I'm Home

Chapter 2

I can't believe it. We're actually going back to New York City. We have only told two people that we're coming back: Shawn and Katy. They found an apartment across the street from us that is available so they are moving there in a couple days.

After the plane has landed and we have left the airport, we grab a taxi and head back home. I look out the window and see all of the familiar places. The parks I played in when I was little. My old schools. The subway station where I met Lucas. After about ten minutes we are home. We walk upstairs to our apartment and open the door.

Instantly, we find that we are surrounded by family. I see my grandparents in the kitchen. My Aunt Morgan is sitting at the table with my Uncle Eric. Josh is standing by the couch with Shawn. I give everyone a "hello" and a hug, and then I go straight to my room. I sit in the bay window and start singing to myself when Maya comes in through the window.

"Guess you couldn't stay away for long huh?" She says as the two of us start sobbing into each other's arms. We just sit there and cry for a few minutes. After a while, I hear a knock on the other window. I turn around, and I am captivated by the most beautiful emerald green eyes I have ever seen. I feel Maya leave the room while I open the window to let my cowboy inside.

"Hey." I chuckle, trying to rekindle our old game.

"Hi." He says back.

"So, how much did you miss me?" I ask, my curiosity getting the better of me.

"More than I ever thought I could possibly miss someone. What about you? Did you miss me?" He said as he looked up into my eyes. I could only think of one way to show him how much I missed him. I lean in and kiss him. It is like the movies, only better. It feels as if time stopped and we are the only ones still moving.

After a few amazing moments, we hear the one voice that always causes Lucas to leave.

"GET OUT!!!!!"

And with those words, once again my dad chased Lucas out of my room, except this time it was through the living room. Thankfully, my mom intervened and told Lucas that he was free to stay since she figured he must have missed me while I was gone. She was not wrong about that in the slightest.

The rest of the day is filled with nothing but happiness. Mom talked to her boss, and she is being named partner of the New York office. Dad is going back to teaching my friends and me about history and life. Auggie is back with his "wife". Maya and I get to spend the rest of high school sitting in the bay window. Zay, Farkle, and Smackle get to continue making me laugh. And I get to make many more amazing memories with Lucas, filled with milestones, happiness, and the best conversations that I could ever even dream of.

This is the way things are supposed to be. This is where my home is. My home is the bay window talking with Maya. My home is hanging out with my friends after school in Topanga's. My home is sitting in my father's history class. My home is sitting (or falling) on Lucas' lap on the subway. My home is here.