Status: Completed
You're Not in This Alone.
Chapter 26
We got up and made our way to the airport. They wouldn’t let him stay with me at the gate, so I had to leave him before the security gates. If I was sad before, now was killing me. We held each other for a long time.
“I’m gonna miss you,” I said.
“I’ll miss you too. But, it’ll go by fast.” He kissed my head. “I love you, baby.”
“I love you too,” I said, backing away. “I better go.”
“Yeah. Have a safe flight. Call me when you get there.”
I gave him one last hug before heading off. It was hard just sitting there waiting for the plane to start boarding. I fell asleep on the plane, and through most of the ride. I looked over my old home. I stepped off the plane and grabbed my bag. I was walking
around for about five minutes until I saw a familiar looking couple.
“TORI!” I shouted happily.
She turned. “LISA!”
I ran up and hugged her.
“Oh my God. It’s so good to see you in person!” I said, taking a look at her. “You look great.”
“You too. And I believe you somewhat know Nick.” She pointed.
“Hey. I finally get to really meet you,” I said.
“Yup.”
“Come on. Let’s go to our place, then we can all go out to lunch.”
I followed them out to their car and we were on our way. For the first time today, I was happy. Maybe Gerard was right, I thought. I did wish he was here with me.
“How does it feel to be home?” Tori asked.
“Weird. Two and a half years makes a big difference, more than I thought.”
“So why didn’t Gerard come?” Nick asked.
“He and the rest of them are gonna talk to Frank. He never really liked me, and
now they’re gonna get to the bottom of it.”
“Home sweet home,” Nick said as he pulled into an apartment complex
lot. “Everyone out!”
I followed them up into their apartment. I got a tour and dropped off my stuff. Tori then went to change out of her pajamas, so I settled on the couch.
“Ya know, I can’t wait till Gerard and I get a place for ourselves,” I told Nick.
“Yeah, it’s cool. Except she gets mad when my friends are over. Can’t blame her
though. They do get annoying.”
“I hear ya. Gerard’s friends are the same. If I sleep at his house, they’ll pile on us in the morning. Lots of bruises. But I guess that’s what makes a relationship strong. You put up with it for the ones you love.”
“Yeah. Hey, can you keep a secret?”
“What?” I looked up at him.
“I need some help. That’s why I’m glad you’re here.”
“What’d she do?”
“Nothing. I wanna ask her…err, propose, that’s the word. I want you to help me
pick out a ring and help me think of a way to ask her,” he whispered.
I went bug-eyed before I grinned ear to ear.
“Of course I’ll help you. I’m full of ideas.”
“Awesome. I owe you on. Here she comes.”
“I’m famished! I need food!” Tori shouted.
“You ain’t going without us!” The front door opened and someone came barging in. “Who the-LISA!”
I turned. “Kristen!” I ran and hugged her.
“I knew you were coming, I just didn’t know when.”
“Hey, I just found out yesterday right after I got out of court.”
“Court?” She looked at me weird.
“Umm…” I realized she didn't know about court, and neither of them knew the
whole story. “It’s a really long story. You wanna know?”
They nodded. I took a breath and started. I told them the whole thing. It was easier to tell this time, because I wasn’t in front of total strangers.
“Lis, you poor thing.” Tori hugged me. “So that’s what you meant with that ‘it was me’ thing.”
“Huh? Oh yeah. I told them not to release my name, because I didn’t want people all over me.”
“You said that you didn’t know Gerard that well up until then. Are there any awkward feelings?” Kristen asked.
“Not really. That’s what brought us together. That’s why I love him so much. I’m fine though so you don’t have to worry about me. My mom said that he and I are strong. All of us are.”
“Speaking of boyfriends, Quinn’s been sitting in the car!” Kristen said. “Wonder why he didn’t ring the bell.”
“It doesn’t work all that well,” Nick said.
“Come on. Let’s go eat,” I said.
We had trouble deciding where to eat because we couldn’t agree. We ended up at a buffet in which we raided. After one regular plate of food each, Tori and I raided the dessert bar.
“That guy looks familiar,” I said, pointing.
“I’m gonna miss you,” I said.
“I’ll miss you too. But, it’ll go by fast.” He kissed my head. “I love you, baby.”
“I love you too,” I said, backing away. “I better go.”
“Yeah. Have a safe flight. Call me when you get there.”
I gave him one last hug before heading off. It was hard just sitting there waiting for the plane to start boarding. I fell asleep on the plane, and through most of the ride. I looked over my old home. I stepped off the plane and grabbed my bag. I was walking
around for about five minutes until I saw a familiar looking couple.
“TORI!” I shouted happily.
She turned. “LISA!”
I ran up and hugged her.
“Oh my God. It’s so good to see you in person!” I said, taking a look at her. “You look great.”
“You too. And I believe you somewhat know Nick.” She pointed.
“Hey. I finally get to really meet you,” I said.
“Yup.”
“Come on. Let’s go to our place, then we can all go out to lunch.”
I followed them out to their car and we were on our way. For the first time today, I was happy. Maybe Gerard was right, I thought. I did wish he was here with me.
“How does it feel to be home?” Tori asked.
“Weird. Two and a half years makes a big difference, more than I thought.”
“So why didn’t Gerard come?” Nick asked.
“He and the rest of them are gonna talk to Frank. He never really liked me, and
now they’re gonna get to the bottom of it.”
“Home sweet home,” Nick said as he pulled into an apartment complex
lot. “Everyone out!”
I followed them up into their apartment. I got a tour and dropped off my stuff. Tori then went to change out of her pajamas, so I settled on the couch.
“Ya know, I can’t wait till Gerard and I get a place for ourselves,” I told Nick.
“Yeah, it’s cool. Except she gets mad when my friends are over. Can’t blame her
though. They do get annoying.”
“I hear ya. Gerard’s friends are the same. If I sleep at his house, they’ll pile on us in the morning. Lots of bruises. But I guess that’s what makes a relationship strong. You put up with it for the ones you love.”
“Yeah. Hey, can you keep a secret?”
“What?” I looked up at him.
“I need some help. That’s why I’m glad you’re here.”
“What’d she do?”
“Nothing. I wanna ask her…err, propose, that’s the word. I want you to help me
pick out a ring and help me think of a way to ask her,” he whispered.
I went bug-eyed before I grinned ear to ear.
“Of course I’ll help you. I’m full of ideas.”
“Awesome. I owe you on. Here she comes.”
“I’m famished! I need food!” Tori shouted.
“You ain’t going without us!” The front door opened and someone came barging in. “Who the-LISA!”
I turned. “Kristen!” I ran and hugged her.
“I knew you were coming, I just didn’t know when.”
“Hey, I just found out yesterday right after I got out of court.”
“Court?” She looked at me weird.
“Umm…” I realized she didn't know about court, and neither of them knew the
whole story. “It’s a really long story. You wanna know?”
They nodded. I took a breath and started. I told them the whole thing. It was easier to tell this time, because I wasn’t in front of total strangers.
“Lis, you poor thing.” Tori hugged me. “So that’s what you meant with that ‘it was me’ thing.”
“Huh? Oh yeah. I told them not to release my name, because I didn’t want people all over me.”
“You said that you didn’t know Gerard that well up until then. Are there any awkward feelings?” Kristen asked.
“Not really. That’s what brought us together. That’s why I love him so much. I’m fine though so you don’t have to worry about me. My mom said that he and I are strong. All of us are.”
“Speaking of boyfriends, Quinn’s been sitting in the car!” Kristen said. “Wonder why he didn’t ring the bell.”
“It doesn’t work all that well,” Nick said.
“Come on. Let’s go eat,” I said.
We had trouble deciding where to eat because we couldn’t agree. We ended up at a buffet in which we raided. After one regular plate of food each, Tori and I raided the dessert bar.
“That guy looks familiar,” I said, pointing.