The One That Got Away.

Chapter 4: The Last Time.

Sometimes the saddest moments of your life, stay with you forever. Even if it's the last. When you love somebody, whether it's a friend, family member, or significant other, cherish it. Every moment. Because you never know when it'll be the last time you'll ever see them. I wish I did that with my mother. But I always thought that she never wanted to spend time with me. 

I would always spend all of my time with Eric, because I loved him. But like I've mentioned before, I didn't know it at the time. 

One of the worst things a human can do, is rip you away from the person or thing you loved the most. For me, it was both. 

It was one of the last Friday's of 5th grade. I had gone over to Eric's that day. The second the last bell of the day rang, we almost did what we always did. What we always did was we grabbed our backpacks, pushed in our chairs, grabbed each others hand, and ran all the way to Eric's house. The moment we got there, we would throw our backpacks on the ground and run upstairs to his room. And we would just play. Play until I had to go home, or until we had to go to bed. 

But for some odd reason, that day was different. I was really off. And I didn't know why. No matter what I did, it just seemed so wrong. All of it. 

"Avery, are you alright?" I jumped. 

"Hmm? Yeah yeah I'm fine." I said.

"You look like you're about to throw up. Do you need me to tell the teacher?" Asked Eric.

"No, no Eric I'm fine. But, can I tell you something?" I asked.

"Yeah sure, you don't even need to ask Avery."

"Everything  just seems really wrong today... I can't explain it. But I don't think I can go to your house today.. I just need to be home today, okay? I'm really sorry Eric but, If feel like something bad happened." I said

"Avery, don't apologize. It's not like we don't spend everyday together. If you need to be home today then go for it." Eric answered.

"Thank you Eric." I gave him a hug.

Later that day, when school was over, I didn't even stop to say goodbye to Eric. I just ran out of my classroom and ran home as fast as I possibly could. When I arrived, I froze. Words couldn't describe the shock that took over my body. There were police cars, ambulances, and firetrucks, surrounding our home. I ran inside. There was yellow caution tape everywhere. And men that I didn't know covering every inch of my house. I couldn't find my father. 

"DAD?" I yelled. "Dad where are you?!"

"Excuse me miss, you can't be in here." A fireman said.

"This is my house! I need to find my dad." I said in panic, on the verge of tears.

"My apologies miss, right this way." The man started walking upstairs, and I followed.

There he was, sitting in his room on his chair, drinking a beer with tears streaming down his face, and his hair a mess.

"Dad!" I yelled while running towards him.

His expression was empty. There was no emotion in his eyes. He didn't even look at me.

"DADDY LOOK AT ME!" I yelled in front of his face.

Moments later, his eyes slowly turned to mine.

"Daddy what's going on? Why is there men everywhere? Where's mom?"

My father just sat there. After I asked the last question, his lip started to quiver. And he pulled me into a hug, sobbing.

"Daddy, where is mom?" I asked in what turned into a worried tone.

Tears started to fill up in my eyes. My father pulled away from me, and looked me dead in the eyes.

"Avery I love you so much. And I'm so sorry to tell you this, but your mother is, dead..."

The words could barely escape his mouth. 

I fell on the floor. I couldn't process what he had said. I didn't want to. But I knew it was true. I covered my mouth and started sobbing. I nearly passed out.

Without saying anything, I ran downstairs almost falling.

"Ma'am, are you alright?" Said that same fireman. 

"How did she die? WHAT HAPPENED HERE?" I yelled, starting to sob. 

My father ran downstairs and found me. He held me in his arms and told me it was going to be okay.

"Honey, there was a huge fire in the kitchen. Your mother couldn't escape."

That's all my father said, sparing the details. 

Our kitchen was different than others, it was more like a room. It had a door and everything. It was a very big kitchen. So I wasn't surprised that she couldn't escape. 

That day was the worst day of my life. We attended her funeral a couple of weeks later. 

At the funeral, I saw Eric. The second I saw him, I ran towards him and gave him a hug. I cried in his shirt.

I didn't go to school for about a month. But when I finally arrived once again, everyone kept asking me if I was alright, or if I needed anything. And I couldn't handle it. I snapped.

"COULD YOU PLEASE STOP ASKING ME THAT? MY MOTHER IS DEAD. SO WHAT ON EARTH WOULD GIVE YOU THE IDEA THAT I'M EVEN CLOSE TO OKAY? AND WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME THAT ANYWAY? ALL OF YOU COULD CARE LESS ABOUT ME, RIGHT? CAUSE I'M JUST THAT CREEPY WEIRD GIRL WITH NO FRIENDS?! DON'T PRETEND TO CARE. NOW DO EVERYONE A FAVOR AND GO BACK TO YOUR HOBBIES OF NOT HAVING A LIFE."

Everyone just sat there and closed their mouths. Even the teacher. 

I stopped going to Eric's house. I just went straight home. 

When I got there, I saw two big moving trucks in our driveway. I ran inside.

"Daddy, whats going on?" I asked.

"We're moving. I can't stand to live here anymore. Everything here reminds me of your mother. I can't stand to live in this house anymore, or this town. We're leaving Avery, and we're not coming back for a long time."

I didn't say anything. I just dropped my stuff and ran out of the house. I kept running and somehow found myself in front of Eric's door. I rang the doorbell, and when Eric answered, tears were running down my face and he pulled me into a hug.

"Eric, I'm here to say goodbye."

"W-what do you mean?" Eric asked.

"My father and I are moving. I don't know where, but I know that it's far from here. I don't want to Eric believe me. If I could stay here I would. But there's no changing my dads mind. We will come back, just not for a long time."

Eric and I sat down on his porch. We didn't say anything, we just sat there in silence.

About an hour later, my dad pulled up front of Eric's house. He rolled down his window.

"C'mon Avery it's time to say goodbye." My dad yelled.

I stood up and so did Eric. We pulled each other into a hug and started crying. I pulled away and looked him dead in the eyes.

"I'm going to miss you like crazy Eric. I promise when I come back, your house will be the first place I go to."

Without saying anything more, I walked towards the moving truck and got in. My dad drove off.

"You'll see him again, don't worry." Said my dad.