I just needed to get away...Even as she wrote the words, Jamie knew that they would sound crazy to her father, her brother. Yet as she stared at her younger brothers text
I miss you already! Stay safe, Jamie! Love Adam, She couldn't help but feel guilty. This wasn't the first time that she had just up and left, that she had just...disappeared. Of course, she had always told them she was going away, but she never told them why. The truth was, she didn't actually know why herself.
Was it foolish to feel trapped, when she wasn't?
She reached up and played with her necklace, that she always wore, sighing and looking out the window, not yet replying to her brother. Her rucksack was between her feet, and there was an annoying teenager sitting next to her, chatting continuous on her phone, the girls parents paying her no mind. The girl was increasingly growing on Jamie's nerves, yet she wasn't sure if that was due to her own troubling thoughts, or something else. She rested her head against the window, feeling guilty, yet...she could never say what drew her to go away, but it seemed that whenever she did, she found a piece of herself, something that she didn't know was lost, but that nevertheless made her feel...just a little bit...whole. Her adopted father, brother had given her everything she needed, and yet....part of her needed to just do what she was doing. Finding...something. It was like having a normal life, going to collage, having a part time job made her feel trapped, and these little adventures made her feel...better.
Was that crazy?
She didn't know. And it was that that made her hesitate in responding to her little brother, even as Tahoe lodge came into view. As the bus began to turn into the lot, Jame looked back down at her phone, and drew in a deep breath, her fingers flying over the touch screen as she wrote
I know, I miss you too! Love you, don't be a pain to dad! I'll be home soon, I promise! before putting the phone away in a pocket, and gathering her rucksack. As she waited for the girl to move-Jamie actually considered poking the girl to get her to notice that she was waiting, that they had arrived, Jamie sighed softly. When she finally clambered off the bus, glad to be away from the annoying girls chatter, she looked around. At once, the view astonished her, and she spun about to take it all in. It was just...so beautiful, and she felt...free. Smiling, she started to the building, hoping that there would be rooms available as she jogged ahead of the annoying girl and her family. She hadn't given a thought to booking, just packed, and escaped. She didn't relish sleeping outside.
Laughter behind her made her glance over her shoulder. Annoying phone girl was laughing, a high pitched laugh that set Jamie's teeth on edge, and saying "I know! It's like if you can't dress right, don't go outside! I mean pink and neon yellow? Ick!"
Jamie looked down at her clothes, unsurprised to see that she was indeed wearing pink and neon yellow. Pink leggings, a yellow jacket, and a plain white shirt. She rolled her eyes, finding the girl petty. Like all teenager girls, or like all teenage girls in her experience. If the girl had left it at that, Jamie would have ignored her. But she didn't.
"OMG she just looked at her clothes and rolled her eyes, how oblivious can you be?!"
By now the girl's parents had gone passed her, and we're at the counter waiting to check in. Well, if they weren't going to parent her, then Jamie would do something about it. She approached the girl, who seemed shocked. Jamie merely smiled, flicking ber long blonde hair over a shoulder, she plucked the girls phone out her hand,
"may I?" She asked sweetly, before talking into the phone,
"I knew girls like you in school, and guess what? Flipping burgers now because they can't count past ten, oh and your little friend? Has had a booger hanging from her nose the entire phone conversation" she smiled again, and handed the phone back to the girl, trotting off without a word, and going to see if she could get a room.
Perhaps luck was with her, as she got a room. Heading to it, she spent a wonderful Half hour showering off the night on the bus, and making herself feel human again. She tied her hair back to let it dry, as she dressed in bright green pants, a blue jacket and brown long sleeved shirt. Her clothes might be eccentric, but what did she care? Taking out the few course books she had brought, she flicked through the marked chapters, and rolled her eyes. She'd look at it later.
Rising, she left the room, key and other essentials going into a pocket. She headed to the lobby, intending to check the what you can do brochures. A few hours of fun was what she needed. And then she'd study. Which reminded her to text her study buddy to make sure she was studying the right stuff. And to call the book store to make sure they knew she was away. And she would have to call Adam, before he called her. But she'd have fun.
Chuckling to herself, she trotted over to the brochures.