Runaway // n.h.

0.1

Four months earlier

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Throwing myself up from my mattress, my eyes bloodshot and dry, I rolled my exhausted body out of my sheets and onto the hard, carpeted ground in search of the source of the obnoxious noise that had awoken me from my peaceful slumber.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

I groaned, still too stuck in my morning daze and too tired to get off the ground to continue my search.

"Adeline! Are you okay? I heard something hit the ground," someone called from outside my door.

I groaned again, my eyes shutting as I pulled a blanket off my bed and wrapped it around myself.

"Adeline! Your train leaves in half an hour! Are you packed?"

Train?

Train!

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" I cursed, unwrapping myself, clumsily running to my closet and yanking my suitcase off the top shelf.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Shut up," I griped, now awake enough to realize that it was my roommate that was giving me an early-morning migraine.

Launching myself back across my floor and to my suitcase, I threw open the lid and began to rip clothes off my hangers.

I didn't really care what I packed, I was just going home anyway.

Stripping down and flipping my roommate off through the door, I searched for my rail pass in my drawers and dressed myself in simple sweats and a white t-shirt.

I zipped my suitcase, opened the dormitory door and bumped right into roommate's chest.

"Adeline, you're up!" she smiled, pulling me into a hug. "I honestly thought you'd sleep through the day and miss your train."

I let out a deep sigh, my lungs finally getting a break.

"I would have if you hadn't almost knocked the door in, Charlie," I chuckled, softly kicking her shin.

Charlie looked down at my feet before bursting out in a fit of laughter.

"What?" I asked, genuinely confused by what she was laughing at.

"Do you really plan on riding the rails without shoes?"

I glanced at my bare feet before realizing my mistake and rushing back inside to slip on a pair of shoes and throwing my hair up in a bun.

"Adeline, you literally have twenty minutes until your train leaves," Charlie reminded. "Maybe you should just stay here with me instead of getting stranded at the station."

I chuckled again and handed her my keys.

"You know I would, but I have to go home for the summer," I said, hugging her again. "But I will see you in this exact same room on the first day on classes, okay?"

Charlie groaned, but nodded and hugged me back.

"Call me when you get home, got it?"

"I got it," I nodded. "See you next year, Char. Love you."

"Yeah, yeah," she replied. "Just call."

•••

By the time I had hopped out of the taxi, I was out thirty pounds and practically walking in puddles in my shoes.

Damn England for being so rainy.

Yanking my phone out of my sweatpants pocket, I almost threw myself over the bridge when I saw the time.