p r o l o g u e
chestnut's pov
the coffee held in my fingertips was far too hot to drink. the scorching hot liquid warmed my blue fingers and somehow gave me the slightest ounce of hope. i've never really been one to travel far from home. but this time, i had no choice. the couple that i had been living with for as long as i could remember decided to turn my whole world around.
*flashback*
"chessie, honey, don't be mad at us..." my parents- no, they weren't even my parents anymore. they were two strangers. i grabbed the suitcase from under my bed.
"no, mum, isabella, whoever the hell you are." i interrupted.
"you're dead to me." i whispered harshly.
"i don't care for your language or your tone of voice, young lady. don't forget, you are still under our roof." she spoke calmly, with a hint of desperation. i stopped and looked at her and my "father" and the soft features they had that i had grown accustomed to over the years. i could see a few beads of sweat lingering on my dads forehead. i felt sorry for him. he had to marry my cow of a mother- well, the woman who adopted me. she was so stubborn and overprotective. i had done everything for her, and this was how she repaid me? i laughed to myself, shaking my head before looking at them dead in the eye.
"thank fuck i'm leaving this hell hole then." i spat, chucking the remainder of my clothing in the suitcase and zipping it shut, the task proving to be difficult as soon as i had to jump on top of it due to the ridiculous amount of articles of clothing inside. their reactions were hilarious. they stood frozen, their mouths agape. i was always the innocent child. the mummy's girl. however, clearly that wasn't the case anymore. due to the fact i didn't have a mother.
"you aren't leaving.. c'mon chessie listen to your mother." my "father" pleaded. i snorted. how attractive am i?
"just watch me. adios." i spoke, before starting down the stairs, not daring to look back.
there was just one thing that i had to do before i left. i dropped my suitcase and my rucksack by the front door, making sure to be ready should my parents come down the stairs with a rope threatening to tie me to a chair. i walked slowly into the living room, my shoes noisily trod on the expensive woven carpet. i breathed in the musky scent of coffee and cigarettes that i grew up to know and love. i teared up a little, seeing the figure in the rocking chair.
"gran?" i spoke softly. she turned to me, her eyes sad. she gave me the best effort of a smile. my gran was a trooper.
"oh, isabella.. don't you look lovely?" she smile, as i came nearer to her. she placed her hand on my cheek, rubbing gently, her hand wrinkled from old age. a tear slipped down my cheek and she wiped it away.
"isabella, i taught you not to cry didn't i? i remember when you were a little girl only this tall-"
"gran.." i interrupted. i closed my eyes, wishing i was young enough to sit on her lap and let her engulf me with a great big cuddle.
"gran im going away for a little while, okay? stay beautiful gran." i whispered, frightened and feeling my heart break into a billion pieces.
"oh isabella, my darling, darling isabella. here," she stood up for the first time i had ever seen, grabbing a jar from the shelf. she slotted her had inside pulling out a wad of notes, pressing it into the palm of my hand.
"i knew the time would come when you would go off to see the world my darling.. and i want to help you." she smiled, her cheeks sodden. i hugged her, breathing in her scent. i don't know how long we stayed there. but i didn't want to ever let go.
"off you go now isabella, explore the world my darling. don't forget me." she spoke, before sitting back down in her rocking chair and looking outside into the distance. i planted two last kisses on her worn, tearstained cheeks.
i wiped the tears away from my own cheeks and walked out of the house. i didn't look back. that's what hurt me the most. not looking back.
*present time*
and now, i'm on a train heading no where. i'm a thousand miles away from home. where i'm no longer welcome. my heart ached, and the coffee held in my fingertips was now cold.
