Close As Strangers

The story of two people in love, Prologue

I didn't speak to my parents for two weeks as we landed in Sweden, I didn't eat, I didn't speak; I didn't even look at them.
   They asked me to learn the language, I refused. Once I actually tried, I was never devoted to it, I went there, I went home and all I ever finished in any schoolenviroment was the fights I was in. People would laugh at me again, I was back to square one and I realised how much it could suck to be alone. I missed Jaiden, I missed him until I could feel myself rip apart once again, the wounds opening wide as I hid in my room and cried.
      I managed to get a hold of Jai once in a while, until my parents found out and toon my phone. It was in one of those calls i did my great mistake; I should have listened more carefully; seen between the lines, realise what he was out to do.
"Zaria, I will always be by your side, okay? What ever happens I will always be right here beside you and I will always be in your heart. I love you; I love you so much it hurts, just know that no matter what happens I will always love you" I should have known.
    Three days later came the text that changed my life.
Jai has been in an accident. I don't know if he'll ever wake, please just come home../Lucas.
I could feel my whole world rip apart. How it all just crumbled down around me; how could I let this happen?! How could I have accepted this?! What was wrong with me?! How would I ever get us out of this?!
     I asked my parents, pleaded for them to let me go. All they did was mock me, tell me it was about time that boy got what he deserved. They were literally telling the only person keeping me alive to go fuck himself. I hated them, and still do today. I hate ever single molecule of them. There is no conditions, I hate them from the bottom of my heart. They never let me go, but little did they know I was planning my escape, and I had been from the day I was dragged away – all my money I had saved in a secret account, and soon I would have enough for the ticket back home.

Lucas didn't keep in touch, I was scared to death he was not responding only cause he had no idea how to tell me Jaiden Burley was dead. I was so certain he was, why else wouldn't they talk to me? Why wouldn't someone just tell me he would be okay? Or just at least tell me he was still breathing, give me a reason to keep on fighting, give me a reason to go back home. I kept wishing, pleading to something greater than us all, that someone would just please tell me Jaiden was gonna make it out of this alive.                                  
     I had became worse than ever, hating everyone, taking drugs to keep my demons locked inside their cage, I did everything in my might to just manage one more day in this hellhole, wishing time would be quick, it had been over a year since I had last heard from Lucas, when he tore my world apart. I still didn't know whether Jaiden was alive or not, but tomorrow I would get the final answer. 

     The plane was up in the air, the darkness was behind us, I had left Sweden, left my parents and now I was on my way home – I had gotten out late last night, left a note on the table telling them I was 18 and able to do whatever the fuck I wanted to, and they could find me in Sydney from now on. I had no idea how they would take it, guessing they wouldn't get top surprised about my escape. After all I had not been talking to them for over a year now, I didn't even look at them anymore.     My Insides were twisting inside out as I could see the small fields below, soon I would be home, and I would finally get my answer, if he really was dead I would probably go look for a shark, or jump off a cliff into the rocks at Bondi, all I knew was I would never stay here without Jai.
               The plane touched ground, people started applauding the pilot, and all I wanted was to get out. I was home now, at last I was home. Tears of relief started to fall from my eyes, or maybe they were tears of pure fright? Pure anxiety pouring down my cheeks, making my vision blurry as I left the big airplane and went to pick my bags up. I had arranged a flat for me to live in, the girl owning it was going to travel the world – I had a year to either move in with someone or take my life, I would be fine. 

      I unlocked the wooden door, entered the little apartment and let my bag fall to the floor. I looked around, it was a light flat, a white sofa towards the left wall, to the right of the sofa stood a bed, and the TV was put up on the opposite wall. The girl had left paintings and posters on the walls; mostly posters of the British flag and a pinboard with a pistol and the words are you feeling lucky, punk? On it. I liked it, it felt at home. The kitchen was behind me, it was quite big, there was a black table towards the wall, two chairs and a lot of counters.
     I had freshened up, and I was ready to go to Jaiden's parents house, I figured that was a good place to start. There was still a chance no one I knew would open the door, but I had to give it a try. If that didn't work, maybe I would go seek out Lucas or Thom, they had to know what happened, after all – they had been there. I locked the door behind me as I entered the street; the sun was shining, the weather hadn't changed much. I knew the way to the big, white house by heart, I went passed Starbucks, left on the next street, twenty steps in And a harsh left, and there it was; shooting up into the sky like a monster, up on its Hill with the big white gates before it. The walls around the garden; the trees keeping curious eyes away, and the hole almost at the back where we old always climb, it was a quicker way into Jai's bedroom, than to walk all the way around the house and through the gates. I was tempted to try if I could still fit through the hole, tempted to look through the big glassdoors to his bedroom, see him sitting there in the sofa like before, playing games and screaming as he got killed by other players. Seeing him look at me and smile. I had to wipe a small tear away from my cheeks as I shook my head and went around the house to the front door.  My heart was beating like crazy as my hand lift to the dark door, three quick knocks and then I was done. There was no going back by now. No regret, I had to know.
"yes?" a tired women's voice as I looked up from my shoes, seeing Carol stare back at me. I tried on a small smile, as she pulled me into her arms, mumbling over and over.
"I need to know" I said, as she let me go, looking at me like she didn't understand.
"Know what, dear?"
"Where is he?" I closed my eyes, gulping as I prepared to hear her say he was underground. Instead she pulled me with her; put me in front of his door and opened it for me; she pushed me inside and I could see blue hair sticking up from the sofa as I approached.
     The boy was leaning onto some pillows as he slowly looked up at me, his eyes widening. Mine watered up as I sobbed loudly, he held his arms out as he fell more to the side, I went towards him, and I hugged him, felt his strong arms around me, and I knew from there on I was home for good.