Already Gone

Courage to Change

"Remember, the moment you want to come home, just call," Arizona drilled me once again. 

   I nodded. Earlier that day she and Arizona had gotten a sim card for one of their old phones and gave it to me. At first, I refused, feeling like it was wrong for me to just accept a phone but they were adamant, saying that it wouldn't be safe for me to go to parties without a way to contact them.

"Summer?"

   I realized that I needed to give her a verbal agreement. 

"Yeah...I will call you the moment I want to leave," I said and looked over at Arizona who was driving. 

   I was starting to get cold feet about this whole party thing. Arizona had even asked me if I was sure that I wanted to go, especially after the bomb my mother dropped on me the night before, but I said that I was sure.

Even though I wasn't. 

   Maybe the truth was that I only wanted to go to try and get my mind off of things. Despite Arizona and Callie both assuring me that they would fight the lawsuit, I still had conflicting feelings about it. 

   I was mad at my mother, yes. I hated her, yes. I didn't want to live with her...yes. Yet, even though I knew all of that, I still felt confused about her?

What was wrong with me?

   Part of me wanted to tell Arizona to turn around. To take me home. But I didn't because...why? If I really dug deep and thought about it, I think I just wanted it to be okay. To be normal.

   That led me to where I was now, in the car with Arizona who was driving to me to some Easton's house. Callie probably would have come too but she had been called to the hospital for an emergency. 

   It didn't take long, maybe ten minutes, before Arizona pulled up into the driveway of this Easton guy's house. 

   I didn't make any move to get out of the car right away. Instead, I sat there and stared at the door, trying to prepare myself.

"You're sure you want to go?"

   I took a deep breath in an attempt to calm my nerves before turning to face Arizona. 

"Yeah..." I nodded, "I'm sure."

"Okay," Arizona put her hand on my shoulder, "Well, have fun and don't do anything stupid okay?"

   I laughed, not sure if she meant that as a joke or if she was being serious but I still promised her that I wouldn't do anything stupid. 

   Reassuring Arizona one last time that I would call her the moment I wanted to go, I shoved the phone into the pocket of my hoodie and stepped out of the car, slowly making my way to the front door.

   I reached up and pressed the doorbell, shivering a little in the cold as I waited for someone to come. It took a few more seconds before I heard footsteps approaching and the door swung open to reveal Easton. 

"You actually came," Easton said in a very monotone voice. I couldn't tell if he was pleased or disappointed. 

   I shrugged, "Yeah."

   Easton opened the door wider, wordlessly signalling that I come in. I turned briefly though to give Arizona a slight wave before stepping inside.

"Was that your mom?" Easton asked but there wasn't any snarkiness or teasing to it.

   I shrugged again, "Not exactly."

   Easton didn't question in and instead lead me down a short hall before opening a door that showed the stairs to the basement.