Alone

Chapter Five

Four years later

I stared at the mirror of my sixteen year old self. Perfect blonde curls with a few brown streaks and my mothers brown doe eyes. Even though it's been years since I have went without a meal, I remain skinny, but this skinny is far more healthy. I've lived at Carters permanently for four years now. It's been crazy of course, but every second was better then I've had since momma.

I go to school, I'm going to be a doctor. Kidding, I can't stand blood and gore. I'm going to be a photographer and a writer. Both are amazing and bring me peace from my past.

Naturally, I don't like poetry. Especially at school. It's the worst. Why do we have to learn an entire way of understanding for just one thing?

It's just like some of our classes. Why have them if most is us won't use, geometry for example, in the future?

Life is a lot better now. I'm on the cross country team, and that means I can eat what I like guilt free. I've always been good at running.

Carter walks in the room and looks at my knee length dark purple dress. The spring formal should be fun. I'm going with my best friend, Aurora.

"You friend is here. Make sure you don't let any of them boys do a thing to you. No drugs or alcohol, period. Stay safe, Page. You do look beautiful, I'm proud to call you my daughter." He looks at me proudly and moves to the side of the door. He opens it up and outstretched a hand, gesturing for me to walk out the door.

Four years later

After my entire roller coaster of a life, I'm finally nineteen.

I took a last look in my room, the lavender walls, the bay window. The memories I've had in just seven years of living  here were amazing.

I'm truly going to miss it.

It's just college though, it's not like I'm never coming back.

I'm amazed I'm even going to college. I was tortured into having a few years of catching up everything I've missed in school, starting high school when I was fifteen.

I was crushed down to nothing, and now I'm ready to become something.

"Paige? You ready?" Carter walks in, with a face like he's returned from battle.

"Yea, as ready as I'll ever be." I sigh and look at his face as it becomes desperation.

"Do you have to go?" He pleads, only half jokingly.

"Yes, I have to grow. You can't keep me here forever" I look at him with that certain look of half pity, the look that's indescribable. The one that's, kinda like they feel sorry for how adorable you are when you're a kid chasing a boy with a spider.

He opens the door for me like he's done many times. "You know the rules, just like any dance or party you've been to." He looks at me, feigning a stern-full face.

"Of course, stay away from the stupid boys lacking a brain, no drugs or alcohol of any kind, and stay safe. You've told me I'm enough ways it'll never get out of my head." I softly laugh at his face of approval.

"See you later Paige. Call me if you need anything, anything at all." He stares, slightly disappointed that I have to leave.

"Of course daddy. You know I will." I've called him by that name for the first time when I was seventeen. I slipped up and it stuck.

I'm glad that he's my father now. Family isn't blood, it's the unconditional love. Not everybody feels that way with their family for many different reasons. Sometimes it's temporary, but sometimes they've been crushed to the point of isolation, like it was with my biological father.

I walk out the door and start my car ready to leave this place and go create a future for myself. After all, you can't do much without a bachelors degree.