Island.

Chapter 28

Twenty Eight.

“Are you sure?” Keanu whispered into my ear, as I pushed the key through the lock. His arms were wrapped securely around my waist and he was leaning in, kissing my neck. He was walking me home, and I was going to take him into meet my parents. I was sure this was the right time.

I twisted the knob, and noticed the eerie quietness from the house. They were adamant that they were going to be home today. They practically swore. But there was something off about this. I stepped over the threshold and walked deeper into the foyer.

“Is anyone home?” I called. There was the sound of shuffling footsteps and them my dad poked his head from out of the kitchen. I dragged Keanu along to the kitchen with me and we sat on the bar stool.

“Hey Dad, what’s up?” I asked accepting the glass of juice he offered me and then passing it to Keanu.

“We, um, your mum and I wanted to talk to you.” He said glancing at Keanu.

“Alone.” Keanu made to get up, but I placed my hand on his and quietly telling him to stay.

“Well, it doesn’t seem urgent. Where is mum anyway?” I asked grabbing an apple and taking a bite out of it. I offered one to Keanu but he quietly declined. I could tell that he was nervous. But he didn’t have to be. My parents weren’t going to kill him.

“Take that bag to the front door. I’ll take this one with me.” My mother’s voice floated down the stairs to the kitchen where the three of us sat quietly.

“Ava,” my dad’s quiet voice found its way to my ears. I looked at him expectantly.

“Your mum and I were offered positions in New York, at very prestigious locations. And while Hawaii needs attention, I feel that we have helped out enough here and that it is time to go back to the mainland.”

I just stared at him. Was he crazy? Was he serious? He couldn’t be…he wasn’t. I turned to Keanu but he wasn’t there. The kitchen door was swinging on its hinges. And he was walking up the driveway, going God knows where.

This was what I feared. I feared that I would love someone so much that it ached every time I thought about him. That every time I even said his name a smile would creep up onto my face and stay there because I couldn’t help it. I was scared this would happen. Because I knew it. I knew that I would have to leave it one day. And I didn’t want to.

“Did you see that guy that just walked out of here?” I asked my dad, and my mom who had just walked back into the kitchen.

“I love him. And I know that you’re going to say that I’m naïve and stupid and young and just plain wild. But I do, with every part of me. And I cant even stand the thought of leaving him. But if you feel like you want to leave, then go. But I can’t leave him. And I wont.”

“Ava you can’t be serious.” My mother said, her cold eyes boring a hole through me. She looked at me as if I were a child.

“I am.” I said, throwing my hands up in the air.

“Who is he?” It was my dad who asked.

“Keanu Nahele. He goes to my school. His parents were killed in a fire that he was blamed for. He was nearly killed recently by that same person. And before you give me that ‘he’s bad news’ lecture, just hear me out.”

I looked at them seriously, holding their gaze. It wasn’t easy to tell my parents all of this. It wasn’t easy to say this mushy stuff out loud to be honest, but I had to make them see what I saw. Maybe if they understood why I couldn’t leave, they would be more understanding.

“He’s a good person. People just never gave him a chance because of all of the gossip and the rumors. And I know I always fall a little too hard, but he was always there to catch me.” I could see their disapproving  faces, but what they said at this point didn’t matter. They could leave if they want to. I wasn’t going.

“I’m not leaving Hawaii. I’m just telling you that now so that you know.” I couldn’t wait there any longer, I had to go find him.

It’s a bit dramatic, I know. But the rain poured down on me as I ran out of the house, kicking off my sandals in my haste to leave. I knew exactly where he would be, by our cave. I ran, feeling my chest heave and my lungs burn for oxygen. But I had to find him. My hair flew wildly behind me as I ran, and I slowed down as I neared the cave.

I stepped through the last of the tunnel and nearly gasped. He was just so beautiful. There wasn’t another word for him. My bare feet clattered almost soundlessly against the sandy floor of the cave, but he knew I was there.

“You’re leaving me.” It wasn’t an accusation. It wasn’t a question. He just said it, numbly. He didn’t even turn to look at me. His voice was detached.

“I’m not going anywhere.” My determination to make him believe me burned through my voice, but he still wouldn’t look at me.

“What makes you think that they’d let you? They barely spared me a glance. You think that they would let you stay here for someone like me?” Now his voice had a hard edge to it. It was bitter and remorseful. I didn’t want him to talk about himself like that.

“Ava, I don’t want you to stay here. Look at all the opportunities you have, the strings your parents can pull for you? I cant let you give all of that up because of me, don’t stay beca--” I cut him off by dragging his face down to mine and pressing my lips to his.

I needed him to know I wasn’t leaving. Not after everything that we had been through. Not after we’d seen how beautiful this was, what we had. I couldn’t give it up. And I didn’t care what my parents could get for me. It would all still be there if I ever decided to go back home. But for now, I was more than okay. Financially speaking.

His lips moved with mine, tenderly slow. I ran my fingers through his long hair, framed his face, he had to understand. I couldn’t just let him go. We pulled apart and I rested my forehead against his. How can I convince him that I was staying? What could I do to make the life come back into his eyes?

“Keanu, I’ve already told them. I’m not leaving.” His haggard breath caressed my face.

“And they just listened to you?” His voice was skeptical, but I could almost see the tiny bit of excitement bubble up inside of him. It shined through his eyes and lit up his smile.

“They bloody well had to. Lets go. Hopefully they’re gone.”

 I grabbed his hand and ran out of the cave. The rain was still pouring down on us, as we made our was to my house. I was so glad that I had chosen to leave my shoes at home otherwise I would have probably twisted my ankle by now with the muddy sidewalks.

We bounded through the doors. A maid showed up with a towel and I didn’t care that I was tracking mud into the house. I walked into the kitchen, dripping all over the place but it was empty.

“Where are they?” I asked. The maid motioned to the den, and I walked slowly to it, knocking on the door gently. I could see the silhouette of my dad’s tall frame in front of the fire place. I draped the towel over my shoulders as I walked slowly inside. He was nursing a drink in his hand.

“Where’s mom?” I asked him slowly. He took a sip of scotch? Whiskey? Whatever it was, he made a face and set the glass on the mantle of the fireplace and walked over to me.

“I decided to stay, but your mom decided to leave. We weren’t acting like a family anyway and we just think time apart would do us both some good.” I felt like the wind knocked was knocked out of me. I felt Keanu sidle up beside me. He put a comforting arm around my shoulders, and his body heat was welcoming.

“She just left? Just like that?” I asked. I was a little hurt. The woman was my mother after all but we never held that connection. We were never close. She never allowed us to be. We had been doing fine without her anyway. Bitterly, I shoved my wet hair out of my eyes.

“Ava, she never wanted this life for herself. She never was the settling down type. And I never asked her to be. That’s why we always moved around. I just wanted her to find that place that she could be herself again. But as the years went on, I realized that it wasn’t the places we went to, it was the fact that we went with her. She just needs time.”

We all needed time. And even though she had chosen to be a coward and leave, I knew that she had to make her own choices, and determine what was best for her. If she needed to do those things alone, then so be it. But for now, I had everything I needed. And knew I was never going to find it anywhere else.

Keanu and my father spent the rest of the night talking. It was surreal almost, as I heard them making small jokes about trivial things. I set a kettle on the stove and took out three mugs to make coffee. And already, I could feel a tradition in the making.

“Busy?” His voice was right at my ear, and made my heart skip a beat.

“For you? Never.” I said and turned around in his arms. His long hair was still damp but fell perfectly straight around his face. His obsidian eyes looked glazed over, and bore into mine.

“I’m so glad you didn’t go.” He said, his lips now at the base of my neck, making my head spin. I couldn’t focus, I couldn’t breathe.

“Why would I? You’re all I need.” I told him, fed up with his teasing, and dragging his lips to mine. The sound of the whistling tea kettle made us break apart.

“You better be making tea in there, or else!” My dad’s voice floated to us. We both stifled giggles as I hurriedly made the tea and carried it into the living room where they both sat.

Yes, they are definitely all I need, I thought as I looked at my family and for once, it felt right.

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Okay, first off, I just want to thank all of you who voted and took the time to read this story. I appreciate all of the support you have given me and because of you, this story is completed.

I wasn't happy with this story from the beginning. Even when I was writing it on my Booksie account. I'm glad I got the chance to write it out on this site and the feedback I needed, and although I'm still not satisfied with how it came out, it is still susceptible to change. :)

So thank you for the votes and comments. I really hope you guys continue to read my other works Temporary Bliss and my newest which will be up soon, Lost in Limbo. :) -Jess.