Chapter 2
Runaway
Sloane
The minute I wake up, I can tell it's going to be a shit day.
I’m not usually this pessimistic but the minute my alarm blares to life is also the same moment that thunder cracks in the sky, bringing on an onslaught of rain. I sit up in bed and look around my tiny dorm room, the walls a plain speckled white and the wood frames of the furniture a pale tan. I haven’t even had the chance to decorate, trust me with the past year I’ve had, you wouldn’t have either. My door is closed and I can hear my suite mate blasting music from her room, the two of us share a bathroom and living space but separate bedrooms. Considering her very active sex life, it’s something I’m thankful for.
I easily slip out of bed and onto the soft carpeting that adorns the room. Normally, I wouldn’t be up this early, but I’ve taken an extra shift at the bank and I’m not about to refuse an extra paycheck. It was only after I arrived in California that I realized how expensive it is to live here. Still, it serves its purpose and keeps me on the other side of the country. Far away from him.
A shiver works its way across my skin and almost as if knowing, my cell phone rings making me jump slightly. Really, Sloane? You’re afraid of a phone now? I immediately spot the number I know to be my sister’s despite not having it in my contacts. What the hell is she doing calling me?
Two years older than me, Sasha’s life is what dreams are made of. That’s not a joke, she is not only engaged to the quarterback for the Giants but she is also part of their cheer squad. That could have been you. I shake my head, it had been me. Except my fiancé had been a far cry from Jesse.
“Hey lil’ sis,” My sister chirps and I can’t hear anything in the background, just silence. Instantly, I’m on edge because if I know one thing about my sister it’s that she always has something on in the background. Music, TV, you name it.
“Sasha?” I ask cautiously knowing that it’s probably really bad news, because it’s very odd for her to contact me this way. Ever since I left the East Coast, my family has kept contact limited for my safety as well as their own. Pierce can’t hurt them if they don’t know where I am.
“Long time no talk,” she gushes and I frown hearing something off in her voice. Am I imagining things? Maybe. I’ve become far more paranoid after everything that happened. Rightly so for the record.
“You know, we shouldn’t really be on the phone,” I state hesitantly.
I am extremely cautious in everything I do to not leave any hints or possible ways for Pierce to find me. Because he would, and then no amount of running would save me. You have to understand, this hasn’t always been my life. For a period of time I felt like everything was perfect. Everything was right.
Pierce came like a whirlwind into my life, and I got swept up in it. Got swept up in the fact that for once someone’s eyes were on me instead of my top-model worthy sister. Got swept up in his apparent devotion to ‘us’ and how he got jealous when anyone else even talked to me. Got swept up in the notion that someone like Pierce loved me enough that he literally put a ring on it. Which was why I hadn’t seen the signs of his manipulative behavior. The way he convinced me to stop seeing my family as much because it took time away from us being together. The way he kept us in on the weekends unless it was plans he had made. The way that he put me down while trying to insist that if I only changed ‘this little thing’ about myself I would be better off. So of course, it had all come to a head because despite believing I loved Pierce, there were certain limits I had.
I hit my final straw when he threatened my family if I didn’t start acting the part he expected of me. I had never meant to put them in danger. When I called him crazy essentially, he backhanded me hard enough that I’d fallen back against the kitchen wall, nearly knocking myself out. No one had ever hit me. I froze up and eventually the bastard had left the condo. I sat there on the kitchen floor knowing I was putting myself and my family in danger. So I’d run. I’d emptied my bank account and went all the way to California. It was easy enough to pay someone off to enroll me under a different name and so now I’m enrolled at UCLA. Neither my parents nor sister know exactly where I am, which is why this call is so fucking odd.
“I just miss you,” she states with a slight change in her voice. Immediately, I can hear the warning in her voice and I know I’m going to need to get off this phone call. I don’t trust that this isn’t something Pierce put her up to, she knows what’s at risk. I’m stronger now and I sure as hell don’t need love or attention from Pierce, I’m kicking ass on my own and I will be damned if he finds me after all this time.
Instead of answering, I hang up. How the hell has she even gotten my new number? I stare down at the device and mutter a curse, the last thing I want to do is get a new phone. God I fucking hate Pierce, so much. It doesn’t help that the man’s family is highly influential, and they’ve been able to propel their son through Harvard and onto the FBI academy, without anyone catching what a narcissistic, manipulative, psychotic ass he is. Unfortunately, this means that he has a lot of connections and I just hope I’ve gotten off that call soon enough for him to not be able to track it.
I turn off the phone and walk towards my closet, pretending that fear isn’t crawling up my spine. I pull out a black pencil skirt and a white lace high neck top. Pulling off my oversized sleep shirt, I put on a pair of lace boyshorts and a bra. All of my clothing’s a bit more expensive than I care to admit. When I ran I packed my favorites and I’m happy for it now, because I would not be able to afford the heels I planned to wear today. My days of shopping at Gucci have been now replaced by a trip to Target every once in a while.
It’s liberating in a way, being in control of my life and not living under anyone’s hand, my parents included. I’m not positive, because of the distance I’ve put between the lot of us, how long it took them to notice my absence. They’ve never been terribly attentive to anything more than their jobs as it stood. Still on my way toward the West Coast, I left them and my sister a letter explaining that I’d left. I kept it at ‘because of Pierce’ not wanting to put them in danger by letting them in on his dirty secret.
I haven’t heard from them since.
I pull my skirt over my hips and butt before zipping it, while tucking in my white lace shirt. My body’s still lean and fit from dancing and cheering, but I have enough curves that I feel sexy. I slip my heels on, they’re starting to look slightly worn from everyday use, and I’m able to work with my dark hair today, pulling it back into a loose messy knot. After brushing some mascara on my dark lashes and a bit of lip gloss, I grab my trench coat and purse to go.
No time for breakfast, the entire situation with my sister messed with my timing. I look at the phone for a moment before shaking my head, no reason to bring it with me. My roommate’s door is open and she offers me a head nod while continuing to rock out to some Red Hot Chili Peppers, some random dude laying in her bed smoking.
The rain has petered out slightly by the time I make my way to my car, the drizzle actually a bit refreshing. Opening up the door to my modest Ford Fusion, I turn on the heat and begin to make my way through the winding streets of campus. Normally, I would have lived off campus, like any other student and upperclassman. But after what I’ve been through? That security guard at the front of our building is what allows me to sleep easy every night.
The bank I work at is theSchiller Credit Unionand despite not having a ton of employees, everyone seems fairly friendly with one another. Several cars are already in the lot as I park, and my car clock reads eight fifty-five. Not too bad for the odd morning I’ve had. Slipping from my car, I smile at Edmund, our security guard, and walk into the air conditioned lobby, a few heads snapping up from their desks and offering small smiles. I’m still just the part-time college kid here so I don’t blame them for being distantly friendly, it's not like I’m planning to make a career out of this.
Rounding the security door in the back and coming to stand near the counter, I fix my name tag and hang my purse. I actually find my work fairly enjoyable, I mean I don’t wanna do it forever, but even in the time I've been here, I’ve come to learn that the people around this small part of Beverly Hills are actually pretty cool.
“Rhonda call off?” A deep voice asks. Ugh! This fucking asshole. Literally the last thing I need right now. I turn offering a big fake smile, and greet our branch manager as politely as I can, trying to keep my distance.
“Morning Mr. Jameson,” I swallow as he steps closer, his cheap cologne in my nose, making me want to sneeze. It’s not that the man’s ugly per say, just extremely average. I place him maybe in his late fifties with this God awful spray-on tan and massive white teeth. He makes me feel uncomfortable.
“You look,” He inhales looking over me. Eww! Could the man be any creepier?The door chimes with a customer and I turn waving them over. If he makes a comment about my looks even one more time I’m gonna lose it. I relax as the bastard walks away leaving me to my work.
The morning is fairly slow, the first two hours roll past. Yet, I feel oddly on edge. It isn’t raining outside anymore but the skies are unusually bleak for California and the air conditioning is causing my skin to feel chilly. I shift in my heels as I help a few people fill out slips to deposit or withdraw money. There’s an especially cute older woman that comes in and takes nearly forty-five minutes of my time showing me pictures of her grandchildren.
Around eleven forty-five I walk out back to where the bank has a small grassy area for employees to eat outside if they want. It’s about to start raining again, but I don’t mind being outside. I never take a very long break but after the confusing morning I had today, it feels good to let drizzle fall on my face. I’m still feeling a tad guilty about hanging up on my sister, but it’s overshadowed by the idea that Pierce could show up. Hell he has the law on his side, he could find a way to bring me back East. That’s a terrifying thought.
Even now, I feel eyes on my skin and it’s driving me crazy. I look around but there’s nothing there except a few familiar cars parked in the lot. Still the feeling doesn’t go away and after a shiver works its way through me, I turn and go back inside.
I have nothing to worry about.
Today’s going to be a completely normal day.
A normal Wednesday.