“There’s also a freaking ton of presents for you to open from your dad.”
I looked over at the pile of presents surrounding the tree. “I’d rather keep doing this.”
He smiled down at me as he attempted some dance move I couldn’t quite describe.
I started laughing.
This place felt a lot more like a home today. “I’m sorry I’ve been pushing you away. I just…”
“It’s okay. I get it.”
I shook my head as I looked up at him. It wasn’t okay. I’d acted like I was in total isolation. Which wasn’t true. Not in the slightest. I had a great friend right here with me. No one had ever had my back the way Miller had. At least since my mom. I owed him everything and….crap. “Oh my gosh, Miller. I’m so sorry. I didn’t get you anything.”
He smiled down at me. “This right here is all I wanted.” He reached out and lightly brushed my bottom lip with his thumb. “Your smile.”
“Merry Christmas, Miller.”
His hand slid to the back of my neck as he looked down at me. For just a second, I thought he was going to kiss me. But instead he just smiled and dipped me to the music again. “Merry Christmas, kid.”
Runaway - Chapter 18
4 Months Later - Sunday
I wrung out my hair and stared at the new shade in the mirror. I refused to go fully brunette. I didn’t want to look anything like Isabella, and I was scared if my hair matched hers that I might see her in my reflection. Instead my hair was now a mousey brown. And I’d cut it to right above my shoulders. I didn’t look anything like myself.
It was funny. I’d been trying to come up with the perfect plan to escape from my dad over the past few months. I thought that a change like this would have been my own idea. But my father was waiting in the living room for me to come out and show him my new look.
He’d wanted to move Miller and me for the summer. And I told him I wasn’t starting over again. I vehemently refused. He’d slowly been giving in more and more to me over the past few months. And after a lot of persuasion, he finally agreed to let us stay here as long as I didn’t look like myself anymore.
Which was easy. I didn’t feel like myself anymore. And now? I looked at the stranger staring back at me. I’d lost a lot of weight. My cheeks looked hollow. And now my hair was completely different. No one would recognize me. I barely recognized myself.
I walked out of the bathroom and down the hall.
My father set the newspaper down that he’d been reading. “That’ll do,” he said.
I sat down next to him on the couch. “So we can stay?”
He nodded.
I smiled, but resisted hugging him. I preferred to keep my distance from my father. Yes, he was being nice right this moment. But that could easily change. And I still didn’t trust him.
“No talking to strangers though, alright?”
“Stranger danger,” I said. “Got it.”
He laughed. “Exactly. So you’re excited to spend the summer here?”
I wouldn’t use the word excited. But Miller and I had kind of made this place our home despite the fact that it was our cage. I didn’t want to talk about my summer plans though. All I was going to do this summer was go for runs and dream of another life.
I cleared my throat. “You said you’d think about talking to Matt.” I’d brought it up enough times that I was pretty sure he was close to caving on this too. My dad and I had come to a mutual understanding. I wouldn’t throw a fit when he came. And he’d be nicer to me. Sometimes it was really hard not to want to scream at him though.
“I did.” He pulled out his phone. “I want you to be happy. And safe. That’s all I want.”
So…was that a yes or a no? I just stared at him.
“I gave this a lot of thought. And you’re right. Now that the dust has settled, maybe it’ll be okay.”
My heart started racing. “I can talk to him?”
