Runaway (R.S.L)

Chapter 24

A sense of deja vu washed over me as I collapsed onto the ground, my chest heaving up and down with ragged breath. The sound of the explosion continued to echo in my ears, and I slapped my hands over them, desperately trying to make the horrific noise stop. My legs burned from the constant running I endured, and my lungs felt like they were on fire. And although I couldn't waste another minute of just sitting around, I needed a break. I wouldn't be able to go on if I didn't rest for at least a few moments. 

When it was time to get moving, I let out a breath and pushed myself off the ground, running as fast as my body would let me. Car engines and the chatter of citizens were heard all around me as I ran through the streets of LA, and I was vaguely aware of their roaming eyes. Every inch of my being wanted to just yell at them, tell them to stop staring at me, but I couldn't. I had to get out of here. 

I had to get out of LA. 

My heart ached as I boarded a bus that would get me out of the city I had grown to love, and I almost burst into tears as I began to think of my family. I never imagined having an actual family, but that was exactly what the Lynch's became for me. My family. Their desperate pleas for me to come back rung in my ears, and I let a tear roll down my cheek. The crack in Ross' voice was the most evident, and the moment I stepped foot out of the door, I knew I broke his heart. 

I took out my phone and saw that I had voicemails from everyone, but I could only click on one. I held it up to my ear and listened with bated breath. 

"S-Scar, I don't know where you are, but please, please come back home." The sound of him holding back sobs was almost instantly clear. "I need to know you're okay, baby. I need to know that you're safe. I love you so much, baby, please come home. I can keep you safe, I promise."

Unable to listen anymore, I ended the voicemail and shut off my phone. Hearing him cry and beg for me to come home was like taking a knife and thrusting it straight through my heart. I never wanted to leave him, my family, but it had to be done. I couldn't put them at risk anymore, and living with them was doing just that. I would never be able to forgive myself if one of them got hurt because of me. I would rather die then let that happen. 

I stared out the window and watched the buildings become a blur. A single tear rolled down my cheek, and I whispered the two words that had basically become my life motto. "I'm sorry." 

~*~

I stretched my aching and tired limbs as I stepped off the bus, multiple yawns escaping my mouth as I did. I had to travel on bus after bus just to get to the town I wanted to get to, and after many, many hours, I finally did. With there being less than four hundred people living in this small town, I knew it would be the perfect place to rest for a couple days before I left California for good. 

Cue the pang in my heart. 

There was a small motel near the bus station, so I asked for a room and basically collapsed onto the bed the moment I walked in. It wasn't as comfortable as my old bed, but it would do. In this moment right now, I was just grateful that I had a place to sleep for a couple of days. I climbed under the covers and closed my eyes almost instantly, unable to have them open any longer. 

It must had been hours before I woke up, because it was dark when I opened my eyes. It was still daylight when I arrived, and I could only estimate that I was asleep for at least five hours. I quickly took a shower, relishing in the warmth of the water that splayed across my aching body. Since I didn't have an extra set of clothes, I had to put on the outfit I had been wearing for over a day. It felt like I never took a shower. 

My stomach grumbled, and it was only then I realized that I hadn't eaten in over twenty-four hours. I made sure I had my wallet and phone before exiting the room. A couple diners were lined up along the streets, so I made a pick and entered one, being seated almost immediately. Besides me, there were only two other people, excluding the workers. I put in my order and only had to wait a maximum of five minutes before it was placed in front of me.