Six Years Later (UNDER MAJOR EDITING. SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION)

Chapter Two - Finally Rebelling?

PICTURE OF NINA THOMAS ON THE RIGHT! :)

Chapter Two - Finally Rebelling?

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I snapped out of my trance from six years before. Addy was sound asleep on the bed next to me, but my mind and its thoughts were reeling. Looking over at her desk table, I see that her red alarm clock reads 1:27 AM.

I knew this was going to happen. I knew, that even at the slightest mention of Keaton, I would go berserk, and now look at me, reminiscing the good old days.

No, those were the bad old days. And that was the past. And now, I am a better person, and this is the present. I shook my head. Even as I told myself these things, I couldn't stop thinking. It's like my brain was trying to force me to remember what happened that summer.

As if on cue, I immediately remembered what I had done as soon as I went into my room that night after the fight with my mom. I smiled micheviously.

First act of rebelling.

✧

SIX YEARS AGO

"Hey, Dolly," I whispered to my dog as I gently scooped him into my arms. He was a tan-colored pug and I know, I know. Dolly is a very stupid name for a dog, especially a guy-dog. I was only seven when I got him, so I don't know what was going on in my mind when I named the small animal.

I put him in my lap as I sat down and turned the computer on. The eerie glow from my desktop instantly illuminated the room, and I was suddenly very aware of a blue and yellow brochure that sat on the table. It was that Europe one that Addy left at the store. I picked it up and reread it again.

This time I noticed on the back it said:

Train #: 21

Tour Guide: Sam Parks

It was in the same careful and girly handwriting as Addy's, so I knew she wrote it. We've worked on plenty of school projects together. That meant that was her train number and her tour guide.

Dolly whimpered as if he already knew what I was thinking, and it was not a good idea.

"You think I should go?" I asked him.

He whimpered again and jumped off my lap. I watched him saunter off and lay down on my bed.

I smiled. "I think that's a yes."

Click, click, click, went the keyboard as I typed in the website on the back of the brochure. I scrolled through the pictures, the activities, the places we'll visit. There was only one word for it: amazing.

Or maybe extraordinary, like Addy's writing.

Or maybe both.

But either way, after inspecting the website backwards and forward, I finally made up my mind.

An hour later, I had a ticket to Europe on train number 21 with Mr. Sam Parks. I don't know how I accomplished getting a ticket with that exact train number and tour guide. But I did. It was just my luck, probably. Quickly, I scrawled a note down for my parents and tossed it on my desk so I could remember placing it on the table the next day.

"Mom and Dad, I am so sorry to do this to you. Please don't freak out. I decided to go on a trip alone. I'm probably on a train right now, going someplace far. Please don't worry where I am. I'll be back in a week. Please don't look for me, I'm not running away or anything. I'll be fine. I have friends and adults with me.