Chapter 3

"Evie." I sighed and rolled over.

"Evie, wake up."

"Why?" I whined.

"He's here."

I turned my head and opened one eye. "What? Who's here?"

"Who do you think?" Vega asked, crossing her arms.

Then I remembered.

"Oh."

I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. Throwing the blanket from over my legs, I sat up and swung my legs over the side of the couch.

Vega sat down next to me. "Do you want to run upstairs and hide in my closet? I can tell him you left this morning and went home."

I smiled and swung my arm around her shoulder. "Vega, if I thought that would work, I would be halfway up the staircase right now."

She laughed. "Evie, honey, I made breakfast. Adam just pulled into the driveway if you want to go invite him in to eat," Mrs. Chandler yelled from the kitchen.

The doorbell rang a few moments later and Vega got up to go open the door.

"You might want to run your fingers through your hair and go pop a breath mint really fast," She advised, laughing. I looked at her wide-eyed. "I don't have on a bra either."

I ran past her and up the stairs to her room. I quickly changed back into my sweater and jeans from the day before. I borrowed some deodorant and brushed my teeth quickly. I was walking back down the stairs, running my fingers through my hair, when I heard Adam's voice.

"I appreciate that, Mrs. Chandler. We are a little short on time this morning, however, so we'll need to be going," he said politely. She had invited him to stay for breakfast.

As if he sensed me standing there, Adam turned around and met my gaze. I slowly walked down the stairs and he greeted me at the bottom. "Good morning," he said softly.

"Morning," I said.

"We need to go ahead and leave," he said. "lIl be waiting just outside while you say goodbye."

I nodded, not meeting his gaze.

"It was nice to meet you," Adam said, shaking the hand of both Mr. and Mrs. Chandler. He gave me one last look before heading out the front door.

They all turned to look at me and I smiled, trying to hold back tears.

"Does your boyfriend play football?" Brennan asked.

I laughed at this and shook my head. "I don't know."

"He should play basketball. Did you see how tall he is?" Ethan commented.

"Hush," Mrs. Chandler said.

"You two say goodbye to Evie now. We don't know when we'll see her again."

The two of them walked up, their arms wrapping around my waist and faces pressing into my stomach. "Will you be home for our birthday? It's in February, you know," Ethan said.

I laughed, hugging them back. "I'Il try to be."

They both ran up the stairs behind me and I looked at Mrs. Chandler, who was crying.

I couldn't help but cry myself as I walked over to her and threw my arms around her neck. "I'll miss you so much," I whispered.

"I'Il miss you too, honey," She said, pulling away. "You tell that man of yours that he has to take good care of you, you hear?"

I nodded. "I will."

Mr. Chandler walked over and gave me a side hug and a kiss on top of my head. "I'Il beat him up if he doesn't," he said laughing.

I wiped tears from my cheeks and smiled. "I know you will."

I looked at Vega, who was far from smiling. "I can't believe you're actually leaving," She said. "I don't want you to go."

I shook my head. "Me neither," I said, going in for a big hug.

Vega hugged me tight and I hugged her tighter. I felt her sigh as she let go and backed away. "You should get going then," She said.

I nodded. "I'Il call as soon as I get wherever it is I'm going," I said.

"Here," Mrs. Chandler said, handing me my coat and scarf as well as a brown paper bag. "I packed you two some food for the road."

"Thank you," I said, taking the bag and hugging her again.

I put on my jacket and backed away towards the door, trying not to cry again. "I'Il see you guys soon."

Mrs. Chandler nodded and Vega and Mr. Chandler waved. I stepped out the door and felt the icy breeze hit my wet cheeks. I wiped them quickly with my sleeve and wrapped my scarf around my neck.

He was standing there with his hands in his pockets as if the cold air didn't bother him. I walked past him and down the sidewalk.

A black, all-terrain Jeep was sitting in the driveway that I assumed was his. I walked around the car and put my hand on the handle. Before I could pull the door open his hand blocked the door from opening.

"I'm sorry," he said.

I didn't say anything, didn't even turn around to look at him as his hand wrapped around mine and pulled the door open for me to get inside.

The car was warm. He'd left it running with the warm air on full blast. I put my hands in front of the vents as he got into the car and closed the door. While we were pulling away, I wondered how he knew where the Chandlers live.

"How did you know where to find me?" I asked, still not looking at him.

"Tracking," he answered simply.

It didn't really satisfy my question fully, but I didn't have the desire to ask it twice.

"So where am I going so that we can get your things?" Adam asked.

"My house is farther up the road that way," I said pointing in the direction we were heading.

A few silent minutes later we pulled in front of my house. "Here, I said.

He parked and turned the car off while I got out and headed up the drive. As I was walking up, I pulled my key out of my back pocket

"What time is it?" I asked Adam, who had caught up with me.

He looked at his watch. "Just after eight," he replied.

They aren't awake yet, I thought.

"Be quiet," I instructed as I unlocked the front door.

Adam didn't say anything, only followed me inside as I opened the door slowly.

My dad was passed out on the recliner, a near-empty whiskey bottle tucked underneath his arm. I pretended like Adam couldn't see it too. As we made our way down the hallway and into my room, I tried to ignore Adam's staring at the door-less frame. The door to my bathroom had also been taken off the hinges, something he noticed as well. His jaw clenched as his hand traced the broken hinges.

I pretended not to notice him as I looked into my closet and I stared at all the things I had to pack. I turned around and saw Adam walking around my room, taking in the sight of a place I never stayed. I knew he could tell I never stayed here too. There was dust on top of the dresser and on the nightstand.

The bed hadn't been unmade in months so there was probably a layer of dust on that too.

"I'm going to go get boxes, I'll be right back," I whispered. He turned to look at me. "Do you need help?"

"Stay in here," I said shaking my head.

As I walked out of my room, I remembered the two large plastic containers that Mom stored all her post-surgery clothes in.

They're in her closet, I thought.

I opened the door to her bedroom slowly. I knew she was in the bed because the blackout curtains were drawn over the windows, making it impossible for any light to shine into the room. I knew where the closet door was, however, and made my way over to it with my hands outstretched to keep me from

running into anything.

This room smells wretched, I thought as I grabbed the closet door handle. I opened the closet and sunk to my knees to grab the containers from under her clothes. I slid them out slowly, opened the lids, and dumped all the clothes out.

Add those to the list of crap that's strewn all over the floor, I thought. I didn't have an ounce of remorse for doing it either.

I stacked the empty boxes and slid them out of the room, shutting the door behind me. I made it back into my room quickly and quietly and put the

boxes in front of my bed.

Adam was sat in my desk chair. "Do you want me to start pulling stuff out of these drawers and putting them in the boxes?" He asked.

"There's nothing in there but a few books," I said going to my closet. "You can put them in here."

I threw him a duffle bag as he began to empty out the drawers. I began to haul everything from off the racks into the boxes, not even bothering to fold them or take them off the hangers. Once I was done with that, I packed my underwear into a bag and put

them in with all of my clothes. One box down, one more to go...

I looked over to Adam and saw him flipping through the pages of a notebook.

"What is that?" l asked. Before he could answer, I heard heavy footfalls coming down the hallway.

The last thing I saw was my father before Adam was standing in front of me, followed by the sound of shattering glass.

It took me a moment to process what had happened, but when I saw the grimace on his face as he looked down at me and the whiskey dripping down the side of his face, I gasped.

Adam turned around to face my father and I saw the shards of glass sticking out of his jacket. The shattered remains of the whiskey bottle was laying on the floor.

He threw that at you.

"I told you not to bring this man into my house! Do you not listen to a word I say?!" My father bellowed.

Adam took a large step forward. "Clearly, it runs in the family,''He said with a clenched jaw and closed fists.

"Wait!" I yelled, jumping in between the two of them.

I looked at my dad. "I just need an hour," I bargained.

"One hour and I'll be gone and... and I won't come back. Okay?"

I swallowed as he glared down at me. "You have thirty minutes,"he growled.

My dad turned to walk down the hallway and I put my hand on Adam's chest to stop him from following him.

"Stop," I said, pushing against him. "Do you not know what he just did?" He asked incredulously.

This was the first time I saw him close to losing his cool.

"I did, trust me. I know all too well. But we need to focus on what we're doing here and just hurry up and finish so we can leave. Are you okay?" I asked.

Adam took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm fine, but if he tries something like that one more time, I'm not letting him get away with it," he warned.

I swallowed and nodded. "Deal."

His jaw clenched before he walked back into the room, kicking the broken bottle under the bed. "What do you have left to do?"

"Just finish packing this box and we'll be good to go," I said. Adam sighed before putting the bag of books inside the box. I threw in my shoes. I packed my laptop into my backpack and put that in the box as well.

"I don't think we'll be able to fit anything else," he said.

"Well, I suppose that's as good as it will get then," I said while putting the lid on top.

I looked around the room. It was packed up for the most part. I had everything that I needed. I did wonder, however, what they would do with everything else when I was gone.

"You'll need an overnight bag," Adam said.

I walked back inside the closet and pulled out the last bag I had It was a reusable grocery bag, but it would have to work. I packed it quickly.

"Evelyn!"

I jumped when I heard my father's voice boom across the house. Our thirty minutes was up.

I saw Adam's jaw clench as he glared down the hallway.

"Hey," I said waving at him. "Let's just get everything and go.

He looked at me and I could tell there was definitely an internal debate going on inside of him.

"Let's go," I repeated.

I leaned down to pick up the stacked containers and Adam simply picked them both up and turned to walk down the hallway.

Well damn.

He made it look easy.

I grabbed my overnight bag and my jacket and scarf before following him. He put the boxes in the car and came back inside as I stood in the foyer, awkwardly standing next to my father, whom I was convinced was still half drunk.

"You're leaving now?" He asked. I nodded, turning to him.

I expected a goodbye or something but he simply turned and walked away. The disappointment was clearly seen on my face by Adam. He walked up to me.

"Go get the car started, l'Il be out in a second."

"Adam---" I started.

"I'm not asking you," he said, his jaw clenching.

I decided it best not to argue with him on this and I slowly walked toward the front door. Adam stood still, watching me. I stopped when I reached the door.

"Go," he said, before I could say a word.

I opened the door before I could think twice about it and I walked quickly out to the car. I started it up and waited for Adam to come back out. The air vents had just started blowing warm air when I saw him

walk out the front door.

"What did you say?" I asked him as he got in.

"I didn't say anything," He said as he started to back the car out of the driveway. "Buckle up."

I swallowed as I pulled the strap across my chest.

"That was a bit uncalled for," I muttered. Adam hit the brakes and turned to look at me.

"You don't deserve to be treated like that. No one who claims to love you should ever speak to you or act towards you like he did. One day I'll make you see that."

I looked away and he continued to back out of the driveway. I stared back at the house that I had lived in my entire life and I honestly didn't care if I ever saw it again.

"So..." I said. "Where are we going?"

"To get on a plane," Adam said shortly.

"Where is the plane taking us?" I asked.

"Home."

I rolled my eyes. "Where is that?"

Adam just smiled.

"I hope you didn't think it was too cold here."