DEFENDER [hs]

Chapter 22

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Strolling in the greens is where I find peace. Something like peace and clarity. I'm may be selfish to say that the universe has cursed me. It's selfishness that makes me feel okay. It gives me closure and I know that I'm safe in the arms of mother nature. I don't have a mother so this is the closest it could get.

Breathing in nature's finest gifts, oxygen is my sense of coping with the world.

When you're partially forgotten and physically unavailable, you appreciate the smallest things.

Picking flowers something I enjoy more than anything. You may ask why take from nature when you value nature?

I don't know, why did the universe take something of mine? My mother.

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My eyes opened and fixed my vision to what's happening. The car was moving. I steered at sat upright and saw Harry sipping his coffee with shades on his eyes. 

"Morning, sleepyhead." He said with his gaze on the road. "How many nicknames do you have for me?" I asked him and he shrugged saying too many to count. 

I rolled my eyes and glanced over at the clock on the car. It was 9:45 in the morning. I looked at the GPS that was on Harry's phone which was placed on the phone holder.

It said we were in Denver. We still had a long way more to go before we reach. I sighed and looked at the bag and grabbed a sandwich to eat for breakfast. 

Harry turned on the radio and listened to the news. He listens to the news? Can't relate.

In boredom I grabbed the book I bought last night and began reading. Yes, indeed this was kids book but it will have to do I guess.

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After about thirty minutes of silence and the same old boring roads, Harry exited through a highway exit. I shot him a confused glare. Where were we going?

"Harry, where are we going?" I asked. "I can't drive anymore, it's also going to take forever. So, were going to take a plane there." He said and I nodded in understanding. We honestly should've done that from the beginning. There's no way Harry would be able to drive thirty four hours in one seating.

"What about the car? Are we just going to leave it here?" I asked. "Don't worry about that, princess." He said and I sighed in defeat. Here we go again with the nicknames. "Okay, loverboy." I said and he groaned at me. "Stop it!" He begged me and I chuckled.

I went back to reading and suddenly the book became quite interesting. But I had to read slow to save the book for later on the plane. I shut the book and looked out the window. I started to imagine what I would say when I meet my dad. Will I be happy? Will I yell at him for having a secret mafia group that I was unaware about? Will I demand for answers? Do I want to know the answers? Will I-

"Athena, book a flight." Harry interrupted me and passed me his phone. I turned my head to him and grabbed the phone from his hands. Memories started flashing back from Friday. 

"I need you to search up the closest motel nearby and book a room with two beds for us to stay in until Sunday." he said while unlocking his phone, opening the app and passing it to me.

I remembered I booked the sketchiest motel by accident which led me to almost being raped.

I began typing flights to Connecticut and scrolling through the options. I found one that was quiet costly but Harry seemed fine with it. It was window seats and we would seat face to face. It was around a three hour flight.