I'M RUNNING AWAY.

"I’m running away."

Jane looked lost.

It was as though the world were being created all over again right before her eyes.

"Let me get you a chilled glass of orange juice so you can cool your head. Then you can explain exactly what you just said, Evans," she said sarcastically.

That was typical Jane; she never took life seriously. Everything was a joke to her.

She watched me closely, her expression one of awe, while I quietly gulped the juice.

Then, she spoke again. "Are you pregnant?"

"Jesus Christ, of course not, Jane! What is wrong with you?" I nearly choked on my drink.

"I mean, Evans, you abruptly show up at my house unannounced saying you want to run away... don’t you think that’s a bit creepy?"

"Fine! I know it is crazy, but I honestly need your help right now. Otherwise, I might lose my mind, Jane. I am just… I'm so tired."

She pulled me close to her chest and let me rest my head there for a while. I had already started sobbing.

"So, what’s the plan?" she asked, her voice finally turning serious.

I pulled out my phone and showed her the email from the record label.

"OH MY GOD, EVANS! The biggest record label in California called you for an audition. You’ve been chasing this since we worked at the bar!" She rattled the words off in a single breath, her eyes wide and her mouth agape.

Jane was a wild one. Unusual and fiercely independent.

She meticulously maintained her dyed red hair, and her numerous piercings were a statement all their own. She had large green eyes that, somehow, complemented her beauty perfectly.

"Jane, you had a life in California once. Is it something you’d ever go back to? New York is already a mess for both of us. We could build a new life there together."

Jane believed I should have let my father pay for his own mistakes instead of taking a bullet for him.

For the first time in years, I was beginning to think she was right. I had been miserable.

On the other hand, Jane had been struggling too; she'd lost her job at the bar because she couldn't keep up with her multiple menial roles once I wasn't there to cover for her.

She had even been molested by a boss at a club where she worked as a server. Currently, she had no stable job at all.

"I’ve only got my dad there; my mom already left him. But he’s still my dad," she mused.

"Do you think he can help us?"

"My dad definitely will." She smiled a nostalgic smile.

"I don't know how to thank you, Jane. You’re basically saving my life." I hugged her tightly.

"We’re saving our lives, Evans. We’re going to be fine." She held me and brushed my hair back with her palm.

"Oh my god, I need to head back before Tyler calls or I’m dead. I’ll text you our next move tonight." I stood up, grabbing my bag and car keys.

"Just be very careful, Evans. Be smart."

"I will."

She stood in the doorway and watched me get into my car.

She waved as I drove off. It was already 11:30 AM, and it was exactly a twenty-five-minute ride home, not even accounting for traffic. I swallowed hard.

The phone rang. I picked it up on the final ring before it went to voicemail.

"Hello, darling."

"Why are you panting?" he asked sternly.

He wasn't imagining it. I had run from the car to the living room just to answer the call, having pulled into the driveway only seconds before he dialed. I was lucky. Very lucky.

"No, I was just in the kitchen, so I ran to the phone when I heard it ringing."

"What did the doctor say?"

"He ran some tests. He said he’d send the results by tomorrow."

"I’ll be back pretty late. Don’t wait up."

That was it. The call ended.

My hands were shaking as if I’d just received a ransom call from a kidnapper. While still trembling, I dialed Jane’s number immediately.

"It’s tonight."

"Okay, Evans. I’ll wait at the train station. I hope this is what you want."

"Yes, Jane. Today is Friday, and Tyler doesn't get back until past midnight."

"Very well then."

We stayed on the line for a minute that felt like an eternity until the call finally dropped.

I walked upstairs, feeling both sluggish and hurried. Sluggish, because I was overwhelmed by everything happening at once; hurried, because I felt I had no time to waste.

My whole life flashed before my eyes as I stood in front of the mirror. I blamed my mom for leaving me so early.

I blamed my dad for how my life had turned out. I used to think love could solve everything, but it wasn't even enough.

I had ruined my life to please a parent who never gave a damn about me. The least I could do was give him a heads-up about my change of heart.

By 8:00 PM, my luggage was neatly settled by my feet. My hazel eyes were locked on the wall clock in the middle of the sitting room. My phone lay in my palm, ready.

"Dad? ... You have lived long enough, and I believe I’ve played the part of the good daughter long enough, too. Tonight, I’m escaping Tyler’s prison. He will come for you. Goodbye."

The only response I received was a deep sigh. The call went dead a second later.

My eyes welled with tears. These were tough decisions born of the fear of being caught.

My dad was likely going to die after all. And what if Tyler discovered my location afterward? Was Jane even safe with me?