After Thought // Chance Sutton

Chapter Four

I've been in Michigan for a few weeks now, I like it here. My aunt somehow manages to live in  a smaller town than I did. It's a small farm community with a cute town square. Instead of finishing high school, I decided to take an online route and get my diploma that way.

I spend my day's doing school work, writing, and adventuring into different parts of Michigan with my aunt. Life is okay, I'm content with everything. Each day I miss my Mom more and more, especially the moments I see pieces of her hidden in her sister.

My phone rings besides me, snapping me from thought.

"Hey Dad!" I said, pressing the phone to my ear.

"Beth, how're things?" He asked.

"Good. Tomorrow we're leaving to go to the Upper Peninsula. I'm excited, how about you? How's the restaurant?"

"Everything is good here, I miss seein' your face. Something weird happened today though.." He explained. "A boy came in asking about you."

"Who?"

"He said his name was Chance and told me to tell you he said he's sorry. I know his Grandparents a little bit, they come in a lot."

Of course he did, Chance already went to Allison with it, now my Dad?

"Can you give him a message for me? Tell him, that he hurt me a lot. That it's not something I'm going to just get over." I sighed, taking a sip of my coffee.

"What'd he do babygirl? Do you want me to kill him?" He joked.

"He just fooled me into thinking he was good enough for me. I know better now, trust me Dad."

"Is he part of the reason you left? Besides the cyberbullying?" He asked.

"Yeah, I guess."

Truth is, I don't know why I ran away. Or why it was so easy for me to leave like I did. After my Mom passed away I felt like there was nothing keeping me in Ohio besides my Dad. Running away seemed like the best option.

After I said goodbye to my Dad, I went back to writing. It was easy here, the woods engulfed the small cabin. Looking out the window I saw the shedding of winter fall from the sky. It all looked so peaceful.

For awhile, peace wasn't something I knew. My Mom passing caused a hurricane in my heart, and when I thought it was over. I was only in the eye, because Chance caused that hurricane to continue on. "It's like walking down a hallway, not knowing where the light is." That's what sadness is.

"Hey Aunt Ronnie!" I spoke, as she stepped inside. She was shivering from the cold, and her boots stuck with snow. "I'll make some fresh coffee."

"That'd be great hun! Thank you," She smiled.

She worked as an English teacher in the city, I don't know how she managed the drive everyday with the snow. But lucky enough for her, school was ending for the fall semester. So we could start our adventures.

"How was work?" I asked.

"Tiring, my 101 class has no idea what their doing," She chuckled, "what about you? Did you get all your online stuff done?"

"Yes! I finished a few hours ago, I've been writing ever since."

"Ya know, one day you're going to have to show me what you're working on," She commented.

"I will, I actually want your help with it soon. I want to try and get a published!"

She grinned, "really! Your mom always said how amazing of a writer you were. I was hoping one day you'd want to share your talents with the world.

We settled down for dinner after deciding on spaghetti. Her kitchen was large and so was the cabin in itself. Two stories, with a loft. It's weird though, she has all this room and no children or husband.

For as long as I can remember she's been single. I don't get why, she's gorgeous. She has long dark hair, like my Mom, and big blue eyes. Why wouldn't a man find her attractive.

"Why are you single?" I asked, mid-conversation. "Really Aunt Ronnie?"

She shrugged, "I guess I'm still hurt over the one that got away."

"Who was it?"

"His name is James, we went to college together. And back then I never really knew what I wanted to do with my life, I was lost as heck. My parents wanted me to go into the medical field but that's not what my heart wanted." She explained, "then I met James in a dorm hall meeting."

"And you started dating?"

"Not exactly," she shook her head, "we were best friends. But then I found myself madly in love with him."

"Did you ever tell him?" I feel like I was bombarding with questions, I wanted to know though.

"Yeah, but it was too late. He was with this girl Jaclyn for ages, and he eventually proposed to her. I was the only one who saw how wrong she was for him. And the night before the wedding I went to him, to tell him not to go through with it. But there was more to the story, he couldn't just walk away from it all."

"Why?"

"Their parents were in business together, and their children getting married was a huge asset to the company."

"So what did he do? He stayed with her?" I questioned, taking a sip of my coffee.

"Yeah," she frowned. "After he confessed to me that he felt the same way. He couldn't break up the marriage contract, and I refused to be the other woman. So I ran away, and build an okay life in Michigan. It's been almost three years since that all happened."

"That's why you haven't dated anyone since?"

"I have, nobody ever really lived up to him ya know. But I'm trying again, there's actually this guy at work I am trying to find out if he's interested. What about you doll?" She smiled.

And I told her about Chance, and how alike our situation was. How this guy came into our lives, shook it up a bit then walked away.

"It's crazy because I only truly knew Chance for one night, I can't love him," I stated.

"I knew the night I met James that I loved him. You can be with someone for years and feel nothing, or one night and feel the world. Don't think that time dictates the amount of affection you feel towards someone."

I sighed, "I don't know Aunt Ronnie. I just don't get it. My Mom always used to talk about fate and how being with someone was in your destiny. Why would I only get Chance for one night?"

"Because sweetheart, sometimes our soulmate comes in and changes our in life, and then leaves. It's what he left behind that's important. And ya know, your life is going to be a long road. Maybe he'll come back."

Is she saying that Chance Sutton is my soulmate?

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Author's note: Sorry I'm trash at updating and that this is so short. Next chapter will be longer I promise lol.