Write Me Back By Deborah Escobar

Chapter 2: Renee

Renee

I'm sitting on a bench with a million thoughts running through my head. I don't know what to do! Will he even be here? I never wrote him back. I wonder if he hates me now. I told him I was scared of love! Why would he admit he has feelings for me? I don't know. I told Zain we needed to take a break. I told him I needed to think. He told me there was nothing to think about. He said we were over. So now I'm writing in my song book. I can't read the words from crying. I don't know what's going on around me. I haven't bothered to look for James.

Someone sits down next to me. He has eyes as blue as the sky, dark wavy hair, and two lip piercings under his lip. He looks at me and then goes away. Great, now I'm scaring people.

"Hey." A voice says.

"Hi." I say without looking up.

"What are you writing?" I'm going to smack this kid.

"Nothing." Why won't he leave me alone?

"I wanted to apologize." Oh god. It's Zain.

I look at him. He has warm brown eyes and a gorgeous smile. His hair is sun kissed. He isn't muscular, but he's not scrawny either.

"You want to apologize?" I give him a look.

"Yes. I'm sorry for over reacting, I understand you need to think about this." He shakes his head. "No I don't understand! You've never met this kid! He was in jail Renee! You don't know him. You wrote letters for a few months that's it! He says he loves you and he wants to meet and you say sure! I don't understand! You're afraid to be with someone you know and not afraid to be with someone you don't? I don't get it Renee!" He shakes my shoulders making my book fall out of my hands onto the beach.

"You wouldn't understand! James is different! I don't know what I feel for him, but I want to meet him! I want to know what he looks like and what he sounds like. I want him to tell me what he wrote in this letter..." I grab the crumpled letter out of my pocket. "...to my face!"

"He is just a guy who you wrote letters to!" Zain protests.

"I don't care! He means something to me!" I shout.

"You mean something to me!" His grip on my shoulders tightens. "You mean something to me." He whispers this time. His grip loosens.

"Zain I think we've had enough dramatics today. Please don't make this harder than it already is. We're over, I understand. Please go." I take his hand.

"Fine." He picks up my book and puts it on the bench.

"You mean something to me too." I tell him.

"See at school." Zain walks away.

"Yeah." I look away from him. My mascara is smudged all over my face. I'm a mess. Today is not my day. My chest aches. I can't breath. I stand up and take a deep breath. I start my search for James. I walk towards Cindy and her friend Nellie.

"Oh Renee come here!" Cindy grabs me in a hug. "I'm sorry you're upset. Do you need help finding James?"

"Wait a second Cindy..." Nellies eyes go wide.

"What?" Cindy looks at her annoyed.

"That boy. The boy who sat down with us. His name was James. He was looking for a girl." Nellie looks at me. "We saw him about 45 minutes ago!"

"What?" My heart almost stops. "James was here?"

"Oh my gosh Nellie you're right!" Cindy runs her hands through her hair.

"You have to help me!" I grab Cindy's hand and we spend the next 3 hours looking for James.

"None of these guys are him!" Cindy sits down in the sand in defeat.

"I give up." Nellie sits down next to her.

"I'm going to find him." I keep walking. "I will call you later."

"Good luck sweetheart!" Cindy tells me.

"Thanks!" I walk back to where we started. I sit down on a bench and think. The beach is almost empty. The sun is just about to set. Wait! He knows I love astronomy! He might be waiting until nightfall! I might see him! I have to rush home and get my telescope. Thank god I only live 5 minutes away! Now I have to find my car.

I start walking up the block looking for a black Camry. When I find it I unlock it and jump in. I've never started a car so fast. I drive home as fast as I can and run inside my house.

"Renee is that you?" Crap! My mom is home.

"Yeah Mom just grabbing my telescope!" I run up the stairs into my room.

"Renee I got your report card today!" She yells from downstairs.

"I got straights A's!" I tell her as I'm packing my telescope in my bag.

"Yes I know! I'm so proud honey!" She's waiting for me at the foot of the stairs.

"Thanks Mom." I give her a hug. My mom is 5'10, tan, with shoulder length brown hair. She has pale green eyes.

"We're celebrating tonight. Where do you want to go?" She looks at me. "Honey have you been crying?"

"No, Mom I was playing in the sand. I don't want to go anywhere I just want to see my star." I head out the door.

"Ok sweet heart." She gives me a sad look. "I love you, be safe."

"Love you too Mom." I rush out the door.

"That kid." I hear my mom say.

I run to my car and drive back to the beach. It's already nightfall. The sky is really beautiful. Light is really easy to find. She's beautiful. I love just sitting at the beach watching the stars. It's calming. I grab my equipment and walk onto the beach. It's about 10pm. There is almost no one in sight. I set up my telescope close to where the waves kiss the sand. I love this.

"Hey." A boy walks up to me.

"Um, hi." I tuck my hair behind my ear. I must look scary.

"Whatcha doing?" He asks.

"Just stargazing. I own a star." I smile shyly at him.

"You own a star?" He looks shocked.

"Yeah it's pretty cool." I see a book in his hand. Hope Was Here. My book. I look at him. I found him.