Fresh Start.

Chapter 2

The drive took longer than expected, thanks to the flat tyre that poppy decided to give to me. I was only about ten miles out of Low Land Valley and I was not going to call my mom because she would go into total freak out mode, and be no help what so ever. And there was only one person I knew that was close enough to come and help me and I was surprised when he agreed to come help me. About thirty minutes later, I was leaning against the back of my car, Jared Downs showed up in his Green Chevrolet truck. Not only was he my first kiss, he was the closest thing I had to a friend and he was my superior, he was the captain of the swim team. As he stepped out his truck he must have noticed all my stuff loaded in to poppy.

"Taking a trip there Green?" He said pointing to my car.

"Uh actually Jared I'm leaving this hell hole and moving to my dad." His reaction was not what I'd expected. He just stared at me in what I could only guess was shock... "Are you kidding me? You are leaving?" He was getting closer and closer to me. And he was also getting louder and louder.

"I uh, yeah I am..." What I had said was hardly a whisper.

"Well why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't think it would make a difference to you whether I was here or not. And I'm not so good at good-byes." By this point he was right in front of me and I couldn’t bear to look him in the eyes.

"I'm sorry Jared." He just sighed and lifted my chin so I was looking at him and not my feet.

"I'm going to miss you Charlotte. You were the only genuine person in that God forsaken town." He only ever called me Charlotte if I was in trouble or if he was having a really serious conversation with me. I could feel the tears getting ready, and I didn't was him to see me cry. No one ever sees me cry, not even my parents. And I was about to burst into tears on the side of the highway in front of Jared Downs... What was happening to me? I couldn't hold it in, and I just started crying my eyes out and what Jared did next was the best thing that ever happened to me. He put his arms around me and held me so tight while I cried, I felt so safe and I just wanted to stay in his arms forever. What felt like an hour later he dropped his arms and said "Let's get this tyre changed shall we?" His eyes were also red, he must have cried as well. I honestly had no idea he would care so much. When the tyre was finally changed he lent against the side of my car and I went and lent next to him.

"I'm really gonna miss you Charlie." I looked at him and smiled.

"You're just gonna have to come visit me then. Before the summer is over you need to get your butt in that old truck and come visit me and approve of my new life." He had looked back at me now.

"That sounds like a plan, but I will only come if you teach me how to surf."

"Deal." He hugged me and we said our goodbyes and he hopped back into his truck did a U-turn and headed back to Low Land Valley. As I watched him drive off into the distance, I felt bad for leaving. I felt like I should get in the car and follow after him. But there was a small part of me that knew I shouldn't. So I slid in to the driver’s seat put the car into first and pulled back on to the road. After the flat, the rest of the way was pretty much smooth sailing.

I past a few interesting characters on the road, including an SUV filled with boys playing really loud music and showing their abs to every car that past. I’m not going to lie they were entertaining and I did enjoy their company, but when I pulled into the gas station and they followed I couldn’t help but feel a bit suspicious. They stopped at the pump next to me and they all jumped out my heart started to race, I knew that they were probably harmless... but with a dad that is a detective, I know that you can never be too careful. There were a total of six boys in the car, and when two of them came to talk to me I kept was my pepper spray close.