Maroon Nights | A Short Story [COMPLETE]

°•° 3 °•°

A/N Just fair warning, Rebecca is kind of petty in this part and doesn't really make the right decision, but I promise she learns her lesson :) So don't kill her for being a teenager XD

I looked at my alarm clock on my nightstand. It was nine twenty five and the sun was just starting to set, sending waves of gold and pink light flooding over the sky. The few puffy clouds that still lingered from the day time were bright with the sun's reflection and, overall, it was beautiful.

So why did I feel so bad?

It wasn't my head or my cheek. The sting from my father's hand had dissipated a few minutes after I had left breakfast and my headache had dulled over the course of the day. No, this bad feeling wasn't physical. I was feeling guilty for even planning what I was about to do.

I shook my head. I needed to stop thinking like that.

Picking up my bag that was stuffed with a towel, my phone, a hair brush, and an extra change of clothes just in case the ones I had over my swim shirt and shorts got wet, I looked at myself in the mirror atop my dresser. My long black hair was pulled into a low ponytail at the base of my neck and a large black T-shirt covered up my swimsuit that I had on underneath it. At least if I got caught sneaking out, my parents wouldn't know I was going swimming. Disobeying them was one thing, but disobeying them to go swimming with a boy was a whole other level.

Setting my resolve, I turned toward my window and shoved the glass pane upward. It stuttered from never being opened but I was able to wiggle it enough so that I could fit through.

I climbed out, landing on the sloped part of the roof outside my window. I used my legs to brace myself from falling as I forced the window closed again. I hoped that it would get my parents off my trail at least for a while if they didn't notice the window open.

Inhaling deeply, I glanced over the edge, eyeing the two story drop. I wasn't afraid of heights, but my heart stammered knowing that I was going to have to jump from that.

For a moment, that same doubt creeped back into my head. I shouldn't be doing this...

But I shook myself out of it. If my parents were going to treat me like crap, I might as well show them exactly how it feels. I was going to Pilliar's Lake, whether they liked it or not.

I evaluated the jump one last time. I hadn't seen too many action movies, but I hoped that I had seen enough to know how to roll out of a fall. If not, this might hurt...

Before I could talk myself out of it, I jumped.

The ground came hurtling at me faster than I expected and I tucked in my limbs way too late. I landed on my back and rolled, which was all fine and dandy until I stopped. I uncurled and laid out like a starfish as I struggled to breath.

"Ow," I whispered, hoping that no one could hear me.

Before I let anyone have the chance to find what had thumped off the roof, I stood, adjusted my backpack on my shoulders, and started down the sidewalk at a jog.

Pilliar's Lake was about two and a half miles from my house, which was convenient considering Cameron's parents could have chosen Rockpoint Lake which was about twenty miles from my house, but much closer to theirs. I had calculated the time, and if I jogged half the way and walked the other half, I would be able to get there before ten. If not, right at ten.

When I was about half a mile out of my neighborhood, I slowed to catch my breath. I pulled my phone from my bag, double checking that my parents weren't panicking yet. Sure enough, there wasn't a single notification from them. Though I was glad that I was getting away with this, my chest still twinged with guilt. I had never done something so rebellious before and I didn't realize it would feel like this.