Banned from Exile

Chapter 2

When the bell finally rings to tell us we can go home, I run out the door of History class. I feel like I've been hit by a bus, twice. I run to my car. Somehow Leighton beat me there.

"I didn't see you at break," he states and tries to make me feel guilty," is something bothering you, Becca?"

"It's just one of those days," I say and unlock my car. He blocks my way.

"You're not keeping secrets are you?"

"No." He moves out the way, allowing me to get in the car. I give him a short goodbye kiss. Then I drive away. On my way home I decide to go to the clinic. My mother is working half day today, so she'll be home early for once. I park the car and head into the small building. There I greet the secretary.

"Is my mom here Saph?" I ask the scrawny old woman. She nods and beckons for me to wait in the waiting room. I wait. I don't like clinics much, they're too clean, too quiet and the medicinal smell is irritating. My mom shows up after about fifteen minutes of absolute boredom. She looks surprised to see me. I never come to her work anymore. I used to, every day when I was little. I hug her hello. We walk out the doors and my mom turns and goes to the back of the building. I stay behind. She probably forgot something. She comes back with a black plastic bag in her hands. I tell her I'd give her a ride home, since she left her car there because it's broken and not roadworthy. For some reason she always gets bigger fines than other people. But having a friend in the traffic department helps her at times. We ride home.

At home I fix myself a meal, nothing big, just a sandy. My mother comes in the kitchen with the black bag in her hands. She puts it in the fridge and turns around. "How was school?" she asks and tries to smile.

"Boring, as always mom," I answer and take another bite from my sandy.

"What about Leighton?"

"Still Leighton," I say and put the empty plate in the dishwasher.

"I'm going to do my homework," I walk to my room at the back of the house. I don't really have homework, or maybe I do. I didn't pay attention at school, so yeah. I don't even care. I don't do my homework even if I know I have homework.

But anyway, life's been pretty boring since I got into senior year. I know it's supposed to be one of the best years, but for some reason it's not. My birthday is in a couple of months and I can't wait, but you wouldn't say that since I don't act like it. I hate the day after my birthday. Only a few of my friends know why I hate it and I don't want to ruin myself by thinking about the reasons...

I decide to go outside and sit on my wall. It's my own fortress of solitude. There I can sit- forget all about my problems and how much my life sucks- and just stare straight into the blinding sun. My mother worries about me when I do that, she complains and even tried yelling once but I don't listen even if I feel dead for the next two days. It brings me peace and it's one of the few things I haven't let go of.

I look at the sky. Well what do you know, it's cloudy. I still sit there and, shortly after, I see the sky become a murky grey. Then raindrops start dropping on my face and on the ground. I feel an ice cold hand on me and I turn around. "What the hell!" I exclaim when I see Justin sitting above me on the roof.

"Surprised?" He asks and slides down to sit next to me.

"A little," I say and smile at him.

"I bet you like this weather," he states and lifts up his arms.

"Yes. Why are you here?"

"Same thing I'm always here for," he answers and looks at me.

"Yeah, okay. You want to go somewhere?" I ask, "I'm sick of being at home every day the whole day."

He grins," I thought about asking you the same thing, but since you're always in a foul mood, I decided not to." I playfully hit him with my fist. He laughs. "So where are we going?" he asks and jumps off the wall and holds out his arms to catch me. I don't jump into his arms instead, I land on all fours. That's my thing.

He follows me out the house and gets into my car with me. He rolls down the window as soon as we leave the garage. I don't know where I am going, I'm just driving around. I see a new shop that's just opened and decide to take a look. It's not really like the other shops in town, you can buy clothes digitally. I stand before a machine and tell it exactly what I'm looking for- a very short black dress. I wait until the little button flashes green and then I press it. The dress comes out a hole in the ceiling. I take it and swipe my card in the machine.

We walk out the store and see a hot dog stand right across the street. "Hungry?" I ask Justin and walk over to the stand. I pay for the hotdogs and we get back in the car.

I drive out of town. I consider going to Amy, but decide against it. The car starts going faster and faster. I like the feeling of the wind blowing through my hair. It feels so natural to me. I don't mind if it gets all messy. I feel his eyes on me. Is he staring? Does he know? He couldn't... but I still wonder. "Are you alright?" he asks and chuckles the way he always does.

"Nothing wrong here, I just really like it," I say and put my hand out the window; bad idea. The rush of air pushes it back, so I put my hand back on the wheel.

I hear music coming from the speakers and I can feel the beats it makes in the seat.

"Ahhh, I love this song!" I yell and crank the volume up even higher. I can't believe it! I'm actually enjoying myself! I can't help but sing along to every single word of the song. Music bewitches me. It makes me forget about pain and longing. I hear Justin's voice too. But not for long though, because the song ends and it's time for a new one. The next song is a sad song; Evan Essence- Missing.

"Now that's a waste of a great mood," he states and skips the song. And it's a good thing too. We are now listening to a better one; I don't know the name of it. Hours pass and we still listen to music. The sun is setting and I can see a few stars already decorating the soon to be night sky. I see we're close to the ocean and drive onto a dirt road leading to a peak. I have this De Ja Vu feeling in me. I just know I've been here before. I park the car and get out of it. We're on top of the peak. Standing so close to the edge feels amazing even if it's dangerous.

"Remember this place?" Justin asks behind me. He puts his arms around my shoulders.

"Kind of, I mean I feel like I have been here before," I say and stare at the roaring ocean beneath.

"I brought you here," he says, "but then you were captured. Do you remember that?"

I turn around, "Vaguely," I say. I know there is a part of my memory I try to bury and forget. I don't want to dig around in my head to find out what it is I'm hiding there. All I know is I did it a long time ago and it was really difficult.

"Then do you remember that Daniel and I went to get you back. Our plan worked it seemed." He goes on. Why? Why does he not shut up? I feel my temper rising, and then I split.

"Why won't you just hold your damn mouth for once? I remember everything! But I don't want to. But did you ask me that? No, because you are a selfish piece of nothingness. That's what you are and you know what!? I'm out of here!" I yell and speed-run back to my car. I turn the keys in the ignition and drive off into the now dark night. When I get home I slam the doors shut, not caring if I would wake my mother up at all. I sit down on my bed and lay back. Then the thoughts come flooding my mind. Every tiny detail I see in the darkest corners of my mind. I hear all the words of every conversation I thought I had hid so well. There are no more grey areas, no more blind spots. I try to go to sleep, but it feels impossible. How can I sleep when my mind refuses to stop bringing up the one word I tried to forget the most? Not only that, but my heart feels like another scar has been ripped open and the only beat it makes is to that; Daniel.