My best friend

Hardest hello

ONE YEAR LATER

Joao and I just made it back to Costa Rica. It took us a lot longer to complete this job than we thought. After we dropped off the drugs we were captured and tortured by the Mexicans but there was no evidence and eventually we were able to escape.

We pulled up to the house and we got out of the car. We walked inside and out to the backyard and were welcomed by Leon.

"Welcome back"

"How is Kelley"

"She's doing fine. She went to Stanford and is playing soccer. She scored a couple goals too."

"And Mikey"

"Oh he's doing ok. He misses you dearly. I think they both think your dead."

"And my parents."

He paused.

"My parents Leon."

"Well they're both dead."

"How"

"Las calabazas. They captured them and eventually killed them."

"I'm going home."

"Of course. Your things are in the spare bedroom as well as the money for this job. Joao will take you to the airport when your ready."

I walked to the spare bedroom and grabbed all my things. I stuffed the money in my luggage. I wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. I wanted to see Kelley.

Joao drove me to the airport and he helped me get my bags out of the trunk.

"I will miss you Reece."

"Aww you big teddy bear I'll miss you too."

I hugged him.

"Don't be a stranger Reece. You can call me anytime you need anything. We were tortured together and you didn't break. We are family now."

"Thanks. I'll see you later."

I gave him one last hug and walked to the private terminal for the private jet. I boarded the plane and we took off.

Finally I was home. I just landed and I was on my way home. I pulled up to the house and I walked inside.

"MIKEY"

I heard footsteps running and finally I saw Mikey round the corner. He ran over and practically jumped on me.

"Reece where the hell were you."

"Costa Rica. It's a long story. Where's Kelley."

"Well she's at Stanford. You should probably get over there. The soccer season already started."

"Mikey now that you know I'm ok will you be fine living here in your own while I'm at Stanford."

"Yeah as long as your alive."

I hugged him again.

"Wait what about mom and dad."

Oh gosh. The dreadful part.

"Mikey. They didn't make it. I'm sorry."

"That's ok i kind of made my peace with it when no one came back."

"Oh Mikey Im so sorry."

"Reece Im fine. But you need to go find Kelley. She was a mess."

I walked up to my room and started packing again. I took out my phone and called the Stanford soccer coach. I told him that I was in Costa Rica and that I got kid napped but I'm back now. Which wasn't a complete lie. He said that the season is over but that I should get down there and start the second semester of school and that I can play this up coming season.

I'm at the airport waiting for my flight. I bought a new phone before I came here and a new jeep for when I get to California.

I landed about an hour ago and I'm on my way to the dorm room I'm supposed to be sharing with Kelley. I knocked on the door and braced myself for what I was about to get. The door opened and my heart skipped a beat.

"Hi kel"

"Hi kel. HI KEL. YOUVE BEEN GONE FOR A YEAR AND HI KEL IS ALL I GET."

Oh shit.

I could see the tears start to well in her eyes. She started banging on my chest.

"DO YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED I WAS. A WHOLE YEAR REECE A WHOLE YEAR YOU WERE GONE."

"Kel stop."

She kept hitting me so I grabbed her arms and pulled her into me. She was full on sobbing at this point and I had shed a couple tears. I walked her into the room and closed the door. I held her for a while longer until she calmed down.

"Reece I missed you so much."

"I missed you too kel."

"So what happened."

"Kel"

"No no i deserve this. I deserve the truth. So talk."

"Well everything went fine. We dropped off the package and we were on our way back when we were captured by a Mexican drug cartel, las calabazas. They uh they tortured us for a little while until Joao and I were able to escape."

"Reece how long was a little while."

"I don't know I stopped keeping count after 3 months."

"Reece. I'm so sorry."

"It's ok. I didn't break."

"What do you mean."

"There was one thing that kept me going through that time."

She looked at me. Telling me to go on.

"It was you kel. You kept me going."

She pulled me into a hug and I melted into her embrace. I missed this so much.

"Kel im so sorry about everything."

"It's ok your back now. That's all that matters."

I pulled away from the hug and I stood up. I wiped the tears off my face and I pulled Kelley up too.

"I'm here now kel and nothing is taking me away from you again. I'm not leaving like that again kel."

"I love you speedy."

"Kel I know it's late and you already decorated the room and everything but."

I took her hand in mine.

"Let's get a place together. Like a real nice apartment nearby. I have the money from the job. Let's use that."

She nodded her head and smiled.

"I would love that."

"Alright then. You wanna go check some out."

"Let's go."

I took her hand and we walked out together. I'm never going to let her go again.