Read Running From Forever for Free Online Page B

was and still is a gold-digger that
had made divorcing high rollers a profession. I don’t know how she
did it, nor do I care, but she always made out, taking those men
for all they were worth.
    Maddy was four years younger than me; she turned
eighteen just two weeks ago. I called her on her birthday, asking
what her plans were now. She hadn’t known at the time, but I guess
she figured it out. She ran. Just like her big sister, she ran as
fast as she could to get away from her life. There was no use for
us in Vegas. Since the day we could take care of ourselves, my
mother basically disowned us. She only used us for bait on the guys
that seemed sensitive to those kinds of things, like being a mother
to your children. But that was it. We were nothing more than that;
we were merely pawns in her gold-digging chess game. Since she was
eighteen now, Maddy must have used some of her inheritance from our
father to get here. It wasn’t much, but enough to pay for a one-way
ticket. This I knew.
    Taking a seat beside her, I nudged her awake. I
needed to make sure she was okay, that nothing happened. I just
never knew with Maddy. She slowly woke up, eyes fluttering open and
looking blearily at me. I felt bad that I didn’t stay. I felt awful
that I didn’t take care of her. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t stay in
that mess. I needed my own life. I needed to start over. I needed
to be whoever I wanted to be with nothing holding me back. I think
she understood that, or at least she did now. Now she was in the
same boat I was.
    “Hey,” she grumbled, stretching her arms above
her head and legs straight out. “What time is it?”
    “Almost one, my time. What time did you get
here? You should’ve called my cell.”
    With a big yawn she sat up, rubbing her eyes
awake. “Only a couple of hours ago. I was exhausted, so I figured
I’d just lay down until you got home.”
    “Are you okay? Did anything happen?” I couldn’t
help the paranoid big sister role taking over. In so many ways she
was like a child to me. For so long it was just the two of us
against the world.
    She gave me a reassuring smile, calming my
nerves slightly. “Nothing out of the norm. A new one moved in and I
was just done. I couldn’t do it anymore, K. Not when I didn’t have
to…”
    I nodded my head. I completely understood. The
only difference between us was that I left the day I turned
eighteen. My bags were packed weeks in advance. I had it planned
and I was ready to go. Where I didn’t give a shit and was okay
living on my own, she’s wasn’t. She had always been more
sensitive—always trying to see the best in people. She loved our
mother; I didn’t. She saw hope in her that I didn’t even try to
find. Our mother was useless. A piece of shit, if I were to be
completely honest. I despised her. It was plain and simple. Maddy
always seemed to be holding out hope.
    “Well, you can stay here as long as you want.” I
waved my arm around the tiny studio. “It’s obviously not much, but
it’s something.”
    “Thanks, K.” She tight-grinned. “I have no clue
what I’m going to do. I haven’t really thought this out. I just
didn’t have anywhere else to go.”
    “No worries. You came to the right place. We’ll
figure it out. We’ll find your nitch.” I leaned over, hugging her
and sighing, happy that this was where she ran to. I’d missed her.
Since our father died when we were younger, she’s been the only
real family I had.
    She smiled again, but I could tell that she was
exhausted. Jetlagged, I’m sure. The late hour was starting to hit
me, as well, and I let out a large yawn. I offered up my bed,
insisting that she sleep there that night—I didn’t mind sleeping on
the sofa bed, at least for one night. It wouldn’t be long before I
had to be up for work anyway.
    After washing my face and brushing my teeth, we
both said our goodnights and curled up in our beds. It was an
eventful night, borderline perfect. Between making new