ethereal (k.l.)

•THIRTY SEVEN•

•••

Davina's POV

Right before the plane took off, I grabbed my phone and sent a quick text to Selena. I felt bad for running off with her car so I figured I should let her know where it was.

Davina: your car is in the parking lot of LAX, sorry for taking it.

Selena: don't worry about it. are you okay? are you going to Virginia?

Davina: I'm fine.

I ignored her last question. If everyone knew where I was going, they would try their best to bring me back. My friends cared for me a lot and I really appreciated it but this was something I needed to do. I needed to walk away for a while.

I turned my phone off and shoved it into my hoodie pocket. Thinking things over, I knew that running from one situation and jumping into another was very stupid and possibly damaging. Seeing my dad for the first time since I was an infant isn't something that I should be doing right now. I knew that. But maybe I'll finally get answers and won't just wonder about who he is anymore. I can get away from some people in San Clemente while doing something I've wanted to do my whole life.

This flight was six hours long and I needed some rest. Once the plane took off, I shut my eyes and let my mind turn off for a while.

•••

"Miss, it's time to go."

I slowly awoke at the voice. I looked up and saw a flight attendant standing in the aisle, looking at me with a superficial smile. All of the passengers were grabbing their luggage and making their way off the plane, and when I realized that we had landed, I started doing the same thing.

Once I got to baggage claim, I remembered that my phone was in my hoodie. I pulled it out and turned it back on to see that I had a million missed calls and texts from friends, my mom, Rachel, and Kian. I just sighed and put it back in my pocket without reading any of the messages.

The plane landed in Richmond, my home town, so I needed to take a cab to Ashland. It wasn't very far and it made me question why my deadbeat dad didn't go further away from us.

As I sat in the back of an Uber, I listened to music and made no conversation with the driver. I stared out the window the entire time. The passing trees that were a lively green blurred as the car sped along the road. White clouds covered almost every inch of the sky, covering any blue the atmosphere had to offer. I felt numb as I took in my surroundings. I had cried, screamed, and ran. Now I didn't feel much. I wasn't even that nervous when we pulled up to a brick house and the car stopped.

"1856 Oakland Drive." The driver said, confirming the address. I nodded and handed him some money before thanking him and getting out of the car. After the Uber drove away, I stood in the driveway and stared at the house in front of me. There was a truck parked in front of the garage so I knew someone was here. I gripped the strap of my duffel bag and pulled it over my shoulder, then proceeded to walk to the front porch.

It wasn't until I was raising my hand to knock that my uneasiness came rushing to meet me. I was suddenly very jittery and nervous, had I not thought this through? Of course I didn't, I made the decision to come here in the middle of an emotional breakdown, I didn't have time to think. But I was here now and there was no going back.

My knuckles lightly knocked against the door and the sound of a dog barking immediately followed. It made me jump, but I calmed down soon after. I anxiously waited for someone to answer as the dog scratched against the wood.