A Long Way From The Playground

CHAPTER 3

The next morning I woke up to the smell of pancakes and coffee and knew that my family was for sure awake which sucked big time. Peeling off the clothes I had on from the night before, I grab a pair of pajamas and head across the hall to the bathroom to take a shower and hopefully release some of the stress from my body. I set the temperature to as hot as I could stand it before getting burned, as I looked in the mirror I realized I'm still wearing the necklace Aaron got me at the end of the summer and I unclasp it leaving it on the sink. After about 30 minutes of just standing under the hot water I start actually showering, when I'm done I grab a towel off the rack and wrap it around me grabbing another one for my hair. Drying off my body I grab my lotion from the cabinet and then lather it on before pulling my pajamas on. I grab the necklace from the counter walking back into my room, I drop it into my jewelry box before diving back into bed under the covers. After about 3 hours I hear knocking on my door and then the telltale creaking of my door being pushed open.
"Ryleigh..are you okay?" Donovan asks sweetly, tip toeing over to the bed
"I'm okay baby, sissy is just sad today. Something happened that made me very upset." I reply quietly through my tears. Donovan lifts his tiny hand to wipe away some of the tears that fall and it only makes them come out faster. I uncover myself and pull him into me hugging him tightly. He wraps his little arms around my neck burying into my shoulder before muffling something into my shoulder.
"What did you say Don?"
"Did Aar make you sad? Is that why you're crying?" He says louder. I nod my head before clearing my throat that got significantly tighter at the mention of Aaron's name
"Yeah baby, aaron made me sad. You won't be seeing him anymore Donovan. We aren't together love, that's why your sissy is so sad." I tried to explain it as simply as I possibly could to someone who is only 7 and has no concept of relationships.
"But..but.. you guys were supposed to be together forever, you promised!" He says looking at me with glassy eyes.
"I know baby, I thought we would be together forever too, it's okay to be sad. He was a good friend to you right? It's okay to be sad about losing your friend. Why don't you go downstairs and play for a while and maybe later we can bake something together okay? Can you send mommy up for me please love?" I tell him softly not wanting to get him worked up any more than he already is. He nods giving me one more big hug before running down the stairs yelling for mom. I sit there on the edge of my bed before getting up and walking over to my jewelry box grabbing the necklace from Aaron, turning it over in my hand I pop open the locket part of it looking at the pictures inside letting more tears fall into my lap. I hear a soft knock on the door and I look up to see my mom standing in the doorway.
"Hey love, you ready to talk yet?" She asks, walking over and sitting next to me on the bed, I nod before handing her the necklace and flopping back onto the covers. I take a deep breath before looking at her and told her everything about Aaron and Haley and how he went to her instead of me and how last night he confirmed that we were done and how I broke it off with him.
"Oh my sweet girl, I'm sorry. I wish i knew what to say to help you but i know that you are human and it's going to hurt for a while but you have your family and your roommate and your friends at school to help you through this. It'll be okay." Mom says pulling me into a bear hug, and for once, I didn't believe her.

I spent the rest of Christmas break trying to distract myself from anything Aaron related and when it came time to go back to campus I boxed up anything of his and pulled my brother aside.
"Evan.. can you do me a favor? Everything in this box is Aaron's and he should have it back, can you bring me by his house to drop it off. I'm not going inside, I'm just going to leave it on the porch." I ask pointing to the box on the bed. He nods and I grab the box lifting it up before turning the light off with my elbow. I jog down the stairs and out to the car to put the box down before coming back inside to say goodbye to my family.
"Call us if you need anything baby girl okay? No matter what it is." Mom says pulling me into a hug. I turn and wave yelling goodbye from the car and we set off to Aaron's house. When we pull up i turn to my brother stopping him from getting out of the car.
"I got this, i'll be okay. I'm just dropping the box off, ringing the doorbell and leaving." I told him before turning around to grab the box with his things in it. I open the car door and walk up the steps, leaving the box on the last step i walk past it to ring the doorbell and run back down the stairs to the car. We drive off, heading towards the highway and that's the last time i saw Aaron's house. I promised myself that i would spend the last 3 years of college focused on getting into the academy and then to the FBI.