Lies

Chapter forty three

  "...Why are you all wet? And why aren't you with Harry? I don't like you traveling across the world all alone. And what's up with that shirt? It looks like a man's shirt. You're still dressing like man."

      "I missed you too, mom."

       "Oh stop it. You know I missed you." She glanced at Adalynn. "Are you cold?" Adalynn nodded, and her mom turned on the heat.

       "What are you doing here, though? You and Harry are supposed to be coming in... A week! Why isn't Harry here? I was so looking forward to meeting him."

      "I left to get away from Harry, mom." She mumbled. Then her head perked up. "Can I drive?"

      Her mom gave her a strange look before shaking her head and telling her that they were almost home and that she wasn't going to pull over. Adalynn sighed. She missed driving, and her license hadn't expired yet. 

       "Did he cheat on you?" Adalynn almost laughed.

       "No, he didn't. I just had to get away, mom. I really really really don't want to talk about it." Her mom fell silent for a little while. She may have been nosy and loud, but she could always tell when Adalynn needed space. Her tone was soft when she spoke again.

       "I'm sorry for whatever happened, dear. I'm sure everything's will work out." It sounded simple, but it made Adalynn feel better. Maybe it was just because it was her mom. Moms always know when things will work out. "I guess... Nows a good time to say that you're going to have to stay in a hotel. Steve has been doing renovations in the house and your room isn't fit to be slept in. I'm so sorry."

       Adalynn nodded, "Its alright. I'm not suppose to be here anyway. Can I just stop at home and grab a few things?"

       "Don't be ridiculous. You're going to have to stay for dinner with your step father and I. Did I mention that we still have your old car? You used to love the thing, remember? You can take it to the hotel, if your license is still intact." 

       Adalynn grinned a toothy smile. Her mom was right, she loved her car. It was the only thing she missed while in England. That, and her mom.

       After an awkward dinner with her lumbering, but polite, stepfather and her hummingbird-like mother, and a long shower Adalynn took off. Only bringing a phone charger, some clothes and any money she could find in her old room.

       It was surreal to step into it, the room. The walls were covered with bands, and Harry was a common sight. She stood there, staring for a while. For four years this place had protected her. The bands on her walls had saved her life. She had learned to play the guitar in that room. She had fallen in love with Harry in that room. 

       She had to grab onto the nearest wall so she wouldn't fall over. It smelled like her, but like a different her. It smelled like her old perfume and the soap she used to use to clean her clothes with. It was overpowering. Adalynn turned off the light and headed into the night.

      Before going to the only hotel in town, Adalynn stopped at the Walgreens. It was the place for teenagers to hang out, since they would have to go ten miles out of town to find the nearest mall. She hoped she wouldn't see anyone she knew, but she knew she would.

       She recognized the cashier as soon as she steppe in line. It was Claire, the girl Travis had started dating right after her. She looked at Adalynn, almost seeming scared once she'd recognized her. Adalynn wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone's shit, so she had put on her most intimidating clothes. Black jeans, spiked black boots, the same black Ramones shirt and she had applied the eyeliner by the pound. Adalynn was amused to see her so nervous, as she had been one of her biggest bullies. Feeling courageous, she tossed a pack of condoms on top of the rest of the things she was buying. She didn't know what she was going to do with them, but they scared the hell out of Claire.

        "Adalynn? Adalynn? Is that really you?" She turned around to see Travis' mother. Adalynn swallowed hard, her courage suddenly gone. Travis' mom was shorter than her, but Adalynn felt as if she loomed over her. "What are you doing here? I thought you moved out of town?" She said it as if people who leave could never come back. 

       "Uh. I'm visiting my mother." She mumbled. Adalynn hoped she didn't see the pack of condoms. She wished she hadn't grabbed them. 

      "Oh how sweet. I hear you're dating that rock star now? Is that why you're dressing like that?" Adalynn blinked and sighed. 

       "Yes ma'am. I am." 

       She scoffed, "I'd expect nothing less from you."

       "I wouldn't want to disappoint, ma'am." Adalynn was speaking as she had all her life. She was respectful to her elders, no matter what they were saying. Claire was taking forever to check her out. Travis' mom gasped as if someone had stabbed her when Claire picked up the packet of condoms.

       "Oh lord. Girl, you know Jesus will always accept you under his wing, you just need to stop living this way and accept him as your savior." Adalynn payed for her things and tried to ignore her, but she continued. "Or... Just keep whoring around. That's just like you."

       "Listen bitch." Adalynn heard her own voice, and felt herself turning around to look at her. She jabbed a finger up in Travis' moms face. She didn't want to be talking, but she was anyway. Almost screaming. "You don't fucking know me. I'm not here to take your shit, I'm here to visit my mother. You may have ruined four years of my fucking life, but I swear to god you won't ruin the rest. So why don't you go home and cook dinner for your husband who's fucking the DVD store owner, and your son the crackhead rapist. Why don't you look at your own life before you judge mine."

       She turned to walk away with her bags in hand, confident that she had at least scared the older woman. "How can you swear to God when you don't deserve him?"

      "God prefers kind whores over assholes." She muttered, before walking out, feeling fucking hardcore.

       Adalynn settled into the creaky bed and turned in her phone. She had charged it in the car. It took a few moments for the phone to start  receiving messages, and once it did it didn't seem to stop. Harry had called her almost a hundred times, left five voicemails and 40 texts. Hayley had texted her four times, all of them in all caps.

I SWEAR TO GOD I DIDN'T TELL HIM

ADALYNN I SWEAR I DIDNT

HE FIGURED IT OUT HIMSELF

ADALYNN HARRY FIGURED OUT WHERE YOU WERE. HE CAME TO MY FLAT AND ASKR ME WHERE YOU HAD GONE, SO I KICKED HIM IN THE BALLS. THEN THE DICKS ALL LIKE "SHE'S IN AMERICA, ISN'T SHE." AND ADALYNN IM SORRY

       Adalynn smiled a little to herself. She texted Hayley a quick response, telling her that it was fine. She was pretty sure that Harry didn't know what the name of the town was, even if he came to America he wouldn't be able to find her.

      Adalynn read through a few of his texts. Most of them said "let me explain" but he never did explain. Adalynn wondered if he actually had something to explain, or if guys just said that. After Adalynn read through the texts, she listened to his voicemails. His voice was still calming. He was trying to tell her how much he loved her and how he had made a big mistake but how it wasn't as bad as it seemed. Adalynn listened to every single voicemail. She missed him like crazy, but she wouldn't admit it to herself. Instead she listened to the voicemails over and over until she fell asleep to the sound of   his voice.