Torn (Ethan Dolan)

~Chapter 8~

***

Ethan was at the airport with me, he dropped me off for my flight to Oregon. We were grabbing my bags from the trunk and my flight was at 2 pm and it was 12:30 as of now.

"I'm gonna miss you so much baby..." Ethan said, embracing me.

"Babe, it's only a week and then I'll be on a plane to come back to you before you know it." I stood on my tiptoes, kissing his cheek.

"I know..." he frowned. "But a week is long enough and I just wish I could go with you. I hate knowing that you're gonna be going through this all alone."

He pulled me into his arms tight. I looked up at him and gave him a weak smile.

"I love you so much baby girl..." he stated staring down at me.

"I love you too, my E-tee-wee-tee." I stood on my tiptoes and poked his nose. He began kissing all around my whole face making me giggle.

"Good luck with your first few shows." I smiled at him, with pride. Damn, this is my man. He's so sexy and muscular, yet he's so cuddly. He's like a big teddy bear and he treats me like a queen. This is what I have waited for my entire life. He is what I have waited for my entire life.

Sadly it was time to leave, I needed to get through security and everything. I began to walk away after giving Ethan a passionate kiss.

"Call me when you land!" I heard Ethan yell from behind.

"Ok, I love you!" I yelled back and he gave me the biggest smile walking towards his car.

About 2 hours later I was finally on the plane ready to go. I stared out over the mountains we began to pass as we got closer to Oregon. It brought back so many memories and one single tear trickled down my cheek.

No longer will I have anyone that has had the same experiences as me. Lived through the same trauma. No one to talk about my mom and all the happy moments we had together.

I got off the plane and though the airport was complete chaos it felt so baren and empty. It was like a daggar in my heart. I went to the baggage claim and got my bags then I went to the station for car rental.

As I drove, I let a couple tears flow down my cheeks as memories flashed in my mind. I passed by Elitches and remembered all the years that my mom bought season passes for us to go there.

I remember one day when my mom, her boyfriend, son, and my sister went to Elitches. It was during the Fright Fest in October. She got tickets for all the haunted houses. My mom, sister and I were always in love with the supernatural things. We loved the mysterious and unexplained side of life.

We walked through the haunted houses laughing, having the times of our lives. We weren't even scared and laughed at girls that would run out of the haunted house squealing.

The three of us were best friends. That's when times were more simple. But then my mom got cancer and Kayla became independent, unknowing of how to deal with things by herself. She ended up turning to drugs and I ended up running away to start a new life.

Once I got to my hotel I checked in and threw my bags on the ground in the room and collapsed onto the bed.

I picked up my phone and dialed Ethan's number.

"Yo." I heard his voice come over the line.

I'm guessing he didn't look at the caller ID, "Yo! What up dawg?!"

He laughed at me.

"Oh hey baby girl..." he stated. "How was your flight?"

I sighed, "Long, but bearable... I'm in my hotel now."

"Ok good...." I could feel his smile through the phone.

After an hour of talking to Ethan my stomach growled. I grabbed the keys to my rental car and my hotel room and made my way out.

I stopped at a diner and ordered a coffee and a burger with fries, pulling my laptop out to work on my book.

***

It was the day of the funeral and Alexandria was standing next to me holding my hand to comfort me. She was here with her boyfriend Hunter.

The only people there was Alexis, Hunter, a few of Kaylie's friends, my moms boyfriend and son and me. It was a very small funeral. She looked beautiful in her casket. She looked like her old self. She looked completely untouched by life.

Her blonde hair shined, I couldn't see her blue eyes but I knew that they were pure and beautiful beneath her eyelids. Her outfit was picked by me, it was her favorite. Casual, formal. She never wore anything too formal, so I felt this was perfect.

The black dress brought out her beautiful fair skin. I smiled looking at her, though I wanted her to somehow miraculously come back to life I knew she was in a much better place. She was free of all the pain.

A tear dropped down my cheek and Alexandria pulled me into a warm embrace, playing with my hair.

"I'm so sorry Jules..." she breathed into my hair. I nodded my head, telling her it was ok without being able to speak.

After the funeral I motioned for Alexandria to leave even though she didn't want to. I stood by her casket and looked down at her.

"I'm sorry Kaylie..." a tear dripped down my cheek. "I'm so sorry... I always acted like you skrewed up big time, but I ran away. I wasn't there for you when you needed me most..." My tears became more.

"I miss you and mom so much. You guys were my everything and I can never get you back.... You were for sure a pistol with the most dry sense of humor I know. You were hilarious for that reason... Everyone found you funny, you even got cocky and said it yourself..." I scoffed, laughing.

"Even right now you would groan at me for being so sappy..." I laughed as tears coated my cheeks.

"But I love you. I really do love you Kaylie and I miss you more than anything. I'm so happy knowing you're with mom and grandma now though..." I finished off. I turned around, leaving the funeral as I wiped the tears from my cheeks.

She was to be cremated in a day. Alexandria was gonna hold her so that when I came back to Oregon I could spread her ashes where she would want them to be spread.

After the funeral I went to Alexandria's and looked through Kaylie's old stuff that Alexandria is keeping for me.

I smiled and laughed as I looked through old pictures. I found a picture where we were wearing matching pjs on Christmas Eve. We were smiling as we drank hot cocoa. It was a caught off guard photo and it was beautiful in every way.

"Here, let me help you pack everything up..." Alexandria sorrowfully smiled at me putting her hands on my shoulders.

"No, I'm not ready yet..." I smiled at her and she nodded her head.

I walked over to Kaylie's old bed and cuddled under the comforter sniffing her scent. A tear dripped from my eye hitting the comforter.

I woke up to someone shaking me and opened my eyes to see Alexandria

"You fell asleep..." she said wiping a hair out of my eye.

"You ready?" she asked. I nodded my head sadly and lifted myself from the bed. "Hunter has the truck, he's gonna start packing everything up and taking it to the dump..."

I smoothed my hand over the comforter one last time and picked up the box full of pictures and home videos leaving the house.

***