A Chance at Life

LA Bound

Our flight was at 3 so we were expected to be there earlier that we needed to be. I also had the task of avoiding Shelby's parents in the airport.

I had Mrs B and Marty with me to send me off on my way. I couldn't meet up with Emily yet since Shelby had to be there first but I knew they weren't too far around the area. I had to wait for Emily to message me that it was safe to go so we sat and ate some food while we waited.
"Do you think they've left yet? I want to say bye to Shelby" I hear a loud crash come from behind us and see Fatin picking up the rack of magazines that was on the floor.
"Jesus fucking Christ"
"Hey guys!" She looks over and waves at us.
"Why are you here?"
"I'm so sorry sir, I just wanted this here. Thank you" she walks over to us with her newly bought magazine. "I came to say goodbye"
"Leah isn't with you?"
"She's with her family, I don't know some day out thing. You didn't think you could leave without saying bye did you?"
"I said goodbye to you on Friday"
"No, you passed out and as you left you said bye I'll see you Sunday" I look at Marty and she nods.
"You did say that"
"Of course I did, well...it's nice to have you here" Fatin sits next to me and starts to read her magazine.

I sit watching a movie on my phone until Emily starts to call me. "Hello?"
"Hey Shelby's parents have just left"
"Thank God, I was getting bored"
"You know where we are right?"
"Yeah Shelby told me where you'd be"
"See you soon" I get up and grab my stuff, dragging my suitcase along to the seating area Shelby said they would be at. I see them and Shelby gets up and runs towards me.
"I've miss you!" She throws herself into my arms and hugs me tight. I nearly fall over but catch myself as she lets go. "I'm so excited"
"Guys we have to go now" Emily says as she collects her things.
"Okay, come here" Mrs B pulls me into her arms and squeezes me tight. "I'll miss you"
"I'll miss you all" Marty and Fatin join in and Shelby piles in after. After the group hug, I grab my stuff and we walk off.

The flight wasn't too bad, no screaming children and no annoying people. I got a seat with Shelby since it was my first time flying and we watched a movie she downloaded on her iPad. We arrived around 6 in LA and we got a taxi to take us to our new home.

"Eli don't run off, you need to help!" Emily chases after her brother while we unload the car. "Elliot! Come back, you don't have the keys!"
"Are you ready?"
"Whenever you are" I kiss her and we walk towards the door. "This place is huge"
"Fatin would be jealous"
"Her aunt has to be like a billionaire to just casually have this"
"Millionaire, I had no idea until grandma passed" Emily comes back out to grab her bags. "Eli come help! Tiny needs to be taken out of the car!" He speeds past and grabs the cat from the car.
"I feel like I went from economic to first class with housing"
"Welcome to home away from home" Shelby kisses my cheek and we walk inside.

The entrance of the house was double the size of the lounge and kitchen put together back in Texas. There was a chandelier hanging down and there was a pair of staircases going up to the second floor. I put my suitcase in the hall and Shelby holds my hand pulling me around the house. "Emily this is huge"
"I told you it was big"
"Big doesn't cut how big" We walk into the kitchen and it's a white and black marble all the way through.
"There's a home cinema downstairs"
"Downstairs?" Emily takes us to a door which opens up to an elevator. We all get in and she takes us to the basement. When the doors open we're all shocked at how nice the place is. "Is that a wine cellar?"
"Classy woman. I like your aunt" Shelby smiles and looks through the cellar door.
"That means the cinema is this way" We walk through a dark hall and it opens up to a small cinema with a bar and an empty food stand.
"Who does your aunt have round to have this down here?"
"She used to host parties a lot...I guess it was for the guests?"
"Does she even have kids?"
"No, I guess she just enjoys playing host"

We go back up to the main entrance and go upstairs. We pick our rooms and Emily takes her brother to his. "We can finally share a room!"
I put our suitcases down and throw myself onto the bed.
"This bed is huge"
"Queen sized"
"Perfect for us" Shelby jumps next to me and cuddles up.
"I'm so happy to be here with you"
"I love you Shelb"
"I love you too"
Emily comes by and knocks on the open door. "Hey we're going for a walk, do you guys want to come?" I look at Shelby and she nods.
"Yeah let's go"

The house was a 15 minute walk to the coastal front and we walk around browsing around to see how we were going to spend the next month of free time.
"Hey my aunt has a set of courts outside so we don't have to go far to play some basketball"
"We didn't even check outside"
"Shelby, we live there now. We have all the time in the world to see the backyard" I stop at an ice cream store as the others continue to walk off.
"Hey Eli! Do you want ice cream?" He comes racing back and stands next to me staring at the flavours.
"Can I have chocolate?"
"Eli your manners?" Emily shouts at him from down the sidewalk.
"Please..."
"Sure" I buy the ice cream and we walk back to the girls.
"Got everything?"
"Yep" I lick my own ice cream and Shelby steals it off me. "Hey!"
"Sharing's caring, Toni" Eli says laughing as he's eating his own.
"Yeah Toni, Sharing's caring" Shelby mocks him and I nudge her arm making her drop the ice cream. "Toni!"
"Well no one can have it now can they" I laugh and pick up the cone and put it in the trash.

We get home around 9 and I'm laying in bed watching tv with Shelby when her phone begins to ring. "It's my dad"
"It's also a FaceTime call"
"I'll just ignore him, say I was sleeping"
"And he'll be on the first flight over here" I get up and start to get dressed as Shelby answers the phone. She grabs my arm pulling me back on the bed.
"Hey daddy"
"Hey Shelb. Just checkin' in, how is everything?"
"It's good, this house is huge. Bigger than ours"
"It's a gift from God that you get to live in such a place. Remember to find a church"
"Yep. We haven't really left the house since we've been back so I'll have a look tomorrow"
"We'll come over when your brother and sister finish school"
"Sounds good"
"Remember to-"
"Eat healthy and exercise. Don't worry, its all on the list of things to do" There's a voice in the background from the phone, calling her dads name and Shelby looks up at me.
"Just checkin', I got to go your mom just put on a movie. I love you pumpkin"
"Love you too daddy" he ends the call and she sighs.

I hold out my hand and she holds it and pulls me to her. "I think I'm ready"
"Hmm?"
"To tell my dad"
"Tell him what?"
"About us. About me"
"Shelb..." I sit up and look at her. "You know he won't accept you, you'll lose everyone you love"
"Not everythin', I have you. I have my friends"
"Your family?"
"You're my family"
"Your church"
"I'm already going against everythin' they believe" she sits up and takes off her necklace. "This is just another reason to leave. I will always believe in God but the path he chose for me...isn't the one I want to follow. To marry a man and have children? I can't marry a man when I love you" I watch as her eyes fill tears as she holds the cross in her hands. "I can't be with you and fulfil the aspirations my family have for me"
"Are you sure you're ready?"
"I think so..."