Prologue

I stared out of the rearview mirror, looking back on the past. I was grinning on the outside but I was freaking on the inside. 'What am I going to do? What if he finds me?!?' I saw an exit sign that had the Starbucks logo on it. I decided to take a break from the endless driving.

I started around the ramp and drove down a bumpy needs-to-be-paved-soon road until I saw the familiar logo, along with a few others. There was a McDonalds across the street, a Shell next to the McDonalds, and a small grocery store next to the Starbucks. I turned right into the parking lot and scratched my cat, Muffin, in between her ears. She looked at me with her blue and green eyes and meowed softly. That's when I got out of the car and quickly walked across the parking lot. It was cold for an October afternoon.

I walked into the Starbucks with my laptop, purse, and car keys. My 2008 Aveo LS chirped when I pressed the lock button. I walked up to the counter and asked for a Venti Carmel Frappuchino. I got my order and walked to one of the cushion-y corner tables for two. I booted up my laptop and sipped my Frap while I waited for the screen to show the picture of my mom and dad when they were teenagers. The screen blinked on and I immediately logged onto my e-mail.

The automated voice said, "You've got mail." and I checked my inbox. I had 8 spam messages and 5 e-mails. I deleted the spam and saw who wrote me. It was Joshua. Josh; the reason I'd run away in the first place. Josh; my worst nightmare in every way. Josh; the abusive, high, drunken jerk I'd lived my life with ever since I'd turned 18. Josh; the one person I never wanted to see again. I think the woman behind the counter noticed my look of disgust and flash of red across my cheeks when I saw his name on my screen.

"Hon, are you okay?" the woman asked. She had a Southern drawl and looked like a motherly woman in her thirties.

"Yeah," I replied. "It's nothing." I gave her my 'heart-breaking' smile. At least that's what my mom calls it. I returned my attention to my laptop and read each message in order.

HEY BABE, I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T MEAN IT. I HOPE YOU CAN FORGIVE ME.

BABE, C'MON, YOU GOTTA CHECK YOUR E-MAIL SOMETIMES.

HEY BABE, I'M MISSIN' YOU. HOPE YOU CALL ME SOON.

HEY, WHY THE HELL HAVEN'T YOU CALLED?!?!?!?!

GODDAMMIT, LEXIE, E-MAIL ME.

I scowled and deleted all of them. Then, I resisted the urge to call and scream at him. I raised my Frap to my mouth and drank a little more. I grabbed my I-Pod out of my purse and turned it on. I picked a song and immediately Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" blasted through my ear buds. I texted my aunt, who has always been there for me in my abusive relationship, and told her that I was in Kentucky and would be at her house soon enough. I ordered another Frap to-go and gathered up my stuff. I tipped the woman and walked out of the coffee shop. I got to my little yellow car and unlocked the doors. I put my laptop on top of my cat's cage and my purse in my glove-box. I put my cell next to me, though, just in case my aunt called me. I started up the car and continued my trek to Wisconsin.