Five Words

Chapter 35

~Cher

It is a new day. A new beginning. A renewed motivation. A new blank page. An empty heart.

Okay, who am I kidding? Not an empty heart. I still feel all that I have felt last night, and it is more intensified than ever. I've dreamt about our kiss last night. This only fueled my anger which technically renewed my dying motivation.

I will not dwell upon this. I don't need to, because after he goes away for the trip, I will be all alone in the house. I will go out and enjoy myself without him being the center of my thoughts. I have to wait two more days and then he will be gone for a few days. I will be able to thoroughly clear my mind and truly forget about him.

I have been up since six so I had plenty of time to shower again. I have been able to go up to my room without worrying about bumping into Ace. He goes for his run at seven-thirty and returns at eight, and that is when he passes by my room. Today and every other day that follows will be an exception. I am cool with that. My heart will accept it soon. It is why I am in this mess in the first place.

Anyways, I have changed out of my mother's PJs and into a white Linen Midi dress with tortoiseshell buttons. I have worn my white pair of sneakers because I will be walking a lot today I think. I still haven't decided yet if I want to walk to Natalie's house or ride my bicycle. I take the bag that contains her clothes and my purse and walk out of my room and down to the kitchen.

"Bonjour." Jolie greets me with a smile while she whisks at the pancake batter.

"Bonjour." I return her smile politely, "Où est ma mère? Where is my mom?"

"Elle est partie au marché. She went to the market." She answers me, "Elle va bientôt revenir. She will be back soon."

I nod, "Je vais vérifier les poste. I will check the mail." I tell her and leave the things I am carrying on the couch on my way out.

I open the front door and take out the envelopes from the mailbox. I flip through them until I come across the one that contains the bus tickets for our trip. Well, now his trip and Paulina's.

We are going to go alone at first for a couple of days, and then for the big surprise, Eric will fly out here and Paulina and my mother will follow us when Eric arrives to take him with them. But now...it's just them.

I haven't been looking forward to going on this trip. What I have been looking forward to is the time I will be spending with him and he ruined that. It's for the better is what I say to myself and sooner than later, will believe it.

I continue flipping through them and I find one odd envelope with a red waxed stamp holding the envelope closed. It is enclosed in the old way. The paper itself looks old, similar to the ones in the journal I bought Ace last night. With small cursive letters, the address of our house is written. I turn the envelope in search for more information but there is nothing.

"Are we invited to a ball or something?"

I shake my head as I let out a low chuckle at my own lame jest and walk back into the house. I place the envelopes on the kitchen island and help Jolie with breakfast while I wait for my mom. Jolie and I work in silence. She makes the pancakes and I slice the vegetables and fruits. I make sure to slice mangos because my mom was blabbering about them last night.

"Oh la la." I turn my attention to Paulina and my mother as they walk into the kitchen with grocery bags.

"Everything smells delicious." Paulina comments and she reaches over and picks up a strawberry, popping it in her mouth.

"Aw, baby." My mother hugs me, "You cut mangos."

"I couldn't get your nagging out of my mind." I tease and pull the plate for her.