Chapter 11
Jason took a deep breath then started talking, ‘When I was younger, I got into the wrong crowd. I started doing and dealing drugs. I still lived at home and Chris was pretty much my shadow. He would try to do everything I did, he had to always be with me or around me. When our parents notice I was high all the time and that thing were going missing, they kicked me out of the house. So I left, I had some clothes, cash and all the drugs I had. I stole a car and was going to leave town I just didn’t know where I was going… a little later I heard the siren with the red and blue lights of the car behind me. It was a ghost car and I got busted. I got 2 ½ years but only did half, over crowded. I lost everything, my parents don’t want me around and Chris is ashamed of me, which I don’t blame them, I’d be the same in their position.’ He confessed.
Ok, call me crazy but that’s not so bad. He didn’t murder or rape anyone… It wasn’t good but, if he was trying to be better and go strait like they say in movies well, shouldn’t he have people behind him and encourage him, and not bring him down and throw his past always back in his face?
‘How old are you now?’ I asked.
‘I’m 20, I’ll be 21 in November.’ He said, not looked at me. The whole time he was talking, never once did he look my way. I could tell he was ashamed, I felt bad for him. I thought back to yesterday at school at the cafeteria when Chris said his brother came back from vacation. Chris was ashamed, I don’t blame him but we, Chris’s friends, he should have trusted us. Believed that we wouldn’t think anything less of him or his family. But then again, my situation wasn’t any different. I didn’t tell the truth, ashamed of myself, of everything around me. I was scarred of what they’d say of me, either to my face or behind my back.
‘Well…the way I see it, all you can do is learn from your past and not repeat the same mistake in the future. If you learned something, well that’s good. Part of being human is making mistakes and learning as you go. I can’t say all mistakes are ok, or can be forgiven, but you can try to move past it and make your life better. If you hadn’t done all those things, you wouldn’t be the way you are now. Life is and never will be perfect, but the only thing you can do is try and do better than you did before.’ I said to him and to myself. I could never go back to my old life, I learned from it. I don’t know how but I just knew that, my old life wasn’t an option. I refused to go back.
After I was done making my little speech, I saw that he had turned and was looking right at me. I looked in his eyes and I think I could see hope? Maybe gratitude? I wasn’t sure.
‘Do you really think that? That people can change?’ he asked.
‘Not everyone’ I said ‘but some people have the courage to try and I believe, if you try hard enough and believe in yourself, you can maybe succeed. The only question is, do you believe, trust and love yourself enough to do it for yourself and for the people around you. But, sometimes the other people, you need to put aside, start fresh. But I don’t think that way in your case.’
‘Why?’ he asked.
‘Don’t know, just a feeling. I could tell Chris didn’t know what to say when he told me he had a brother. He said you went on vacation.’
Jason chuckled, ‘Yeah, he would say that.’
‘But I know he loves you,’ he raised an eyebrow, so I explained, ‘he wouldn’t have brought you last night if he didn’t. He likes Laura, and you met her. That says something, he wouldn’t put her in ‘danger’, so… he still trusts you a little, but I think you got some work to do there, also probably with your parents too.’ I said.
He nodded and said, ‘You’re smarter than I thought.’
‘Shut up! I’m trying to help and you insult me! … Jerk!’ I playfully hit his arm and rolled my eyes.
He chuckled and smiled at me, that million dollar smile. Wow I thought.
‘Thanks’ he said and I nodded. ‘You never asked about what you said during your nightmare.’
That caught me off guard. I looked away and looked out the window again, and said, ‘I don’t need to know. I have a few guesses but… I’m pretty sure you put the pieces together and don’t need a play by play.’
He nodded but then hesitated and asked, ‘So… what do I call you?’
I turned and looked at him. I didn’t understand his question.
‘Leah or…Mandy?’ He whispered.
I was shocked, I couldn’t move, I don’t think I was breathing, my heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest. Oh my goodness, I said my name in my sleep! Oh crap, crap, crap!!
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My Haunted Past
Mystery / ThrillerLeah has been on her own for over a year, but you will never hear her say it. Lying to everyone she has cared for since moving here, but she has no other option. She’s 17 years old, in school and everyday she’s scared that her past will come back...
