Fly Away *ON HOLD*

Chapter 5: The Beginning of The End

4 years ago....

"C'mon Marisol, I'm sure you can convince your parents to let you come." There was a pause from the other side of the phone. Then a sigh.

"I don't know Laci. It would be a big step for me to be able to go with you to California. No to mention the fact that Sterling would be coming with us," I heard the disapproving tone in her voice.

Ever since Marisol had to miss Mom's funeral and not be able to be there for me when it happened, she had become more serious about things. I remembered the day she had gotten home from traveling to Canada to be there for her cousin's graduation. The Jones had cut their trip short a few days because Marisol insisted on being here. It had been about 4 days after the funeral when she came back. I remember crying to her all day and letting her be the best comfort she could be. The next day, I woke up with a feeling of peace. I hadn't been troubled over my mom's death at all since then. It was as if letting everything out to Marisol helped me. Since then, I hadn't had any horrible feelings or breakdowns over Mom's death. Everything had pretty much gone back to normal since then. The only thing was I hadn't seen Dad much. He was always out on business trips up in Canada or working. When he was home though, he always went straight to his study.

"Laci?" Marisol's voice broke me from my thoughts.

"Sorry...what were we talking about again?" I asked, embarrassed for forgetting. She sighed.

"We were talking about how its a bad idea to bring your boyfriend on a trip." I rolled my eyes and picked up the water bottle sitting next to me on the porch and took a pull.

"I'm surprised you two haven't done it yet." I choked and coughed up water. After a few moments of coughing and disbelief, I regained my composure.

"Marisol! You know its not like that. You know me!" I was surprised by her bluntness. This conversation had never come up before.

"Well I'm just saying, a trip with only one adult, a 25-year-old at that, is the perfect advantage!" she exclaimed. The 26-year-old she was referring to was Alice, a college student attending in Seattle who had moved here about a week after my mom died. Alice was incredibly amazing for someone almost twice my age. She acted like a 16-year-old. Very immature and fun around me but when needed, she could be an adult. Alice occasionally hung out with me when Dad was off. We had become really close friends. When Dad had offered to take me to the beach in California this year then found out he was busy, Alice volunteered to take me. Dad adored Alice. He thought she was the perfect role model for me and blah blah blah. Of course he said yes. I also got him to let me take a few friends. So there Marisol and I were, me trying to get her to come.

"Alice is very responsible, Marisol. And to clear up this topic of having a boyfriend come with me on a trip, I am a-a virgin and plan to stay that way for a while, thank you very much! Besides, Sterling knows me and knows I'm not like that," I added.

"Good. Well, I guess if you feel that way and think everything will be fine then...I'll try to get my parents to let me go," Marisol muttered.

"Yes!"

"Shut up," she grumbled. I laughed a little then noticed a particular brown-haired, blue-eyed boy walking over to me.

"Hey, I gotta go, so we'll talk later, ok?"

"K, Bye!" I hung up and got to my feet. Sterling picked up his face until he was right in front of me. I was just about to open my mouth to say "hi" when he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder.

"Sterling!" I screamed. He laughed and started running to the back of my house. "Put me down Sterling!" I laughed a little. Sterling's hands were on my waist and then I was sitting on one of the steps that led up to our tree house in front of him. He smiled at me, his sea blue eyes twinkling. I crossed my arms over my chest and fake-pouted. Sterling chuckled. Then he put his hands on either side of my head on the rough bark. I ducked before he could plant a kiss on my lips and started up the ladder.

"Laci!" I heard him whine. I giggled and disappeared into the tree house. A few moments later, Sterling's head popped in the door. I patted the beanbag next to the one I was seated on. Instead of sitting next to me, he gently pushed me onto my back so that he was hovering over me. A smirk lit up his face.

"Gotcha," he whispered before connecting his lips with mine. I kissed him back for a second before pushing him away. We rolled so that I was straddling him.

"No fair, Lace," he said. I laughed and leaned down to kiss him. My hair fell around my face and onto him.

"Laci," Sterling murmured against my lips. I sighed and rolled off of him onto my back.

"Yes Sterling?" I said while looking at the ceiling. Sterling propped his arm under his head so that he was looking at me.

"I love you."

"Sap," I said with a giggle before responding with, "Love you too." He pulled me into his arms. After a few moments of silence I announced, "Marisol is coming to California with us."

"Ok," he murmured into my hair. I got up and walked over to the iPod dock we had set up on the corner table. I fiddled with the iPod. Our favorite songs were put into a playlist. I selected it and then went back to the comfort of Sterling's arms. We sat in the afternoon sun listening to the music.

~~~~

"Laci!!!" My dad's voice rang out, snapping Sterling and I out of our pace. I groaned and got up.

"C'mon," I said offering a hand to Sterling. He ignored it and got up himself. I stuck my tongue out at him before disappearing down the ladder. He followed. I ran to the front yard with Sterling at my heels.

There, in the street sat Sterling's dad waiting in his truck with a flustered face. I looked over to my dad on the front porch with the same face. Before I could say a thing, Sterling grabbed me by the waist to pull me in. After a short kiss, he said, "See you tomorrow!" and got into the truck. I smiled and waved as he drove away. Little did I know that I was not going to see him tomorrow. Or the next day. Or even the next week.