The connection - New beginnings

Chapter two - Homecoming

Alex

We pulled onto the drive and immediately the door flung open to reveal an excited Natalie running towards me. I had flashbacks to when she'd done the same thing after my stint in therapy. I quickly shook the memory away as I exited the car and engulfed her in a hug.

"Oh my god Alex I've missed you so much" she squealed 

"I've missed you too, I'm so happy to see you" 

"You girls fancy giving me a hand with these boxes" mum called as she began to unload the car.

"Don't worry Mrs Morgan I've got Lucas inside ready to use his manly muscles so us ladies can relax. Come in I've just made some coffee" she smiled as she took the box from my mums hand and passed it to Lucas who had appeared in the doorway.

"Hey Alex, welcome home" he grinned.

"Hi Luc, thanks for helping us out here, you sure you don't need a hand?" I questioned.

"Absolutely not, we've got some serious catching up to do" Natalie wagged her finger at me as Lucas let out a chuckle.

Me and Natalie headed into the living room and relaxed on the sofa as Lucas busier himself with taking boxes to my room. I knew better than to argue with my best friend and I was glad to get some one on one time with her after so long apart.

"So shall I get right into everything that you've missed now or did you want me to ease you into it a bit later?" She smirked at me whilst raising her brow. I know she'd been keeping certain details from me during our calls and I was actually grateful for that. Moving away had given me the fresh start that I needed and I didn't want my past to come back and haunt me now I was home.

"Actually Nat I'm good, I really don't want to know" I shot back knowing exactly what, or who she wanted to update me on"

She eyed me suspiciously "you honestly don't want to know? I mean I think it's great that you've moved on and that you're happy but don't you think pretending they don't exist is a bit unhealthy?"

I knew where she was coming from but it wasn't entirely true. I hadn't been pretending they didn't exist. 

"I'm not pretending they don't exist" I protested 

"Not what it looks like to me" she huffed in disapproval.

"What do you want me to say? I'm not happy for Nate and his new girlfriend? I'm actually glad he's moved on. He deserves to be happy" 

"How do you know about Julia? Did he tell you? Are you still in contact?" Questions tumbled out of her mouth, as if I'd expected any different from her. She had always been a dog with a bone.

"No I haven't spoken to him. I haven't spoken to either of them since the day I left but I've got social media Nat, Julia went to our school, it's hardly a big secret" 

She shot me an apologetic look "shit sorry I didn't even think you were still active online. I should have warned you about them"

"It's fine. I'm not really active online, I just get curious about things here sometimes that's all" I sighed.

"I get that. I know it was hard for you to leave everything behind"

"Yeah I guess" or at least everyone I thought to myself.

"So are we going to talk about the elephant in the room?.....Chase?"

I let out another sigh and rested my head back on the sofa.

"He's not online so I'm guessing you've not had an update on him?" She offered up a sympathetic smile knowing what she'd said was true. I hadn't heard anything from Chase since I'd left and I knew full well he wouldn't be on any sort of social media platform for me to keep tabs on him. He was gone from my life, that's all I knew.

"Well there isn't too much to tell I'm afraid. He's barely around, I'm pretty sure he was home schooled for most of senior year. Even Chloe moved back home shortly after you left, guess she couldn't help him"

"Why are you telling me this!?" I snapped out of nowhere catching us both off guard. 

"Hey I'm not trying to upset you. I thought you'd want to know. He was a big part of your life and I know you Al, you'll be wondering how he is, if he's okay" 

"You're wrong. I've moved on. I'm with Zac now" 

"Okay okay I get it, sorry I brought it up. I just thought you'd want to know that's all"

"Well I don't" I huffed as I stood up from the sofa and paced around the room trying to shake the uneasiness from my thoughts.

"All sorted ladies, all boxes and your suitcase are in your room" Lucas interrupted from the hallway.

"Thanks Lucas" I offered a small smile feeling slightly awkward at my heated exchanged with Natalie. 

"I guess we'll leave you to unpack and settle in. I'll catch up with you tomorrow if you like and make some plans for the week?" Natalie asked tentatively.

"Yeah that sounds great. Thanks Nat...and sorry about before" 

She pulled me in for a hug "you don't need to apologise, I'm just glad you're home"

"Me too" I half lied as we said our goodbyes and I closed the front door behind them. I headed up the stairs to my room and surveyed my surroundings. Boxes covered every available surface. Guess I better start unpacking. After an hour I was almost done and finally made it to the final box. I opened it up and retrieved the photo inside of me and Natalie and placed it on my nightstand. I returned my attention back to the box and pulled out the blue shoebox resting it on my lap. I ran my hands over the lid and let out a sigh. I couldn't bring myself to look inside. Instead I opened my closet and placed it on the top shelf. Out of sight, out of mind. At least that's what I kept telling myself.