British Bird
Chapter Thirty Seven
Sang
Flashback: Thirteen Years Old.
I blink my eyes open and inhale a breath of morning fresh air. My eyes clear and the rising sun lighting up America's sky greets me. After an amazing night of smiles and laughter, we returned home to Uncles, collected up some blankets and laid beneath the stars. The last thing I remember is Gabriel humming to some song I didn't recognise. It brought me a sense of peace and I know that I fell asleep with a smile on my face with a heart full of love.
And here I am, lying beneath the sunrise of the early morning. Birds singing their tune surround me, as do the soft even breaths of the boys around me. I close my eyes and exhale a breath when I realise that the time has come.
I'm leaving today and it scares me because I have no idea what the future holds.
Sitting up, I push myself to my feet, allowing the blanket that had been draped over me fall to the ground. Looking at the boys, I take in their peaceful faces, wrinkled suits and shirts that are unbuttoned revealing chests that I know one day will be defined with more muscles that what they already are. They're all handsome and I know that one day, they'll be breaking girls hearts with just a smile.
I pick up the length of my dress as I walk across the lawn to the house. The soft, slightly damp grass beneath my feet tickles my sensitive skin. It makes me grin so wide my cheeks hurt. Stepping into the house, I allow the length of my dress to fall to my feet once more and head for the stairs.
That's where I find Cara. Her hair is pulled back into a ponytail and she's all ready for our long trip home. She's dressed in leggings, a t-shirt and converse and is sitting on the steps with a cup of coffee in her hands. She smiles at me, but it's a little sad. "I was going to finish this and then come and wake you."
I nod my head. "What time are we leaving?" I ask, my hand reaching up to my hair. I curl a strand around my finger.
"In an hour," she answers quietly. "We don't even get a chance to have one more breakfast with them. I'm sorry."
"Don't apologise," I whisper. "It is what it is."
Tears burn my eyes but I take a deep breath and shove my emotions down. Cara doesn't say anything and i'm thankful for that. I collect the length of my dress and slowly make my way up the stairs and into my room. My suitcase lays on the floor under the window, everything has been packed inside, all but the clothes i'll be wearing home today and the dress.
I reach behind my back and slowly slide the zipper down, allowing the dress to fall and puddle at my feet. Tears start falling from my eyes as I slowly take the pins out of my hair, laying them on the bedside table in a neat line. By the time i get myself in the shower, I'm sobbing. The pain in my chest has me pressing my hands there in hopes i can somehow relieve the pain but I can't. It hurts, so so much. I let out a scream and slide down to the shower floor and curl myself into a ball.
I've never experienced anything like it before and i don't want to ever again.
On weak legs, i climb to my feet and get out of the shower. I dry myself off immediately and slowly get myself dressed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. I pull my wet hair into a bun and pull on some sandals. With each thing i do, my movements are purposely slow, hoping that if i'm slow then time will slow. I don't think I'm in much luck though.
A knock at the door startles me and a second later it's been pushed open. Cara steps into the room with tears trickling down her cheeks. "Hearing you like that...it breaks my heart, baby."
My lip quivers and i nod my head. "It's time?"
"I'm afraid so."
"I don't wanna see them to say goodbye," I whisper.
"Whatever you want, Sang, you know that."
Together, me and Cara leave the bathroom and we pack the last few bits of my things. When Cara goes to put the dress in my suitcase, I shake my head and take it from her. I lay it onto the made up a bed and write a note for Uncle to get it dry cleaned before putting it away.
Five minutes later, I'm walking down the stairs with my suitcase in hand. Johnny takes it from me and wraps his arm around my shoulders and whispers in my ear, "Uncle took them out."
I nod and press my face into his arm, my hand finding his to hold onto, needing his strength to keep me upright on my feet. "Don't let go of me, Johnny," I cry into his arm.
"Never," He holds me tighter and leads me outside to the car. "Never, ever."
xXx
I cried all the way to the airport.
Cara held my hand as Johnny handed over the keys to the car back to the rental place.
Johnny wrapped his arm around my shoulders again as we walked into the airport and got ourselves checked in.
Due to traffic and running a little behind, we have to start heading straight towards security to get to our gate.
And when we round the corner, I come to a stop because there they are, standing together in the corner just before the security gates, looking in my direction with soft smiles on their faces.
"We couldn't let you get on the plane without saying goodbye," Cara whispers.
"Go get them, Beautiful," Johnny says with a gentle shove on my back.
They dont need to tell me twice. My feet start moving and I start running towards them. Their smiles spread wider and I'm sure my own matches theirs. Tears stream down my face and my heart feels lighter in my chest just by seeing them here. Here for me.
I don't slow down the closer I get, if anything, I get faster.
Owen is the first one to realise that I'm not going to stop. He steps into my path, opens his arms and seconds later I'm jumping into the air and colliding with him, my legs going around his waist, my face going into his neck and arms going around him. He stumbles back, but catches himself and quickly wraps his arms around me. "You silly girl, thinking you could get away from us without saying goodbye," he says into my ear. "My god, Sang, you are a breath a fresh air."
I sob into his neck and hold him tighter. A hand wraps around one of mine and I look up and find Nathan holding it and wiping away his tears with his other hand. "Beside's Peanut, it's not goodbye."
"It's not?" I ask.
"Never," Owen says. I unwrap my legs from around his waist and drop my feet to the ground. Nathan still holds my hand as I step away from Owen so I can look into his grey eyes. "It's a see you soon."
Arms come around my shoulders as a body presses up against my back. I look and find Silas. He smiles down at me. "We're going to talk all the time."
"By Phone," Luke says.
"And by letters," Victor adds, holding a video camera in his hand.
"You're ours now, Pookie," Sean says, taking my other free hand and pulling me towards him. "We aren't going to just let you go."
"We may be young, Sang, but you're one thing we know for sure we want forever," Kota adds, coming to stand beside Sean. "I know we're young and have a lot of growing to do, but we can all do it together."
"You mean the world to us, baby," North whispers, taking me into his arms. I press my forehead to his chest, trying to get the tears under control. However, it just isn't possible.
"We're unbreakable," Owen finishes. "So remember, Sang; this isn't goodbye."
I nod my head and turn around to look at them all. "It isn't goodbye," I agree on a whisper.
I smile and look at each of their handsome faces, wondering how a girl like me got so lucky to have met such wonderful souls. And as we say our 'see you soons' and seal the promise with the best hugs i'll ever receive and some kisses to the forehead I hand over the remaining pieces of my heart, knowing that they'll handle each piece with care.
Taking my hand in hers, Cara gives me a smile of reassurance and as I walk away, I cry tears of joy and happiness, knowing that one day I'll see them again.
My name is Sang Sorenson and I fell in love at thirteen years old, not once, not twice, but nine times with nine different boys that are the same but oh so different. They make me smile, make me laugh and have given me the time of my life. I can only hope that one day soon, we can do it all over again.
End Of Flashback.
If only I knew then, what I know now.