Dear Stanley [Watty's 2019. Completed]

Leaving

Sunday, June 20th

Dear Stanley,

I left the house at 2:30 am. I was frantic and wanted to cry. The stress of what I was about to do pressed down on me.

My suitcase was small and everything was unorganized. I didn't even think I was going to make it. I knew I had to walk into the busier part of town in order to catch a cab.

I practically ran, dragging the suitcase behind me. It was eerily quiet outside, and the wind slapped me. Tears were sticking to my face. I was a mess Stanley. I was scared. I was beginning to doubt everything.

I was having a breakdown.

The suitcase dropped from my grip and I sunk to the ground Stanley. Was this a good idea?

Then a memory. A warm memory of you.

"Stanley, I can't do this! I'll never be able to make friends like you." I wailed on my first day of 4th grade. You asked me how my day was and I told you how everyone ran away from me when I tried to talk to them.

"Nicolas, when the whole world tells you you can't, that's when you have to show them you can." You said, looking down at me. I was on the ground, my eyes widened and red from crying. You ruffled my hair. "One day kid, they will all come to you. Just wait."

I smile through my snot and tears thinking about it now and get up.

I have to do this. I can do this. I need to get on that flight. It didn't matter if I was alone.

I've been alone most of my life.

I got up and brushed the dirt from me, and gripped my suitcase again in my hand.

I checked the time on Moms phone. I still had 2 hours to get to the airport. 2 whole hours.

I ran and I was laughing Stanley. I was going to see you. I was going to find you. I was going to bring you home.

I was getting closer to the busier part of town. I could hear the distant sound of cars. It sent a surge of energy through me and I widened my paces.

I felt like I was flying, even with the weight of the suitcase behind me. I was flying.

I was reminded of my first memory of you, the memory of us going to the city a little ways from here.

That's how I felt now. Like I could do anything. Like I was a gigantic force that could overpower anyone.

I saw the first restaurant and slowed my pace, trying to catch my breath. It was closed and lifeless. In fact, when I looked ahead, I saw that all the street was like this. I felt any earlier hope I regained die again.

There weren't any cabs or anything. Just a few straggler cars driving around.

I walked aimlessly, panic creeping within me. I didn't know what to do.

And then I saw it.

Cupcake Crisis was open. It was open 24/7 and peering through the glass, I saw Susan slumped behind the counter, dozing off.

I entered the bakery without a second thought and ran up to her.

"Susan." I shook her. "Susan please wake up."

She sleepily awoke, her eyes dazed for a few seconds. She seemed surprised to see me.

"Nicolas? What are you doing here?" She took in my appearance, my red face and puffed up eyes, the suitcase trailing behind me.

"I need a ride to the airport." I breathed. She seemed skeptical for a minute. "Susan, I need it very badly." My voice cracked and I started to cry again, unable to stop myself.

She must've sensed how desperate I was, because she wiped her eyes and fished into her dirty apron pockets to get some keys.

"Follow me." She said. I was eternally grateful to her and sighed in relief.

She lead me to her car through a door in the back of the shop, and I sunk into the passenger seat, exhausted. The sleepless night and stress filled mornings were catching up to me and making me lose my mind.

Susan got in the drivers seat and she glanced at me as she drove out of the garage we were in onto the road.

"I don't want to talk about it right now. I'm sorry. When I get back though I'll tell you." I told her, she nodded her head.

"You better have one hell of a good reason to be telling me to drive you the airport at 3 am." She said but her tone was teasing. I smiled despite the muddled disaster in my mind.

"Thank you so much Susan. I really owe you."

She shot me a tired grin. "It's the least I can do for you since you make Breeze so happy. She hasn't had a friend in a long time, ever since her grandma introduced me to her many years ago. I owe you."

That made me sad, but then I realized it was the same way for me. Breeze was my first friend.

I closed my eyes and leaned back in the chair. I remembered Breeze and I missed her, even though I just saw her yesterday. I really wish she came.

Finally, we reached the airport at 3:30. I thanked Susan and we said goodbye before I ran in.

Straight into Breeze.

I was shocked. I was confused. I was elated. We stared at each other, smiling. But I snapped out of the trance. I had to focus.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

She shook her head. "I don't know. I wanted to be there for you."

I pulled her into a hug and kissed her, feeling her smile against me. The knots of tension in my head eased and we checked in together.

"I knew which flight to book because you told me, but I didn't know what seat, so we might not be together." She told me while we sat at our gate. We finished the difficult part of security and checking in. We were lying on the ground as the gate was full, waiting for the flight.

I smiled at her. "It's ok Breeze. Thank you so much for doing this with me."

She giggled and I couldn't stop myself from kissing her.

Stanley, I felt at that moment everything was going to be alright. I thought for sure that I would find you. We'd be able to go home together. You'd get to meet Breeze.

And I carried this hope with me as we entered the flight, all the way until the flight took off.