Forgotten

Chapter 2

The cold air starts to fill my car and I don't even bother to turn up the heat.

It's over. It's really over.

I still remember how it started. The laughing. The flirting. The kissing. We fell so far in love, we never thought it would be possible to get out. But as that hole got deeper, the light started to get farther away. Some days were bright, but those days came less and less often. Soon, the light was gone and we were struggling to keep everything together; or more specifically, keep us together.

The honeymoon phase seemed to end too fast. The kissing and flirting turned into fighting and screaming. We knew it would never work but neither of us wanted to admit it.

I turn onto my gravel driveway and turn off the car. The air outside is crisp and cool. My house key doesn't go directly into the key hole and I get so frustrated I just sit and cry.

The wind starts to pick up again and I am absolutely freezing. The key actually goes in on the first try this time. My house is dark and cold, only making me feel worse.

I go straight into my room and change into sweats and a T-shirt. My bed doesn't bring much comfort when he's not here with me.

How did I even get into this mess? This heartbreak? This pain?

Oh yeah, I remember.

*2 years earlier*

I pause after the young woman standing behind the desk gives me back my boarding pass. Tears come back into my eyes when I see my mom, dad, and little sister standing in the crowded airport waving goodbye. My little sister, Scarlett, is crying into her old stuffed monkey. In her other hand is my moms comforting hand.

"It's okay Audrie. We can call them right when we land." Paige rubs my shoulder and gives me a look saying "we have to go now" but it is also sympathetic.

Paige has been my best friend ever since seventh grade. She stayed with me through everything. Even when I started online schooling halfway through my freshman year. That was when most of my friends left me and stopped talking to me because... I don't really know why.... probably because they thought it was weird, or different. But Paige was there with me every step of the way and she supported me in everything that I did.

Some people push past us and look at us with obvious annoyance. I give one last wave, then walk with Paige down the hallway to the plane.

We are leaving our hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, for San Francisco, California.

Paige was offered a job as a chef on one of the insanely expensive tour cruses. They go on, get a tour of the San Fancisco Bay, (including fancy meals, professional photographs, and more stuff that costs way to much money) then they get off. She went to a culinary school over summer and for another full year, so she deserves better, but this is a great start for her.

When she got the offer she spent hours begging me to apply for jobs in the Bay Area. I, being very easy to convince, gave in and started searching.

We spent hours of searching, days of applying, and weeks of waiting. finally, I got offers for three different jobs:

-rehab home for girls ages 13-18

-paid internship for clinical psychologists

-suicide hotline helper

Sounds kind of... odd, right?

I was able to finish high school early because with online schooling, you can work whenever. So I decided to work at it everyday year round, so ended up finishing high school when I would've been a junior. Right away I started college online.

I worked diligently through Paige's last years of high school, and first year of college until I got my bachelors degree in psychology.

All of the job offers I got were amazing, but the one that I chose was the suicide hotline. I knew that I would be able to help people directly, and that was what made me truly happy.

And I had used that hotline more than once in my life... and it was incredible how much it could help.

Paige and I quickly found an apartment that would work for our budget, and we set the date we would be leaving. It came so fast. I was always so excited to be free, but I never knew goodbye would be this hard.

We bought our tickets together, so our seats are right next to each other. My crying is starting to subside, and I can finally relax.

"Don't worry, Audrie, this is really great for us." She is so excited and I don't want to ruin this for her.

"Ya. It is. I'm feeling much better now." I wipe under my eyes and give her my most convincing smile.

"You'll feel better when we land." She looks at me reassuringly and smoothed out her dark brown hair that falls just above her shoulders. "And who knows, maybe a really hot guy will sit right next to you." Paige whispers and giggles lightly.

"Yes, because I am going to fall in love with the guy who sits next to me on the plane. You are so realistic." We both laugh a little until a young man that I estimate to be around 21 sits down right next to me.

I look at her and mouth "oh my god" and she nods her head really fast.

"Hi girls." He smiles and gives us a small wave. His dark brown eyes literally sparkle, and they match perfectly with his black hair.

"Hi" we say back quickly and at the same time. We probably sound way to excited.

"I'm Chris." Puts his right hand forward and I reach out quickly to shake it, and Paige does the same.

"I'm Audrie." I say trying to stay as calm as possible.

"And I'm Paige." she says directly after me.

"It's nice to meet y-" he starts to say but Paige quickly cuts him off.

"Audrie is single." she points to me and smiles widely, so proud of what she has done.

"Uh, umm." He looks confused and kind of worried. She just made it so awkward.

"Sorry about her. We are moving and I'm getting nervous, she is just trying to make me feel better." I try to explain, in hopes that he won't figure out that I am probably the most desperate girl on this plane.

"Oh,... ok. I have a girlfriend anyways." He smiles awkwardly and clears his throat.

This is awful.

He pulls about a thick book and starts reading, eliminating himself from our conversations.

The flight attendants start explaining the safety procedures, and after a few minutes have passed, the plane starts to slowly pull away from the airport. The plane takes it's time getting to the runway until we are eventually moving down a wide, empty road.

We start moving fast, too fast. This is the worst part. The plane shakes and rattles, I always feel like it is going to fall apart at any second. Finally, the plane lifts into the air, and within just minutes, we are flying above the white, fluffy clouds.

The rest of the flight is uneventful, as expected. I fall asleep on Paige's shoulder for an hour or so, listen to music, read, or just sit quietly. Chris takes out his laptop, once we reach elevation, and stays on it the whole flight.

I let Paige put my long, light brown hair into a braid to save her from her own boredom.

After hours upon hours of waiting, we finally land in San Francisco.

The voice of the captain comes on the speaker, "Hello ladies and gentlemen, we have reached our final destination of San Francisco, California. We hope you enjoyed your flight with us. Have a great evening."

This is it. This is the start of a new life.

And I can only pray that it will all go well.