Four Versions

11.

‘Hey girls, going for a run tomorrow morning?’ Sasha had typed in our group chat. I looked at the clock and realized that it was only five in the morning. I might as well get up and go for that run now that I am already awake.

‘You bet I am! 5 am and ready to roll baby,’ I typed back. Of course I got no response, and Ari didn’t reply either so I just left my phone on my bed and changed into my running clothes. I ran downstairs after putting my hair in a ponytail and grabbed an apple from the counter. Usually my mom would be up right now, getting ready for work, but apparently today was her day off. I smiled sadly when I passed the picture of our family on the wall. Times really had changed since then. We went from living with the four of us to only my mom and me, and that change really had taken it’s toll on my mother. She was more grumpy, annoying and strict as ever. She made sure that she was in control, because that was the exact thing that led our family to damnation. Lack of control and communication. We were all secretive towards one another and that eventually led to more problems than we started with.

As I felt tears well up in my eyes, I decided I was done being weak. I had to get up every time I would fall down in order to accomplish something. There was only one thing I swore I would do, even if it took everything of me, and it was becoming a professional model. Above all, I had promised Caitlyn I would, and that was the one promise that kept me going in times like these.

The cold morning air hit my face the moment I opened the door and I regretted not putting on something warmer. Though when I started running, the coldness was easily forgotten and as I enjoyed the music blasting in my ears my feet hit the pavement faster and faster. In no time I was at my usual spot in the park; the bench I met Mason on. The thought of him made my blood boil, though I knew that something wasn’t right with him. He didn’t look like the type of guy to react that way to me, yet he did. Besides, how would I know? I barely knew the guy.

I sat down on it and caught my breath. I looked at my phone and realized it was already six. The sun now was starting to come up and I silently watched it. It was one of the most breathtaking sights and I absolutely loved to see the sun come up. It was a promise of a new morning; a new day and a new beginning. And that was all I ever yearned for.

A new beginning.