the runaway {joshler}

josh; chapter three

first pov//

I took a breath as I got off my bike, my breath visible in the frigid winter air. It didn't occur to me until then that I had nowhere to stay.

Good job, Josh, you stupid ass, I thought to myself. I couldn't just go back home, I couldn't get the heart to go back.

I've been trying to run away since I was seven, I never liked home. Home was more of house than a home. Ever since I could think for myself, I realized my family wasn't the happiest.

My mom began to act sort of strange when I was maybe, eight or nine. My siblings and my dad could all see that she was always anxious, sort of off. It wasn't until I heard my parents screaming at each other that things began to become clear.

"How fucking dare you cheat on me?!" My dad yelled, his hair was disheveled, his shirt half unbuttoned, his hands were in fists, his knuckles turning white from holding on so hard.

My mom opened her mouth as if to speak, but she couldn't. My dad punched her square in the jaw and she crumbled to the ground as a sobbing mess. She held her jaw in her hand as she leaned against the wall weakly.

I didn't like to think about all of that. Things got worse and sometimes better, but my dad became more and more abusive as time went on. Not just to my mom, but to my siblings and myself.

I sighed as I kicked a stray pebble in the street, before I got back on my motorcycle, I realized that maybe I should at least try to find somewhere to stay.

I didn't have enough money for a hotel, and I sure as hell didn't want to end up at Mark's house at nearly two am.

I could knock on someone's door, I thought to myself. I shrugged, the worst that could happen is they say no.

I got off of my motorcycle, walking it with me to the doorsteps of the first house I could find. I kicked the stand up when I got to the mailbox.

1228 Ridgeway Lane, Joseph it read. I walked up to the doorway and tapped on the doorbell. I heard a few footsteps and some yelling from inside which didn't phase me much.

"Tyler, no, get back here!" I heard a voice yell just as the door opened.