It Started With Hello

Chapter 11- Memories Part 2 (Three Years Ago)

“Think about what you just said one more time.” Lucky says. If she’s saying to use the emergency funds my parents left me, she must be crazy. Though this is an emergency.

“My parents would kill me.” I conclude. It was a good idea though. I’ll give Lucky that much.

“Is Bella worth it to you?” Lucky asks me, “Is she worth your parents’ wrath?”

“If my parents decide they want to kill me when they find out,” I tell Lucky, “Shoot Bella a message, and I’ll stay with her until they cool off.”

“Sure thing.” Lucky says smiling looking at the pictures scattered across the ceiling. “I never understood this.” She says more to herself. “Go get your girl back.”

Without a second though I grab my wallet, phone, a jacket, and a pair of shoes and dart out the door. I race to the nearest airport by foot still struggling to get my shoes on and to find the next flight to London. Mom and dad. This is for a good cause. I think to myself as I use the credit card, for emergencies only, that they gave to me to pay for the ticket. Too late to turn back now. I tell myself as I take the ticket and go through security to the loading dock. Too late to go get some clothes too. Huh, should have thought of that. Oh well. I’m going to see Bella again.

Arabella-

“I know I miss you too.” Jake says over the phone. I’m lying on my bed staring at the pictures.

“I wish you were here.” I tell him. What I wouldn’t give to throw my arms around him and just stay there. With him. To go back with him to Switzerland.

“Could you come pick me up at the airport?” He asks, “I just got off a plane to London.”

“Are you serious?” I ask standing up to find a pair of shoes and to run a brush through my hair.

“Dead serious.” He answers.

“I’ll be right there.” I promise him before we disconnect. I race out the door to the gated entrance with both set of keys and hail a cab to the airport. I finally get to see him again. Finally.

Jake-

Finally I see her familiar Brunette silk waves. She looks toward me, but must have missed me. I race over to her as she still looks around trying to find me. I come up behind her and pick her up. “I missed you so much.” I tell her, “I don’t want to go through that again.”

“Jake.” Her voice is quiet, but I can hear the excitement, “I missed you too Jake.” She tells me throwing her arms around my neck.

“Where are you staying?” I ask her.

“With my uncle?” she answers but it comes out more as a question. Duh, Jake you’re an idiot, of course she’s staying with her uncle. I mentally scold myself.

“What I meant to say was…” What did I want to say, where do I stay?

“I’m sure you could stay with us.” She says. As if reading my mind. “Come on, I’ll hail a cab.”

“Missed you Bella.” I tell her taking her hand. She smiles as she hails a cab.

“Starwood Estates please.” Bella says. She slides in and I sit next to her. She curls up and rests her head on my shoulder. “I can’t believe your parents let you come.”

“Uh, well, they don’t know I’m here.” I answer sheepishly.

“Jake!” she scolds me sitting up and smacking my chest with the back of her hand.

“Hey, not my fault Lucky made me get on the plane, kinda. Well, she said if I didn’t then I’d just stay at the dorms being miserable forever.”

“I am happy you came.” She says going back to resting her head on my shoulder.

The cab slows and stops. “This is as far as I can go.” The driver says stopping at a large iron gate.

“Thank you so much.” Bella says handing the man the cab fare. She gets out and I follow her. She swipes the key and the gate opens. “Come on, it’s a bit of a walk.”

“I can’t believe you live here now.” I tell her.

“I wish I didn’t.” She sighs.

“Things are going to work out Bella,” I tell her, “I promise.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep Jake.”

“I intend to keep it.” I tell her as she unlocks another large iron gate with another key. We both walk in and she opens the front door. A boy with short blond hair was pacing the foyer.

“Bella,” He says, “Where have you been?”

“I went to go pick up a friend from the airport.”

“Without a driver?”

“I called a cab from the entrance.”

“Who is he?”

“This is Jake.”

“The one that you’ve locked yourself in your room to think about?”

“Jake my cousin Noah Caswell. Noah, my best friend in the whole world. Jake Greenly.”