Come Home

Chapter six - Cole

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BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

I rolled over and slammed my hand down onto the snooze button. You'd think alarm clock companies would try to make their products more appeling by having the wake up sound be church bells or something like that, but no. Instead you have to wake up to an annoying BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! that makes you want to rip your hair out. It's a great start to the morning.

I got out of my bed and started to search for some clothes, because even though I'd like to sleep for another hour, when my alarm rings it means it's 8:30, and when it's 8:30 it means that I have a half an hour before my agent gets here at 9:00 to take me who knows where to talk about who knows what with who knows who for who knows how long.

Yay.

I grabbed a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and was about to go to the bathroom to take a shower when my phone lit up.

The Anniversery

Today: 9:03 PM

Like I needed to be reminded.

I know the exact minute she left, or around it at least. It was the last time she went onto her phone, and the police think that was the last thing she did before she left.

I don't know why they decided to tell me this I mean, do I look like I want to know that the last thing she did beofre she left was check to see if I had called her back? Check to see if I hadn't blown her off? Check to see if I hadn't completly abandoned her in her time of need? It just gave me a time to put on my phone.

Somehow I don't think that was their intention.

I sat back down on my bed, staring at the clothes crumpled in my hand. The day she left was the worst day of my life. Well, tecnecly the really bad part was the day after, but I accociate those memories with that day.

Like when I woke up at noon with a massive hangover and 9 missed calls. Or when I came downstairs to find 2 policemen in my livingroom, asking me questions about the wearabouts of my best friend.

Her mother hadn't even noticed she was gone until the next morning when she came in her room to wake her up for her tutoring. She walked in expecting to find 15 year old girl and instead found a perfectly made bed and a note half hidden under her phone. I've read it so many times its been ingraded into my brain.

Dear Mom, Dad, Alice, Mr. Connors, and Cole,

I'm leaving. I guess thats pretty obvious, seeing as I'm not here, but it still needed to be said. I just wanted to let you know that I'm doing this so I can be happy. I've dug myself into a hole and this is my way out. If I don't leave now I'll fall right back in, and I really don't want to do that. I just want to start over, and this seems like my ticket. I'm sorry, but it will be better, trust me. I'll go to school, I'll make a living, I'll be the person you want me to be, if you just let me go.

Love you,

Hannah

Ps. Mr. Connors, you were a great teacher, and none of this is your fault, I just wanted to tell you that. Thanks for a great year.

Her mother didn't belive that she had left. She thought that she was kidnapped, and the note was just there to put us off of their trail. She still believes that, to this very day. Despite all of the evidence saying that Hannah left us she still belives Hannah wouldn't leave by choice. My daughter is perfect, she said. She had a great life, she said. She wouldn't runaway, she said.

But I knew. I knew the second the note was in my hands. She was gone, and she wasn't planning on coming back.

The worst part is, I don't even know why. I don't know if it was me, or Alyssa, or her mother who loved her grades more than she loved her. She could have just been calling me to tell me she was leaving, to tell me good bye, and that she'd keep in touch. But I think, in the back of my mind, I knew that wasn't why she called.

I remember walking into english on Monday and having kids come up to me and ask me what happened. I just ignored them and walked silently to my seat.

But the look on Mr. Connors face is what broke me. It was a look of dissipointment, like he knew it was my fault.

He never looked at me the same again.

After that, I threw myself into my dance. It gave me something to focus on, something other than Hannah. I stopped hanging out with Alice and Alyssa and started taking more classes. It wasn't long before an agent came up to me and told me he could make me a star. And I agreed.

The first time they shoved lyrics in my face I rejected them, and told them to work with what I wrote. They did, and it wasn't long before I was writing songs completly on my own. I knew it would've made Hannah proud.

I glanced at the clock. 8:45. I reluctently got up and dragged myself to the shower. I knew I should be hurrying, but it's The Anniversiry, and I don't need to hurry on The Anniversiry.

After a relitivly quick shower, I changed into my clothes and grabbed my stuff. I took my own sweet time, ignoring the pounding on the door. When I was eventually ready, I opened the door to find Eric, my agent, with steam pouring out of my ears.

"What the hell Cole! We were supposed to be a breakfast ten minutes ago! We have a schedule to follow! You can't just decide you don't want to partcipate one day and leave us all hanging! "

I just stood there, staring at him blankly.

Realization crossed his face. "Oh, it's today, isn't it."

I nodded once and shrugged past him, heading for the car.

"God dammit Cole! She's been gone for 2 years, she's not coming back. Why can't you let her go! What's so important about her? She's just a girl!"

I turned around, fire in my eyes. "She's not just a girl!" I held his stare, daring him to argue.

He shrugged. "Fine, whatever. Now lets get to breakfast, you're late."

We drove in scilence, each of us accepting the others need for quiet. We eventually arrieved at Grinders Cafe, a quiet place where we often go to talk buisness.

After we both ordered our usual, we grabbed a table in the back. Eric took a sip of his coffee before starting. "We have the first location for project Save a School. Anderson Highschool. It's located in Anderson, Colorado close to the border."

I created project Save a School as a way to find Hannah. The Hannah I knew would never drop out of school, so we searched for highschool from less well known areas. Aperently this one fit the bill the best.

I nodded. "Soundes good."

He sighed. "Look, I'm sorry about what I said before. This is your day and I respect that. Next time just try to be on time, okay?" He smiled lightly.

I just nodded again and turned my attention back to my coffee.

Eric started talking something else, but I lost myself in thoughts about Hannah.

God, this is going to be a long day.

***Note***

It's ok, I know it's awful. I wrote it late last night because I wouldn't let myself sleep until it was done. If any of you have any correction(especially with spelling) please tell me, on this chapter or any of the chapters. I love to hear your feedback :)

Thanks!

~Jade