Chapter 73:
Arabella's POV:
I find myself sitting on the couch, when a flashback of my father appears. Back when he was nice. Before he went to shit.
It was three days before Noah turned 6, when Dad and I were throwing a football back and forth in our backyard, and when he accidentally hit the fence and it broke.
The backyard of the house right next to the one I'm in.
I snap back to reality, and start to get an uneasy feeling. Nauseating.
I run to the bathroom and start throwing up. I hear Sam and Chandler getting some water for me. When I'm done, I walk out.
"You all right?" Chandler asks, searching my eyes. I nod. "Yeah, it was just a little... I don't know. But I'm fine now." He gives me the water and I look out the window, at my old house. I see the backyard. The broken fence. We never did fix it. That fence is old. Rotted. Deteriorating.
Like my dad.
It's almost dark outside. Tomorrow is the 21st of December. In a couple of weeks it'll be 2015.
I look over at Sam and Chandler. Chandler seems to be studying me. Then he smiles sympathetically, and Sam pulls me in for a hug.
Later, we go into Sam's backyard. He lights a campfire like he promised.
We all sit at different sides of the fire. After a while, Chandler speaks up. "Whatever happens... I promise... It'll be alright, Ari."
Knowing what he's talking about, I nod. Caroline. Right.
I've seen Chandler in many different lights. I've seen him scared. I've seen him hurt. I've seen him excited. I've seen him joyful. But the Chandler I saw just now... I didn't recognize him. He's an optimist, I know that, but he seemed so... Different.
He starts twisting a twig in the flames. "Hey, look! The stick's on fire! I'm an angry mob!" Chandler has a silly expression on his face.
I'm starting to wonder who he really is.
Sam and I laugh, and while Chandler is playing in the fire, I try to study him. I don't think anyone really knows him. I half-smile at him.
"I almost burned myself! Ahh!!!!"
"Chandler!" Sam laughs, "This is why we are best friends."
Despite the fact that Sam and Chandler are two whole uniquely different people, they are alike in many ways.