The Great Escape

My tears are continuously running down but my face stays blank. I can already feel how red my cheeks are. My shirt is half wet because of my tears and my heart is full of anger right now. 

“Since when?” Dad asked calmly but I know he's trying to fight his anger.

I didn't respond and looked at them in the eye.

They already knew about my morning escapes. It happens that the guard told Mom about it. It was not Sir Keil. A lady guard, the one I remembered who kept on staring at me.

“I know I am not illed.” I finally said with cracked voice. Mom stood up from sitting in her chair and her brows furrowed in confusion and surprise.

“What are you talking about, Zoe? Are you saying we're lying-?”

“ Aren't you?”

Then Dad slapped me.

He did.

My cheeks are now burning red from pain.

He really did.

I faced him with a bittersweet smile. Mom is now behind Dad, and Dad is looking at me with pity in his eyes telling me he regretted it.

“ I just want to live normally. I want to live my life the way I want it. I'm sorry.” I said and stood up running upstairs to my room.

 I locked myself inside my room. The slap still hurt. I immediately took a big bag and arranged my stuffs. Clothes, camera, my painting materials, my ukulele and it's capo, my sketchbook, and many more and most of them are related to arts. 

I changed my clothes into denim jeans and wore my jacket. I prepared everything I need and wrote a note saying:

Dad, Mom.

Thank you for everything you did to raise me. Don't worry about me, I have enough money from my commissions. I will be fine. 

 I wore my helmet and took my bike. I closed the gate and scanned our house one last time. It's our house after all. But, for me, it really lacked the atmosphere of being a home.

Til' we meet again, Mom, Dad.

 I waited for Timothy in the shed. I am not even sure if he'll come. While sitting in the shed, I suddenly thought that I don't have a place to stay. But I have enough money to rent a place but I can only pay if for a three months and it means I need to look for a job.

It's four in the morning when Timothy came. His eyes widened seeing me with a big bag. He is wearing a gray hoodie and loose jeans paired with white rubber shoes. And he looked decent ,for the second time, with his tousled hair and innocent look.

“Today?!” He asked in a low voice.

I give him an assuring smile and took a deep breath. I already told him about this but I didn't told him it will be today. I didn't even know it will be today. “ They already knew 'bout it. What's the point of staying.” I said while watching the cars pass by.

I saw him smirked and patted my head. “You are not really weak.” He then grab my right arm causing me to almost fall. He walked a distance taking us to a boutique of dresses.I got tired from running and running and now I can feel my adrenaline rush. After few minutes, he took me to a coffee shop just five blocks away from the boutique. We ordered some bread and coffee.

“We can't stay in the shed. That's a dangerous place for now. Your parents might show up any minute.” He explained while eating Spanish bread.

“What about you? How about your family? They will get worried if you leave.” I explained as I sipped my iced coffee. 

Tim said we need to move to a new city if we really want to escape. If we'll stay here, later or sooner, my parents will find me. I really thanked him for that witty idea. For once, he's not stupid.

“No one will worry about me.” he answered and gave a smile.

We went to his apartment first so that he can keep his stuffs. I really didn't know he has his own apartment. His room is clean and organized, so it was easy for him to packed his things. After that, he withdraw 'some' money. This guy is pretty rich.

This place is really pretty. It was my first time to eat in a restaurant, really. The atmosphere is cozy matching their menus. After eating lunch, we walked to the nearest bus station. We waited for half an hour before the bus arrived.

 I sat down in the third row, next to the window. We placed our bag in front of us and I can't help but to feel excited and nervous at the same time. In my two decade and a year of existing, this is my first bus ride. I never imagined it would be going to a place I don't know. But...

This is it. I am escaping.

I suddenly felt Tim's soft hands pinching my cheek. I fall asleep. I rub my eyes and saw other passengers going out of the bus.

“ We're here.” he said and picked up his bag and mine.

“Oh.” was the the only thing I could say. I am now far away from where we came from. 

“ Let's go?” he asked and offered me a hand.

A place farthest from my comfort zone. Little did I know this place really exist. The moment I stepped out of the bus, I already decided I will be a different woman. Not that Zoe Edwards who is scared with others people's opinions and that Zoe who doesn't know how to socialize. I'll be Kathareen.

We ride the jeepney ,and as yes again, it was my first time. And it's really awkward because it was too quiet. And when someone reached his destination, he would just use the coin to hit the roof of the jeepney that I think is really cool.

“ I already found a place for us to rent.” He said as we reached the final stop of the jeepney. It says ' Danda Street '. 

“Look who's not ready.” I told him with a teasing tone. It was really hot and the temperature was like 35° C. It's already noon, after all.  

We ate lunch in a very simple restaurant. Tim said it is called ' carenderia ' and honestly, the foods here tastes great. The people here are very cheerful. They always smile every time my eyes meet with them, and it's really a heartwarming feeling.

We arrived at the apartment Tim told me about. It's a two- story apartment and we are on the second floor.His room is next to mine. The room is enough for me and I didn't thought the rental fee would be so cheap for a great room.

I arranged my stuffs and sat down by the soft bed. I scanned the whole room for the third time. The walls are standing in soft olive green. The ceil is painted white. Beside my bed is a little drawer with a tiny lamp. In the right side of the room, near the door is a window with green curtains on each side. There's also a fluorescent light above the direction where the bed is being placed. Just simple like that. But the smell of the varnished furnitures, the sound of the surrounding made me feel home.

I changed my clothes into my PJs and stretched my body, especially my back. It's a very long day. I am already ready to sleep and covered myself in blanket when someone knocked on my very precious door. 

As I opened it, I saw the annoying face of my stupid friend. He didn't speak at all but she showed me the junk foods he's holding. I waited for him to utter a single word but I didn't heard a single word. I almost close the door when he finally spoke. “ Above? Stargazing?”

We climbed to the roof top right away and it was gorgeous. There are thousands of stars that can be seen from up here. The moon is forming crescent and is positioned just above us. It was splendid.

“ This is freaking gorgeous.” I 

“ I still don't know you.” I stated as I hugged my knees still looking up above. He placed the junk foods next to me while he lied beside me.

“ I am Timothy Williams. 22. Mama's boy.”

I chuckled lightly to the thought that this was the first time I knew about his age. I suddenly heard a deep breathe coming from him.

“ Do you really know what do you want to do with your life? Are you really sure about this escaping thing?” he asked out of the blue. He sat down from lying ang hugged his knees. “Mom told me that I am a different child. In her eyes, I am the best. I lived in her words. It boost my self confidence. Not until heaven needed her more than me.” he continued.

I was left in an awe knowing his side.“Sorry. I didn't know it was like that.” All this time I thought his Mom left her for another man or because his Mom has a new family.

 He laughed a little- a broken laugh to match my apologetic face. “ You don't have to feel and be sorry.”

I couldn't say anything. My eyes were stinging and I am very close to being a crybaby. Instead, he came close to and we were okay again. 

“I really don't know where I am heading.” I uttered out of nowhere.“But I know, being here in reality pushes me closer to happiness. I want to look for who I am and I don't want to die with guilt of not stepping out of my comfort zone. I want to experience the best of life can give.”  

I faced him with a smile on my face. “ How about you?” He gave me a questionable look in return. “ What are you looking forward to?” 

He ignored me and open a pack of sweetened potato chips. He took a piece of it and munched it. I waited for any response and he seemed to notice me staring at him.

“ I want to see you happy and live the life you want. I want to see the best version of you, Kathareen. ”