The Heart Above Forever

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

The wind blew my hair across my face the moment I stepped outside. This was it. I was finally making a move, doing something I had only dreamed of for nearly my entire life.

I looked down at my hand, hoping my comfortingly familiar symbol drawn on my hand would reassure me that I was making the right decision. Whatever the case, I knew I was. I had to be. A mistake at this point would be...disatrous. Possibly fatal.

The stars weren't out tonight, and the darkness surrounded me as I began to walk down the deserted city street, slowly moving farther and farther away from the small apartment I'd shared for so many years wil my family.

And what a joke that word could be sometimes. 'Family'. It's supposed to be a comforting word, not something that makes you think like I have been for so long. Because it's all their fault. All of this crap I've been through, it is all their fault. But now I was leaving, finally doing something for me now.

If only it could be that simple.

A car drove past me, and I pulled my hood up over my head, not wanting to draw any attention to myself. But it was too late.

I listened as the car turned around, coming back towards me. Should I run? Hide? It was too late now, it had almost reached me. And then it did.

The car nearly idled, but still moved along slowly, seemingly trying to match the speed of my strides along the weathered sidewalk. I heard the driver's side window roll down, and finally I dared to face the vehicle, a face that I hoped communicated to whoever it was that I wasn't someone to be messed with.

And I was surprised. The face I saw, was one I recognized, someone I'd known a long, long time ago.

"Eli?" I said hesitantly, my words thankfully sounding the way I wanted them to sound. That almost never happened.

"Um, yeah, I was just wondering if you needed a ride somewhere...? Do I know you?" He said, looking confused.

By now both the car, and my walking, had ceased.

"You used to," I told him. "A long time ago. I'm not sure you'd remember me. But my name's Gabrielle. Gabrielle Elwood."

"Gabrielle...Oh! You used to go to Renhurst Prep, didn't you? And then..."

"Right, that's me," I said quickly, not wanting him to finish his sentence. This was already embarrassing enough.

"Well then, do you need a ride? The offer's still open."

I looked back towards my home, now several blocks away, before nodding. I travelled to the passenger side's door, and got in quickly.

Eli didn't waste any time asking where I was going, but instead put the car in gear and resumed driving down the street in a less-than-leisurely fashion.

This was my new beginning.

I was on my way.