Tackling Tobias (Big Sky Universe)

“Okay.”

“Behave, and we’ll be back in a couple of hours,” my stepmother says, kissing my unbruised cheek. I don’t move away because I want them to think that I will submit as I always do, but I’m not the scared, desperate girl aching for their love anymore. This isn’t the first time I’ve been hit like this, but it’s been years. They didn’t want to leave bruises.

I totally am out of here, but they don’t need to know it. My car's outside and full of gas. I made the trip here for Christmas break and filled up just as I pulled into town. My school's an hour from here at Purdue, so I drove down instead of flying.

"Go to your room. We’ll be back tonight." They’re dressed and prepared for hobnobbing with the wealthy and can't risk being late, which means I have just enough time to get out of here before he sends someone to watch over me.

A few more months and I'm free of their hold on me, but I know that I don't have a few more months. My father owns the cops around here, so he knows I have nowhere to go to tell about the abuse. The moment his car exits the driveway and travels toward the direction of the expressway, I run to my room and grab my things that I can fit into one of my duffle bags. Once it's ready to go, I run into the kitchen and swipe a banana and a bottle of water for the road. For having money, they rarely have any food in the house. They say it will make me fat. I’ll pick up more on the road. I jump in my Lexus and back out of the driveway. My parents gave it to me as a present for my graduation. It’s a princess vehicle, loaded with all the features, and the best part is that it’s in my name so they can’t report it stolen. I don't have more than a few hours before they come home and see that I've fled.

I pull into my university campus lot and park, needing to get everything I can out of my dorm so I can create a fresh start somewhere else. My father has money and power, but his reach isn't that far.

I quickly and quietly enter my dorm. There isn't much I want to grab, but I need some supplies. Pulling my suitcase out from under the bed, I plop it open on the mattress. I look at the time, and I only have fifteen minutes to get in and out. I stuff my clothes and my photo album from when I was a baby along with my bag of toiletries into the suitcase. Zipping it up, I grab my covers and a pillow. Sleeping in my car might be a necessity.

The first step after I leave is to hit the ATM and take the max of the daily allotted money. Luckily there’s an ATM blocks from the school. Tomorrow I’ll go to the bank in Chicago and close my accounts so they can't track my money. All I have saved is ten thousand dollars, but that’s a decent amount to get me started somewhere else.

I rush out to my car, stuffing my bag in the trunk and driving off as fast as I can. As soon as I hit the highway, I only exit when I reach downtown Chicago. It's a big city and hard to find someone trying to hide. It's well after midnight, so I park in an overnight garage next to the hospital and fall asleep in my car. It's getting cold and late, but I don't have a choice.

With my blankets keeping me snug, I’m grateful that it’s a balmy, forty-two degrees tonight.

I only sleep four hours because despite it being unseasonably warm for winter, it's too damn cold, so I hit up the McDonald's on McClurg. The warmth is so good. I hide in the seating area with my food, searching on my phone as I wait for the bank to open.

It's eight when I slip on my winter wear and leave the restaurant, making my way to Chase. There’s a Seven-Eleven on the corner so I hit it up for some goodies and a map, grateful that they still make them.

Once I finally make it to Chase, the security guard asks me to remove my sunglasses. I’ve kept them on so no one will notice my black eye and bruised cheek. The teller isn't surprised I want to close out my account, but I'm guessing the big shiner on my eye is enough reason. "Do you need me to call the police?"

"No. I'd prefer you didn't. I'm getting away from a bad situation, and the longer it takes for him to realize I'm gone, the better."