Coincidence

0 ... prologue

I grab the box labeled "Marcie's art". I step back to the doorway, turning to gaze around my room. the forest green walls, now bare, little tack holes scattered along them. Looking under the window, I see the self-portrait which my mom had helped me paint of myself when I was 14. Taking a deep breath, I turn around and close the door.

I walk down the stairs, gripping the box as to not drop it. "Marcie May, hurry up! it's almost 10."

"Coming momma!" I yell back, blowing a stray hair out of my face. I set the box by the others, before looking at myself in the small white-framed mirror.  I roll the sleeves of my faded, green, long-sleeved shirt, and bend down to retie the laces of my brown boots. Then, smoothing down the flying strands of blonde hair into my braid and pushing my copper framed glasses up my nose, I open the front door. 

---

I check my watch anxiously, the time reading 11:12 am. "Are you sure leaving at 10 was enough time? I don't want to miss my flight." I pout, looking at momma who chuckles before pointing to the airport sign.

"We're just 2 miles away," she calmly says, adjusting her gold dangly bracelets on her arm. "Your flight doesn't leave until 1, we'll make it darling." 

I nod my head, looking down to my lap. I pull the threads of my worn jeans, thinking about everything. I'm leaving Louisiana, my forever town. While I moved around a lot as a child, I'd never left the state, not even for trips. Mom says that all she knows is I was born in Alaska, but was immediately moved here. She lived next to my parents from when we moved in, and raised me as her own after the accident. I'd never had many friends, being too nervous to really open up. I sigh, blinking my eyes to break my anxiety riddled thoughts, pushing my headphones into my ears. 'Gorgeous' by Taylor Swift plays in my ears, as I see the New Orleans airport come into view. We pull into short term parking, and Momma slips on her sunglasses, re-doing her light pink gloss on her lips, before smiling warmly at me. "Ready, pumpkin?"

I sigh, rubbing at my temple before nodding. Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I open the door and step into the blaring sun. I grab my luggage from my mom as we walk over to the airport. "Mar, do you have your medicine?" Momma asks as she sifts through her bag, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Yeah Momma, I do." I sigh, rolling my eyes.

My mom frowns, little lines forming on her forehead. "Don't roll your eyes at me, I just wanna make sure my wittle baby is okay." She jokes, rustling my hair. 

"Momma! Stop!" I laugh, smoothing my hair back down. We walk through the sliding doors, the cool blast of air instantly calming the beading sweat at my forehead. August in Louisiana still manages to feel like the peak of summer, hot as ever. We walk over to the desk as I claim my ticket, and I scoff as my mom not-so-subtly flirts with the man at the desk. "What!" She exclaims, as we walk away, "Even though I'm old I can still get out."

"You're not old, momma." I reassure her. She really wasn't old. She wasn't my real mom, and was 13 when I was born. When she figured out she couldn't have kids, all of her dreams were crushed and her boyfriend at the time left her. Two years later, when the accident happened, she willingly took me into her house, only at the age of 20, and raised me as her own from there on. She was really beautiful too, her natural ginger hair being long and straight, as opposed to my wild blonde hair. Her sharp blue eyes, complementing her hair perfectly, along with her sense of style. She always looked good, and I hated when she put herself down. 

I get pulled into a huge bear hug the moment we reach security, her hand stroking my back as she holds me tight. I wrap my arms around her, inhaling the scent of sugar cookies radiating from you. "Call me if anything goes wrong baby. I'll be there in a heartbeat I promise. Text me as soon as you land. And call me when you get to the apartment. Don't forget to call me every Wednesday and to take care of yourself and to take your medicine ev-"