I waited for Max to be gone before I started packing up my stuff. I grabbed my bat from behind the couch and my bag and threw them down to the ground. It was sorta chilly out even through my double layers, so I jogged to my car. Once I got my car warmed up I headed home.
Pulling into my driveway, I saw my dad's car still there. I grabbed the bat from the back seat and went up to the door. It was unlocked so I went inside carefully, last thing I needed was for him to see me skipping school. The TV was still on and I saw him sleeping on the couch. I crept past the living room then up the stairs skipping the stair that creaks halfway up.
I looked around the blue walls of my room covered in posters of bands and pictures of Max and I. Grabbing my runaway bag, I added a few of my favourite pictures. Realizing I wasn't running, but walking away instead, I grabbed a second bag and packed extra clothes and the rest of my money from my savings. I grabbed my old hockey bag and emptied it of its contents. Opening my window I threw my two backpacks into the open car door.
Heading downstairs I was so excited I forgot about the creaky step. I froze, lifted my foot slowly praying my dad wouldn't hear me. Silence save the TV downstairs made me cautious, then I heard a snort of a snore come from the living room.
I ran down the rest of the stairs into the kitchen and grabbed water bottles, gatorades, and snacks from the pantry. I also got a bag full of apples and oranges just in case.
I was almost safe out the door when I heard him.
"Rochelle?" he sounded half drunk.
"Yeah?" I said turning around cautiously.
"What time is it? School out?"
"Yeah. Just came to get some clothes, I'm spending the night at Max's." Just the perfect moment for two oranges to fall out of the bag I thought I zipped all the way.
He swooped across the room like a lion catching a hyena stealing his food.
"What the hell's this?" he said yanking my bag open. Where was my bat?
"I...um..." he pushed me back stepping between me and the door. Grabbing the front of my shirt in one hand and knocking my bag off my shoulder with the other, he stepped closer nearly lifting me off the ground. He towered me by a good ten inches.
"You think you can just take my food and leave?" here it comes.
I was on the floor without even registering the hit. My vision got fuzzy, and my head buzzed. From my sideways glance I saw the bat leaning on the wall by the kitchen. I waited for him to step closer, then kicked his feet out from under him. As he fell i grabbed the bat in my right hand and the bag in my left.
Holding the bat between us, I slowly worked my way toward the door. But he was on his feet again.
"What? You think you can hurt me!" He laughed like a madman and came toward me. I used the tip of the bat to push him back and ran to my car. Throwing the bag and bat in I slammed it shut and locked it just in time.
He began banging on the window and yelling, I started the car and backed out driving away. My heart was pounding and my face was throbbing where he socked me. I hated him so much, and there was no way in hell I was ever coming back.
With or without Max I was leaving, and I swore to myself I wouldn't return.
