**
Runaway: Part Three**
Her mind had drifted to a place she never knew of. She thought of what it would be like. She thought of freedom and happiness and love. But when she finally opened her eyes she realized she was in exactly the same place.
**
Lorelai paced her room. Her curly hair was bouncing up and down as she muttered, "I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna do it." She stopped and looked at herself in the mirror and smiled, "I'm gonna do it." She turned and faced her bad. "I have to do it." She picked up her stuffed full backpack and dropped it at the foot of the bed before walking over to her wardrobe and getting a thicker jacket to wear for later. She placed it on the bag and walked quickly over to her bed pulling out her diary and pen. She sat down and fumbled to rip out a sheet of paper. She had to write a note. No matter how much torment and crap they put her through, she had to write a note.
"Okay, here goes." She sat still with her hand poised to write on the sheet of paper. "Dear Mom and Dad . . . I don't want you to worry, but I've gone on a trip. I'll be back before school starts, trust me. Love Lorelai."
It wasn't much but it was a note all the same. She folded it slowly and shoved it in her pocket. She took her diary and walked back to the foot of the bed shoving it in the front pocket. She pushed her luggage a little further under the bed for good measure. She quietly opened the door and walked out into the hallway. She peeked down towards the bathroom and figured the coast was clear. Her parents had left and the maid was making dinner for her. She ran into her parents' room and grabbed the phone before dialing the number for the cab company she had memorized.
**
She stood in her room watching herself in the mirror for the last time. "This is it. I'm going." She turned around and put her jacket on followed by her backpack. She walked over to her dresser and took all the money from her piggy bank and extra money she had stashed in her bottom draw. She folded them up decently and slid the notes into her pocket before walking over to the window. She picked up the beanie from her chair and placed it on her head. "It's time to go," she told herself and slowly opened the window.
She turned her head and looked into her room one last time. The things she had to do were playing over in her mind. Put the note on my dresser, check. Mom and Dad have gone, check. The maid is taken care of, check. I called a cab, check. She brushed some snow off the balcony ledge and stood up, swinging her leg over one of the thick moist branches.
**
She waited up against the large stonewall outside the front gates of her house for the cab to arrive. She had the bottom of her foot propped up on the flat of the wall and she had her hands stuffed in her jacket sleeves. She still didn't know where she was headed and that made her nervous. If she didn't have a destination in mind, the cab driver might nab onto her little plan since she's only ten years old and traveling alone.
She extended her arms out in front of her to free her hands from her sleeves. She placed her fingers on her temples and said to herself, "Think, think, think." She closed her eyes, but nothing came to mind. "Ugh, this is crap." She dropped her hands beside her and looked down the road. There was the cab. Her body froze up for a second, but not from the cold, more the reality of it all hitting her. She was actually going to do it. She was leaving, her own vacation, no one to tell her what to do. She broke out of it and all had a sudden desire to giggle uncontrollably.
She walked out to the roadside and watched as the cab driver pulled up beside her. She took a deep breath and opened the door. She peered in and pulled her backpack off before throwing it on the seat. She sat down on the backseat and the old looking cab driver turned his head.
"Where will it be, miss?" his voice was raspy.
She looked up abruptly, she was done for now. 'Where, where, where, c'mon think Lorelai! Think!' She subtly looked around the back seat. There was her answer. It was a bag from a market. Doosey's Market. Stars Hollow. 'That's it! Stars Hollow! Now speak!'
"Miss?" The driver prompted.
"Oh, um, Stars Hollow." She said almost a little too enthusiastically.
The man nodded his head and she smiled looking over at the bag. 'Life saver.'
The cab did a U-turn and drove back down the road. She turned her head and watched as the house grew further from eyes sight. She turned back around and bounced her back into the seat. 'Score!'
**
