The Call of the Past

Name Change

"Seriously? Our last name is going to be Buckley? Why not something that sounds like we are from the 1800s." Melinda turned to look at her brother.

"Yes. It was the first one that came to mind. So, quit complaining. Besides, did you come up with a name idea yet?" She asks, pen in hand. She was holding the stacks of paper close to her chest. Elijah huffed out a groan. Despite being 21 he still acted like a 15-year-old.

"It's a stupid name but I guess it works. I chose Evan. Evan Maddox." Melinda shook her head softly with a smile. "It's not a stupid name."

"Yes, it is, Melinda!" He hissed back at his sister. He huffed and combed his blond hair back, hands shaking just a little. The events of last week had been...hectic to say the least. "It makes me sound like someone who is a snotty brat. The last Evan I met was a snotty brat."

"That's because he was going through a hard time, you know that." She said back calmly. Her soft hazel eyes met her brother's bright blue ones, seeing the pained glimmer in them at the mention. "Anyways, I chose a name. Maddie Jane." She said, shifting the focus onto something else for her brother's sake.

Elijah's eyes lit up. "That is a really pretty name. I like it. So, Evan and Maddie?" He asks, making sure they both are ready for this. Melinda didn't give a verbal response but instead, she set the stack of papers down on the closest desk and signed the paper with Maddie Jane Buckley at the bottom. She gave her brother a small smile before stating, "It's done, no going back now."

Elijah nodded and gently took the pen she gave him and sighed off Evan Maddox Buckley at the bottom of his paper. He stood up strong with a huff and a smile tugging at his lips. "So, where to now, Maddie?" He asked, the name feeling foreign in his mouth for the time being.

She looked at Evan and shrugged. "Wherever we want to. This is our freedom. We earned this." The smile on her face mirrored her brother's, the same gleam in their eyes as they looked out the window of the small building in Grandview, New York.

"I heard Pennsylvania is a beautiful place. Maybe we can go there." Evan suggested, eyes focusing on the sunset. The duffle bag he had next to his feet soon went back into his hands as he reached down to grab it.

Maddie reached down and grabbed her bag as well before turning to face him. "Then let's start driving so we can get there sooner. It's about a three-hour drive."

Evan nodded and started leaving the building to the car. He tossed his bag in the back seat before getting ready to get into the passenger side. But just then, Maddie stopped him with a question. "Hey, why don't you drive this time?"

He turned and looked at her. "Really? You're gonna let me drive this car?" She just nodded and tossed him the keys which he swiftly snatched out of the air. He then went and pulled his sister into a hug before getting into the driver's side.

And with that, they pulled out of the parking lot, on their way to Hershey, Pennsylvania. A place of freedom for them both, and hopefully a new start to their lives.

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Huge shout out to walkingtheskys for helping me with this idea!