1 year later
Brad's POV
It's almost been a year since she left. 346 days, 8 hours and 12 minutes. But who's counting?
I stopped trying with the whole "bad boy" persona. I thought it was about time. Turns out Justin and I have 5 classes together the next semester. We're friends now.
Colin became the leader of the "gang". I'll just let them believe they're cool for now. Dylan joined chess club and Colin totally just exiled him. Typical. What's good is that Dylan still looks up to me, even though I tell him not to. He keeps bringing up the fact that I "saved" him from being a geek.
"There's nothing wrong with being a geek." I remember telling him.
Nobody saw Ray after that day. Blake came back and actually started living with us again. Though he still hangs out with his gang and does stuff that isn't exactly legal. He told me to stay out of it as usual and I did.
Veronica, same old, same old. Wasn't surprised when we found out she started dating Colin. I was happy for her, she didn't exactly do anything wrong.
I constantly hang out with Justin and Dylan. Ashlynn and Justin are still going strong after so long, gotta admit, I do get jealous sometimes. If I played my cards right, that could've been Taybe-, Taylor and me. Play my cards? What was I talking about this isn't a game. If I treated her right. If only I did.
At first, Ashlynn was a little pissed at me. Okay, a lot. But after almost 12 months, a punch in the arm every time we meet has turned into a mere two fingered flick.
I could tell she misses Taybe-, Taylor. Every now and then something interesting happens, she looks interested and tends to look to her left, her hand ready to swat someone before her face fell with realisation that there was no one there. She became friends with Veronica, not close just friends.
"Brad, wanna go to Papa John's?" Dylan asked as I found him in in a circle with Justin and Ashlynn.
Ah Ashlynn, I rubbed my shoulder where she recently flicked me.
"Nah, I think I'll just walk home."
"Sure?"
"Yeah"
"Okay, bye then." They said in unison as they made their way to Justin's Volkswagen.
The streets were crowded today. People were bustling around buying Christmas presents. I hugged my jacket and zipped it all the way up. I was cold but not too cold. Little drops of snow fell onto the striped of knitted caps on children's heads.
The clang of coins dropping in a metal bucket by a guy dressed in Santa echoed through my ears as I stopped in front of him.
"Merry Christmas!" he said joyfully through his fake beard.
"Merry Christmas." I replied throwing in some change on my own.
"Now hold on there." he said right before I walked away.
"There will always be a distance between to words on a page, but no one ever said you couldn't fold it to make the words meet." he said, uttering every word carefully.
"Um thanks." I managed to say.
"HO HO HO! He carried on, thanking other people who dropped coins in his bucket.
"Hey little bro." Blake said ruffling my dark hair as I came home from school.
Yup, dyed it back my original colour.
"Hey."
Christmas Day
"Brad!" Blake called from outside my room.
"Want your christmas present?"
"We're supposed to open them together." I retorted chuckling as I opened the door.
His face bore a satisfied smile.
"Taylor is in Walton High School, New York."
*flashback*
"You know Brad, if you act like you didn't care, people are gonna think you don't." Blake said maintaining his cool.
"You know full well I do, if you know then, do you know where she is."
"Not a clue."
"Liar."
"If you believe so."
*end*
The room fell silent.
"You said you didn't know."
"I'll let you in on a secret Brad." he said motioning for me to sit down.
"Before Taylor left, she told me where he was going. She said she needed time away from all this. Her dad was offered in a high position in New York but he often turned it down. Knowing this, Taylor urged her dad to take the job because the main reason he didn't was because he didn't want to destroy her social life. She told me where she was going and she told me not to tell anyone else. I'm the only one who knows."
"Does Ashlynn know?"
"No."
"How come?"
"She wants to start afresh I'm guessing. No offence to her but its quite a bitch move."
"Then why'd she tell you."
"Come on Brad, she's like a little sis to me."
"Then why'd you tell me?"
"Because I know how much you care for her. I've been waiting a year to tell you. I had to see how much you cared. I couldn't tell you earlier because what if you decided to go after her and it would only end badly because you didn't care for her as much as she thought. And after everything she's been through I couldn't put her through that."
I didn't know what to say so I just sat in silence.
"But after noticing the bell pendant on your rope bracelet, it's obvious you care."
My eyes went down to my left wrist where the cold silver pendant sat.
"How did you know it was her's?"
*flashback
"So you're leaving for good?" Blake asked seeing Taylor ransack her room, luggages packed neatly aside.
"Yeap!" She said popping the p.
"Have you seen my silver necklace by any chance?" She asked exasperatedly.
"No what does it look like?"
"It's silver and has a bell pendant, I lost it quite a while ago but it means a lot to me." She left out the part where it was the only reminder of her late brother.
"No but I'll keep a lookout for it."
"Okay thanks Blake. I'm gonna miss you." She said giving Blake a bear hug.
"I'll miss you too Tay. Visit often okay?"
"Low chances of it. I'm starting fresh Blake."
"Come on you can't just cut off people like that."
"Oh I can. And I did. "
Taylor has changed. She isn't who she used to be anymore. The fun-loving, nerdy girl was gone. She was replaced by this dark, soulless, cold person.
*end
"She sent me a letter the day after." He paused. "Probably came back to her senses." Blake finished.
I sat quietly, not knowing how to respond.
"Here." A creased and folded letter was in Blake's hand.
"Thanks." I said quietly holding the letter in my hand.
I sat on the bed for what felt like hours, flipping the letter in my hands. I hadn't had any sign of Taylor for almost a year. This. This would be the only thing that was new.
Breathe in Brad. You can do this. It's just a letter for god's sake.
Dear Blake,
I'm sorry for how I acted yesterday. Ever since the accident, I don't know. It's just never been the same. There's something different about me and I'm not sure weather or not I like it. It makes me feel strong. There's a voice in my head telling me that strength is killing your weaknesses. But I think weaknesses and strengths both have to coexist within ourselves for us to be who we really are. I don't know.
I'll be in Warlton High School by the time you get this letter. Apparently it has a reputation for petty crimes. Hah, how would I ever survive. But I'm happy to start fresh. Don't think bad of me please. It wasn't easy leaving it all behind. Ashlynn, Justin. Everyone. But I had to start fresh. New facebook account, new number. I'm a whole new person now and it feels great.
I don't know what else to say. Take care of Brad please. He needs you as a brother more than you'll know. I don't know what to say about him. It's so contradictory. Pure hate and pure love. I'm pretty sure it's hate. It's just every time I'm around him, it feels like I'm just digging a hole. The thing is, I don't know if it's a hole to escape where I am, like a hole at the end of the tunnel or if it's just a grave.
Take Care of Yourself Blake. Thank you for everything.
Yours Truly,
Taylor Sam
The letter was still in my shaky hands. Hole at the end of a tunnel or just a grave. I have to be the light for her. After all this, she's been the light to my darkness. She was the cure and I was the disease. I was healing while she was dying inside. I was too but lets be real, I was just a selfish asshole doing what was "best" for me. I have to be the light for her.
numinous (adj.) describing an experience that makes you fearful yet fascinated, awed yet attracted-the powerful, personal feeling of being overwhelmed yet inspired.
___________
Hey guys! That would be the end of Part 1. Part 2 ill be out soon. Same book. Thank you all so much for reading! Do comment and vote!
XOXO
CreXenT