Live, Laugh, Love [COMPLETE/PUBLISHED]

Prologue

Have you ever felt trapped in a cage that you can't get out of? Ever felt trapped in a bubble that won't pop?

Yes? Well, many people have felt that way. Have you ever felt that way every single day of your life?

No? Well, welcome to my world. Where every day is putting another lock on the cage.

I like to believe something called philophobia. In simpler terms, it is the fear of falling in love.

People always wonder if it's just me being cautious around relationships or if someone broke my heart. But, that has never been the case. Yes, I have had relationships, but I could never commit to them. They would always tell me that they love me and I would leave. I couldn't handle another person in my life leaving so I'm the one that does. I know that may not make sense, but in my mind it does. I can't handle people leaving again.

That is how I got here in the first place. So I make it easy for myself and I leave first. I thought that would work until one relationship almost broke me completely. It almost killed me, literally. I will never forget the day that I left. He told me if I left that he would find and kill me, but I left anyway. I left the state, in fact. I moved all the way across the country to get away from him and I haven't looked back. That is the day that I learned that I don't need anyone in my life. That was 3 years ago. Since then I have been alone. In my apartment with my job that works from home. I don't have to worry about becoming attached to anyone. People used to ask me if it bothered me being lonely, and my response was that it is all I have known since I was 10 years old.

The word family isn't exactly in my vocabulary. It has always been just me, Ophelia Lindsey Lockhart. I was born 25 years ago to Jennifer and Christian Lockhart. The last thing that I expected to happen was when I was ten years old, my parents left and never came back. Yeah, now you can see what I mean when I don't like people leaving me. It is because of my bastard parents.

What kind of person leaves their 10-year-old child behind? What kind of person says they love you and will protect you and then walk out the door, breaking their promise? Every single person in my life has broken that in some way. It is easier to keep to myself rather than opening myself to anyone.

That is about it with me. I'm pretty boring if you ask me.

Anyways, I never thought that I had a chance for a normal life, but that was until I met a group of people who changed my life.

But one, in particular, taught me how to live.