Inhale

Chapter 1

Hazel

Inhale, Hazel. And take a deep breath.

I closed my eyes shut. I heard the raindrops falling onto the roof of the bus. The space was rather limited. I mean, yeah, probably my fault because all my luggage took up most of the space on the seat right next to me.

Even now, hours later after the biggest dispute my parents and I have ever had, I couldn't help but replay the conversation over and over again.

"You, Hazel Elizabeth Woods..." My dad took a deep breath and I could see a vein popping up on his forehead. "Are not going, and that's final!" He shouted.

"Father, this is my life. I am 19, I can do whatever I want! It is not your life, nor mom's, but mine!" I replied throwing my hands up in the air, trying to control my anger.

"We have talked about this more than enough, Haze." My mom said in a calm voice. "And we are so tired of it. Your brother--"

I interrupted her. "My brother is one of the biggest lawyers whole America has ever seen. Thanks to my dad. And now that you've seen that he's not taking his work or any of this seriously, you want me to  study economics or law  just so I can step into his footsteps in case he will drop everything. Am I right?  For Gods sake, don't you have any trust in your son, or in me? I am going away. I need space, a calm place, rest."

"The moment you step out of this door," ,my father warned me, "You won't be getting any support from us. You, Hazel Elizabeth Woods, will ruin our whole family."

My breathing got heavier, and hot tears were running down my face, even though I wanted to be tough. And in the next second, I had grabbed my suitcase and my backpack and stormed out the door.

And now I was here. On the bus, in the middle of the night, heading to my new home: Riverbeach; a rather small town near the coast, and from what I've read on the internet so far, the "calmest place in the whole East." Weeks, even months before this day, I had researched everything about this city. Over the past few years, I have had multiple jobs so I could save up money to be independent for the first time ever. And from now on, my first step into independence would be a little apartment near a wood. It had a kitchen, a bed, a couch, basically all in one room. But it would, without any doubt, be the best home I have ever lived in.

I felt my eyes getting heavier and the music I was listening to was getting quieter and quieter. And then, I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

"Miss." I heard a deep voice and opened my eyes. I looked around and apparently I was the only one left on the bus. I looked at my watch. 11pm.

"This is the last stop. Allington Valley."The bus driver said and yawned. He bit into a sandwich.

No. Oh no. This couldn't be it.

"A-Allington Valley?" I repeated and I felt my chest raising up and down more and more. "I need to get to Riverbeach, how far away is that from here?" I cracked my knuckles and desperately waited for his response. I could smell the peanut butter of his sandwich all the way to the back of the bus. God, I was hungry.

The driver shrugged. "One hour if you walk there. By car, it should be around half an hour." He chewed while talking. Gross. He didn't seem like the kind of guy that would drive an extra round.

"Alright..." I sighed, grabbed my luggage and got out of the car. Immediately, the cold air and the rain made themselves noticeable.

"Shit..." I mumbled and started walking. There was definitely no turning back now. I took deep breaths, at least I wasn't that tired anymore. The cold rain made me stay awake. If not, I would have probably passed out on the sidewalk.