Long Way From Home

CHAPTER 11

“ I HATE YOU!” I screamed at my mom angrily. I slammed the front door shut and ran outside my house.2

I sighed and walked down the street. This was like any other evening, fighting with my mother was extremely typical for me. This particular night, we were fighting over my chores. I was supposed to clean my room and I didn’t, because I had tons of homework to do. Not that she could see that. My mom never understood anything in my life.3

It was fall and the air was crisp and cool. I breathed in a little and got a whiff of leaves and trash burning. I quickened my pace, angered with my mom. All I wanted to do was be 18, so I could move out and never have to deal with her again. But, I was only 15. Three more agonizing years of this. I turned the corner, and stepped through the gates of my best friend, Greg’s house. Greg and I had known each other for years, probably since we were about 2 or 3. Whenever I had a problem, I always went to him to try to solve it. Greg always seemed to have all the answers.4

I walked up to the front stoop and knocked loudly. Greg answered. Greg was extremely tall, with brown eyes, and short blonde hair. He was the same age as me, 15, and he, too hated being with his family.5

“ Hey, Lily.” he greeted.6

“ Hey, are your parents home?”7

“ No, thank goodness.”8

“ Good, because me and mom had another fight.” I groaned.9

“ Really? Need to come in and talk?” he asked.10

“ Yeah.”11

He opened the door wider and beckoned for me to come in. I had always loved Greg’s house. The foyer was brightly furnished with striped couches and chairs. There were pictures all along the wall of Greg and his family. I was in a few of them, when Greg and I were young.12

Greg led me upstairs, and then to his bedroom. I plopped down in a beanbag chair and he sat on his bed.13

“ So, what did you and your mom fight about this time?”14

“ My chores. I mean, she expects me to do everything.”15

“ Yeah, I get that feeling. I get that feeling from my dad all the time.” he said, looking down at the floor.16

Greg’s parents were still together, unlike mine, but that wasn’t a good thing. They constantly fought with each other, sometimes even physically. Greg and I were both only children, which made us an easy target for blame and whatnot. Greg’s dad was the worst. He constantly yelled at Greg for no reason, sometimes even hitting him. It seemed like Greg was always home alone, at least when I came over. Greg had to be lonely being there alone all the time, but I guessed it was better than being with his abusive parents.17

“ Yeah, I guess we need to move out.” I joked.18

“ Yeah, I wish.”19

“ Sometimes, I just feel like running away. Like I don’t even care where I go.” I said.20

“Same.” he responded.21

“ Why can’t we run away? Who says we have to be 18?” I wondered aloud.22

“ Uh, Lily, school, we can’t drive…”Greg pointed out.23

“ So? We could walk. And who needs school?”24

“ True.” Greg laughed. “ But, where would we stay and where would we get food? I’m broke.”25

I giggled and added, “ I have money in my piggy bank at home, I could break it open. I’m sure I have at least two hundred dollars in it. As for staying somewhere, I’m not sure yet.”26

“ Wait, are you seriously thinking we should do this?” Greg asked.27

“ Why not? We could try it. And if we don’t like it, we could always come back.”28

“ I guess.” Greg said and shrugged his shoulders.29

“ Look, Greg, would you seriously want to stay here with your parents over this?”30

“ No.” he admitted.31

“ Exactly. I say we leave tomorrow.”32

“ Tomorrow?!” he exclaimed.33

“ Yes, tomorrow. I’ll break open my piggy bank tonight, take every cent out of it, pack it in a bag, pack all my clothing and I’ll meet you in the morning in front of your house.”34

“ Lily… I’m really not sure about this.”35

“ Why? It’s our chance to be free, our chance to really live.”36

“ What time?” Greg sighed and asked.37

“ 8 am.” I said, smiling. 38

“ Front yard of my house?” 39

“ Yeah.” I assured him.40

I looked down and I realized I had been holding onto Greg’s hand the entire conversation. I pulled my hand away quickly, blushing like crazy. Greg must had just noticed too, because he blushed as well.41

“ I…uh…I have to go.” I said.42

“ Okay, see you in the morning.” Greg said, smiling.43

“ See you later.” I said, running down Greg’s steps and then out the front door.44

CHAPTER 245

As soon as I reached my house again, my mom came to the door. 46

“ Where were you, young lady?” she asked, her hands on her hips.47

“ Greg’s house.”48

“ Why were you over there?”49

“ Mom, you know I go over there a lot.”50

“ I know, honey, but what for?”51

“ To talk.” I responded quietly.52

“ About…?”53

“ Stuff.” I grunted and pushed past my mom into the house.54

I raced upstairs to my bedroom and locked my door. I turned on my stereo really loud to block out my mom’s yelling from downstairs. Then, I reached for my piggy bank on top of my dresser. I cracked it open on the floor and all kinds of coins and bills spilled out onto the floor. I figured there was about two hundred and fifty dollars. I grabbed one of my old suitcases from my closet and poured all the money in it. Then, I opened my dresser. I grabbed two shirts, three skirts, three pairs of shorts, two pairs of pants, and from my closet, a pair of tennis shoes. I packed it all in the bag and zipped it up.55

I knew this plan had to work, it just had to. I turned off my stereo after my mom finally stopped yelling and hid the suitcase under my bed. I heard knocking at my door a few moments later. 56

“ Honey, please open the door.” my mom urged.57

“ Fine.” I groaned and unlocked the door.58

My mom entered the room and looked around. 59

“ What are you doing? It’s time for supper.”60

“ I’m not hungry.”61

“ Are you sure? I made lasagna.” 62

“ Yeah, I’m sure.”63

“ Okay then.”64

With that, my mom closed my door and I locked it again. I picked up my phone from my bedside table and called Greg.65

“ Hello?” he picked up.66

“ Hey, it’s Lily. Listen, I need you to bring some stuff for tomorrow too.”67

“ Like what?”68

“ More money if you have it and some food.”69

“ I told you, I’m broke, but I should be able to score some food from the pantry.”70

“ Okay, thanks.”71

“No problem, see you tomorrow.” 72

“ See you.” I said and hung up.73

That night, I barely slept. My mind was racing and I was so excited that I was finally leaving town. When I finally did fall asleep, I dreamt. I dreamt about how wonderful it was to be away from my mom and how well I hoped the trip was going to go.74

CHAPTER 375

I had set my alarm clock the previous evening for five o clock am. It woke me up at just that time, beeping quietly. I groaned and slowly got out of bed. I tiptoed around quietly, as to not wake mom up and I took a quick shower. I changed into a skirt and a t-shirt and tied my hair back. My plan was to go to the bus station and get two tickets for nowhere in particular after going to Greg’s house. I knew the tickets would cost about twenty dollars each.76

By the time I was done with my shower and changing, it was six thirty am. My mom usually woke up at about seven, so I had to leave. I tiptoed downstairs and grabbed a granola bar to eat on the way to Greg’s house. I grabbed the suitcase from underneath my bed and scurried out the front door. The air was cold when I stepped out. The sun was just beginning to rise and I could see my breath in the chilly air.77

I quickly walked to Greg’s house, munching on the granola bar. I checked my watch. It was only seven fifteen. I had told Greg I would meet him at eight. I slowed my walk and enjoyed the scenery. The leaves were all around me, some still falling from trees, others blowing on the ground. The air smelled clean and fresh. By the time I reached Greg’s house, it was five after eight. As soon as I reached his house, I spotted Greg standing in the front yard, holding a huge suitcase and a plastic bag.78

I walked up to him.79

“ Hey, Greg.”80

“ Hey.”81

“ What’s in the plastic bag?”82

“ The food.”83

He opened the bag and showed me its contents. It had a bunch of cheese cracker packages, some cookies, juice boxes, and a few granola bars.84

I nodded and thanked him.85

“ So, my plan is to get bus tickets.” I told him.86

“ Where to?” he asked.87

“ Nowhere special, just wherever the first trip is of the day.”88

Greg nodded and I held the plastic bag for him. We walked a good thirty minutes in silence, thinking. 89

When we reached the bus stop, there were already a few cars parked in the parking lot. We walked in together. The bus station was not very large. There were ten windows for ticket buying, with a few of the windows not even open yet. There were some people already there, walking around and some sitting, reading newspapers. 90

There were five benches lined up against the wall, with some sitting on them, mainly young children, waiting for their parents to finish buying tickets. There was a small area with places to eat along with tables and vending machines. I told Greg to sit on one of the benches as I went to buy the tickets.91

I walked up to the second window and saw that the first trip of the day was scheduled to go to Charlottesville Virginia. We were in North Carolina, so it was probably about a two hour trip by bus. I got out fifty dollars from my suitcase and talked to the lady behind the window. 92

“ Two tickets to Charlottesville, please.”93

“ That will be forty six dollars.”94

I handed her the fifty dollars and she gave me back my change. She ripped off two tickets off a strip and handed them to me. I thanked her and went to the benches where Greg was sitting.95

Greg was talking to another girl. She looked about our age with blonde locks, crystal blue eyes, and she was about Greg’s height.96

“ Hey, Lily, did you get the tickets?” Greg asked me when he realized I was standing there.97

“ Yeah.” I said, eyeing the girl as I handed Greg one of the tickets.98

“ This is Sandra.” Greg said, as he pointed to the girl.99

Sandra smiled at me.100

“ Lily.” I said to her as I shook her right hand.101

“ How do you know each other?” I asked.102

“ We just met actually.” Greg explained.103

“ Oh.” 104

“ Yeah, she’s running away like us.” Greg said.105

“ Yeah, my family life was extremely hard.” Sandra spoke.106

“ Well, what bus are YOU getting on?” I asked Sandra.107

“ The one to Charlottesville as well.” she answered.108

Sandra extended her hand and I could see she had already purchased a ticket. I nodded.109

“ I guess you can join us if you’d like.” I offered.110

“ Sure.” Sandra said and nodded.111

Greg smiled at her and Sandra smiled back. All of a sudden, a voice came on the loudspeaker system of the station. 112

“ All passengers on the Charlottesville trip, please board now.”113

“ That’s us.” Sandra said and giggled. She walked ahead of us to board the bus and I stayed behind with Greg.114

“ Greg, what was that about?” I asked.115

“ What? She’s…awesome.”116

I rolled my eyes. 117

“ Somebody got a crush?”118

Greg’s cheeks turned sun hot red and he smiled shyly.119

I laughed and shook my head.120

“ Let’s go, Greg.” I said as I lead him to the boarding area.121

CHAPTER 4122

When we reached the bus boarding area, a man was waiting to put everyone’s luggage in a compartment underneath the bus. I handed him the two suitcases, but I kept the plastic bag. We got on the bus slowly. Pretty much every seat on the bus was taken. It was noisy, and the air smelled of gasoline and hot dogs from the bus station. I lead Greg down the bus aisle and as I got further back, I could see Sandra had saved us two seats.123

Of course, Greg took the seat next to Sandra and I sat on the other side of Greg.124

“ So, you single?” I heard Greg ask Sandra.125

I shook my head and looked away. We drove for I don’t know how long. All I could hear was Greg and Sandra flirting the entire ride. Giggling, touching, joking. I folded my arms and pouted. This sucked, I had nobody to talk to. Every time I tried to join in, they ignored me.126

By the time the bus ride was over, I was fed up.127

“ Charlottesville!” the bus driver yelled.128

Finally, I thought. As we got off the bus, Greg and Sandra went ahead of me. They were tickling each other and giggling hysterically.129

I rolled my eyes and got the two suitcases from the luggage compartment. I dragged them into the Charlottesville bus station. I followed Greg and Sandra as they went to the ice cream shop inside the station.130

“ One vanilla shake.” Greg and Sandra said at the same exact time.131

“ Just one?” I asked.132

“ Yeah, we’re going to share it, through two straws.” Greg explained.133

Greg and Sandra looked at each other and blushed heavily.134

I got a weird feeling. A feeling deep inside my gut that would not go away. I felt left out. I felt odd.135

“ One mint chocolate chip cone.” I mumbled.136

The guy nodded and I paid for both the shake and the cone.137

We found a table to sit at and Greg and Sandra sat across from one another, sharing the shake. I ate my cone slowly, looking around the Charlottesville bus station more as I tried to ignore Greg and Sandra. This bus station was larger than the one near home and more crowded. There were many places to get food and general stores. I decided we could stop in one of the general stores and pick up some necessities before going on the next location. I checked my watch. It was eleven o clock. My mom was probably calling the cops by now looking for me I figured.138

After I finished my cone and Greg and Sandra had finished their shake, I spoke.139

“ Hey, what do you guys think we’re going to need?”140

“ Makeup, most definitely.” Sandra spat out.141

I rolled my eyes.142

“ I mean, something that we need to live.”143

“ Well, food.” Greg suggested.144

“ Good point.” I laughed.145

I led them into one of the general stores. It was a small shop, and it looked like it was focused on toys. There were shelves with stuffed animals and collectible dolls. The cashier looked at us as we entered. She was dark skinned with long black hair and she was slapping chewing gum in her mouth loudly. I led Greg and Sandra over to a food wall, lined with freezers filled with milk and frozen meals. I picked out a couple of frozen meals, a gallon of milk, and a pint of apple juice. I bought a cooler and ice also and filled the cooler up to the brim with food and drink. I thanked the cashier as we left the store. I now had only one hundred twenty dollars left.146

“ So, where are we going now?” Sandra asked.147

I shook my head and went up to one of the large ticket windows. I saw the next destination was for Pittsburgh, PA. It was a nine hour trip from Charlottesville, so we would get there around dinner time. Perfect. I bought three tickets, a little annoyed that it wasn’t just two and I thanked the ticket seller. I walked back to give Greg and Sandra their tickets, but they weren’t at the wall near the store where I had left them. Oh great.148

CHAPTER 5149

I searched around the corner and soon found them. Sandra was on top of Greg, sitting in his lap, making out with him like crazy. My eyes widened and my hand went up over my mouth.150

All I could think of to do was to stand there. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t talk. I was in total shock that Greg would ever kiss a girl, especially one he had had only just met. Sandra’s eyes were closed but Gregs were open and he saw me, as he pulled away. We stared at each other for I don’t how long.151

“ Lily….you know I like Sandra, a lot. I didn’t expect you to find us.” said Greg.152

“ Yeah, well, it doesn’t matter.” I said, almost in tears. I felt like Greg had a new best friend, so I wasn’t his anymore.153

I ran away, not saying anything. I heard Greg calling after me, but I didn’t dare turn to look at him. I ran out of the bus station without giving them their tickets. They had no money, so they were basically stuck there. Screw them.154

I took one of the tickets and handed it to the bus driver as I got on the Pittsburgh bound bus by myself. I had over one hundred dollars, all of the luggage, and all of the food. I didn’t need Greg or Sandra. As soon as I sat down on the bus, I decided to call mom on my cell phone. The last thing I needed was her sending a search party out for me. I dialed her number slowly and waited as the phone rang once.155

The bus started moving just as my mom answered after the second ring. 156

“ WHERE ARE YOU!!?” was the first thing she screamed.157

“ Mom, calm down. I’m on a bus going to Pittsburgh. I needed to get away for a while. I was with Greg, but I left him because he found someone else. Don’t worry, I’m fine. I will eventually come home, but not now.”158

“ Why didn’t you at least tell me where you were going?! I’ve been worried sick!”159

“ Mom, you never would’ve let me!”160

“ I care about you honey and I don’t want you to get hurt. Especially when you’re alone. Go back and make Greg join you again!”161

“ I can’t. The bus has already left the station he was still at.” I explained.162

Just then, my cell phone beeped, signaling someone else was trying to call me.163

“ Mom, I have got to go. I’m fine. I love you.” I said and I hung up. I pushed the green button on my phone to switch lines to see who the other caller was.164

“ Hey, Lily, it’s Greg. Come on, you can’t just leave us here.”165

“ Well, you guys deserved it!”166

“ How? I have one crush and suddenly you get all defensive?”167

“ Defensive?” I asked.168

“ Yes, protective of me or something. Or possibly even jealous.”169

“ Greg, just be quiet.”170

“ You are, admit it.”171

“ Why would I be jealous?”172

“ Because you have a crush on me.”173

“ Greg, shut up! I do not!”174

“ Then explain why you were nearly in tears when you saw Sandra and I kissing.”175

I couldn’t explain it. I was silent for a few seconds.176

“ See, knew it.” Greg snapped.177

“ Ok, I don’t know Greg, I am going to go. I’ll catch a bus back to Charlottesville when I get to Pittsburgh.”178

“ But that’ll take hours!”179

“ I know, but it’s our only choice. I should be to Pittsburgh in about seven hours, so I’ll probably be back to Charlottesville around 3 am.”180

“ 3 am!?”181

“ Yes, just stay at the bus station, sleep on the benches, whatever, just stay there until I get back.”182

“ Ok fine. And you might as well admit you like me.”183

I groaned and hung up on him. He was being so annoying!184

I went to the game menu on my phone and played the soccer game on there for hours, as the bus rolled towards Pittsburgh. I would glance occasionally out the window and enjoy the scenery. It was lots of countryside, with rolling hills and farmland. After a while, I fell asleep for a bit because I was so exhausted.185

When I arrived in Pittsburgh, it was 7:30 pm. I got off the bus, lugging the cooler and my suitcase inside the bus station. I flipped out my cell phone as soon as I got inside and sat down on a bench near the restrooms. I dialed Greg’s number and he picked it up after the first ring.186

“ Lily, are you in Pittsburgh yet?!” he yelled into the phone.187

“ Yeah, actually I just got here.”188

“ Okay, so buy a ticket! Come get us! People are starting to get suspicious of us lingering around here.”189

“ Okay, Greg, I’ll probably be there around 5 am actually now.”190

“ But you said 3 am before!”191

“ Yeah, well I got here later than I thought, I’m sorry.”192

“ Don’t you have enough money for a plane ticket? That would be faster!”193

I thought about it some. He was right. I had over a hundred dollars, which would be way more than enough for a coach flight back to Charlottesville. That way, I would get back there easily in an hour or two.194

“ Greg, you’re a genius!”195

“ Why, thank you.” he scoffed.196

“ Okay, so I’ll get a plane ticket, and I should be there at about 10 then. Possibly even sooner.”197

I hung up the phone and got a map on a brochure in the bus station to see where the closest airport was. I saw the closest one was over 30 miles away. Great.198

CHAPTER 8199

I walked around, looking for someone that at least looked decent enough to give me a ride. There were a bunch of mothers carrying small children to their hip or pushing them in strollers. I found a mother who looked to be about 40 or possibly 45 with a guy my age. I walked up to them, as they were purchasing tickets from a window.200

“ Excuse me?” I asked.201

The mother turned around. She had ruby red straight hair that hung down past her eyes and green pupils. The guy turned around also. He was so handsome, I swear he could have been in a magazine for male models. He had thick black hair and the bluest eyes I had ever seen in my life.202

The mom spoke first. “ Yes?”203

“ Um, hi, do you live around here?”204

“ Yes, we do.” the mom responded, pointing to the guy and herself.205

“ Well, if you don’t mind, could you spare giving me a ride to somewhere?”206

“ Sure, honey, we’d be happy to . We were just buying tickets to go to South Carolina, but our bus doesn’t leave until later on, so I don’t see why not. I’m Mrs. Crawford, and this is my son, Andrew.”207

I smiled and introduced myself. “ I’m Lily Hines, very nice to meet you and thanks so much for the ride.”208

Andrew spoke up then. “ I like your name.” he said and flashed a grin.209

I nearly melted into a puddle of endless hearts looking at this gorgeous guy.210

“ Thanks.” I managed to say and did a little flirty smile back.211

They led me outside of the bus station to the large parking lots. Nearly every spot was taken and I was curious to see what their car looked like. Finally, they led me to a large red SUV with a Pennsylvania license plate.212

Mrs. Crawford unlocked the passenger and rear doors. I climbed into the rear seats and Andrew took the passenger seat. Just as we were about to pull out of the parking lot, my cell phone rang.213

I answered it quietly as to not to be rude.214

“ Hello?” I whispered.215

“ Lily, it’s Greg. We need to talk.”216

“ Not now, Greg, I told you, I’m on my way there.”217

“ Yeah, I know, it’s not about that.”218

“ Well, then, what about?”219

“ You and me.”220

“ What? Greg, can’t we talk about this later?”221

“ No, Lily, we can’t. I like you.”222

“ Well, duh, you like me, we’ve been best friends since forever.”223

“ No, Lily, like like like you.”224

I froze. I had no idea what to say to that.225

“ Um..Greg..uh…” I blushed so heavily.226

“ Do you like me back?”227

“ Look, Greg, I promise we’ll talk about this later, it’s not really a good time.” I said, as I saw Andrew giving me weird looks.228

“ Fine, if you don’t like me back, then just say it.” he said, and he hung up.229

I sighed and shut my cell phone.230

“ Everything alright?” Andrew asked.231

“ Yeah.”232

We drove in silence for the 30 mile trip and we reached the Pittsburgh airport. 233

It was such a big airport, one of the biggest I had ever seen. Andrew and Mrs. Crawford followed me inside and helped me purchase a ticket and go through security. They left me as I sat down on a chair near the boarding area, with my luggage. I looked out the large window at all the people boarding planes, one by one. I started to think about Greg as I watched them. I knew I had always liked him as a really good friend, but I still couldn’t explain why I got so jealous when he kissed Sandra. I then began to think that’s why he kissed her and pretended to like her, to make me jealous. That little clever devil! I thought. I thought about all the times we had had together and all the times he had helped me out of tough situations at school and with mom. The more I thought about it, I more I knew I loved him too.234

Just then, a guy talked over the loudspeaker. Now all passengers on the flight to Charlottesville please board now. I got up and carried my luggage with me to a line where people were waiting to hand the guy their tickets before boarding. I handed the guy mine and he ripped the small part off and waved me inside the boarding area. I followed everyone else and went through a large tunnel area before reaching the inside of the plane. There was barely anyone on the plane and I chose a seat towards the front, and put my luggage in the overhead compartment. As I sat down, waiting for everyone to board, I called Greg.235

Surprisingly, he answered.236

“ Hello?”237

“ Hey, Greg, I need to tell you something.”238

“ What? You already broke my heart once, don’t do it again.”239

“ Aww, Greg, I’m so sorry. That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I..I like you too.”240

“ Yeah, right.”241

“ No, really, I do. You’re the only person that was always there for me and I know that I’m madly in love with you.”242

“ Really?”243

“ Yes.”244

“ Lily, I love you too, so much, I have for a long time. And just so you know, Sandra was in on this. We were trying to make you jealous.”245

“ Ha, I kinda figured that out.” 246

After that, we told each other we loved one another and then bid goodbyes. When I reached Charlottesville, I dashed inside the huge airport and saw that Greg and Sandra had somehow found their way there, already waiting for me.247

I smiled at Greg and ran to him and embraced him, then kissed him passionately. He smelled divine and his tounge found its way inside my mouth.248

We didn't say a word and I knew from that moment it didn't matter if I stayed home or not. I had Greg's love and that was all I needed.249

THE END