When Winter Comes

Chapter 21: Winter is Gone

IGNORE ALL ERRORS

Chapter 21: Winter is Gone

The nightmares last the night, and the problem is that when I wake they're still there.

- Winter Ozlin's Diary

I called Austin once I got to my room, and within two hours I was on a private jet to meet him in in Key West, Florida.

It took a few minutes to convince Marie, but after I broke down in tears she caved. All I told her was the truth. Being back in the house was bringing back memories of my parents and I needed to get out ASAP. I told her that Carl wouldn't even notice my absence since he invited friends to stay. What I left out was the fact that Carl was still plotting against me. But I couldn't have told her that. If I had, she would have sent me straight back to Pennsylvania Physiatrics Center.

Pretty much, I just made her pity me. The one thing I hated, I made her feel for me. Pity was the last thing I ever wanted from a person, but desperate times calls for desperate measures.

"I'm leaving for Florida. I'm going to stay with Austin till school restarts." I told Marie as I marched down the grand staircases with my duffel bag on my shoulder. Usually, I never used a duffle. One of the help would grab my Louis Vuitton suitcases and packed everything for me, but I needed to leave pronto. There was no time for help from the staff.

"What? You absolutely are not!" Marie said and barged to the front door, trying to block my exit.

I rolled my eyes. "Marie, it's pointless for me to even be here! I need to get away."

"What you need is to be around family."

"Carl can give a rat's ass if I'm here or not for Thanksgiving. I'd rather be around somebody who actually loves me rather than someone who fakes it," I sneered, knowing it was the absolute truth. Carl gave zero shits.

"Don't say that, Winter. We're having difficulties adjusting ever since the car-"

I spat out laughter at her comment. "Carl had no problem. The only person who did have a problem was me, but instead of addressing it you sent me away to be fixed by somebody else! And when I came back, you acted as if I hadn't been in a mental institute for eight months."

"Shut your mouth, Winter Grace! You have no right saying those things to me! I'm your guardian and you will listen to me!"

"You're killing me in here, Marie!" I finally screamed, letting tears swell in my eyes and my face turn to red. "This house and the people in it are slowly and torturously killing me! If I spend an entire week here with a brother who hates me and you who are just waiting to see me break then I will be dead by Wednesday!" I didn't even try to hold in tears. I let them flow freely, showing her that I needed an out.

"Oh honey," Marie whispered and took me into her arms. She cradled me from side to side as I fell into her shoulder. We were the same height, so it was hard to let her hold me, but it made her sympathize for me.

"I need this Marie," I cried into her. "Please."

And just like that, she let me go.

"You're seriously leaving," Carl asked me when I was climbing into the car. He sat on the steps with a cigarette in his hand. Small puffs of smoke whisked through the air. I shook my head at his actions. Since our parents died, he began to smoke freely around the house. He claimed it helped to calm him. I knew better. He'd been smoking since the the sixth grade, when he joined his new prep school.

"Yup." I rolled my eyes.

"Is this because of what happened?"

"Yup."