Escaping Love (Rewrite) [Book #1]

Chapter 19

|| CHARLOTTE ||

|| Monday, June 12th ||

|| Two Years Ago ||

I took my car as my parents and I made our way to Jackie's house. I still felt bad for everything that's happened.

When we arrived at the house, we parked the car on the driveway. The door opened, and Mr. and Mrs. Blake quadruple-checked everything. We could see they were in a full-blown panic and emotional state. Jackie looked at my parents and gave us a facial expression of 'help me.'

My parents asked if they needed help getting anything out to the car. We all started to take the luggage outside, and Jackie looked at me.

"Can I ride with you?"

I nodded, "Why I brought the car, we thought you three might need more than one vehicle to take the luggage."

Jackie smiled, and I took her bag out of her hand. We walked out to my car, and I placed the bag in the back, not the trunk.

"Thank you," she said.

I nodded, "Yeah. Are you doing okay?"

She sighed, "Kind of? My parents are panicking again. They've been like this since seven in the morning. It was hard to get a goodnight's sleep when we were only able to think about the move. The truck came yesterday to take all of our belongings. All we need to do is take the rest of our things on the plane and have a smooth trip."

I nodded, "Come on, let's go back inside before your parents freak out that you're not in their presence."

She nodded, and we walked back into the house.

"Jackie, there you are, we were trying to find you," my dad said.

"I was taking my things out to Charlotte's car," she said, and her father sighed in relief.

Jackie and I walked around the house, looking at the empty walls.

"I can't believe today is the day. I'm not ready," she sighed.

"No one is," I said.

"Jackie?" I heard. We turned around and saw her family looking at her, "Ready to go?"

"I guess," she said.

Everyone walked to the door, and Jackie stayed close to me as we left the house. We walked to the car and got in. Jackie stayed silent, looking at the house she grew up in for about sixteen years.

My engine started, but I remained still until I looked over at her, "Ready?"

She nodded, and I reared the car, following my parents' as we drove to the airport.

Arriving at the parking lot, her parents messaged them that they were already inside. She texted that we were close. After parking, I turned off the engine. Before I got out, I felt her hand on mine.

I turned over, and she was looking at her hands. I looked down at them, and they were shaking.

"Jackie," I said as I pulled her into a hug.

"I don't want to leave," she said.

"Honey, I know," I said, not realizing I used an endearment until I said it.

"Can I change my mind?" she asked.

"I wish, but I don't think you want to break that news to your parents,"  I said.