Rise from Ashes

Secrets are no fun unless you tell everyone..

Chapter three.

"I thought you said two or three weeks, not days!" I yell at Lizzie.

She shrugs apologetically. It was exactly three days later and they announced yesterday that the trip was today but I got called to watch Ash, so I didn't get the memo. Also Lizzie neglected to mention the news.

Wonderful.

"Sorry babe I forgot you ran out yesterday. Which shouldn't surprise me because you run out every other day." She says adding an exaggerated sigh on the end.

I roll my eyes at her while getting on the bus. Great. There's only one seat left and its right next to Luke and his stoner friend. I sit next to the window and get comfortable for the hour journey ahead of us.

"Why do you run out after you get a phone call anyways?"

Lizzie has never really been curios to my erratic comings and goings before, but I guess I should have known that her content could only last so long.

"I have to babysit for when my mom gets called into work."

"Oh," is her only reply as she checks her phone.

Having satisfied her curiosity for the moment I am left with staring out the window as my only pastime and thinking. Thinking. God I hate when all there is left to do is think. Think about the past and all its occurrences. I guess I must have dosed off because the next thing I know we have arrived at Penn State University. My fellow students are all 'OOOO's and 'AHHH's, while I'm left with a feeling of dread at the possibility of seeing a certain someone from my past.

For a moment I take stock of my outfit and fret that I'm not presentable enough with my loose ripped jeans and old, out grown band T. But then I catch myself and decide that this is what I have become. One to not care about what other people think.

"Hey, you want something to drink before we take our seats?" Lizzie asks.

"Waters good."

She nods and sets off. While I'm waiting for her return I over hear one of the cheerleaders giggling and gossiping.

"Yeah, he totally winked at me! Can you believe it! I am totally giving him my number."

"Grace! That's not fair! I've had the biggest crush on him since he became the quarterback!"

It makes me sick because I know exactly who they are talking about. Just one look from him, one smile, and it makes you think you are special because he actually noticed you.

"Yeah, but he didn't wink at you, now did he?" The girls giggle as Lizzie returns. She hands me the water and asks if I'm ready to take a seat.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I reply.

She looks at me kind of funny but doesn't comment on my obvious reluctance to watch the game. Lizzie leads the the way to our seats, which are right in the middle of the stands next to all the other students from our school. Luke and his stoner friend sit near us and I can smell the distinct oder of pot radiating from them both. The scent doesn't really bother me but it does bring my mind back to the old me. A person I would rather forget all together.

Memories slam into me as I hear Him announced as quarterback for PENN state.

..............................................

"Brody?" I called out as I walked into his house. I haven't knocked to enter his house since three weeks into our relationship and we have been dating for almost a year. I've come to tell him important news and tried calling his cell before coming over but he wasn't answering, which I should have known would happen since he had finals coming up and he really needed to study for them.