I Just Wanted An Escape From The Town That Was So Mean To Me

“But, Dad, this is what I want to do; It's what I was meant to do,” I explained; my eyes were pleading.

“Alright. Good, I'm glad you've come to that conclusion. And, since you think you're old enough to realize that, then you just don't have to stay here anymore, do you? If your mother and I are holding you backs from your dreams, then have at it; Hit the road. No one's stopping you,” My father replied firmly, his face was stern, but I knew he was going to calm down.

“Dad, I don't want to leave you and mom. I'm only sixteen! I don't have anywhere to go.”

“Well, you're an adult now, so that's not our problem anymore, is it? I don't care where you go, but you can't stay here,” My father's eyes looked straight into mine as he said that. I felt anger boil in me; I have no choice.

“Fine. Fine, you want to leave? I'll leave. But, don't expect me to be back,” I replied, glaring at him. My mother could barely breathe, because of the sobs erupting from her.

I stood up, grabbed my guitar and car keys, then I was out the door. I turned around, and looked at my parents one last time. I was face-to-face with my father.

“When you realize how hard it is out there, don't come crying to me,” He sneered grimly.

“You count on that. Bye, Pops,” I mumbled, turning back around, and going to my car. I ran to the driver's side, stuck my guitar in the passenger's seat, and drove off. My vision was blurred with tears, so about thirty miles down the road, I pulled off to a Gas Station. I opened the car door, and sat on the ground. I was only wearing a T-shirt and jeans, while the air was crisp and chilly, but I was numb.

My lip quivered, and a tear formed as I came to realization on what just happened.

My own dad kicked me out.

Tears started falling freely, then. I put my head in my hands, and just cried.

“I don't belong anywhere,” I repeated to myself, over and over.

“Hey, son, you've been sitting out here for about half an hour. You alright?” I heard someone ask.

I looked up, and an employee, from the Gas Station I was sitting at, was walking towards me.

“Yeah, I'm fine. Just needed to stop for some fresh air, that's all,” I replied reassuringly, with a smile on my face. “I'll go ahead and leave.” I opened my car door, and started to get in, when the employee stopped me.
“Here you go,” She said, handing me a water. I started to hand her a dollar, but she stopped me. “On the house.”

“Thank you,” I said, smiling. I closed my car door, and drove out of the small parking lot. I looked in the rear-view mirror, and saw my reflection.

No wonder she gave me the water.

My eyes were blood-shot from crying, and my lips were white and chapped, from the cold.

I sighed, and opened my water. I felt my front and back pockets for my phone. It was in my front, left pocket. I took it out and opened it. I quickly dialed a number, and put the top of the phone to my ear.

“Hey, Nick. Yeah, uh, something happened...”

~

“Man, I can not believe that you did this,” Nick said, with his feet on my dashboard.

“I didn't have a choice. They...kicked me out,” I murmured; my voice cracked as I said it, because I was close to tears, again.

I heard Nick sigh. “I...I'm sorry, Man.”

I just nodded. “I can't believe you dropped out of school, for me,” I said, still not believing he did that.

Nick shrugged. “We're best friends. We're going to go through this world together. And, anything it throws at us, we'll deal with it.”

“Thanks,” I said, smiling. “But, how did you parents feel about you just up and leaving?”

“Eh, they weren't the happiest about it, but they knew I would leave, anyways,” Nick pulled out a cigarette, and offered me one. I took it, and got out my lighter.

“Any idea where we're headed?” I asked, rolling down my window, and lighting my cigarette.

“Nope, not a clue,” Nick said.

“Beautiful,” I muttered.

“Well, I'm sorry. I wasn't exactly expecting to leave home an hour ago, so I didn't have time to make a plan,” Nick said, rolling his eyes.

“You don't have any money either, do you?” I asked.

“Not one red cent.”

“I know where we're sleeping tonight.”

“Where?” Nick asked.

“Where are you sitting?”

“In your car?” Nick said, making his statement into a question.

“Ding, ding. Say hello to your bed.”

~

“Chris, I'm starving,” Nick mumbled as the sunshine spilled into the car.

“Dude...didn't we already go through that? Neither one of us have any money,” I groaned, trying to cover my eyes. I was laying in the back seat of my car, while Nick had laid the passenger seat back.

“You got your guitar, right?” Nick asked, looking at me.

“Nick, seriously? It's in the floor-board, where you're sitting. How could you not notice that?”

“I'm tired, alright?” He said, glaring at me. Then, he slapped my arm. “Get out.”

“Uh, this is my car,” I said, looking at him disbelievingly.

“Shut up, I'm not trying to kick you out of your car. I just know a way to make money.”

I pulled up on the seat, opened the car door, and got out. The sidewalk was full of people, possibly rushing to work or school. Apparently, we had drove to St. Louis. I heard the other car door slam, and Nick came around the car, holding my guitar. He handed it to me, and started walking to an emptier part on the sidewalk. He sat down on the ground, and looked at me.

“Well...are you coming?” He asked, staring at me.

“What are you doing?” I asked, walking over to where he was, with my guitar.

“You're going to sing,” Nick stated simply.

“Oh, no. No, I'm not. I can't,” I started freaking out.

“I don't want to hear that. You got kicked out of your house, and I left mine, just so you could be a musician. That's what you're going to do,” Nick replied, pulling me down to sit in front of him. “Just start singing.”

“I don't know what to sing,” I said, looking back at him. A few people that walked by were staring at me.

“Sing She's Got Style,” Nick suggested, shrugging.

I closed my eyes.

This is what I fought for.

I took a deep breath.

“If it's not those cowboy boots in the Summer. Oh, my God, I pray for another chance to drive down back highways, 'till I stumble upon your beautiful face. Your presence isn't what kills me, it's that artistic gleam. That's taking over my scenery, dream by dream,” I sang, keeping my eyes closed the whole time.

When I finished the song, I smiled and opened my eyes. To my surprise, there was a small crowd of people, surrounding me, clapping. Nick had sat down a small bucket that he had apparently found in my car, and as people walked by, they threw money in it. I decided to sing 'Yesterday' by 'The Beatles.'

“Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they're here to stay. Oh, I believe, in Yesterday. Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be. There's a shadow hanging over me.

Oh, Yesterday came suddenly. Why she had to go, I don't know. She wouldn't say. I said something wrong, now I long for Yesterday.

Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play. Now I need a place to hide-a-way. Oh, I believe in Yesterday. Why she had to go, I don't know. She wouldn't say. I said something wrong, now I long for Yesterday. Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play. Now I need a place to hide-a-way. Oh, I believe, in Yesterday.”

The crowd had gotten bigger, and they were all erupting in applause. I had a huge smile plastered on my face.

This truly is what I was meant to do.