Living on the Outside

Chapter 7

I looked around the airport, taking it all in. I saw many people look at me without fear, and others avoiding eye contact. It was nice that some people didn't know who I was.

I had my single suitcase with me, if you wanted to call it that. It was so small but it still had plenty more room to put more things in it. I decided to take it as carry on.

I did all the necessities. I checked in; I went through security, which was no picnic; and I still had a couple hours before my flight. So I waited. I found an area with some chairs and did what I am best at. Do nothing.

I looked around at all the people. Some where in a hurry, some barely moving at all. Then I saw a familiar face running towards me.

"Mathew!" the little girl yelled as she approached me.

"Hi Amanda," I said. She sat down in the chair next to me. "Where's your mom?" I asked.

"She's doing something." Amanda stated. "She told me to come sit over here. Then I saw you."

"Okay." She climbed into my lap. She had no boundaries. I didn't stop her though. I didn't want to make a scene.

"So where are you going?" she asked.

"I'm going to England. My first time out of the country."

"Oooh, that sounds fun. I'm going to California because my cousin is getting married."

"That's good. I hope-"

I couldn't finish my sentence. I saw Amanda's mother running toward me at full speed. And then Amanda started to slip out of my lap, so I put an arm around her. Her mother look like she was going to rip me to pieces.

"Let go of my daughter!" she yelled. Everybody stopped what they were doing. A security officer was making his way toward us. I froze. I didn't know what to do. I panicked.

Amanda made no move to get away. She saw no trouble. The officer reached us before Amanda's mother. He grabbed Amanda and pulled her away from me. She screamed. She didn't want to leave me. She was pushed away from me with her mother. I was still frozen, my arm in the air as if Amanda was still there.

"He tried to kidnap her!" the mother yelled. "Arrest him! He was probably going to hijack a plane or something! He should have never come out of jail!"

The officer pulled handcuffs out, pulled me out of the chair, and put the handcuffs painfully onto my hands. He grabbed my bag and firmly grabbed my arm. Another officer came out of nowhere and helped the other push me along. "The police are on their way," they said. Great.

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"Sorry for the misunderstanding," a police officer said as they handed me my bag. The big ordeal was finally over. Amanda again explained to the police that it was a big misunderstanding.

"That's life for you," I said. I couldn't believe they apologized for the misunderstanding.

"We had many reports of people panicking because you were at the airport. To keep things like this from happening again we put you on the no fly list. It's better this way."

"Okay."

And that was that. I walked away. I was done. I might as well stop trying to escape the past. I might as well get the word murderer tattooed on my forehead.

By the time I got back to my apartment I was exhausted. I didn't bother with dinner. I went straight to bed. This was one of the worst days I've had since moving to New York. But there is always tomorrow. Tomorrow is a new day.