You're Still My Favorite Melody

"Mason, I'm leaving!" I call from the front door.

Here I was again, after only six months, leaving. This time it wasn't to run away from Mason.

It was for college.

I had graduated form Terrance Hall High School only a couple of months earlier and had
gotten accepted into a college in New York.

Sure Mason's praise had been great and all of my new "friends" were happy for me, but I couldn't be.

I wasn't graduating from Barrington High. I wasn't receiving my diploma with my best friends cheering me on. I was here, pasting on a fake smile and putting on a show that everyone seemed to love.

I bet you're wondering why I had stayed in Boston for so long if I hated it so much. Mason had thought it was a good idea for me to finish my school year here. Of course I wanted to say no, but babies can make you do anything. Yes, you heard right, Mason had another child. His name was Eric and he was born about a month after the wedding. It was safe to say that I loved him.

Mason runs down the stairs, his eyes glowing with pride.

"My girl, going off to college! I'm so proud of you!"

Mason had proved to be quite different from the Mason I used to know. This Mason seemed much happier. This Mason had graying hair and seemed tested by time. He also never hurt me, physically or verbally.

"Don't get all gushy on me," I mutter.

"Right sorry. Is Daniel here yet?" he asks, peering through the window.

"Yeah, his car's right here," I say, pointing to the shiny silver convertible parked outside of the house.

"Bye, Mason. Give Michelle and Eric a kiss for me."

Michelle was my incredibly bubbly step mother, who had tried desperately to cheer me up.

Didn't work.

Mason nods and I close the door behind me.

Daniel Rivers leans against his car, a lazy smile on his face.

"Hey Daniel," I say, happily pulling my boyfriend into a hug.

He kisses my cheek before pulling open the passenger door, "let's go."

"Such a gentleman," I smirk, getting into the car.

I don't know what had happened to all the kids I used to go to school with, but they were gone. Jadelyn and everyone else had disappeared and Mason said he knew nothing about it.

Weird.

"Are you ready for college? I mean we're going to New York!" Daniel exclaims, pulling out onto the road.

I shrug, "it's no big deal."

This is actually a huge lie.

"Aren't you excited to see your old friends?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

I flinch, "I'm not exactly sure they're still my friends..."

It seems like a pretty stupid thing to do now, but I had completely stopped talking to everyone from New York.

Every time I heard William talking about graduation or prom I'd freak out. I couldn't stand the thought of my best friends, graduating without me.

Moving on without me.

So instead of listening to Patrick talk about how much fun the senior trip was, I stopped answering the phone.

Suddenly I was too busy to make any calls and they stopped coming.

"Sabrina, I'm sure they're happy about seeing you."

"Yeah, sure," I mumble.

Sure, they'd be ecstatic, only, I hadn't told them I was coming back.