Forever Bound

Chapter 1

“Books fall open, you fall in.” Welcome to Badica Hill

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        The cold March air blew up against my cheek and numbed my fingers locking them around the handle of the suitcase. The wooden steps creaked with every step I took disturbing the silence that rang through the neighbourhood. I slowly turned the knob to open the screen door with my free hand and kicked in the wooden door with my leg; immediately greeted by the aromatic smell of tomato sauce tinged with basil and parsley. I tossed the suitcase onto the ground with the others and slowlu stretched out my fingers in an effort to regain feeling. The warmth of the house added more pain than relief, making my fingers sting. A tingling feeling spread through my fingers and I sighed happily finally, feeling. “Is that the rest of it?” Caitlin asked, I pulled off my fogged glasses and nodded. “Thank you so much” she said to me then turned to my mom “thanks for letting me stay here Mrs. Cruze.”

        “No problem Caitlin, you’re practically family,” I winced at my mom mentioning Caitlin as my hypothetical sister, there was no way I wanted to be related to her.

        “Can you help me put these in my room?” she asked, I nodded despite my aching bones.

        “Thanks” she smiled, grabbing the smallest of the bags, I watched longingly as she bounded up the stairs her braids moving back and forth. She turned to her side and just her profile took my breath away, she was striking at every angle.

        “Are you going to move those bags?” my mom asked snapping me out of my trance. I bent at the knees and picked up the suitcases despite the protests of muscles.

        “I am so happy your mom let me stay here” Caitlin said pulling apart the cream coloured curtains. Sun rays streaked in and shed light on the elements of the room. The room was bare save the bed, the table, and the chair, the same way it had been looking since my brother Jason left for university, two years ago. I took a seat on the bed, the smell of downy infusing the air as I lay down.

        “Well, after all your crying and groveling, how could she not let you” I joked referring to the time she had gotten down on both knees and begged my mother for a place to stay.

         Caitlin shrugged, “it was either that or spend three months without WIFI in Timbuktu.”

        I laughed “do you hear yourself? First of all you sound like a little brat, ‘no WIFI’” I said raising the pitch of my voice on the last two words imitating her.

“First world problems” she shrugged.

        I laughed some more “second of all, your mom isn’t going to Timbuktu, she’s going to Zaire.”

        She raised an eyebrow, “Riley it’s called the Democratic Republic of Congo now.”

        I rolled my eyes “that’s what they say.”

        “Why are you always against everything Riles?” she asked opening up her suitcase. I shrugged and rolled off the bed.

“Why not?”

        She shook her head dismissing my answer “by the way this Friday’s Greg’s end of March break party.”

        “And that bothers me because?”

 She gave me a glare, “Because I want you to come.”

        I laughed and made my way to the door, something told me Caitlin was losing her brain cells “no thank you.” I was about to step out when she said, “You know Riles there are three months left of high school why don’t you just enjoy them. Why do you insist on making them miserable like you’ve done your other three years?” I said nothing and left chewing on what she had said. It wasn’t my fault; I wasn’t the one who made my three years of high school miserable, they did it all. I opened my bedroom door and headed straight to my bed. Sleep immediately took over, making up for my sleepless night anticipating Caitlin's arrival.

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       Music blasted from the speakers that were mounted to the corners living room ceiling, but was still unable to drown out the senseless chatter of the graduating class of 2014. I made my way through the swarm of people and the floating red cups looking for Caitlin. "....and live while we're young," the ridiculous words coupled with the overused club beat sent me outside seeking refuge. I walked slowly kicking away cups and joints in my path. Greg's house was backed by Badica forest so from his patio you could easily walk into the tree ridden terrain. Among the many deciduous trees who were just regaining their leaves from the harsh winter I picked up my pace she was the only reason I was here if it wasn't for I would have been reading "The Art of War" for the hundredth time trying to figure out my battle strategy.

        “Caitlin,” I called spotting the bright pink shirt she had left the house in, she turned her head partially then broke out into a run. I tried chasing after her but my breath ran out after a few strides, just in time to see her disappear into the night a tall masculine figure holding her hand. “Cait” I called hopelessly. I walked back to the party, “maybe it hadn’t been her I thought though the resemblance was striking. As I neared the house the words of the song now playing trickled into my ears, “but first let me take a selfie” followed by the same generic electronic beats, what was I even doing here? I doubled my steps; I couldn’t get out of here fast enough.

        “Well look who’s here Sully” a chill ran down my spine as I felt his paw of a hand on my shoulder. “Who would’ve thought, Ms Riley Cruze shouldn’t you be in a ballet class or something?”

        He pushed me into the side of the wall and grabbed me by the collar. “Maybe he wanted a new experience” his knuckle head sidekick spoke out, Greg laughed "well let’s give him the full experience.”

Next thing I knew my glasses were off and Coors Light was running down my face. I blinked rapidly trying to prevent it from reaching my eyes, but to no avail as my eyes began to burn. A crowd had gathered now, half of them highly intoxicated. He forced my mouth open and poured another can into my mouth making me gag.

        “Hey, hey stop” Caitlin came up behind Greg and pulled him away from me. I doubled over in a paroxysm of coughs clutching my stomach.

        “Come on Caitlin we’re just having fun” Greg said high fiving someone beside him.

        Caitlin looked at him in disgust “really Greg, it’s not really a joke if not everybody is laughing.” She came over to me and wrapped her hands around my stomach helping me up.”But Caitlin everybody was laughing.”

“Yeah well I don’t hear any joyous sounds coming from Riley”

        “Yeah because he’s a nobody."

Caitlin crouched beside me and muttered something about annoyance that I couldn't quite catch. She picked up my glasses and helped me away.

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