Crazy About You

Chapter 17: Forgive Or Not To Forgive

I walk out and look for Travis, like I promised. And I see something. Something that splits my heart in two.

I see another girl kissing him passionately.

Not only does the gesture hurt after yesterday, but who its with makes me die inside.

He is kissing my only friend.

Gwen.

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My head spins as I rush out of the slowly suffocating building. The pain of deep betrayal stings my heart, as tears flow freely down my face. First Michael, now this? What is my life?

"Obviously shit." I mutter, sadness turning to hatred. I let him in. I messed up. I kept telling myself I would not date during senior year, and guess what? I fell for him. And now he betrayed me.

I should not be surprised. The player of the school, kisses my only friend. Michael was right. Its not like I can talk to dad about my boy problems, he does not want anything to do with us. I can't talk to Michael, he still slapped me. So I end up doing the only thing I can.

I get in my car and drive off in a random direction. Far away from my mothers grave, Travis' betrayal, my fathers neglect and my brother.

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After about an hour of driving aimlessly, I realize where I am. Without any clue, I found myself in the same town where my mothers graveyard is in. It looks like I have a destination.

I make my way to the graveyard. The wind has me shivering in my boots, yet the more I walk, the more it seems like my feet are guiding me to her grave.

I stop in front of a black, dusty gravestone. And I am crying all over again. I have not been here since her death, with sounds bad because its been a year.

Being here resurfaces all the memories.  All in excruciating detail. Waking up to a fire that has already consumed the entire house, smoke filling my lungs, tears escaping my eyes. I remember that day. Screaming I woke up my brother, and heard my father yelling outside. Hearing that made me think my parents were both outside. I dragged my brother out of bed, and rushed out the house without a second look. But what I did not know was Mom was still in there, burning alive.

When we finally got out both my brother and father were in bad condition, my father passed out from lack of oxygen and my brother could barely breath. But me, I was fine. I was walking and had air through my lungs. Ever since that day I regretted not saving her. My father blamed me and came home at night and left in the mornings never sparing me a glance and I knew secretly my brother blamed me too.

That day I lost everything. My mom, my home, the love of my father. And my brother. Michael finally surfaced his hatred for me these past few days, and I knew, he hated me as much as Dad does. 

And lets face it. I stayed with Travis for a few days, he kissed my only friend. And god knows I am probably not welcome in my home. But here I am welcome. Its ironic, the only place I felt safe was a graveyard. But that was because I knew, somewhere she was watching over me.

"Kenya!"

I wake out of my trace with a screech from the other end of the graveyard. Travis was running towards me and stops abruptly when he sees the name on the stone.

          Tara Miller

Loving Mother and Wife

      1972 to 2016

He stops and sees me crying and puts two and two together. He goes to embrace me but I slip away. He looks down obviously in shame.

"Are you happy? You broke my heart like everyone else." I whisper, my voice cracking.

"Please let me explain, Kenya." He says, sympathy shining in his eyes.

"What is their to explain? You kissed my only friend." I glare, eyes puffy and red.

And so he explains, what Gwen said in the hallway and how she pinned him just as you came through. I also thought how he slapped her was kinda funny. 

"I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you." He looks at me, so vulnerable, I know he is telling the truth.

I nod and he takes that as an okay as I get in this arms. And I finally feel safe.

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Longer chapter than usual, but I hope you enjoy. She will explain her Mom's death to Travis next chapter!

Love You All!

-Riley