Faded Memories

Chapter 44

They released me from hospital a lot quicker than expected, most likely due to the fact that they were getting over capacity from a large pile up this morning, but in their minds I 'had improved significantly'. Good cop out, doctors.

Carter had insisted on driving me home from the hospital himself - apparently it was in the official boyfriend handbook to drive your near-drowning victim of a girlfriend home, nobody else was allowed.

"Now, I'm just going to warn you about something," Carter began, making my insides instantly turn to mush. Was Ryan close? Had they had a lead? Has my home burnt down- "Stop overthinking right now, it's not about Ryan."

"Well, when you take a long dramatic pause what else am I supposed to think - that I've won a million dollars?" I laughed, turning my head to the side to look at him fully. If I could freeze time in this exact moment, I would be happy forever. Corny, I know, but Carter made my stomach do flips - good flips.

"Alright, alright!" He held his hands up for a split second, before returning to the wheel. "I get where I may have slipped up there. I just wanted to warn you that there may be a few more people at your house than you are expecting, that's all."

I cocked my head to the side, trying to read his smug expression.

"What do you mean, a few?"

"You know..." He scratched his head, improvising. "Georgiamayhaveplannedawelcomehomepartyforyou."

He muttered the last part of his sentence so low under his breath, I barely caught it. I sighed dramatically, chuckling to myself at what I think he was trying to tell me.

"So, it's going to be as if the birthday party where I was kidnapped never ended? The last time I was in the house there was a party and the first time I'm going back there's still a party... wow, you guys really do love a party."

"No, no, no. Not like that, erm, just..."

"I'm joking, Carter! Honestly, it'll be good for me to be back with the people who I've missed so much recently." I beamed, partly excited for things to be slightly normal again instead of worried eyes pointed in my direction constantly.

"Am I one of those people?"

"One of whom?" I queried, smirking at the road.

"The people you missed?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure about that one." I grinned, watching as we pulled into my driveway. "You might be on the list, I'm just not sure how high you rank."

"Oh, really?" He smirked, switching off the engine. "Can I do anything to change my ranking?"

"Maybe..."

Carter closed the gap between us as he leaned in and pressed his lips to mine, tucking my hair behind my ear as he did so. I missed this, I missed us. I must've been grinning the entire time, the overwhelming feeling of content taking over.

"We should probably go inside," I began, pulling away slightly before he pulled me back in, his lips crashing back onto my own. "I don't want to be late for my own party."

As we entered the house, my heart felt as though it was going to burst. Everybody I could think of was here, giving me hugs and kissing my cheek as I entered. I could feel dad watching me from the beach, I could feel the happiness that I had come back radiating off of him up there.

I suppose I was happy to be back, too.

I made my way around everybody, almost as if I was the guest of honour. It was a bit of a shitty honour though, celebrating not drowning. I think I'd rather be a side character for this part of the story, I don't think that I'll be going swimming ever again. At least, not any time soon, anyway.