It all started because of you

Chapter 1: A New Start

I was probably on cloud 9 when I was thinking I could have a chance with Ashton. It all came tumbling down when I saw Ashton and Hannah together.  It had been the most difficult week of my life because I refused to talk to the two most important people of my life. My aim was to survive the weak. I felt sharp pain that I tried to control, caused my throat to uproar into a silent scream. My heart was broken into thousand of pieces and hope in my eyes faded away as tears came down on my face. No matter how much I controlled, I kept on crying for hours and would go to sleep.  My soul was tarnished and I felt like the men lost at sea, whose only goal was to survive the ship wreck and in the process, have lost the meaning of life.  

I felt stupid

I felt gullible

I felt betrayed.

I felt broken.

So many emotions I felt at once. 

I looked at the picture of us on my side table. All three of us, smiling and looking happy. Ashton was in the middle, Hannah on the left and I was to his right. 

His smile was beautiful. I took the picture in my hand and looked at it for a long time. 

Why Ashton? Why? I screamed silently. 

In the moment of rage, I threw it on the floor. The frame hit the marble floor and the glass shattered into many pieces. The picture was still there.  I picked it and tore it into many pieces.  I threw them inside the dustbin. 

I went through other pictures: remembering the good times we had and the bad times. Each and every thing we did, replayed in my mind.  I planned to discard it.  I decided what was needed to be done. 

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I was standing at John F. Kennedy Airport. 

Yes I was in New York to meet my sister. I had asked my parents to get me the first ticket that would take me there. My parents knew what was happening and they supported my decision. I needed this to take a break from everything.

 My sister had been my best friend, irrespective of the age gap between us. She had been married and was about 5 years elder than me but was more like a friend to me. The benefit of having a sister was that you get a friend and as well as an over-protective sibling. She was delighted since it had been quite some time since we last saw each other. After her marriage, she had moved to New York with her husband, Jason Walton IV, and nothing had been the same without her.  She had met Jason during her college year and they got married right after their graduation. Jason was the Vice President at CA Technologies, one of the largest IT firms in the country and owned by Jason's father, Jason Walton III.  

I was at the arrival gate of John F Kennedy Airport. I could judge from the view that  New York was one of the busiest city ever. Standing outside the arrival gate, I could see people every where. Tourists and residents coming out or waiting for someone. I inspected the surroundings to look for Sarah. I moved slowly, my hand wrapped around my bag firmly. New York also has high incidence of mugging. Yes I know I was being a paranoid but there's now way I am taking any chances. 

From a distance, I saw a girl with lovely long  black hair, wearing skinny jeans, black boots and a stylish black top, with a black Michael Korr bag in her hand. She frantically waved at me. 

"Over here Ann" she said, as she jumped and waved at me and came running towards me. I stopped myself and looked at her. 

I could not help but smile. 

It had been a long time since I had last seen her. 

She gave me a warm hug.

"Welcome to New York Ann!"