3,000 Miles

Chapter 19

I was desperate to find him, I had to see him, I had to hold him, I had to kiss him. I needed him now more than I ever had, and I could feel it soaring through my veins.

I asked miss Frieda for the rest if the day off and she happily obliged, considering what we'd just watched on tv.

The second I got into the parking lot I called Landon.

"Landon, where are you right now." I demanded.

"Ummm, not sure, I just show up and sing." he joked.

"Landon, this is serious, it's very important, where are you guys?"

"We're still in Chicago,but we're leaving tonight" he finally answered.

"What time is your flight?". I asked in a serious tone.

"About 8:30"

"I can make it" I whispered to myself.

"Anna...." Landon asked "what are you planning."

"No time to talk, Landon, see you later." I shouted and hung up the phone.

I hopped in my car and sped as fast as I could home, I had to hurry if I was gonna make it to Chicago before they left.

I ran in the house and straight to my room. I packed a few essentials: a change of clothes, a toothbrush, and some makeup, into a gym bag. I changed my clothes to something more appealing than my sweat pants and t-shirt. I pulled up my hair and grabbed my keys.

I ran down the stairs and headed for the door, but before I could reach it a hand grabbed my upper arm and jerked me back.

"And where do you think you're going miss?" mom hissed at me. "I saw that interview, and if you think you're going to see him, you thought wrong." I could smell the alcohol on her breath, mom didn't drink much, but when she did, it was terrifying, and I usually stayed with Wesley when it happened.

"Mom, please" I begged. "I need him, I love him" I said trying to pull away from her grasp.

"Psshhh, love, you don't have a clue what love is, I told you once before, and I'll tell you again, he doesn't love you, it's merely puppy love and is nothing to waste your time on." she snickered deceitfully. I kept trying to pull my arm from her grip, but she's only held on tighter.

"This is far from puppy love, mother." I yelled.

She raised her hand and slapped my face, causing me to stumble back into the stairs.

"You don't know a thing about Love!" she yelled again. I stood up straight, ignoring my throbbing face.

"Well, mother, if you don't think what we have is love, then you obviously don't either!" I grabbed my bag and rushed out the door before she could respond. I put the key in the ignition just as she ran out the door, but I was already out of the driveway before she got off the porch.

I drove a few minutes before pulling over on the shoulder. I put my head on the steering wheel and began to cry. My face still stung, and I was sure there would be a bruise. I looked up into the mirror, and into my own eyes. In them, I saw determination that wasn't there before. All the negative things trying to keep me away from wesley, now only seemed to motivate me. I sat up straight and wiped my eyes, I took a deep breath and headed for the airport.

When I got there I pulled out the money I had been saving for emergencies and went to the front counter.

"I need a ticket for the soonest flight to Chicago please." I asked the lady at the counter.

"Ar-are you alright miss?" she stuttered.

I gave her a confused look and she gestured to her eye. I reached up and felt my eye, it was slightly swollen.

"Ohh that, I just fell." I lied. She gave me an unconvinced smile and handed me a ticket in exchange for my money. I put my gym bag on my back and headed to the plane entrance. After going through security, and receiving many questioning looks for the security guards I was finally able to board my flight. I settled in to my seat and began to calculate how long it would take to get to Chicago. As long as we don't have any delays I should be arriving to the airport twenty minutes before the boys.

However, just my luck, a rain storm delayed our flight thirty minutes, and I feared all my work would be in vain. I rubbed my head looked to the lady on my right.

"You okay dear?" she asked.

"Yeah", I smiled, "just a lot on my mind."

"Is it a boy?" she asked. My eyes shot up in amazement.

"How did you know?" I gaped.

"I'm a woman" she laughed. "you must really love him, I can see it in the way your eyes lit up when I asked about him."

I smiled to myself.

"Yeah, yeah I do." I laid my head down and drifted to sleep until we touched down.

When we landed I shuffled past a few people who gave me annoyed looks, but I was already on the brink of missing Wes, and the boys completely.

I ran out into the middle of the airport and searched frantically for any sign of the boys. I searched, and searched, feeling my heart sink in disappointment.

And just when I thought all my efforts were hopeless, I spotted something that made my heart leap.

Standing in the security line was Wesley, hands in his pockets, and his backpack on. I stood still for a moment in shock. I smiled when I noticed my necklace dangling from his back pack.

I tried to move but my feet were planted, so I yelled.

"Wesley!" I called. He turned with a confused look on his face,trying to see where the call was coming from, but his face lit up when it saw mine.

"Anna" he mouthed. We both ran to each other, and he took me into his arms.

"What are you doing here?" He said,still hugging me.

"It took me a while to realize it, but I love you, no matter where you are." I said as I pulled back looking into his eyes. His smile quickly faded as he looked at my eye.

"Wh-what..." he started

I pushed his hand down and pulled his face to mine, kissing it. He pulled away,

"So I'm guessing so heard my song?" He teased.

"Shut up and kiss me." I laughed.

I smiled into the kiss.

"I love you." he said "do you love me?"

"One hundred percent."

"Promise?" he asked.

"Promise."

"Then come with me." he whispered.

"What?" I said pulling away from him.

"Come with me on tour." he said pushing back my hair.

"Can you do that?!" I asked.

"Why not, it's my tour."

"I don't even have clothes or my things!" I protested.

"Then I'll take you home, and we'll fly into Huston tomorrow, just please come with me." he begged.

I bit my lip and pondered it.

"Wes, my mom" I said pointing to my eye "I can't go home."

"I won't let anyone hurt you, don't you know that?" he said pulling me into his chest, the steady beat of his heart calming mine.

"Okay." I whispered "I'll go."

Wesley ran to the other boys and told them our plans. He went to the front counter and got our new tickets.

"Come on." he gestured. we boarded a plane back home.

"Thank you" I said, snuggling into him.

"It's no problem really" he laid his head on mine.

"No." I said "I mean thank you for letting me back into your world."

"Darling don't you see?" he took my hand into his,

"You are my world."