Through The Dark

46 - Olivia

46 -Olivia

The last weeks of school flew by. Amongst tests, projects and the overall stress of the end of the year we barely had time to breathe. For the first time, since I was actually trying to pass the year, I had stress pimples.

Emmalyn spent almost every waking moment with me, meaning Sam was around a lot as well. Those two had become inseparable and I was glad that Emmalyn had found someone worth her time. Sam could easily be judged by appearances, but once you got to know him you could tell he was a perfect match for Emma. He challenged her and sweetened her a bit, reminded her that she did not have to be tough and a rock all the time. He gave her the break she so desperately needed.

I had told Tobias that I was leaving and he started hanging out more with us, as well. Scott had somehow found his way into our group. It made me happy to think that I did not leave Emma to fend for herself.

I was up in my room, packing the last of my stuff into my Volkswagen minivan. Tobias had admired it and gotten to glance around the motor, to make sure I would get to Jacksonville just fine. I would miss him terribly, but I could not afford to think like that or I would lose the resolution I had of leaving without leaving that much of my heart behind.

Emmalyn was looking out of the window. Sam had brought her and Ben along in his car. Tobias had come along in his father's car. This was the most occupied and alive this house had been in a while. I worried for it. This place had been my home and now it would be left on its own. It would slowly fade away with our memories inside of it, and that pained me greatly.

'Emma,' I called out.

Emmalyn woke up from her reverie and turned to look at me. She was blinking tears away and I broke eye contact right away. 'I need you to do me a favor.'

'Sure,' she replied with a small voice.

'If I leave you the keys to the house could you come here from time to time to make sure everything is fine?'

'Oh! Absolutely, Olivia.'

'Thank you,' I said as I dug into my satchel for the keys I had of the house. I had not used this satchel in a long time, but it would remind me of home and my times here. Even though most of them had been tough, I did not want to leave it all behind, for pain and mistakes were a part of life.

'Will you leave a letter or send an e-mail to your mother?' she questioned as I handed the keys to her.

I pondered on the thought. 'I guess a letter is better. I can leave it here for when she comes back. That way it is like a letter I never sent, you know?'

She nodded solemnly. I knew people were uncomfortable by my cold relationship with my mother, but I was so used to it by now that I was hardly affected anymore.

After writing the letter I told Emmalyn I was ready to set off. We got the last boxes to my car – I loved that car, it had so much space and I would travel so comfortably in it.

'There is somewhere I want to go first,' Emmalyn said, touching my shoulder as I got into my car.

'Alright,' I agreed, feeling confused. She put a direction into my GPS and I drove, feeling a knot form in my stomach because of where we were going. It took us no longer than ten minutes. Tobias, Sam and Ben followed us in the other cars.

When we finally arrived, a weight that I did not know I was carrying around lifted off my shoulders and I breathed better than I had in a long time. It was another little thing that Emmalyn did for me, and I was grateful for it. She always found a way to fight my demons without me realizing until it had happened.