Page 1 of Hit and Run
Prologue
Shade
“Bubba, you can’t leave me,”Wren whisper-shouts at me.
“I can’t fucking stay here.” I throw clothes into my suitcase, laid out on my bed.
“What will I do without you?” she says with a pout. Wren and I have always been close. There are only three years between us, but it’s never stopped us from hanging out.
“You heard what Pops said. If I’m not going to waste my life away at college, then I’m no longer welcome here,” I remind her.
“He didn’t mean it, Bub. He’s upset you don’t want to follow in his footsteps,” she says. “He only wants the best for you. For us.”
“More like he’s upset I won’t be his little puppet,” I mumble to myself.
“What was that?”
“Nothing.” I shake my head.
I’ve shielded my baby sister from the asshole our father really is for years now. Pops adores her, and her, him. I can only hope that doesn’t change when I’m gone. As soon as Pops found out I didn’t want to be a miserable fuck like him for the rest of my life, he lost his shit.
Luckily, Wren was at a friend's house when he showed me just how pissed he was. Drunk like he always is, he unleashed hell on me. He’s a high functioning alcoholic. It can be tough determining if he’s drunk or not, but I’ve learned the signs well.
He’s also gotten good about causing damage where it won’t show. When Mom or Wren would see the bruises on my face, I would lie and tell them I was in a fight at school. Pops got tired of Mom fussing over me and got smarter about it.
I got through high school, thanks to Mr. Lancaster. He owned a local auto garage, and I would stop by on my walk home from school every day. He didn’t always have much for me to do, but he always made time to teach me something new. It was like he could sense I needed a positive male role model and a safe place to spend time. That started when I was fourteen. My love for cars grew from there.
Mr. Lancaster passed away last year. He had no family, but Wren and I treated him as if he were ours. I would guess that’s why he left us each twenty thousand dollars in his Will. Wren won’t have access to hers until she turns eighteen. It was also noted that our parents couldn’t touch it or have any say in what we do with it.
Mr. Lancaster only asked that we use it for college or in my case, a trade school. He and I talked a lot about what I would do once I graduated. He helped me choose where I would go and everything. I was upfront with Mom about the money, but I never told Pops. Wren didn’t either. I told her she could always just tell him that she earned a scholarship. She’s a fucking smart girl.
Me, on the other hand, I graduated with decent grades, but I struggle with school. Cars I know like the back of my hand, so it was really no question what I would do after graduation.
I’ll be leaving Colorado in a few short days to move to sunny Arizona. Mr. Lancaster helped me find a good auto mechanic trade school that piqued my interest. Not only will I be doing something I love, but I’ll also be hundreds of miles away from my piece of shit father.
“Wren, promise me something,” I say to her.
She glances up at me. “What, Bubba?”
I move so I’m standing in front of her.“If you or Mom needs anything, call me,” I tell her. If he turns his anger to them, I will let hell break loose on him. “I will come home in a heartbeat if either of you needs me.”
“Okay,” she replies.
“I mean it, Wren.”
“I know, I promise,” she says. “Do you even have a place to go?”
“Yeah, I have it all planned out.” A smile spreads across my face. “I found a guy looking for some roommates. Turns out, he’s into cars too, and the parts store he works for is hiring.”
“You do have it planned out. I’m proud of you, Bub,” she says, smiling, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.
“Come here.” She stands, and I wrap her in a hug. “I’m gonna miss you.”
“I’m gonna miss you, too,” she replies.
A couple of days later, I pack up my car and say my goodbyes to Mom and Wren with the promise to keep in touch. Pops is nowhere in sight, and I’m not the least bit sad. I leave before he shows up and before I catch Mom and Wren crying.
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