The Last Ride

Chapter 3: New Beginnings

4 Months Later

Jordan's POV

Dear Diary,

Today will be different, it has to be, because today is the day that I get to live again. I will smile and it will be believable. I will smile and I will say "I'm fine thank you" or "Yes I'm doing great". I will no longer be the sad little girl who lost her Dad. I will start fresh, be someone new, I know I shouldn't go to school because of my condition but it's the only way I'll make it through, I have to risk it.

"JORDAN!!!" Christine screamed. She basically ran me over giving me a huge hug. "O my God, you have no idea how glad am I to see you, I haven't seen you this since the accident I- I mean since the summer, how are you?" "I'm fine thank you" "Really?" I smiled "Yeah, much better." I didn't have the courage to face any of my friends since my father's funeral that I did not even get to attend since I'm still in a hospital bed, but I guess just needed time for myself to get back on my feet.

I headed my way to my first subject, I was rushing my way through the halls when I bumped into someone "Oww!" "Oh, I'm sorry, are you okay?" "It's fine." Then I hurriedly walked away I'm about to be late.

I greeted my teacher as I entered the class and I sat at the last row beside the window.

A moment later Mr. Bautista our principal walked in, "Excuse me Mr. Hernandez may I have a word with you?" "Yes Sir."

"I'll be back in a minute class." Right after he left, everyone burst out talking about what happened over the summer break.

"Hey, Gorge I just want you to know I really sorry for leaving you that night if I would have known what's about to happened I would have----"

"Don't beat yourself up Carl it's not your fault, it was an accident." I genuinely smile at him.

It had been at least 10 minutes since Mr. Bautista left and I can't stop thinking about the guy who I bumped over earlier, he seems familiar but I not sure if I saw him before, he must be a new student.

"CLASS STOP TALKING!" Mr. Hernandez yelled as he entered the room.

Then I lost my thoughts.

"We have a new student."

As the new student walked into the room, I recognized him, he was the one I bumped into earlier.

He sat right beside Carl "Hey, man welcome back." Carl said as they gave each other a high five.

I guess they already knew each other.

"Okay class vacation is over! Open your text books on page 12."

After 9 hours of tedious classes I decided to walk home and visit my Dad.

For minutes I sat in front his tomb. "I miss you Dad, I wish you instead of Aunt Kezia you could be there when I get home and ask me how my first day was."

I brought out my diary and started to write.

Dear Diary,

I made it through the day. I found out that when someone asks how you are they don't really want an answer, they were just asking for the sake of formalities. I must have said "I fine, thanks" at least 47 times, and I didn't mean it once, but no one noticed.

I thought my plan was flawless but I couldn't have been more wrong. I thought I could smile and nod my way through it, pretend like it would be okay. I had a plan, I wanted to change who I was, create a life without the past, the pain and to actually be alive. But it's not that easy. The bad things stay with you, follow you, and I can't escape them as much as I wanted to.

As the wind blew my hair, I stopped writing I looked up and I saw a tall dark silhouette behind the three. The fog was beginning to get thick, am I hallucinating? Is someone watching me? I scrambled and stood up, I hurriedly walked away, but I stumbled over a tree branch and I fell over. "Ouch!!!"

"Are you okay? Here let me help you up."he he held out his right hand, he was holding something like a sketch book over he's left hand.

I looked up and as I took his hand I can't help but notice his face, he has a tousled dark brown hair which was thick and lustrous, his eyes were a hickory as rich as the earth soil; stained with the color of hot chocolate. His face was strong and define, he has a tight jaw and high cheek bones, with his dark eye brows which slopes perfectly downwards which gives him an accentuated face. He has flawless pink plum lips that was pressed firmly together in a flustered expression.

"Uh-can you stand up?"

Earth to Jordan I mentally told myself "I-I uh, let me try". I tried to stand up but I only ended up stumbling again. "You should let it rest for a minute." I know him he was the new student this morning. I sat leaning on one of the tombs.

"Were you following me?"

"No, I-uh just saw you fall."

"And you just happened to be hanging out in the cemetery?"

"I'm visiting, I have a family here."

"Oh, I am sorry. It's just the wind then the fog its making me fuddled and back there I thought I saw man, but I guess it was just my imagination." I replied without pausing, in an obvious rattled tone, I sighed and smiled.

"I'm Jordan."

He smirked "I'm Paul"

"I know, we had English together."

"And Science and History."

"Right..." I tried to stand again and this time I did not tumble.

"Thanks for helping me but, I'm going to be late for my part time job."

"Sure, do you want a ride?" he casually offered.

"No, I'm fine I can walk now. Besides I avoid cars as much as possible."

"Oh okay, I guess I'll just see you tomorrow then?"

"Of course." I replied, beaming.