Chapter 12:

I reappeared in the next town, with a suitcase and two bags, I walked in the rain. A pathetic image. Exhausted after all that had happened in only one day, I stopped in a motel, convinced the owner that I paid the room with money I did not have ( powers can really be useful in times like this), I laid down on the smelly bed and started crying, again. It seemed to have become a bad habit of mine. After an hour of intense sobbing, I decided it was time to stop this and find a way to get some sleep. I went to the nearest bar and ordered shots. Loads of them.

My phone was busing. It was Tom, so I let it rang… a thousand times. He kept calling and calling. And I kept ignoring and ignoring, and drinking and drinking. Feeling that I was getting vulnerable, some guys tried to approach me, but I sent them away one by one. I certainly didn't have time, and energy for this. Another call, but not from Tom, Sam was calling.

"Hey, are you ok?" He sounded worried, as usual.

"Perfect, how about you?"

"Are you drunk?"

"Yes"

"Where are you?"

"No"

"Tom called and said you disappeared. Where are you? He's going crazy, looking for you"

"Well, tell him I'm the whore he thought I was, and I was not taken away, I left. Yes, yes I left and I'm not coming back."

"What happened?"

"Bye bye, Sammy!"

I put down the phone. The alcohol seemed to do its job, I started to feel sleepy and went to lie down in my new room.

Thirteen hours later, I woke up to the sound of my phone vibrating again. I opened my eyes and realized I had a massive headache, and a hangover – probably the first in my whole life. I looked at my phone – a hundred calls from Tom, one from Dean and three from Sam. I decided to call Dean. But only after a cup of coffee, and some junk food.

"Hi, Dean" I said in a husky voice

"I see you had some fun last night" I sounded angry.

"Yes, me, myself and I went partying"

"We were worried, Alice. Tom said…"

"You're not my brother, Dean, don't play the worrying card on me"

"Where are you? What is going on?"

"I'm in a hotel, God knows where, and I'm fine."

"What happened?"

"I decided it was time I grew up"

"We're coming to pick you up, you can't stay…"

"Don't tell me what I can or cannot do. I called you so that you could tell Tom not to worry, that I'm fine and I'm not coming back. That's all. I don't need anything else from you"

He sighed.

"I don't have time for your teenage angst crisis..."

"Ok, first of all, I'm not a teenager anymore. And second, you're not my family, you don't have to take care of me"

Signs of struggle indicated Sam was trying to take over the phone… and succeeded.

"Alice? Are you ok?"

"Yes, Sam. I'm fine. Tell Tom I'm not coming back, ok? He needs to stop calling."

"Fine. But if there's something wrong, call us, please"

How did he do this? I could actually hear the puppy eyes in his voice!

"Sure. Bye."

I put down the phone. I was free.