chapter 2

Skylar POV

I packed up my stuff into my car and drove to the storage unit that my sister had given me. I decided not to go back to that home altogether. The plane tickets are for tomorrow so for the night I will get a hotel with the funds on the cards. I can't risk going to that home and having those people find the cards. Knowing them, they would wipe the cards clean in one night.

I find the unit assigned to me and notice that I can leave this car in the unit as well while I am away. Since I will not have use for it and my parents would most likely sell it if I left it with them.

I thought the unit would be completely emptied but to my surprise there's brand new suitcases and racks of new clothes. At this point I don't know why it surprises me that she would do this as well for me. She never did things half assed, she always had to make sure that I had everything during these hunts and I definitely didn't have anything as nice as the items in the units. I guess I don't have to take any of the items in my car and just pack everything she left in the unit for me.

After I finished packing everything in the suitcases and moved the car with all my junk in the unit I called for a cab. I've decided to treat myself to a decent hotel for the night, not one of the fancy ones, just not the cheapest as well. Outside of the school I never had the best place to sleep when the dorms were closed.

We didn't grow up poor. It's just that my parents, after paying the bills, spent their money on items for just them. They gave us used mattresses that they got from goodwill as well as our clothes. Meanwhile they had fancy clothes and ate the best of food daily. The only time we were able to get new clothes was when they had an event that required them to bring their family. When stormie got older and was able to work they took her money as well. They said a child is too irresponsible with money and they had to take it. That prompted Stormie to get 2 jobs and give only one check to them until she was 18. She had secretly dropped out of high school, which is why she was excited for me to graduate. Our parents were so focused on spending money that they didn't even know that she dropped out. She was the only reason that I was able to eat or even have clothes that were not torn.

I checked into the hotel and finally felt like I could breathe for the first time. I worked almost every day for the past 4 years that I couldn't even grieve for my sister. I had to keep working to keep my promise to her and graduate. For the first time I am able to take a much needed breather.

~Next day

I overslept. I actually overslept. For the first time in my life I overslept. I finally was free enough to just sleep. I didn't get up at my normal time of 5 am. I overslept until 8 am, which to normal people is still early but it's not early for me. Usually I am up early getting ready for the day finding a cheap breakfast but today I overslept. I had an actual meal last night and a bubble bath. I haven't even left yet and this little bit of freedom is wonderful.

I decided to order breakfast with room service, since my flight is not until 5 pm and it's an 8 hour flight to Milan from NYC. I don't have to check out until 2 pm and don't have anything else to do besides relax until then.

I wonder what secrets I may find out and who the person that Stormie trusted so much to guide me through this trip. When I had left for boarding school she didn't have many friends due to working so much and taking care of me. She basically became a teen mom without actually becoming a mother. So who is it that she met to trust this much that lived in Milan, or was this because I learned to speak fluent Italian in school and the person traveled there for her. Do I also need to plan an itinerary for this trip as well since I do not know how long everything is going to take.

I really need to stop overthinking everything. I got to trust the process and trust that what she had planned for me is going to go smoothly.