She arrived at the house and grabbed a suitcase, stuffing into it all the most crucial things as quickly as possible just to avoid another confrontation with any of them should they arrive home sooner than expected. Within the hour she had everything she would need most, everything else she'd collect later. She called a cab and was out of that place, making her way to Terri’s.
She explained the entire series of events to her friend and for the first time that night, broke down, all her emotions releasing in a downpour of tears and it was more than just the night's event worth of emotions pent up, years worth of feelings came out in that single night, emotional diarrhoea and what a revolting mess it made.
Honestly, it was probably the angriest Rachel had ever been and she took no particular pride in being so blind with fury that she didn't care what came out of her mouth, a steady stream of putrid verbal vomit. It was probably a good thing that Terri was so level headed.
Terri always had a calming effect on her, she was brutally honest, didn’t pull her punches, mostly had a positive outlook on life and whatever brought negativity into her life, she punched. Her influence helped Rachel to see sense and tackle this traumatising moment in her life head on.
Terri’s place became Rachel’s permanent residence for the next few months, ducking and dodging the landlord whenever he came by. This lifestyle wasn’t ideal and she had every intention to find herself a place of her own, it was just a little challenging with the recession.
Despite her father's pleas to return home, she refused, preferring the precarious conditions of her new living standards, than any possibility of living once again with that narcissistic, bigoted woman she called her mother.
With a little of both time and patience, Rachel found a shared apartment available for rent down in Brighton. It was a little far out from the only two people she cared about and she'd need a job to sustain her living standards, but it was substantially cheaper than anything she could find in London, plus she could actually start working on building a career, as opposed to working her ass off in a dead-end job just to help pay rent.
Moving so far away from everything she knew was equally terrifying and exhilarating, but she could always hop on a roughly hour long train to visit her friends and they could the same. She'd certainly miss how accessible they both were, but the good times were bound to go on, maybe just a little fewer binge eating, drinking and shitty movie watching nights, which would likely do wonders for her health in the process.
There were also great memories, friends to be made, foods to be tried, drinks to be drunk, clubs to be visited and romances to be experienced just waiting for her on the other side. So with great courage and plenty of emotional fluctuation, Rachel was off to the great unknown, a future paved before her and uncharted.
Brighton was a better lifestyle, a happier more content one. Settling in took some time, but once she was, she soon discovered how riveting life by the sea could be. Parties, bars, clubs, young people, peacefulness and an overwhelming feeling of acceptance were just a few things that made this seaside town a haven of sorts.
All frets Rachel had once had of moving to a place she hadn't visited since she was a child quickly dissipated upon discovering just how liberating living here could be. Making friends came easier than she had thought it to be because everyone was so friendly, too friendly, a stark contrast from the miserable grumpiness of London; eight million people and it could still feel like the loneliest place in the world.
The three bedroom house with a garden and a basement that she shared with two other lovely people, was nice, spacious and airy, plenty of light. It didn't take them too long to decorate it and make it homely, leaving her mark on it. Her ensuite room was on the top floor and she filled her closets with all her favourite clothes, filled the air with the relaxing scent of incense and filled every one of her walls with posters and pictures of friends.
Finding work that would progress her career was also surprisingly much easier, if lower paid than it might have been in London. She might have to move back to London in future if she wanted a higher pay package, more perks and career progression, but for now this was a small price to pay for cheaper and easier living conditions.
Even the weather seemed brighter in Brighton, perhaps explaining the name.
Nocturnal as she was, work plus an added sense of value encouraged her to wake up earlier than she usually would and instead of taking public transport everywhere, she made it a habit to ride, walk or jog to work every day, for what would be the beginning of a healthier lifestyle.
Smoothies made with fresh fruits she picked up at the markets or grew in her garden, became her pride and joy and she made it a routine to spend Friday and Saturday nights out on the town, widening her pool of friends and romantic run-ins, as such, her group of friends grew, as did her romantic escapades and one day she bumped into a familiar face at a house party.
Whether due to a lapse in memory or obscured by alcohol, she initially didn't recognise them, a woman she had met before, a woman she had had a fairly close relationship with in the past and with her was a friend.
The woman recognised her first and approached her, which
