As we drived through the town, it got weirder and weirder.
"What's with all the empty stores?" I asked Aurielle.
"It's been that way since I was seven. I always wanted to just go inside them, but my dad is WAY too over-protective. Plus, it's against the law." She chuckles at her own joke. I laugh too, it was kinda funny.
"Mrs. Windson? Can you please pull up in the back of my apartment building? I usually go up the fire escape instead of the front door, because we have this one neighbor and she always stops to talk to me and I usually try to avoid her because I'll be stuck there for an hour." Aurielle asks my mom.
My mom giggles, then says sure. I don't think I've ever seen anyone actually USE a fire escape.
We pass a Wendys, and then pull into the place right next to it, a tall, rickety, brick building. I don't trust Aurielle climbing up in this thing.
"Are you sure this is safe?" My mom asks Aurielle. I nod, about to ask the same question.
"Oh, Mrs. Windson, it's totally safe, it was inspected yesterday by the fire department." We pull into a parking spot.
"Alex, why don't you go and walk Aurielle out?" I agree, and both me and Aurielle climb out of the mini van. It's really dark back here, with the smell of burgers. Very eerie.
Aurielle starts climbing up the old, black, metal steps. "You coming?" she motions towards me.
"Really, Aurielle?" I cry to her. I start climbing with her. She was at least 4 steps ahead of me. We must've climbed for at least 12 stories when we finally stopped. Aurielle got a key from a planter box and opened the window.
Aurielle pushed back her white, lacy curtains. "Alex, welcome to Fort De La Aurielle Kanfold, FDLAK for short. Or Echo Base. Whatever floats your boat." It was a completely white room, but it was covered in One Direction posters, a whole ton of what seemed to be family pictures and large photos of her in various dance costumes, and lots of drawings.
I point towards the dance pictures. "You dance?"
"No, they're just random girls that all look like me." She laughs. "Look Alex, I had the most fun I've ever had in...pretty much forever. See you at school tomorrow?"
"Well I'm not sick, and I don't have any other plans for tomorrow, so yeah, school tomorrow." I say back.
"Bye, Alex." She gives me a bear hug, and I hug back. She then unfolds a card table chair, and continues to climb onto the chair, and then into her window.
"Bye, Aurielle." I start going down the stairs, and my throat gets dry.
Those 2 words were the hardest words I've ever had to say.
Ever.
