Bad Memories // a.u.

chapter 1: escape

I wasn't sure I was making the right decision, but I felt like this was the only thing I could do. There was no way that I could stay here in this place. There were too many bad memories haunting me here. Everywhere I looked something would remind me of them. Like the cookbooks that now wore a layer of dust. Like the tools in that still sat in the garage even though they haven't been touched in weeks. Like the little cafe down the street where we would get breakfast on Sunday mornings after church. Like the people in town that asked me how I was everyday. Like the pictures of them that hung on the walls where they were smiling with their arms slung around each other. Like their bedroom door that has remained closed since the day they died.

I looked around my room one last time to make sure I didn't miss anything. The house hadn't sold yet, but my aunt was going to take care of it. I had promised her that I would finish out my junior year before leaving, but she knew I couldn't stay any longer. I ran my fingers along my desk where I had spent countless hours doing homeork (or procrastinating rather) and then ran them along my dresser than used to hold all of my clothes. I had gotten rid of so much stuff that I didn't need. I had no idea how much useless things that I had, but I was only bringing the essentials with me to California. California, that's where I was going. I wasn't sure how I decided on it, but somehow my mind and heart had just decided on it.

I felt someone's presence behind me and I turned around slowly finding my best friend, Skylar leaning against the door frame.. "Ready?"

I nodded in response. We left my room and walked down to the car. I was thankful that her parents were letting her come with me. I was going either way, but I was glad I didn't have to do this alone. Skylar was the complete opposite of me. She was outgoing and loud and obnoxious. I knew we wouldn't become friends if we had met now, but we've been friends since we were three. We met in preschool when she stole my crayons and I made her share instead. I think she was excited to get away even though she broke up with her boyfriend of two years because of it. She told me that she was ok with it and it didn't bother her, but I could tell she was at least a little bit heartbroken. I guess she just didn't want to do the long distance relationship thing. It made some sense at least.

"Do you think you'll miss it at all?"

I took a deep breath as I took my last look at the house I grew up. "Not one bit," I told her as she drove off. This was going to be a new start where no one knew my past and worried about me all the time.

Skylar rolled down the windows and turned up the radio. I tied up my hair in a binder that was on my wrist and stuck my arm out the window feeling the breeze. It was going to take us about two and a half days to get to California from Rhode Island, but I couldn't be happier. "Thanks for driving Skye," I told her.

"Huh?" she screamed over the radio.I turned down the radio a bit and repeated myself. "Oh, no problem. I'd do anything for you and I know how much you need to get away. That town is horrible and too damn small."

I knew she was telling me the truth, she would do anything for me and I would do the same for her. During our friendship we had been through a lot, but I had changed quite a bit in the last year and I couldn't thank her enough for sticking by me.

************

Skylar shook me awake causing me to bang my head against the window and her to fall into hysterics. I shook my head at her and climbed out of the car to look at the small beach house that was now ours. I had found it all by myself online and called the renter, but my aunt was the one paying for it. I think she felt bad for me and what happened. A lot of people did, which is why I needed to get out of there.

"Are you coming?" I called to Skylar who was still in the car.

"Calm down, Noelle. What's the rush?" She slowly got out of the car as I was already pulling my key out of purse and unlocking the door.