regrets ⇝ hs

i. gate 25

6 months earlier

BROOKLYN'S POV

"Here goes nothing," I whispered to myself, dragging my suitcase towards the front door of what had unwillingly become my childhood home.

I inhaled a deep, slightly shaky breath and turned the door handle, taking one look over my shoulder into the posh-looking house where I had spent the past 14 years of my life. 14 years filled with heartbreak, betrayal, trouble, pain, and, most of all, regrets.

With a faint whisper of the word 'goodbye' falling from my lips, I was closing the door on everything - my childhood, my past, my "family" - for the last time in my life, and heading towards my car.

As I stepped out into the cool air that was rushing past me, turning my nose and cheeks a rosy red color, I stole a glance at the driveway as if to confirm my aunt and uncle weren't home. Force of habit, I mumbled to myself and rolled my eyes.

With just my small, maroon colored suitcase and my long awaited for ticket to Paris, I climbed into my car and started up the engine, smiling to myself as the car roared to life.

I buckled my seatbelt and checked my mirrors. "Paris, here I come," I muttered and sped off towards the airport, my hands almost shaking with excitement and my knuckles white with my grip on the steering wheel.

The moment I arrived at the airport, I knew I was doing the right thing escaping Marbleton, Wyoming. I didn't belong there. I had too much of a past there that I wanted to leave behind and, hopefully, never see again. I belonged and longed to be somewhere big and full of excitement. I longed to be around new people instead of the people I had lived within walking distance from since kindergarten. I longed to be in Paris, France where I could find love, happiness and whatever else Paris had to offer me, Brooklyn Reese.

I climbed out of my old Honda Civic and opened the trunk, pulling out that one small suitcase I had brought along and swinging my carry-on messenger bag over my shoulder. The small bag contained nothing but my phone, a wallet with merely enough in it to get me one decent meal, and a pair of sunglasses rimmed with a floral print.

I walked past the tall glass doors and the young man standing in a green colored uniform, holding the left one open for me. With a curt nod in his direction, I began making my way towards the ticket counter, waiting in a rather long line to have my ticket checked.

Once my turn came, I walked up to the counter. "Ticket?" the snarky looking female employee mumbled, holding her hand out towards me. I handed the lady my ticket and grabbed the luggage tag that was handed to me, quickly filling it out and tying it around the handle of my bag. I placed the small suitcase on the conveyor belt to be taken off, shoving the ticket stub that had been handed back to me in my pocket and continuing on.

Soon after, I strode over to security and placed my carry-on upon the belt, watching as it slid through. I walked through the metal detector quickly and grabbed my bag once it came out, walking towards Gate 25 with a proud grin on my lips.

After a long walk through the airport towards the gates, my stomach growling with each food kiosk I passed up and shoulder sore from bumping into numerous people, I had made it to the gate. I looked up at the large sign, confirming this was where I should be, though I didn't need any confirmation that I was headed in the right direction. In large, quite obnoxious green letters, 'GATE 25' was inscribed a few feet above me. I walked up and handed a man my ticket stub, walking down the narrow terminal into the plane.

I made my way down the narrow walkway and slid into seat 36, glad I was able to be seated by the window. As I sat down, I began thinking about everything.

I thought about what it was going to be like in Paris and what I'd find there. I thought about who I'd meet and all the places I'd explore.

Then, I began to think about my aunt and her uncle. I was their only "daughter" and now, I was leaving them. To top it all off, I wasn't just leaving the state, I was leaving the whole damn country along with them. To come see them would be nearly impossible and for them to come see me would be, in words Brooklyn could picture her aunt saying, 'too out of their way'. However, I couldn't bring myself to feel guilty or remorseful in the slightest.

After half an hour or so, the rest of the passengers had boarded and taken their seats. The captain started with the announcements, me tuning out his monotone voice until he muttered the words I had been awaiting to hear since the minute I had purchased my ticket for this trip.

"Thank you for flying with us and have a safe flight," the captain said and with that, I fastened my seatbelt and prepared myself for whatever was awaiting me in the 'City of Love'.

If only I had known what I was getting myself into, my expectations might have been quite different, and much, much lower.

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*I know it's short but it's only the first chapter and I had to get Brooklyn to Paris for the story to actually begin. I didn't feel like making this chapter extremely detailed, so I just got to the basics to get Brooklyn on her way. Next ones will be much longer, I promise xx

Update (6/13/15): I changed this to first person and will be doing so for ALL 3rd person chapters!