The Heart Of Solitude ✔

Chapter 5

Leighton's POV

After sitting under the bleachers for a good while I decided against going to the rest of my classes. The thought of having to walk through the school, pretending to keep myself together, pretending to be fine, was tiring.

So instead, I decided to leave the campus all together, no for warning to anyone, and walk to the lake that Dallas, Nova, and I used to go to together when we needed a break from the entire world. It was one of our many places that we used as our 'hangouts'.

As I walked on the trail that lead to the lake, the tree around me were filled with birds singing their songs, while they tried to conversate with the other birds. Once I reached the lake, I walked to the dock sitting down on the edge.

Plying my shoes and socks of my feet, I placed my feet into the warm water. I looked around at the sun glistening off of the water, and the trees that surrounded this place for miles. Some were dead, while others were a lively green color.

I took my phone out of my pocket, ignoring all of the unread messages that over took my phone. Pressing on Dallas's contact, I sighed at the sight of my message that still sat unread.

' Dallas, please, Nova's gone. I can't lose you too. I need you. I need the only big sister I have left.'

Me being the youngest out of the three of us, sometimes lead to me being called their little sister. I got so used to that, that I started to call them my big sister's at some times. We even got necklaces for all three of us. Nova oldest sister, Dallas middle, and me youngest. We were truly like a group of sisters, a family.

Looking at the message one last time, I pressed the back button erasing it all.

' I'm here at the lake. I don't know how long I'll be here.'

Placing my phone back in my pocket, I looked into the sky.

The quietness over took me, causing a wave of sadness to flow through me. I wasn't used to the quietness. Normally, when their was the three of us there was never a moment of silence. We were always talking, and laughing about the craziest things. But now there's no longer three, there's two.

And I'm not sure how long that was going to stand.

~~~~

I had been at the lake for a while now, and I mean awhile. The sun was setting, the only light being the small moon. It had started to sprinkle slightly, but it had now turned into a full blown rain pouring over my head.

Taking my phone out of my pocket, there had been multiple more messages sent from my worried family and friends, but none from Dallas. I placed my phone back into my pocket, and pulled my feet out of the water sliding on my socks and shoes. Standing up, I dusted off my butt before I grabbed my backpack walking back towards the trail I had walked on to get here.

My feet splashed in puddles causing my feet to be flooded with water, while my face dripped with water from the pouring rain.

Finally reaching the street, I began to walk down the side of the deserted road. After walking three more blocks, I came up on my house.

Walking up the side walk, I pushed open my front door stepping into the house fully soaked, head to toe, in water. As soon as I walked into the house, my parents along with my step-brother stood up off of the couch with their expression filled with worried.

I plopped my soaked backpack on the ground walking further into the living room. My mom rushed towards me placing both of her hands on my shoulders.

" Where the hell have you been? And why are you so wet?" She exclaimed.

" I went to the lake, it started to rain." I answered.

" You went to the lake for 6 hours! Leighton you didn't go to your two other classes. You didn't tell anyone that you were leaving, nor where you were going. We were worried sick Leighton. We were calling everyone and anyone to see if they knew where you were. " She said.

I sighed. " I'm sorry mom, I must've lost track of time." She dropped her hands from my shoulders. " Go to your room, change out of these disgusting clothes, then dad and I will be up to talk about your punishment."

My eyes widened. " My punishment? You're punishing me? You're the one who told me that if I needed a break then I could take it!" I exclaimed.

" Leighton, don't talk to your mother like that." My step-dad scolded. My mom raised her hand. " I've got it Cameron." She said to my dad. " I did indeed tell you to take a break if you need it. But by that I meant go to the office, or take a little walk through the halls. I didn't mean for you to leave school, and go MIA for 6 hours. So yes, you will be punished in someway." She said calmly.

I shook my head. " Whatever." I said walking past her and up the stairs. Closing my bedroom door, I pried the wet clothes of my body and changed into dry ones. Taking my hair out of the bun it was in, I brushed through it keeping it down to dry.

As I sat down on my bed there was a soft knock on my door. " Come in." With that my mom and step-dad walked through the door. My walked over to my bed, sitting down while my step-dad closed the door standing against it.

" Honey, I know right now is not the greatest time with everything going on. I know it hasn't been easy on you, but it doesn't give you a right to just run off like that."

" I didn't run off." I said.

" You left school grounds, and didn't bother to let anyone know where you were or if you were okay for 6 hours." My step-dad said.

" Like I said, I lost track of time. I didn't mean to be gone for so long, but I needed a break. I didn't want to be there." My mom nodded. " I understand that, but..."

" Do you really?" I interrupted. " Do you really understand? Because if you did you wouldn't have made me go back to school so early. You would've given me as much time as I needed, but you were too worried about your standards you wanted me to uphold instead of what I wanted or needed. "

" They aren't standards, their goals. We have goals for you honey." My mom said. " Well then they were goals that could've waited a couple of days. You of all people should understand that mom." I responded.

My mom sighed looking at my step-dad. " Your right, and I'm sorry that we forced you to go back to school before you could handle it. If you need you can stay home for a couple of days until your ready."

I nodded. " Okay."

My step-dad opened the door walking out as my mom stood off of my bed. She walked towards the door, turning back to look out me. " I love you Leigh, I need you to know that. I also need you to know that I care for what you are going through. So take as much time as you need to heal. Everyone's different. I just want my happy-go-lucky babygirl back. That's all."

And with that she walked out my bedroom door, closing it behind her. I stared at the empty white door, with tears clouding my eyes.

'I don't think I'll ever be that girl again.'

XOXO ParisBesties12