Holiday Lanes

Twenty-Nine

"What more could he have found?" I asked.

"Proof."

I looked at Elton and then at Sam.

"Proof of what exactly?"

"He has proof of the abuse you went through. Ben ran an intensive background check on your aunt, and your aunt used to drive a black SUV, until she got in a car accident. Your aunt, she was the person who hit your family's car that night. I know that's an emotional bomb to drop on you Vee, but he can put your aunt away."

"Just tell me what I need to do," I said, not surprised by what Elton told me.

"You wouldn't have to do anything, Ben has the proof. Did you know who the drunk driver was that killed your family?" Elton asked.

"No, but I always had a feeling. My aunt hated her brother, who is my dad, and she drinks more than she breathes. I never thought it was her until I was sixteen. I saved up money to get a car and when I did, she took my car out instead of hers one night. When I got up to go to school the next morning and my car just smelled repulsively like alcohol, I couldn't shake the instinct I had telling me it was her. She killed my family, and she almost killed me, she belongs in prison."

"Vee, didn't anyone ever tell you to follow your instincts? Why didn't you go to the police?"

"What was I supposed to do," I said with a small laugh, "walk into a police station at sixteen and accuse my aunt of killing my family? They would've told me to come back when I had proof."

It felt like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. My aunt was getting what she always deserved, and I will not have to worry about her for the rest of my life. I am attending the school of my dreams, with the guy of my dreams standing by my side. I have a family that is going to stand behind me no matter what happens and I can handle anything life is going to throw at me next.

"Are you ready to go?" Elton asked.

"Almost, I have one more thing that I have to do," I said as I left the kitchen.

I knew they'd all still be sleeping, but I wasn't going to leave without saying goodbye. I know that I'll see all of them soon, but they're my family and families don't just leave.

I walked upstairs and grabbed the small letters I had written for each of the roommates last night. I walked into Sam's room and placed his letter on his bed. I went into Colby's room, to see him looking at his phone.

"Hey Colby," I said as I walked up to his bed where he was laying.

"Hey Vee," Colby said kind of sadly.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm really going to miss having you in the house Vee. It's been so nice having you around and I'm just going to miss it," Colby said with the sadness still evident in his voice.

"Colby, I'm coming back. I'm going to miss you too, I won't have anyone who appreciates my love for screamo music like you do at school, but I know where to find you. I'm only an hour away. Would you like to come with us to move me in today?"

"Can I?" Colby asked.

"Absolutely."

Colby got out of bed and grabbed some clothes to change into. While he was doing that, I put the letter I wrote to Colby on his desk. Colby went downstairs and I went over to Aaron's room. When I walked in, he was still asleep. I sat on the side of his bed and woke him up.

"Aaron, wake up."

"Mars?" Aaron yawned as he started to wake up.

"Hey, I wasn't going to leave for school without saying goodbye."