Going back...

chapter 3

Everything is dark, like I'm asleep yet awake all at once, there is a sound of a truck or maybe a car in the back ground. The car seems to come to a stop, I lift my eye lids and see my old house. Nothing has changed, the porch still has paint chips, the roof has bits of rust and the garden is still simple and neat. The grass is green and perfect. There are trees scattered around the house.

"Afternoon sleepy head" someone says beside me. The light is burning my eyes and I almost feel panicked. I new I was coming back, since we been on a plane for hours on end. But being here is a completely different thing.

Memories flood back, Liam pops into my head. I wonder if he knows I'm back. I wonder if he will talk to me. I wonder how he's been going all these years. I've changed from the girl I used to be. I haven't had any visits to the police station since I lived inNew York, it was peaceful and a good change.

"How long have I been out" I asked with curiosity.
"Awhile, I forgot to stop at the grocery store, I'm sure everyone can't wait to catch up" he says chuckling to himself, defiantly not what I want to do right now.

"Anyway, I was thinking, how about I forget about my senior year and start working for you on the farm instead" not knowing how that will go down with mum but, it will defiantly do my social skills a whole lot of good.

My dad just chuckled and got out the car and grabbed his bags from the back of the car.
"Is that a yes" I yell running after him quickly grabbing my bags as well.

"That is a definite no, your mother already wants to skin me alive for taking you, I will never be in her good books again if I let you skip your whole last year of school.

"Whatever, I'm sure you can just wink at her and she will fall back in love" I mutter under my breath, half hoping he will hear me.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that" he says without looking back walking up the wooden steps. There is a mat that says welcome and a rack with a set of thongs and a dusty pair of running shoes. The memory of our shoe rack being over filled with shoes from all my dads friend, my friends and my sisters friends make me feel sad cause of all my friends back in New York. And how everything ended here.

This is not going to be a good year.

_________________________

"Hayley" .....
"Hayley"
"Hayley, where are you, we need some groceries, can you get me some, you can take the car" my dad yells continuesly. A twisting feeling occurs in my stomach. What if I see someone I know there. What if they reconise me. What if I crash the car and die. What if....

"Hayley" my dad says standing in front of me, looking at me with concern and a little bit of humor.

"Yeah, I suppose i can do that, you no... Driving in America we drive on the opposite side to you Australians. Maybe it's best if you drive" I say thinking about it very civilly.

"Hmm, you'll be right, go slow and try not to get all the palm treee, everyone still remembers you no and it's probably not the best welcome home present for the town" he says chuckling and throwing the keys at me.

"Great to know so much happens around here, everyone forgets and forgives your past" I whisper and walk out the door.

The small town of Cairns is a pretty town. It's small with a few shops, a main cafe' and plenty of supply shops. Only in the past few years have council works put in street lights and traffic lights. The town park, is lite up with fairy lights and there are little children with there parents running around everywhere. Anyone would think there was a party going on.

Parking the car in park close to the grocery store I get out and start walking. Last time I walked down this road was in handcuffs with Liam by my side, those stupid memorial features.

Walking into the store and looking around, nothing has changed there are shelves everywhere and it is crammed in like a robbit hole. There is light chatter from other customers but nothing to out there.

"Liam, you no how important this is to my family, why want you come" an annoying voice I know way to well squeeks from a few isles away. Oh no oh no oh no. This can not be happening.
Carla Harris is the girl who reported me to police for everything, she would walk around like she owned the place, she was forever teasing me about being fat and overweight. I'm just really hoping the liam she is talking about is a little brother, her parents have had since I've been gone.
"Carla, I've told you, I've got football, I can't go, Wyatt and Chase also do, don't even ask again or I'll ditch the whole idea of me and you" the other voice I know to well answers very angryerly.
Not even sure what to do, I call my dad. "Hello, are you ok" he asks with worry clear in his voice.

"Yes I'm fine, you didn't tell me what we need" I say in a hushed tone, turning to walk away from the voices of Carla and Liam.
"Oh sorry, milk, honey, maybe some bread if they have the one with blue bag, oh and get me a new razor" my father rambled.
"Umm yeah sure"I say before someone runs into me from behind. I turn around getting angry because I dropped my phone. I look at the girl who did it. Her dirty blond her was in long curls, her eyes were blue and her lips were light pink making her look a little washed out.

She was starring right at me, not even a glance to look what she had knocked out of my hands. Her stare was intence and beating down all the horrible things she has said to me. The twisted feeling in my stomach from before was back and it was doing jumps and leaps all over the place, my mind of going crazy just seeing her again. All the tears she has caused me.

"What's happening" the voice of Liam cuts in on our starring contest. Carla turns around still stunned to see me and takes a few steps back. As liam turns around the corner I turn and pick up my phone.

"Hello dad, are you still there" I start to talk but there was no reply.

"Hayley" someone whispers behind me, I turn so fast my hair is wipe someone in the face. "Hayley" Liam questions again, confused.

I turn around and look at liam, his beautiful blue eyes are exactly the same as when I left. He is now around 6'2 and very muscular compared to last time. His smell is the exact same and I can feel the twist in my stomach become a volcano. My breathing is heavey and my heart is now going way over it's speed limit. He looks like a man. Not the boy I left four years ago. The boy I left was cute and short, he had freckles across his nose and innocence in his eyes. The man standing before me was not that boy, he had a bit of stubble on his chin, his face was tan from the sun, and his shoulders are board and his hair is still soft but shorter than it was 4 years ago.

Without another word, I turning around quickly and heading out the shop to the car, not even caring I didn't get any groceries. I had to get away, I can't look at him or her.

This is going to be a bad year.