1000 Miles Away Is Better

Clair’s POV

My thighs still throbbed, each pulse dragging back the fresh, hot memories of his wild, consuming touches. The way he had spread my legs apart, commanding every inch of me as he drove roughly into my body, had been both terrifying and devastatingly satisfying.

And yet I hate him, hate that if I could go back to that moment, I would have thrown his money in his arrogant face. Instead, I’d clung to him shamelessly, tightening my arms around a stranger who bought my first time, silently begging him not to stop the way his lips traced fire along my neck. Shame burned through me, but so did the memory of wanting him, wanting every reckless second.

“It’s all over now Mum. You’ll live, I promise.”

I murmured the words as I twisted open the knob to our apartment. Darkness swallowed the space, and the faint rays filtering through the blinds sent a strange, uneasy shiver crawling across my skin.

The underground club had been like this too, dim, cold, heavy with secrets. Except my home didn’t have the haunting red lights that flickered against every wall.

“The doctor said she received the surgery money.”

The voice drifted out of the shadows, and even though I knew exactly who it was, I froze. I was genuinely stunned that my stepmother could sound so concerned for my mom after all her earlier indifference.

“She must’ve done something terrible to get that money. Where would that useless girl find such a large sum?”

Her daughter, Abigail Chen remarked sharply, and my heart dipped. She wasn’t wrong, but my mother’s life was worth more than anyone’s judgment, right?.

I ignored them and walked toward Mum’s old room. Almost everything she once cherished, her jewelry, her favorite dresses had vanished the moment my stepmother took control.

“We just have to wait until she renews the rent like she promised. Then we can finally expose her secrets.”

Their words stabbed into my chest, but I kept moving. The moment they noticed me, their scornful looks flipped into warm, welcoming smiles that made my stomach twist painfully.

“Oh, my poor baby girl,”

Stepmother cried, pulling me into her arms. The warmth felt wrong, hollow, suffocating and I pulled away with an awkward smile I didn’t mean to give.

“My mum has been so worried about you and your mum Clair,” Abigail added. “She could barely eat.”

“She’s going to be okay,” she added, sounding almost sincere. I nodded anyway, knowing Dad would be home soon, likely stirring chaos as usual.

“I’m going to go see my mom now. Thank you.”

I turned to leave, but my stepmother’s hand wrapped around mine. Her cunning eyes gleamed.

“My sweet girl, don’t forget to renew the rent before the month ends. As you promised.”

Her smile was forced and false. But I nodded anyway, handing her the cash from my pocket. Instantly, she released me, her gaze locked greedily on the twenty thousand dollar notes.

“You’ve stolen my money, you bastard!”

Before I could brace myself, Dad’s palm struck my cheek. The pain splintered through my already exhausted heart. His drunken breath reeked of alcohol, blood, and dirt. And without another word, I stormed out of the room to escape his all so familiar violence. I leaned against the front door, trying to control my shaky breath.

“Wayward people. Like father, like daughter,”

my stepmother spat, and her condemnation cut deeper than the slap.

Tears burst free as I ran out into the open street, the cold rain hitting my face like the world itself was punishing me. And in that moment, I knew I had to leave.

I had to leave all of L.A.

“I miss you, Grandma,” I whispered as I climbed the stairs to my best friend’s place, Hana East, the person who had always helped soften in the chaos in my life. She was the one who connected me with George, helping me get the money for Mum’s surgery and still giving me enough for her care.

Grandma had begged Mum to come home to Arkansas when Dad’s lifestyle became unbearable, but Mum stayed, clinging to hope that he would change until tragedy stole her legs and Grandma passed. But now once Mum recovered, we would go. We had to.

“Hana, I need y…”

My voice died. My vision blurred. There she was, my best friend straddling my boyfriend, David Bradford. The only boy I had allowed myself to like. The boy she matchmade me with. The boy I fought with only days after Mum’s accident.

“How… how could you”

“Oh, Clair.”

Hana lifted a hand, silencing David.

“What? You know I love David. We always talk about it.”

Then she added sharply,

“David wants more, and you’re not it.”

She sank back onto the sofa, the same spot they’d clearly been using long before I walked in.

“Used to think you were innocent,” David snapped. “Until you agreed to spread your legs for money.”

My vision blanked. My lips trembled. My feet refused to move.

“You told him everything? I trusted you, Hana.”

Her expression stayed cold and unbothered.

“He works there, Clair. He suggested it.”

She pulled David closer, kissing him like she wanted me to choke on the sight. The truth settled like poison in my chest. I had no one. Not really. I never had. They were all parasites waiting to eat into me.

“You’re lucky anyway,” Abigail muttered behind me. “Who would’ve thought he’d choose you?”

That was the last thing I heard before closing the door behind me.

The rain kept falling, the streets turning slick and blurry. My knees weakened as I imagined collapsing onto the ground and letting it all swallow me.

But instead, I wiped my face, unlocked my phone with shaking fingers, and searched for the fastest airline ticket to Arkansas.