Changing You ✦ 𝑍.𝐷.𝐻.

Chapter 46 {Z}

Welcome to Dallas, Texas

I bit down on my bottom lip as the car lights fell upon the welcoming sign of my old hometown.

From here on, everything started to look familiar.
There were the tall skyscrapers, the annoying amount of traffic lights, the people walking in and out of clubs, the huge shopping malls, the casinos, and the dark alleys that laid beyond the reach of the street lanterns.

Now that I had got used to living in a small, peaceful town like Beacon Hills, the crowded streets of Dallas were overwhelming - even though it was already dark outside.

Compared to Beacon Hills, Texas Dallas was almost like a disorganised nest of wasps. And I had not missed this place at all.

For a second, I took my eyes off the road to glance at the time.

[00:17 a.m.]

I allowed a deep sigh to pass my lips. A normal person would have been craving for sleep after a day this long and stressful. I would have been too, if it wasn't for the uneasy feeling in my stomach that kept me wide awake.

Which, don't get me wrong, I counted myself lucky for, since it helped me pay attention to my surroundings. Even at this hour, the streets were filled with traffic and people. Not even that had changed: the city was still more than alive overnight.

I had spent the first thirteen, almost fourteen, years of my life in the quieter, less crowded and somewhat poorer part of Dallas. Another thing I counted myself lucky for, since it enabled me to escape from the chaos that belonged to the big city.

I stopped for a red light and nervously tapped my fingers on the steering wheel. The sleeve of my black sweater fell down a bit and my eyes landed on the still raw claw marks on my wrist. Since I had decided to take the bandages off because they kept letting loose, I could see the small cuts starting to heal into scars.

Lifting my eyes up, I glanced at my reflection in the rear view mirror. I looked terrible. Face pale, dark bags underneath my eyes, hair down and knotted since I hadn't given myself time to fix it this morning. You'd almost think I was about to play a role in The Walking Dead.

I jumped when someone honked at me and quickly turned my gaze back to the road. The green light ordered me to continue driving.

Every now and then, I glanced at the time and watched the minutes go by. With every inch that I got closer to my destination, my heart sank further in my chest. By now I had turned off the navigation system, because I knew the way by heart.

My surroundings had started to quiet down; less and less people accompanied me on the streets as I reached the suburban parts of the city. There were no skyscrapers here, only average-sized houses.

I passed my old primary school. It was closed and abandoned, which made sense considering what time it was, but that didn't stop the childhood memories from flooding my mind.

A few minutes later, I drove by the park we always used to walk Bailey, our dog, in. We often consisting of me and Ryan, or me and my mom. I bit my inner cheek.

My house was only minutes away from here. Two more turns and I'd be there.

I sucked in a deep breath and pressed down on the gas pedal slightly harder, since the car was going so slow it almost stood still.

One turn to the right. One to the left. And there it was: the single house I used to call my home doomed up at the end of the street.

Still at the beginning of the street, I steered the car to the side of the road and turned off the engine.