Page 3 of The Hallows Boys

I was allowed three suitcases, two to check and one carry-on. The rest of the stuff in my house will either be sold at the estate sale or put in a storage unit that I can access when I turn eighteen. The storage unit is about the size of a closet though, so I had to be very picky when selecting the items I wanted to keep.

This fucking sucks.

I stare up at the sun, and even though it’ll be the same sun that shines in Georgia, I feel like I’m saying goodbye to it. Like I’m leaving earth, moving to a new planet that will suck the life from me.

I never thought I would leave L.A. – I was born here, I took my first steps here, I made a life here. But here I go, sliding into a musty SUV that belongs to a stranger, heading toward a brand-new fucking life with no one familiar waiting for me.

My parents were well off, and I’m used to sparkling amenities and a lavish life, so when I look at my ticket and realize my seat is in coach, I want to cry all over again.New life, no money.All my parents’ accounts were frozen when they died, pending investigation and whatever the lawyers have to do with their will. I have a little cushion in my bank account that will get me by, but it’ll be nothing like what I’m used to.

Paula said my father’s lawyer is working hard to get my trust fund released early, as well as getting my parents’ life insurance fast tracked to my grandmother, so hopefully I won’t have to wait long.

“This fucking sucks,” I say to Paula as we’re pulling up to the outgoing drop-off strip of LAX.

“I know, sweetie.” She helps me get my bags from the back. “Do you want me to walk you to the gate?”

I shake my head. “No, I’ll be fine, gotta get used to being on my own.”

She gives me a compassionate look, tilting her head a little as her gaze finds mine. “Try to be positive, Sage. That’s all you can do.”

“Yeah.” I give her my best closed-lipped smile, even though I feel like throwing myself in front of a moving car, then grab the handles for my suitcases. I manage to figure out a way to wheel them all by myself and find my gate easily.

My first introduction to coach class is in the form of a very old man that’s already snoring loudly in the window seat, and the plane hasn’t even taken off yet. I’m wondering if he’s taken some sleeping pills and consider rifling through the backpack at his feet, when a little girl sits down next to me.

“Hi!” she yells, her freckled face lighting up with a smile. “I’m going to visit my cousins!”

“Great,” I answer before facing forward and minding my own business.

“Yeah, they live in Georgia.” I guess she has other plans. “Why are you going there?”

I look at her from the corner of my eye. “I’m moving.”

“That’s cool,” she hums, buckling her seatbelt. “Wanna play scrabble? I brought a travel-size.”

I tuck a strand of my blonde hair behind my ear, pulling my backpack from my feet so I can get my headphones out. I have absolutely no intentions of entertaining this child for 6 hours, so I’m simply going to plug some music in and shut out my surroundings until we land.

“No, thanks,” I grumble, popping my AirPods into my ears one by one.

She doesn’t take the hint. “We could play tic-tac-toe, I have a notebook. Or make up a secret handshake!”

“Passengers, we’re ready for takeoff. Please make sure your seats are upright and your trays are snapped into place. Thank you.”

I point a finger at the ceiling, eyeing the little girl as I grab my phone and put it on airplane mode. “We’re going to take off.”

“Yeah,” she chirps. “Anyways, what’s your name?”

The plane starts to move then, so I scroll my phone for a playlist I can access while it’s offline. “My name’s Sage.”

“I’m Sandra.” She grins. “Are you excited to move?”

I hold my phone up as the plane starts to really get some speed, then lifts from the ground. “I’m going to listen to some music.”

“Okay!” Sandra answers, still bright-eyed and cheery.

It makes me want to scream. I’m a bitch.

Naturally, I’m a pretty sarcastic bitch – but in a funny way, I think. I’m light on my feet, positive and happy,usually. But there’s this storm cloud hanging over my life right now, and the last thing I want to do is spend time with someone too young to realize that life fucking sucks.

The flight attendants go around a few times during the flight, offering drinks and little bags of pretzels, which I decline. My stomach is doing flips, and it has nothing to do with the turbulence. I’m fucking anxious, scared and dreading the moment this plane lands and nails the lid on my proverbial coffin.

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