*Not edited*Not proofread*

Chapter 44– Seven Days:

New York, California, Florida, South Carolina, Washington, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Colorado, Michigan, and Ohio.

Ten states. I have lived in ten out of the fifty states in America in the past four or so years. I have lived in many different cities, different towns, different houses in different neighbourhoods... I have lived.

But I've never quite lived a life like the one I have lived here in Maine as Kody Lawrence.

Everything is new here despite the fact I've started over more times than I can count. Everything is new here even though I've done it all before.

I've always been quick to leave, never risking being in one place for longer than a few months. And leaving has always been easy, always been something I had to look forward to. I never plan to settle down. While I may have my freedom to some extent, as long as the facility still continues to exist I'm never going to be free of the mental chains that still ground me to that hellhole. But I don't have enough time to change that, so with the little time I do have, I choose to try and live as normal as possible, catch up on the mundane things I missed out on.

School, a degree, a job, a house... it's all part of my plan. It isn't fun, it isn't anything over-the-top, it's just normal.

I've only ever wanted to be normal.

And I feel normal here.

There's chaos in this small town, too much of it, and it's all happening under the perfect noses of these perfect small town people. There's evil here; bad people dressed in expensive suits with fancy shoes.

There's evil here, and I'm a good percentage of it.

But there's also kindness; there's good people with good intentions, a future full of potential and a whole life ahead of them.

There's good people here, like Lilah and Zeke, Dakota and Landon, and even Gray.

If I could stay, I would. But I think Raven Hollow is my right place, wrong time. This town would have been fitting for the last few months of my life, I wouldn't have hated dying here. But that can't happen. I need to leave, and once I do, I can't come back.

Jace has risked too much for me, way more than he should have. He's looked out for me from the moment I met him and hasn't failed me yet. We may have had different upbringings, may have fought for different teams at one point, but none of that changes the fact that Jace is my person who I will forever be grateful for.

Jace has risked too much for me, I can't let him risk anything else. And staying here would mean risking everything. Risking Jace.

I won't do that.

He's been wanting me to leave ever since the troubles with Mac arose, for my own protection, of course. But I was too stubborn; admittedly, I didn't want to leave-- couldn't leave without closing the extra large bag of problems I'd opened.

I couldn't leave well enough alone.

But then Rey was killed two days ago, and I've had the note that was found next to his lifeless little form hidden in the pocket of my jumper ever since.

It's the same handwriting, the same words that was on the last note all those years ago the first time they found me.

'Let the games begin.'

I don't understand it; the mind games. I don't understand why they taunt me, why they wait in the shadows. I just don't understand. But there's a reason behind it, I know there is. I've just never waited around to find out. Never will. I don't care enough about their motives, whoever it is, I just want to live the rest of my life in peace.

I can't do that here, not now. I'm not safe, and nor is Jace.

And he is the person whose life I won't gamble with, no matter how many problems I leave unsolved here. I won't do it.

So, I sit on the garden chair next to Jace on the patio of our shared yard and I take a deep breath. He doesn't look at me, but I know he's aware of my presence. He's still pissed at me for the secrets I kept, still upset over Rey's death, still worried for whatever's to come next. But I know he'll still do anything for me, the same way I would for him, though I don't always show it.

"Okay." The air is more bitter than usual, I wouldn't be surprised if the extra coldness was coming from Jace as he sits brooding. The night is quiet, just me and him underneath the moon. He turns to look at me, barely. "Okay," I repeat again, my eyes focused on the tall trees at the end of the yard. "We can leave." My eyes meet his as I turn my head, he's frowning. I can't tell if he's confused or not. "Just give me one week, and then we'll leave."

One more week.

Without a word, Jace gets up slowly, not even sparing me a glance as he walks passed me.

I sigh a heavy breath, dropping my head in my hands in exhaustion. The events of the last few days, weeks, months, run through my mind and I kick myself for being so stupid. Why did I expect different? I shouldn't have. Normal may be what I want, but it's not what I'm going to get.

I knew this already, but it's still annoying; not getting the one thing you want despite how simple.

But at least I'll have Jace.

"Little Warrior?" A large hand rests on my shoulder, the pressure soft but firm. Jace's voice is low, quiet, but I hear him just fine. When he's sure I'm listening, he slowly lets his hands drop as it slides down my back.

"We're going to be okay."

___

After mine and Jace's barely conversation I go up to my room and pack what I can of my stuff, throwing most of my things away in the trash. Jace tells me to donate what I can to charity, so I leave a pile of my unwanted things in the hallway downstairs for Jace to take into town tomorrow. I only keep out a few change of clothes and my toiletries for the next week, everything else unnecessary.

Once I've finished packing, I load my three boxes into the trunk of my car. The reality of the situation heavy on my shoulders as I stare at my things all boxed up once again. I guess I'm really leaving.

It feels like I've been in this town for years, when really it's only been four months.

Four months.

It's funny how time works.

"You okay, R.A?" Jace asks as he leans against the front door, his ankles crossed and arms folded. The porch light is on, illuminating the front yard. I nod as I pass him, heading upstairs into my room where I close and lock the door.

I turn to my laptop on my bare desk, Ricky's note that I haven't had the time to open next to it.

Seven days.

I have seven days to right what I can before I leave.

It's not long, but it's enough.