Running away to Home

Finding home

The lonely swing creaked as I swung alone on the playground. There is laughter all around me but I'm not part of it. My long caramel colored hair floats out behind me as I listen. I hear everything but instead I stare at the ground.

"Come on Annie, come over and play with us!" I heard the other girl's voice but didn't let myself take notice to it. I just shook her head. They didn't leave. I hadn't expected them too.

"Well you know it wouldn't hurt to smile every once in awhile." She said it in a voice that would have hurt most, but Annie didn't listen to her. She looked up with anger in her eyes.

"Just leave. Please. I don't need your opinion." The snobby girls laughed at her and walked away. I sat there, once again staring at the ground, her eyes so close to tears. But she refused to cry.

The sound of their footsteps thundered in my ears but it didn't bother me. I have felt pain much worse than that before.

I walked home in complete silence. The way I like it. I've been wasting time so that I don't have to go home. I don't want to go home to my grandmother. I mean, she probably just locked me out of the house again. She likes to pretend I don't exist like that. I wish my dad were still alive. I wouldn't have to live with my psychopath grandmother.

I walk up to the front door and reach for the handle. I jiggle it, but it doesn't open. I sigh and pull a bobby pin out of my hair. I twist it in the lock until I hear the click. I turn the handle and creep into the kitchen. I lock the door behind me so grandmother won't notice that I picked the lock again. I scavenge the cupboards to see if there's any leftover food that I can hide.

"Wow. Way to go grocery shopping, grandma." I mutter under my breath. The cupboards are bare. Not a scrap of food in sight. "Aha." I found a can of peas. Well, at least it's something. I pour the peas into a bowl and put it into the microwave.

The food doesn't taste great. In fact, it tastes like almost nothing. But it is something. At least I won't go hungry. My bowl is almost empty when I hear a car pull into the driveway.

"Shoot." I exclaim, grabbing my things and running upstairs to my bedroom. I don't even stop to take care of my dishes. I turn off all the lights and lock the door. Maybe she'll think I'm not here. I hold my breath as she walks past my door. But she doesn't stop. I let my breath out and peek out into the hallway to see if the coast was clear. When I see that it is I grab my phone and quickly make my way down the stairs and I run outside.

I call Caleb and he picks up on the second ring. "I can't take this anymore Caleb. I just can't"

"Did she lock you out again?" He questioned.

"Yup. And it's not just that. The cupboards are always bare and she refuses to make any sort of dinner. I mean, it's not even that hard to order a pizza online." I can hear him cringe through the phone.

"I'm sorry but I've decided. I'm leaving. I can't live with her any longer."

"Please stay Annie. I need you here." He pleads with me.

"You'll be fine without me. She won't even realize I'm gone." At least I hope she doesn't

I pack up the small amount of things that I still have. I was supposed to inherit everything of my dad's, but guess who stopped that from happening. Now all I have is the clothes on my back and an old picture of my family. I sling on the small backpack that everything I own fits into.

I have just a little money, but it's enough to get me a bus ticket into the city. I find the nearest bus station and find an empty seat in the back. Then I feel myself drift asleep.

I wake up to the sound of the bus doors opening and I can smell the fresh city air. I step off the bus and I can see so many people, but I don't recognize any of them. I stop into a small bakery and I accidently bump into a woman on my way to the line.

"Excuse me young lady, watch where you are going!" I mumble sorry and look up at her.

"Wait a second. Have I seen you somewhere before? You look familiar for some reason." Yeah she looks kind of familiar too. I pull the picture of my family out of my pocket. I compare my mother's face to the woman's. Then I gasp a little.

Mom. It's her! I can't believe I found her already. "Hello. Let me introduce myself. My name is Annie Joy Jacobs, and it's really nice to see you again mom." I see her face turn from burning anger into happiness, and then into worry.

"But Annie, you're supposed to be living with your dad." She doesn't already know? I would have thought someone told her.

"Mom he's gone. He died of a heart attack about a month ago. I'm living with grandma now." I can barely say those words out loud. Her face falls.

"Wait, does grandma know that your here?" She looks worried and I become a bit squeamish.

"Well not exactly." It's not like she would care. I doubt she even noticed.

"You ran away? Why Annie? I thought your father and I raised you better than that."

"I had to. I haven't had a meal in almost a week and she keeps locking me out of the house and pretending that I'm not there." I start to ramble on and on until she puts her hands on my shoulders.

"I understand. I had to live with her my whole life. Come on, sweetie. Let's get you to your real home." I have never heard better words in my whole life. I walk out the door behind her and feel all my sorrows stay behind.