And Then She Was Gone (book 4)

four

Alexis p.o.v

2 years ago I left home to persue my art career. I wanted to make it as an artist. I love drawing, painting, sculpting. I just love using my hands. I also love using my hands in a battle, in a fight, whatever. Leaving home and to persue my art career wasn't a difficult choice because although I have Jonny and his mom who took me in when my my mom passed away when I was younger, I have no other family. Yes I do call Jonny my brother and Sonia, mom, but that is because they don't mind.I am so lucky to have them. I did grow up surrounded by so many people and so much love, but I never felt like I truly belonged, although I will never tell them that. It would probably hurt them. I love them all very much. They never treated me bad or made me less, not like that man who mom was married to. My dad who would beat her and hit me. Still to this day those dreams haunt me. First that one. I see his ugly face and I can smell his disgusting breath. The second dream I always have is a river taking me away and me screaming for help. Maybe that is why I hate water so much. I hate pools and beaches because I feel like I am going to drown. The third dream is of me fightig with a little boy and him telling me how great of a fighter I am. Maybe that is what pushed me to learn to fight. Jonny would train me up until the day that I left. I am so thankful for that because out here it is tough and I won't let anyone try to fùck me over. I do so much to make a living. I want to one day make it big and pay back Sonia for taking me in and loving me like her own. She loves me just as much if not more than she loves Jonny. I keep in touch with them and on birthdays I always mail them something that I paint for them. They weren't mad that I left and followed my dreams, they were just upset that I didn't wait until I turned 18. Sonia said I had to stay because she needed to do something that day, but I honestly don't even know if my birthday is the exact day that we celebrate it. But I had to leave, because I had to take a bus that was taking 2 days to get to where the art school is at. I wanted to make sure I made it for my orientation. She was angry, but she got over it. She just had me promise to always call. All I know is that when I moved in with them, Sonia gave me a necklace and when I left, she told me to never take it off. Jonny and all of the kids there had one as well. My hand goes to my necklace. I call it my goodluck charm, even though it is a little ugly, but it was given to me with so much love. We might have been poor, but we always had alot of love and I couldn't ask for more.

Now, here I am just finished my art program. I am going out with some friends to celebrate and say goodbye to my bestfriend here Gabriella. We hit it off the very first day and instantly became inseperable. We even moved in together. She would often go home. She even asked me to come with her sometimes, but I always had to work to pay my share of the rent even if she offered to pay it for me. Her brother is loaded. She told me that her parents passed away and all she had was her older brother. She even gave me his sweater to wear when it got cold because I couldn't afford a new one and I wouldn't let her buy me one. It is my favorite sweater. "I am going to miss you soooo much bestie" Gabby tells me. "Im going to miss you more." I tell her. "Come with me. You can move in with us" she says. "Oh Gabby, come on. I can't move in with you and your brother" I tell her laughing. "It's not just us Lexi, where we live it's like a community. My brother is umm like the leader and he takes care of everyone there." she says. "Gabriella, are you asking me to join your cult?" I ask her and start laughing at the face she makes. She smacks me. "Atleast come visit sometime and show me all of your work before you sell it. I might want some pieces." She says and I nod. I have 2 right now that I am gifting you as a goodbye gift." I tell her. "Make sure you put them some place special to you so everytime you see them you will think of me." I tell her and she nods. "Here" I say and give her the paintings. "Wow bestie, you truly are talented. sign them for me please" she says. "Of course" I say and sign them. These are my best work so far. We sneak alcohol because we are not 21 yet and we eat and then do karaoke. We go back home and in the morning I give my bestie the last hug for now and she leaves me all alone. Well not for long, because Spencer calls me. Spencer and I have been dating for 6 months. He thinks we should get more serious and have sèx already and really make our relationship official, but I do not know. Noone knows this because I am too ashamed to admit it, but he is abùsìve. Verbally and he slapped me once. I was so upset with myself for allowing that to happen, but I was in shock when he did it. It isn't like me to freeze up. I am a fighter and I let it happen. I wasn't even able to defend myself. It was like if my body froze and I just couldn't move. Spencer's family has money and he thinks he can do whatever he wants. Everytime he is near me there is a voice in the back of my head telling me to get away from him or if he kisses me the voice screams for me to stop him. "Hey baby, lets go to the mall" he says. Yes, I need painting supplies. "Okay" I tell him. "be there in 5, be ready Alexis, I do not want to be waiting do you hear me?" He asks "yes I'm already ready. I will be outside" I tell him and grab my wallet and phone. I have to go to work later tonight so I will have him drop me off at the house I need to clean. Yes besides painting I am also a maid. I plan to clean houses until my art takes off and I can sell my pieces for alot of money to all of the rich people. For now, Fiona has me booked in daily. No days off for me. I have been able to save a little money too. I want to treat my mom and brother to a vacation. I know they moved after I left. They moved to a community like the one Gabby always talks about. When I talk to them they tell me they love it where they live and want me to go visit. Maybe I will surprise them soon.

We get to the mall. The nice one that he likes to go to is almost an hour away so it always takes a bit to get there. I just want to go to the book store to buy art supplies. "Come with me to find an outfit. I have an important dinner to attend tonight" he says. It doesn't take us long to find what he is going to wear. He is studying to become a lawyer and he thinks I should take on a different career. He doesn't like that I am an artist. He says that artists are lonely and he said he needs to be around people so he doesn't think that me being an artist will work. He also says that artists are victims who need to be rescued and he says he needs someone who doesn't carry alot of drama. He says all of this, but when I try to break up with him he starts crying and begging me to forgive him. I do not know if I want to continue with our relayionship, this is also why I haven't told him about my past. He has no idea about my family. He knows I have a mom and brother, but that is it. It isn't like he tried to meet them anyways. He introduced me to his family though and they are lovely. Nothing like him. They are also loaded. Like really loaded. I stop at a candle shop and I notice that he is looking a little nervous. "Come on, lets go this way. Do you want to go to the book store?" he asks knowing that I love the book store because they have a huge art supply selection. He grabs my hand and rushes me past the jewelry store and the vitamin store and we turn in the hallway and go up the escalator and pass all of the stores until we get to the book store. "Stay in here, I will be back in a bit. I need to take this call" he says and hold his phone up. I have a feeling that he is lying, but I don't even care. I happily walk in and start looking at the art supplies.