave for Jess explaining everything, but I'm shaking when I kiss her goodbye.

Finally, I rush down the stairs to leave the house as quickly as I could before I couldn't. I lock the doors and run down the street to the bus stop. I buy a one-way ticket to the next town over and clamber onto the bus. Then and only then do I allow myself to turn around and watch the town I grew up in disappear out of my sight.

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Author's Note: Hey guys! This is the next chapter. As I said before, this chapter and the next are pre-written, so this not is too kind of. I would like to say thank you to anybody reading my works because it makes me feel good on the inside. Please spread the word about my work to your friends if you enjoy it. I'll post the next chapter soon!

~jnicoleb1234 out!