Before We Fall

Part 1, Chapter 44

Alivia's POV

"I literally feel like I'm gonna die." Sky slumped against my arm, beads of sweat forming on his brow.

Arizona in April is hot. Unless, of course, you grew up there, and aren't fazed until it reaches 115 degrees. Like me.

I gently pushed him away. "It's ninety-five degrees. That's not bad. Besides, it's dry heat."

"Maybe to you. But I didn't grow up on the surface of the sun, so I am slowly dying of heatstroke."

"We landed, like, five minutes ago." We were still walking through the tunnel out of the airport, but Sky was dramatic.

"I definitely have heatstroke."

"I've had heatstroke. Trust me, this isn't it."

He stood up straight, staring at me. "You have? When?"

"When I was thirteen, my dance studio thought it would be a brilliant idea to host our annual dance show outside. In June. In Phoenix."

"Oh, yeah, that'll do it."

"Oh well. Rite of passage for any Arizona kid."

"Almost dying is a rite of passage?" He asked as we walked through the thankfully air-conditioned airport.

"Yes."

"Alivia Taylor Newman!"

I heard Cassie's voice from across the airport. I turned around just in time for her to tackle me, nearly knocking me to the ground.

"How have you been? Oh my god, it has been too long."

"We literally talked this morning. I saw you in August."

"You know what I mean." She grabbed my wrist and started pulling me through the airport. "Come on, Quinn and Mason have been dying to see you."

As overbearing as my best friend can be, I wouldn't trade her for the world.

"Quinnster!" I pulled Quinn into an embrace, before feeling Mason join the party. Their arms wrapped around me felt like home, and I felt myself start crying when they pulled away.

"Bubbas, what's wrong?" Quinn asked, brushing tears off my cheeks.

"I just didn't realize how much I missed you all until I felt what I was really missing."

"Well, the band is back together," Mason chimed in, slinging an arm around my shoulder. "So it can't be that bad."

"Wait, Allie," Cassie started. "Is that your dumb boyfriend looking very lost?"

I glanced over, seeing her point at Sky, who, I had to admit, did look very lost despite everything in an airport being clearly labeled. "Yes," I sighed. "That would be the dumb boyfriend."

As if sensing we were talking about him, Sky look over at us and walked in our direction. "I take it that the three of you are Liv's friends she never shuts up about."

Cassie stuck out a hand. "Probably. I take it you are the boyfriend she never shuts up about."

"Great! You all have something in common already! I never stop talking about any of you," I said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to make my way to baggage claim so I don't have to deal with you all embarrassing me."

"You know we love you, bubbas," Quinn replied.

"Yeah, that's real clear." Loving sarcasm dripped from my voice. I turned around, trying to find where baggage claim was.

"Need an escort?" Cassie asked.

"Not particularly. We still need to check into our hotel before I can do anything with y'all."

"Boring. Text me when you're done with that." She walked away, leaving me alone in the airport. 

Sky materialized behind me. "They're really something, huh?" 

I turned to face him. "Oh, definitely. They're idiots. But they're my idiots." I faced the baggage claim conveyor belt, looking for my suitcase. "I've known them my whole life."  

"That's... dedicated." 

"I agree. But they're all I've known. Quinn has been one of my best friends since we were, no joke, three years old. It's hard to let go of that." 

"Which one is she?" He stepped closer to me, also watching the baggage claim. 

"The quiet one. Well, quieter. She's the only one in our group that didn't grow up a theatre kid, so that checks out." 

I saw my suitcase coming down the converter belt and moved to grab it, sliding it off and setting it down. Every inch of this airport felt eerily familiar, as I'd been here a thousand times. I probably had at this point, with all the traveling I'd done for dance competitions and thespian festivals. But something was felt off now and I didn't know what. Maybe it was all the traveling I'd done in the past seven months, or that I'd gotten older, or that I didn't have Jacob by my side this time. 

I tried to move on. What else can you do? Move forward and forget. I glanced over at Sky, who was somehow struggling to get his suitcase off the baggage claim belt. I rolled my eyes. He was an idiot sometimes, but he was my idiot. A symbol that I had survived the past two years. A symbol that I had fought through hell and walked through fire and saved myself from drowning to somehow arrived wondrously and brutally here. 

I was raised a Christian, and as a little girl in Sunday school, I was taught of Heaven and Hell. Those who follow His word and teachings have a place reserved in Heaven for after they die, where they can watch over their loved ones until they die. And those who don't end up in Hell for all eternity. When was nine, I was terrified that I would end up in Hell alone forever, and Jacob was the one to talk me out of that. 

I like to think he's watching over me, guiding me through life. I haven't been sure of anything in years, but I'm sure of that. 

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religious trauma yayyyy

love you all lots!