The Way Back

Chapter 1

Abby shifted her weight on the uncomfortable bus seat. Her long auburn hair was pulled up into a messy bun but tendrils were already escaping in the muggy heat. Her faded t-shirt and shorts were dusty and well worn. She looked out the dusty window, then pulled out her phone. She reread the email for the fourth time. Street vendors leaned in the windows, calling out loudly in Vietnamese, waving meat on skewers. Abby ignored them as she reread the familiar words. She held her phone preciously, lost in thought. 

After years of nothing, Darren had finally reached out to her, replying to a group email she had sent. Abby had only cc'd him on a whim. She had never expected to hear back from him. Too many years had gone by with nothing, so she expected just that. But out of the blue, Darren had reached out and from that- they had been writing to each other every week. Abby read the invitation again. Darren had asked her to come and stay the weekend once she got home. She put down the phone as her heart beat a little faster. What would it be like to see him again? She knew that she would go. She was burning with curiosity about what his life was like now. Could they become close again? 

Abby scanned the rest of the email. It was a work function and he wanted her to come as his plus one. There would be a few other people she had gone to school with and free food and drinks. He almost begged her to come as his date. He'd reminded her it was his birthday too, so she couldn't think of saying no.

Abby smiled and put her phone into her pocket. As the bus came to a stop she shifted her large dusty bag onto her back and exited onto the hot concrete. She breezed past the vendor's shouts and walked into the airport with a faint smile. She went through the motions of checking in and clearing security in a daze. She had been travelling for so long now, she could do it without even thinking.

Her thoughts fixated on Darren. Abby had missed Darren so much over the years. At least she had missed who he had been and what their friendship had been. There had been a time when he had been her everything. But that was a long time ago and they were different people now. She half thought that the emails sounded too good to be true.

Before she knew it, Abby found herself sitting on a plane, travelling back to Canada. Fatigue took over and she slept restlessly. She half dreamt a memory of sitting at a bonfire with Darren, drinking beers and laughing. He had been the absolute best, at one time, before everything changed. She wondered if it was possible for people to revert to their best self?

****A week later

Abby still hadn't gotten used to the feeling of clean clothes every day, not to mention hot showers and comfortable toilets. After a year of backpacking, home felt foreign. She sat at the bus stop and quickly fell into her old habit of people watching. Her friend Larissa, who she loved but hadn't seen in a year complained incessantly next to her, about how her coffee wasn't hot enough and that there was nothing good on netflix right now. Abby loved her, but she felt disconnected. It all just seemed so petty and superficial compared to the places of poverty and desperation she had visited. She knew it was the culture shock talking and in time she would forget and slowly assimilate. But right now Abby felt like a stranger in her own privileged life.

Larissa sat next to her, taking a deep drag on her cigarette. She blew it discreetly away from Abby with an apologetic look. "I'm quitting next week. I swear."

Abby smiled. She'd heard it too many times so she didn't say anything. Larissa was already doing her a favour and she didn't want to ruffle any feathers. When she had told Larissa about Darren's invitation a few days ago, Larissa had squealed with excitement and said that Abby absolutely had to go and she would go with her to make sure she didn't chicken out. Abby had felt instantly reassured. She didn't know what she was getting herself into and it felt safer going with Larissa. If things with Darren didn't go well, they could laugh it off and have fun in the city, just the two of them.