Inevitable - CB (EDITING)

1. Away

"Far away from here..."

Reign:

"Come on Devon, we're gonna be late!" Reign shouts while scanning their small and dark house; squinting slightly, she looked around for anything she might have forgotten to pack during the summer break.

A haze which smelt like burnt wood lingered over the house and the floors squeaked irritatingly at every step she took like it had for months on end. The girl had tried to get some people down there to fix it and they did - for two days. After the short period of peace and quiet, the agonising squeak would return again. She had given up on it a long time ago, as she had given up on this place as a whole.

This was the start of something new. A new beginning for her and her little man. A chance to have a future and to really live, not just coast along and survive like she had done for way too long. Her little brother deserved it and she certainly did too.

As she's deep in her trail of thought, a pair of little hands wrap themselves around her thigh causing a sudden smile to envelop her face. She looks down lovingly at the pocket-sized human that stood before her. Devon. This little boy was her whole life in one body, the only loved one that she had left. The girl picks him up and sits him on her hip as she continues to look around. Reign had always been a perfectionist and she knew that if she forgot something, she'd end up thinking about it non-stop for the next two weeks. It really wasn't worth the agony.

After taking a deep breath, she decided they were ready to go even though she wasn't fully satisfied. She had mentally convinced herself they didn't need any extra baggage and all the things they had weren't exactly the best anyways. She'd taken everything they'd really need and put them in the back of their vintage truck. "Where we goin' Ray?" Devon asks while shooing a strand of her long hair away from his face in disgust. Oh the joy of shedding.

"Away baby. Far away from here. It's time for a new adventure! Are you excited?" She asks him as enthusiastically as she could. Deep inside she was truly nervous.

He claps his hands together excitedly as she places a soft kiss on his forehead. Reign had been working her butt off for the past few months. She'd endured many different 9-5's from cleaning, retail assisting, bars and workshops since she'd finished her junior year in high school to be able to provide for him and to get them a decent apartment when they'd eventually move to California for her final high school year. She also wanted to have enough savings to also start thinking about his future education.

"Go 'head and sit in your car seat please." She says as she puts him back on the floor. As soon as his feet hit the ground, the boy runs out of the house. She grabs their last essentials and follows him towards the exit. Reign knew that he was probably oblivious to the fact that he'd never see this place again. It was probably for the best, this house hadn't exactly contained the best memories for either of them recently. In fact she couldn't remember a time when it ever had.

Sighing deeply, her eyes fill with nostalgia as she takes in her surroundings one last time; she inhales its unique smell deeply while placing a hand on the door, it's rough texture glides against her skin for a split second before the girl turns around and shuts it without looking back. She couldn't help but feel liberated as her body is hit with the cool Toronto air.

Putting on her best smile, she hops into the driver's seat and looks into the view mirror back at Devon whose burst of energy had suddenly been replaced with sleepiness. "You got your seat belt on pretty boy?" She asks as she puts hers on and switches on the ignition. He nods at her absentmindedly causing her to turn back just to check it was secure before driving out of the apartment compound and onto the main road.