Chapter 1

"It is so hard to leave—until you leave. And then it is the easiest goddamned thing in the world." - John Green, Paper Towns

"I'll be fine." She replied stonily to the question she knew her dad was going to ask.

She grabbed her last box from his hands and heaved it into the trunk of her car alongside the other boxes. Realising she hadn't marked that particular box yet she returned to the house squeezing past her father who had yet to move from lounging against the door frame.

"Are you going to visit me on Sunday?" He called over his shoulder to her as she rooted through the drawers in the living room to find a sharpie.

"We'll see. I might have homework." She still hadn't made eye contact with her father and continued to avoid looking at him when she made her way back to the trunk and hastily scribbled 'Books-4' on the easiest to reach surface of the box.

"It's only one day-" Her father pushed himself off of the door frame and uncrossed his arms staring at her with an expression that could have been mistaken for sadness but she knew differently. Spending 16 years with a person tends to show you what they're really like.

"I know." She interjected, picking up the last box of her belongings from his feet.

"Is there anyway I can convince you to stay?" He placed a hand on her arm stop her from walking away but removed it when she flinched.

"I've given you 16 years to convince me." She leaned the box against her hip to make it easier to carry and finally looked him in the eyes. The look he was given was startling; her eyes burned with hatred.

"You know, you're just like your mother." He began giving up on his 'nice guy' act. "You're always telling me what I can and can't do-"

He was interrupted by the slam of her trunk ringing through the air."I'm not telling you what to do. I'm telling you what you are doing is wrong." Her voice had been clear of emotion until then. "And I'd rather be like her than you." She spat at him before climbing into her car and pulling out of the driveway.

She'd imagined driving away from him many times. She had expected to be happy and feel as though a weight had been lifted and she did. It wasn't as amazing as she had imagined but things rarely turn out the way you expect it.

It still felt good though. To know that she never had to see him again (she wouldn't be 'visiting' him on Sunday even if she didn't have homework.) was a great relief and she couldn't help but grin. She had finally done it. She had finally gotten out and was going somewhere she had people who actually cared about her.

Scott had been telling her for years to come and stay with him and his mom. The first time he had mentioned it she couldn't imagine anything better. She soon realised though that she couldn't just leave, her father would never agree to it. She also wanted to make sure that when she left she would never have to go back. For years she saved all her birthday money, hiding it where her dad would never find it. She sold all the useless, flashy things he bought her when he had one of his 'good days'. Then she got a job as a waitress in a local restaurant and saved all the money she earned. She worked nearly everyday, doing overtime on the weekends and gradually her money built up until she eventually had more than enough money to buy herself a more than second hand convertible.

It was old and the passenger side door no longer opened, its paint had faded to a dull, sad looking blue and the roof couldn't be put down but it was a car and it worked and that was all that she needed in it. The car had been sitting in the parking lot of the diner with a for sale sign on it for as long as she could remember. No one ever paid attention to it and it had become a long time joke in the town. "Have you studied for your test? You don't want to end up like the forgotten car do you? Old, useless and unable to leave."

Scott would not leave her alone when she showed him a picture of her newly acquired steed. He took it upon himself to make jokes at every available moment although, she was pretty sure he had some help with some of the jokes. You'd think being an adult that Melissa would have just made a comment along the lines of 'well, at least you like it.' but no she joined in with making jokes about it too.

Thinking about Scott and Melissa brought a smile to her face. They had always been family to her, they were perhaps the only people she could call family. Scott and her were always in contact (not so much recently as Scott seemed to be very busy) and every summer for as long as she can remember she had stayed with them. Her happiest memories all included Scott and Melissa.

Suddenly the realisation that finally everything was coming together and she could be happy for longer than a couple of weeks every summer hit her and a grin exploded on to her face. No more dad, no more working until I collapse, no more stupid town. No more, no more, no more!

She could see the sign that alerted you to the fact you were leaving up head and reached over to crank down the window. As she neared the sign she stuck her head out of the window and screamed "Au revoir jackasses!" before throwing her head back and laughing her heart out.

A few passing people gave her odd looks but she couldn't care less, she was finally leaving!

Pulling her head back in she tucked her now windswept hair behind her ears. "Beacon Hills, here I come."