No better time like today, I thought as I went to to the kitchen and made some tea. The house was always so quiet when I was here that it was hard to know if either Serena or Connor were here.
I poured the cup of tea for myself, mostly to get rid of the taste of whiskey that was still apparent on my tongue. The only taste on my lips that I didn't want to drift away, was the taste Leo's lips on mine.
I carried the plain white mug up to my room, being careful not to drop any of the hot liquid. The first thing I did was just lie down from exhaustion, before forcing the hot liquid down my dry throat.
I sighed, looking around the room, picking up one or two pieces that had been left their. I unlocked the suitcase and took out the art book, with the drawings of Leo inside it, and read the little passage I had wrote. Without trying to think too much of it, I ripped it out of the book and folded it up, placing it neatly into my jeans pocket.
I proceeded to take my suitcase and duffle bag downstairs, almost tripping from the weight. My bags were near the door, ready to leave, as I placed put my leather jacket inside the big suitcase.
My summer vacation, was coming to a close, and the only thing left to do was talk to my ex-best friend - which I had been conveniently avoiding.
I went back up to the room since it was clear that Serena wasn't here. Sitting down, on the edge of the bed, the rooms seemed too empty. It feel to much like the start of summer, when I had no problems to face.
Almost in a rush to get out of the room, and avoid feeling the nostalgia for any longer, I grabbed my bag, and a lighter from the kitchen, it was one that was used at the bonfire. I then went to the beach. The sun was a shade of green, fading into blue. I stood as the water rushed at my feet, before grabbing the lighter and setting fire to the one item that destroyed me, and my friendship.
Once the fire went out, I stood shivering from the sudden rush of wind, whilst staring at the semi-burnt tape, I kept walking into the ocean, I walked so far that I was scared if I would even find a way back again. I placed the tape into the ocean, letting the waves take control of something that I felt like I no longer had any control over.
Serena came rushing down the stairs when I walked back into the beach house. "I'm leaving," I said trying to hold back tears that had found their way to the surface. Her blonde hair was extra wavy today she was probably trying a new style, and her yellow and pink dress flowed to the knees. It already seemed like I hadn't seen her in months, after skillfully avoiding her for so long.
"Yeah...I um...I noticed," she said, gesturing to the bags.
"It's been one eventful summer," I said, starting to say my thoughts out loud. Fighting wasn't an option now, I refused to get angry or bitter.
"I'm sorry, Alison," she said, meekly.
"I know," I said nodding, and I knew she was, but things would never be the same. I walked so close to her that if we moved any closer our noses would have probably been touching. "But if we became friends again, I would just be lying to myself, because I wouldn't be okay."
"Maybe like any relation ship, we can build it up again?" Serena asked, her pale eyes full of hope.
I shook my head sadly, "You can't build up fourteen years of friendship from the ground, maybe if you didn't pick Connor, maybe then," I said looking at the wooden floorboards.
"About that," Serena started off taking a deep breath, "I've decided to stay here a little longer..." she stopped speaking.
"What do you mean?" I asked when she refused to continue, without some kind of reassurance.
"I'm thinking about maybe staying here and going to college with Connor, at the same college as him," she said, trying to look me in the eyes, but I didn't look back at hers, I was too scared that the wet substance would trickle down from my eyes. .
"Oh," was all I said for a while. "Well if you're happy..." I trailed off.
"Yeah, I am. I mean Connor makes me happy, but I didn't mean to hurt you-"
"It's fine," I said, waving her off. She really did pick Connor. Maybe, I was hoping that she thought more of us, then she did of them, but how wrong I was.
"No It's not, what I did was brutally mean, I didn't mean to, and it shouldn't ever have continued the way it did. It started off as a little joke, it wasn't meant to turn into anything."
"Tell me one thing," I said looking into the eyes, "did you ever feel any of the pain I was going through, do you even know how to empathize with someone?"
Serena nodded her head, unsurely. "I'm sorry," She said meekily. "So, where do we stand?" She asked, like I should have the golden answer. We seemed to be doing that a lot, asking questions and not receiving any answers, becasue neither of us had any, and we were only hoping that the other had something more to say.
"I'm leaving for college, I'll hopefully pass and maybe go into the art industry, maybe open up a gallery," I said, tears brimming my eyes.
"What about us?" She asked.
"Their is no us, we don't exist any more. We're like perfect stranger. We had a good fourteen years, from the day you stole my art work at nursery, to this day, but things change...people change," I finished off.
Their was so much more I wanted to say, and so much I wanted to ask, but none of it felt right, because our friendship was over, so what was the point? Getting answers wouldn't change our standing point.
"Is their anyway-" I stopped her before she could continue.
"No, because the damage is done, and all your secrets have escaped the cage where they were staying. I, with all my heart wish you happiness, and I really hope that you're happy with Connor. And I hope you never regret the choice you made, just like I hope I don't regret choosing my life, and standing up for myself," I continued. Even though tears were falling down my face. "Because this summer taught me more than I could of ever hoped."
"Perfect strangers?" Serena asked, tears filling her eyes.
"Perfect strangers," I said smiling, before hugging Serena tightly. Fourteen yeas of friendship out of the window. Just like that.
The hug lasted longer than usual hugs last, and I couldn't get rid of the aching need in my chest. I knew that I would grow up, and on every birthday and every occasion I would feel her missing presence. Her funny jibes, and her overly exaggerated personality. I tried to wipe away my tears. "Well I should go," I said finally, clearing my throat.
"Yeah," Serena whispered. "Have a safe trip," I was driving the black Maserati, since Serena had already told me before hand that her parents could pick her up.
I stood their for a while, it was like my feet were glued to the surface, telling me to stay, because as soon as I walked through that door, it was all gone, and today was another historical day in the life of me.
I looked up to find Connor at the staircase. And I immediately knew that he had heard everything. I pondered the thought of him feeling any guilt.
"Do you ever feel guilty?" I asked him, with as much courage that I could muster up.
"Sometimes."
"Bye," I whispered going up to him and giving him a light hug. I didn't hold onto grudges, and I needed to let go, in some ways Connor had done me a huge favour.
"Bye," I whispered as I took my bags, and placed them into the Maserati. Looking out from the porch one more time, the sky the perfect shade, for the second time it felt like that first day, seeing Leo skateboarding, and seeing the little shops. The car was parked out front, so I went down the wooden stairs and got into the drivers seat, just looking at the beach house for a moment, and the beautiful beach. I wonder when I would return, I wonder how much Serena will have changed by then.
I got out the little piece of paper from my pocket and read it over. I wish Leo would have actually read it.. I put the keys into the ignition, but just as I was about to start driving off, and had finally wiped away every single tear that had frosted my gaze, I saw a figure running towards the car.
Before I could even think about locking the door to protect myself, Leo sat inside, and in his hand was three big black duffle bags.
I frowned, utterly confused. "What are you doing Leo?" I asked, warily.
"Coming with you," he said looking me in the eyes.
Oh god! "What...do you...mean?" I asked.
"You might wanna start driving before it gets dark," he said, completely ignoring me.
I stared at him in shock, "Look, I'm not getting out of this car, so you better start driving," he repeated his request.
I pondered the thought of trying to physically pull him out of the car, but looking at Leo's toned body, it was clear that my weak muscles would fail me.
"Leonardo" I said, angrily, trying to sound superior by using his full name. This was not how things were meant to work out, even though the thought of Leo coming back with me was a really tempting one.
"Alison," Leo nodded back at me.
I glared at him angrily, so he leaned over, brushing my hair out of my face, "Stop worrying, for five seconds, just forget about everything you're worried about, and tell me...do you want me to come back with you?" He asked, his eyes full of hope.
"Well of course, I do, yes," I said with assurity, without even thinking about it, "but-" I started, and before I could even get another word in, Leo lips were on mine.
"I told you to forget about your worries," he replied, his green eyes clouding my judgment.
I had to force myself to stay quiet. "Well, what are you waiting for? Start driving," Leo said, smirking.
I smiled back at him, pure happiness filling my mind. I came with Serena, and I was leaving with Leo. Maybe I really did need to let all my worries fizzle into nothing, because sometimes people surprise you, they could turn out to be exactly who you imagined or they could turn out to be exactly the opposite. Serena was like an illusion of someone that I thought I knew, she hid her true identity from me in a masterful way. I wonder what she did when I wasn't around, who was she exactly? This girl I had known since I was three, but really, I didn't know her at all.
This was meant to be the perfect summer. No glitches. Just parties, staying up all night while Serena and I fought over which movies to watch, and going to the beach. Perfect meant that nothing would go wrong, and in effectiveness...it all went wrong, because I would have thought that this holiday wasn't worth losing my best friend over, but finding new friends was all too amazing, at the same time it taught me, that I couldn't trust everyone.
And then there was Leo, who was both perfect and flawless in the most loose sense of the term. Memories flood back of her telling me how he was a player, a waste of space, someone who used her. He didn't use her, she used him in a sense. Was it forceful? No! Then she had the choice to decline, just like I had the choice to say no, but I didn't 'cause with every kiss, and every moment, and every heartbeat I felt myself falling deeper into the love that I possessed for him.
So I had dealt my cards. Serena had dealt hers, and Leo had dealt his. Let's just hope we all got the ace of hearts.
I dug into my pocket and took out the little note, "Here Leo," I said passing it to him with a smile etched onto my face.
"What is it?" He asked.
"The words I hid from you," I said simply. "I love you," I said once he had finished reading it.
"I love you too," he said, with a large smile on his face, as I ran a finger over all the features on his face.
"I know."
I was driving past the SummerWester beach sign, and onto the motorway, when I looked over to my left, to find that Leo had fallen asleep in the passengers seat. I found myself smiling at myself, I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, and grabbing the light brown blanket from the backseat and putting it over his body, as he blissfully murmured in his sleep. And for the first time, I didn't need the radio, as I continued driving off as the sky darkened from blue to black.
Maybe this summer was perfect after all. A unique shattered kind of perfect, but still perfect.
LAST CHAPTER POSTED!! WHOOO :') comment/vote, let me know what you think! I can't believe that I finally finished it! Thank you soo much for every sngle read/comment/vote (Read the authors note, it's where I thank you 20 million times)