Sugar sugar baby

[69] The escape plan

The decision to disappear didn't come easy. After my conversation with Vanessa's ex, the weight of everything hit me hard. I knew I had to get out, break free from her influence once and for all. But how do you completely sever ties with someone as powerful as Vanessa? Someone who had already demonstrated her reach into every corner of my life?

I figured the only way to do it was to disappear, at least for a while. Get off the grid. No phone, no internet—nothing she could use to track me. But I wasn't exactly the type of guy who knew how to live off the land. Hell, I hadn't even gone camping in years.

So, I started learning. Every day, I'd head to the public library, sit down at one of the computers, and watch YouTube videos on outdoor survival. I didn't dare use my phone anymore; it stayed turned off, buried deep in my backpack, just in case. I knew it sounded paranoid, but after everything I'd learned, I wasn't taking any chances. I watched hours of tutorials on how to start a fire without matches, build a shelter from scratch, purify water, and find edible plants in the wild.

The idea of cutting myself off from everything—Vanessa, my parents, my entire life—scared the shit out of me. But it also felt like the only way to regain control.

I saved up what little money I had left and bought some basic outdoor supplies: a tent, a sturdy backpack, a first aid kit, some waterproof matches, and a decent knife. The essentials. Every time I walked out of the store with another piece of gear, I felt a weird mix of excitement and dread. This was really happening.

The hardest part was convincing my parents. I knew I couldn't tell them the truth. They wouldn't understand. They already thought I was spiraling after everything that had happened with my jobs, and I wasn't about to add "fleeing from a manipulative ex-girlfriend with access to hackers" to the list of reasons for concern.

So, I lied.

One night after dinner, I sat my mom and dad down in the living room. They were watching some reality show, the volume turned up loud enough to drown out any real conversation. I turned it off, earning a confused glance from both of them.

"Hey," I began, trying to sound casual. "I need to tell you guys something."

My mom immediately looked worried. "Oh God, what now?"

I forced a smile, hoping to put her at ease. "It's nothing bad. I've just been thinking... I need to take a break. You know, clear my head. I've been stressed with everything that's been going on, and I think I just need some time away."

My dad raised an eyebrow. "Time away? From what?"

"From everything," I said quickly. "I've been talking to some friends, and we're planning a camping trip. Just... going out into the wilderness for a bit. You know, to unplug and reset."

My mom blinked, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief. "Camping? You? Are you serious?"

I nodded, doing my best to keep up the lie. "Yeah. It's something I've been wanting to do for a while. Get away from technology, clear my mind, focus on the basics. Plus, I'll be with friends, so it's not like I'll be alone or anything."

My dad snorted, shaking his head. "Since when do you know how to camp? The last time you went outside for more than five minutes was when you were a kid, and you got bored after ten."

I bit my lip, knowing he wasn't entirely wrong. "I've been learning. Watching videos, reading up on it. It's not that hard once you get the hang of it."

My mom looked at me like I'd just told her I was planning to join a cult. "This is insane, Tristan. You can't just disappear into the woods for a month. What if something happens? What if you get lost or hurt? You don't even know what you're doing!"

I sighed, trying to stay calm. "Mom, I'll be fine. Like I said, I'll be with friends. We've planned it all out, and I've got all the supplies I need."

She shook her head, clearly not convinced. "I don't like this. This doesn't sound like you at all."

My dad crossed his arms, his expression stern. "And what are you gonna do about money, huh? You don't have a job. You can't just go off on some... wilderness retreat when you've got responsibilities here."

I swallowed, feeling the weight of the lie pressing down on me. "I'll be fine. It's just for a month, maybe less. I've saved up enough to cover it, and once I'm back, I'll focus on finding work again. I just need this... for me."

My mom sighed, rubbing her temples like this whole conversation was giving her a headache. "I don't like it. It sounds reckless."

"I'm not asking for permission," I said softly. "I'm just letting you know."

They both stared at me, clearly not happy with my decision, but I could see the exhaustion in their eyes. The constant stress of our financial situation, the tension between us—it had worn them down. They weren't going to fight me on this. Not really.

Finally, my dad sighed, waving a hand dismissively. "Fine. Do what you want. But don't come crying to us when you get bitten by a snake or fall off a fucking cliff."

I forced a laugh, even though none of this felt funny. "I'll be careful."

My mom still looked worried, but she didn't say anything more. She just gave me that look—the one she always gave me when she thought I was making a huge mistake but didn't want to push it.

After that, they went back to watching their show, and I slipped away to my room, heart pounding in my chest. This was it. The lie was in place. Now all I had to do was follow through.

The next morning, I packed my gear, double-checking everything I'd bought. I didn't know if I was ready for this—if I even had the skills to survive for a month on my own—but I couldn't stay here. Not anymore. Not with Vanessa lurking in the background, pulling strings I couldn't see.

As I zipped up my backpack and slung it over my shoulder, I glanced at my phone, still turned off and sitting on my desk. I didn't even want to take it with me, but I knew I had to in case of emergencies.

With one last look around my room, I grabbed my backpack and headed out, ready to disappear.

Q: Would you do this if you were Tristan?