It's a Small World

Chapter Twenty Two - A Class in Determination

Once in the car, the hollowness in my chest was like a gaping chasm. It was all consuming, threatening to pull me fully into its grasp and never let me go. It would have been easy. It would have been so easy to let go and slip and fall and fall and fall into the nothingness. It would not have been the first time. 

But I had dragged myself out of that pit of despair and self hatred before. Tore through every suicidal thought that promised sweet relief from the torment of my life. I had made it out once and I would goddamn do it again, because this time I had more to live for. I was no longer living just for myself. I now had friends who I cared for so deeply, and who cared about me equally as much. I now had something I never thought I would have - promise of a future. Whether that was with Devin by my side or not... there was hope. 

No. Today would not be the day I see my father. Today would not be the day I willingly let him back into my life to twist and corrupt it, just as he had during my entire childhood. 

I sat up straighter in the back of Paul's car where he had all but shoved me into. He was focused on the road, and I had no idea how long it would take for us to get to where my father waited. I tried not to draw attention to myself as I leaned forward at a painfully slow pace, all the while looking at Paul's reflection in the rear view mirror to make sure he didn't look back at me. However, due to my focus being on the mirror and not the road, I didn't see the traffic coming to a stop in front of us, and when Paul stepped on the brakes, I was jolted forward into the seat in front of me, smushing my nose painfully. 

"What are you doing? You're sitting like a damn child like that." Paul sneered and tutted. 

"I was only trying to itch my leg, jeez." I lied smoothly. Despite the surprise introduction of my face to the passenger seat in front, I managed to catch a glimpse of what I wanted. Now it was just a matter of biding my time, and not letting the anxiety of the whole situation cripple my confidence. I had to get out of there, and fast. 

Luckily or not, I didn't have to wait long until Paul pulled the car over in a quiet side street next to a towering skyblock of apartments, unfortunately not far from Devin's penthouse. We appeared to be in a loading bay, which I assumed would allow us access to the apartment building without being seen by too many people. 

My heart rate quickened to a sickening pace and my breathing became so shallow that I think I could have passed out if the adrenaline wasn't coursing through my body quicker than my blood. I watched as Paul turned off the ignition, take out the key and then exited the car. Bastard! I was going to lock myself into the car and hijack it, driving to the nearest safe place I could. 

Okay, plan B it is. 

I watched Paul come around the side of the car that I sat on. The idiot had put the child locks on the rear passenger doors meaning I couldn't open it myself. I suppose it was smart, considering I was technically being kidnapped.  He moved at a glacial pace which made me want to rip my eyes out in frustration. 

Once he finally reached for the door, and I heard the distinct thunk of it unlatching, I kicked it with my good leg, slamming it into Paul and knocking him back a few feet. This allowed me to hop out of the car and ram my fist into his nose whilst he was winded. I could have gone for a much more sensitive area which definitely would have rendered him useless, but with only one fully functional leg, kicking anything whilst standing was going to be a mighty challenge. 

"You little bitch! I will kill you!" He cursed so violently it curdled my blood. He gripped his face and crouched over in pain. I knew how to break someones nose theoretically, and by the looks of it, theory just became practical. I had to run, I had to get as far away from him as possible, otherwise it was well and truly over for me.