Message in a Bottle

Chapter Sixteen
The next day Carter and I spent the day in the shack after school where my grandmother and I created our messages in the bottle. Normally, this place would bring back horrible memories of my past but this time it was different. Carter and I were creating a new memory I would cherish even though all we did was talk, laugh, and explore what was in this place other than the cobwebs.
It was a great way to spend our day, knowing but not thinking about the fact that our minutes were numbered. We weren’t trying to get in as much stuff as possible together because it wasn’t the big things but the little moment like these that is the most important.

All I did the whole day was look at time. I tapped my pencil, fidgeted with my fingers, and bounced my legs in anticipation for school to end and see Carter who was probably already waiting for me at my house with that smile on his face that brought out his dimples and the sparkle in his blue eyes. When I step through the door the first thing I’d hear him say was my name. The way he said my name in his mellifluous voice that gave me butterflies. Then he’d hug me tightly and the way he’d hug me was like he never wanted to let go. His strong embrace was something I’ve never experienced. Not from my brother, not from my mom, not from my dad, not even from my grandmother. Then he’d kiss me. Oh, the way his lips touches mine was like I was floating on cloud nine. “Morgan. Morgan. Morgan.” His voice sounded in my head. “Morgan!” Even when he was angry he was still absolutely perfect.
“Morgan!”
“Huh, what? What’s going on?” I asked, looking back and forth frantically.
“The bell rang. You have a boy to see,” Emily reminded.
“Oh yeah!” I jumped out of the chair and jetted through the hallways, not bothering to put away my books in my arms. I unlocked my bike from the pole, put on my backpack and began cycling like Lance Armstrong all the way to my house. It was very prudent of me to bring an easier way of transportation other than walking to my house which would take much longer.
I threw the bike onto the lawn, wiped the sweat from across my forehead, aired out my shirt, and combed my fingers through my hair. I took a deep breath as I swung open the door and smiled brightly.
Nothing.
I frowned, looking back out the door. The Jeep wasn’t parked in the driveway. How odd. I clearly remember him saying that he’d be here once I got home from school. Maybe he was running a little late. Traffic maybe?
I went into the kitchen to start Benjamin’s dinner of salmon. Not the real stuff. The canned one.
I got caught up in Ben’s dinner that I put stuff in it that I usually wouldn’t. I added extra stuff into the salmon so that the delicious scent floated through the air and caused Ben to come out to see what I was cooking. I also made a nicoise salad.
I sat at the table watching Ben eat his food and if I knew I’d be waiting until the sun was nearly setting I would have made more food for myself. Instead I ate some leftover meatloaf that I eventually threw out because I remembered when it was made so I made myself a bowl of cereal.
Throughout the whole time I wanted to call Carter and ask him where he was and why he wasn’t here to spend our last full day in Cape Hatteras together but that would make me seem like a clingy girlfriend so I didn’t.
The sun vanished from the sky and the moon and stars became visible, the crickets began to chirp, the humid temperature went down, and I crawled into bed, heartbroken knowing what day it would soon be.