An Eye For An Eye

•Chapter 4•

I wasn't very excited about packing, so my packing job was half-assed at best.

I shoved a few dresses into a duffle bag along with a handful of underwear, a sweater, and shorts and a tank top to sleep in.

When I came down the stairs the next morning, Casey already had the garage door open and the car running.

"You ready?"

I flinched. I hadn't heard him coming. My hearing was usually my sharpest sense, but ever since this morning it was like I was wading through water everywhere I went. The easiest things were slowly becoming extremely difficult.

"I'll take your bag."

I let him take it. There was no use in fighting. "I need to get Chief's food."

"I already put it in the car."

I didn't say thanks, I just nodded. We hadn't spoken about yesterday morning yet. I had the feeling we were never going to. Casey was smart enough not to bring it up, and I honestly didn't know what I would say. I felt furious and defeated at the same time. I just wanted him to leave. I'd been doing just fine up until now.

I got Chief to jump into Casey's truck-- I knew it was a truck because I had heard Casey throwing our bags into the metal bed-- and we reversed out of the driveway.

Before I could pull out my earphones and drown out the crackling tension filling up the cab of the truck, Casey took a shallow inhale.

I squeezed my eyes shut. Please don't talk...

"I can't believe dad left you alone like that."

I narrowed my eyes in his direction. "I can. It seems to run in the family."

I could practically hear Casey gnashing his teeth. "I didn't leave you alone, Lola." And then his voice became softer. Far away. Like he wasn't really talking to me anymore, but to himself. "I left you with dad."

I threw my head back against my seat. "Casey, leaving me with dad is like leaving me in the care of an six year old that just so happens to be a genius." I snorted, shaking my head a little. "He goes to work, but then he doesn't want to take care of his pets or do his chores. He'd rather go out and play with his friends."

"You're not an animal he doesn't want, Lola. You're not a chore, either."

"I wouldn't want me if I was him."

"Lola, knock it off. Don't say that shit about yourself." His voice had gotten tight, like a rubber band ready to snap.

"I'm just stating the truth." I mumbled. I propped my elbow against the door, resting my chin in the palm of my hand. "Like you would know what it's been like the past four years. You weren't there."

"I'm not saying I know what it was like--"

"Good. Then stop assuming you do."

I popped my earphones in before he could argue with me any further. The drive to Mirror Lake was at least 2 and a half hours, which meant I was stuck in the cab of a truck with Casey for 2 and a half hours.

Thank god Chief was sitting in between us.

******

"... No telling which charges will be proved and which ones will be dropped. The Edison trial is set to begin early Monday morning. Jason Edison will be tried on charges of mol-"