Good-bye Missouri

I slapped my alarm clock as soon as the annoying thing started buzzing. It's not like i needed it this morning anyway, considering the fact that I have been up for awhile now. It's pretty dang hard to sleep when you have such a drawn out day ahead of you. Today is my last day here and I had almost finished all my packing for the big move that I was gonna be making later on that afternoon.

Yep I was moving and I couldn't be more excited about it. After my mom and Steve broke up a few months back she decided to head to the big city to try and expand her career. Which is fine with me since it's something she has always dreamed about doing, and besides I'm getting to go live with my dad.

After their divorce, dad went to live at our lake house in Elkin, North Carolina. Which is located just right at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I can't wait to get there. The lake house use to be our vacation home where we would spend the summers when I wasn't in school. It was the place where my dad had grew up, and where I met my best friend Abby when we were both five. Don't get me wrong, I have had good friends here in Missouri, but none of them will ever completely understand me like Abby.

"Well that's the last of them." I tell myself as I closed up the box to take it down stairs with the others. Now all I have to do is put it all into my car. As I keep checking the clock, I realize that more time that passes by the more excited I become. The first thing that I'm gonna do once I get to Elkin is take a run through the woods that are right behind the lake. You would think by looking at me that I'm not the outdoors type. With my platinum blonde hair that has black highlights through it and the whole underneath. Not to mention my tanned skin. I look like the preppy kind of girl who freaks at the sight of bugs, but I'm the complete opposite actually.

"Natalie, sweetie are you almost done? You need to be leaving soon if you're gonna try and get to your father's before it gets to late." my mom yells at me from the kitchen. She's probably in there making me a ton of snacks to take on the road in case I get hungry. But knowing my mother she has most likely made way more than I can eat by myself, which will just give me and dad something to eat for later. "Yeah, just give me a second." I yell back down the stairs at her.

I walk into the kitchen just in time to see her bagging up the last sandwiches she had made. As she handed me the bag full of food I leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. All she does is looks back at me. "what was that for?" "Oh no reason really. I'm just really gonna miss you that's all."

It's obvious that she really wants to cry once I say that, but I couldn't help it. I am gonna miss her, but I still excited about moving in with my dad, and getting to see Abby.

"Well atleast we will have some holidays together. I know that you will be wanting to spend them with both me and your father, but don't worry dear we will figure out all those minor details when the time comes."

"Of course mom, I know we will." I reply back to her as I pull her in, giving her a tight hug. Glancing over her shoulder I seen the clock. It was a little past eight-thirty. "You know mom, if you don't hurry then you're gonna miss your flight." Which was leaving at nine-forty, but it was a good little drive to even get to the airport from where we lived.

I help her load the last of her things into the taxi. Lucky enough for us the cab driver was nice and in no hurry, which is good since I already knew she was continue to tell me to be careful on my way to my dads. Not to mention she would probably go through some check list in her mind making sure that she covered everything and that she had she hadn't forgotten anything. "Okay, let's see I have my purse, my carry on bag, and my suitcases are in the trunk...hmm. Are you sure I'm not forgetting anything?" I mentally smile at myself for knowing my mom so well. "Yes mom you've got it all, so don't worry. Beside like I said earlier you're gonna be late if you don't hurry up already."

"I know sweetie, I just like to be sure of these things you know." All I can do is smile at her. God how I'm gonna miss my mom. "Now are you sure that you are gonna be okay going to your father's by yourself?"

"Of course, I have my GPS after all."

"Yes, but it's still a very long drive Natalie. Are you sure you're up to it?"

"Jeez mom, yes I'll be fine for the last time. Now will you go already and quit stalling." I say to her not even bothering to hide the giggles that escape my lips. "Alright, alright I'm leaving. Oh Natalie, sweetheart, I'm gonna miss you so much."

"I know mom I'm gonna miss you too." We give each a long tight last minute hug before she climbs into the cab. Who had still been sitting there waiting on her patiently. The only thing I can do is stand there and watch as the taxi and my loving mother disappear down the driveway.

Now it's my turn to hit the road. I head into the house for a few more good-byes, and so I can play the roll of my mom for a minute and double check myself. Guess you could say she rubs off on me like that from time to time. All my stuff had already been packed nicely away into my car. I took the liberty to do so while I was putting everything else into the cab. I close the door for the last time. Getting into my car, I turn to give a quick glance at the place that was no longer going to be my home. I turn the key and start down the driveway. After a day's drive then I'll be home sweet home.

Elkin

I turn left onto the long road that leads to the lake house. After about a five minute drive down the old dirt road, I finally come to it. Pulling in I put the car in park and get out. The next thing I see is my dad coming out the front door.

"Natalie! It's about time." He says to me as he picks me up twirling around in to a bunch of circles. "Yeah dad I know, but you've got to remember it is a long distance from Missouri to here.

"Well you know how impatient of a man I am."

"Duh, how could anyone forget." I replied laughing. God it was so good to him. If words could only describe my dad. For starters he's a pretty laid back kind of guy. Don't get me wrong he does have his rules and all, but he's not exactly what I would call strict either. Which I still think that has something to do with him and my mom getting a divorce.

"Are those some of your mother's sandwiches." He asks me.

"Here, help yourself. I don't think I could eat another one if I wanted to." I hand him the bag that contained what was left of my mother's 'road trip snacks' she had made me. "Oh right, come on then let's get your things up to your room. We can catch up over dinner later after you've been able to get settled in and freshin up a bit." Grabbing most of my stuff we head into the house. "Thanks dad for basically letting me know I stink."

Giggling he gives me a wink telling me that that's not what he meant. He just figured that I would probably be feeling a little grungy after being in the car for so long. Not that he need to explain that to me since I already knew what it was that he meant.

Once I get everything up to my room, I go ahead and begin to unpack. Which doesn't take long since I didn't have to worry with packing a lot. Right after pulling out some of my clothes, from where they were neatly packed away, I walk over to put them away in the beautiful dresser my dad had bought me three years ago. Running my hand over the perfectly crafted wood design that had been painted an antique cream color. Taking the clothes that that I was still holding, I placed them into it.

Turning around and giving the once over. This was the same room my parents gave me when we use to come here on vacation, back when it was just our vacation home. Our one place where we could go every summer to get away from everything. My dad had left my room just the way it was from the last time I came and stayed a few weeks with him back in April. Then I had decided it was time for a change since I wasn't a little girl anymore, and I had talked dad into going with me to the the department store, which is in the next town over, and getting me some new paint so I could make it a bit more grown up looking. I chosen a creamy pale yellow color. I got a little creative by cutting a bunch of pretty white flowers out that I would find in old pictures or in magazines, and pasted them all on the same wall. Now the room had more of an classic victorian look to it, which suited my personality more I guess.

I practically danced over to the soft white curtains that were hanging in front of the two french doors. Opening the doors I stepped out onto my balcony. It was my own personal balcony, and since I was on the second floor I'm able to get a nice view of everything. However, the first thing that I have always seen every time I've ever walked out onto this balcony is the lake. Ah, the view of the lake itself was enough to take your breath away. "Just think this is all yours now." I tell myself. Beyond the lake is the Elkin Woods. You couldn't ask me how far back those woods go because I couldn't tell you. However, I could tell you that if anybody were to wonder off the trails in those woods then they would most definitely be lost. If anyone was to get lost then who knows if they would be out there for or if they would ever even be found.

After the long hot shower I had just taken, I grabbed a pair of black sleep shorts and a plain white tank top. I get dressed and flop down across my bed. Stretching my arms and legs out as far as possible. Only now did I realize just how tired I actually was. The breeze started blowing through the balcony doors, that I had decided to leave open so I would see the lake.

Tomorrow, Abby was coming over to see me. Apparently, she had a full day planned for us, so that we could catch up. I know all this because she decided to leave me a fifteen minute long voicemail explaining it all to me. Unfortunately I had missed her call because I had been in the shower, and as much as I really wanted to talked to her I was just way to tired to call her back tonight.

"Sorry Abby, I'll give you a call as soon as I get up in the morning." I say out loud. Pretty sure that right after I said that I fell asleep because I most certainly don't remember doing anything else.

Abby

A strange noise from across the room woke me, a little earlier than when I actually wanted to get up. At first I tried to ignore it but then I quickly realized that it wasn't going to stop anytime soon. I sighed as I through the covers off of me and stepped onto the floor. So glad that I have thick carpet in my room. Otherwise, I'm almost a hundred percent positive that my feet would be beyond freezing right now since I decided to leave the doors open last night. But that's when I noticed where the strange noise was coming from. It was coming from the two french doors that were now closed. Guess dad must have came in sometime while I was asleep and closed them for me because he didn't want me to get cool.

Slowly I walk up to the two doors, and I tried to peek around the curtain to see if I see anything. In Elkin, it wasn't very uncommon for people to walk outside, and see a bear or some other kind of wild animal in a tree in their front yard. So you can obviously see as to why I'm basically sneaking up on my doors. I don't see anything, but the noise still hasn't stopped so I decide to go ahead and open the door. Plus it was a small noise, so surely nothing too big is going to try and eat me. Opening one of the doors carefully, I creep out onto the balcony. Next thing I know I'm getting pegged in the forehead with a pebble. And let's just say it wasn't exactly a small pebble either.

"Ouch!"

Below the balcony I hear a muffled sound. Obviously they were laughing at me and trying to cover it up. Whoever it was, they were doing a terrible job at it. "Sorry!" They call back at me, but they were still laughing. As soon as I heard the voice I knew who it was.

"Abby!"

"The one and only."

"Oh my gosh, what are you doing here?"

"Can't you tell? I'm here to be your wake up call, duh. Did it work?"

"Yeah, I think so." I reply back while rubbing my head from where the rock hit me. "Hey, wait how come you didn't just use the front door?"

"I figured we could sneak you out the way we use too." Grinning from ear to ear I remembered all the many times we use to climb down the fencing that went up the side of the house. My mom had put it there back when we first bought the place. Over the years, she had added flowers to it, which have grown every year since. Abby and I had always used that fence to get past my parents whenever we wanted to go to a party.

I couldn't help but laugh at this. "Okay, just give me a minute."

I raced back inside and put on some jeans and a light pink short sleeved shirt, along with my pink converse. Looking in the body mirror that was hanging on my closet door, I figured that it was good enough. Now all I needed was a bit of make up. So I added a tad of foundation with powder, and then my eyeliner. Eyeliner, I never go anywhere without it. Making sure I put the perfect amount on. I liked it thick, but not to thick that it seemed as though I had just stepped out of some horror movie.

Okay, so climbing down the fence wasn't quite as easy as I remember it being. Although, after checking to make sure that every place I put my foot down wasn't going to end me with a trip to the hospital, I finally arrived at the bottom. Where Abby had been waiting on me patiently.

Trying to forget all the laughs and snorts from her on my way down, I give Abby a tight squeeze. Both of us trying to keep our voices down so that we don't wake my dad up. He always was a late sleeper.

"Come on. We'll talk once we get out of your dad's hearing range." She says to me. All I do is nod my head at her as we take off towards the other side of the lake.

Once we get there she begins bouncing while she has tiny little screams come from her lips. Her curly brown hair kept falling in her perfectly round face as it whipped off her shoulders from all her bouncing she was doing. Yeah, she's excited. "I can't believe you're actually here, and for good this time too!" She said to me followed by one of those little screams again. "I know I can't believe it either." I say as I join her in her awkward bouncing pattern.

"So have you registered for school yet?" She asks me as our bouncing finally comes to an end. "Yep, sure have."

"And?" When she looked at me I could practically see the question marks in her big brown eyes as she waited for me to answer. Which I didn't do right away because I knew it would annoy her waiting on the suspense of it all. Naturally I was right. I know Abby like the back of my hand.

"Hello?" She said with a very impatient tone.

"What?"

"Are you going to answer my question?"

"I don't know. Could you repeat it please?"

"Natalie!" Even though she just yelled my name at me, she couldn't hind the smile that made it's way along her face.

"And, I start Monday." As soon as I said that her smile fell. "Monday?" I nod my head at her, and then she started shaking her head back. This made heart fall. Did she not want me to go to school with her or something?

"Yeah, Monday. Is something wrong with that?"

"Are you kidding me? Of course there's something wrong with that. That means I only have two days!"

"Two days for what?"

"To prepare you."

"Prepare me? Prepare me for what exactly?" I asked. "Hello! For school, what else? I mean we've got back to school shopping to do for you, and I still have to tell you who's who in school these days." That's when I busted out laughing. "Seriously that's what you're worried about. And here I was thinking that you didn't want me going to school with you or something." Now it was her turn to laugh.

"Why would you think that? Of course, I want you to go to school with me. It's my every birthday wish since I was six every time I blew out my candles."

"You spent your birthday wishes on me? That's so sweet Abby. I wish I could say the same, but I can't." I say this with a completely straight face. Mentally I gave myself a pat on the back for hiding my smile so well when I saw the disappointed look on her face. Yep, that's right that's pay back for the school thing.

Finally she asked me. "So what did you use to wish for then?"

"Heath Ledger." After saying that I assured her that I was just getting back at her for just a little bit ago. "Abs, hello? Of course I wished the same thing."

Once we sobered up from our giggle fit she asked if I wanted to go to a party.

"A party?"

"Yes, a party. I think it would be a great way for you to begin you moving here with a nice kick off. Besides this party is going to be huge!" When she says the word huge, she makes a motion in the air using her hands, just to show me how 'huge' she was talking about.

"What kind of party are we talking about here?"

"A Jason Roberts party." She replies back smiling at me.

Jason Roberts always was having big parties. I have to admit they were never a let down either. Plus Jason was really cute too. Girls would go crazy to have just a small amount of time with him alone. Naturally thought he didn't mind. I met him a couple of summers back whenever I decided to go to the river with Abby. From there on out whenever we seen each other we always flirted. We actually have made out a few times, but we never were an item. It was just us having fun at one of his elaborate parties.

"So you wanna go or not?" Abby asked me again.

"Yeah, I'll go besides it will be...interesting to see Jason again." She began smiling at me because she knew exactly what was on my mind.

"Great! Then it's decided."

Jason's Party

buzzzzz..

I didn't even have to check my phone because I already knew it was from Abby. Who was outside waiting on me in her car. We had both agreed that she was gonna be pick me up at six-thirty, but it was already after seven. Abby always was one to want to be fashionable late.

Zipping up my last boot, I made sure to adjust my shirt making sure that there weren't any wrinkles. I had decided to go to the party in a pair of dark skinnies with my boots. After putting on my beautiful hot pink halter top, that was made of silk, I threw on a long chained heart necklace with some matching earrings. Approving of my choice in my outfit, I grab my house keys and head out the door.

My dad had some last minute paperwork to do down at the lumber company he worked at. I had told him of mine and Abby's plans to go to Jason's party. Of course, he didn't mind at all. In fact he seemed a little relieved that I was going. I think he was because I would actually be out doing something rather than sitting around waiting on him to get home on my second day of living with him.

Opening the car door, I hear Abby suck in her breath.

"O-M-freaking-G! Natalie, you look hot! Oh man, I can't wait to see the look on Jason's face when he sees you."

"Well I've got to admit I'm a bit curious myself." Letting out a small giggle. "Does he know that I'm back yet?"

"If he does, then he didn't hear it from me. I figured it would be a pretty badass surprise for him, but I don't think that he does." She says grinning from ear to ear.

"Perfect! Now let's go have some fun." Still smiling Abby nods her head in agreement with me, with that she puts the car in drive.

As planned, we were 'fashionably' late. Once we had pulled up and found a parking spot that wasn't to far away from the party. It wasn't as easy as you would think either, even though it was located in a gigantic field with a fairly large bond fire in the middle of it. There was a lot of people here. That didn't come to any surprise to me at all since Jason's parties were never something small and simple. We got out, both of us checking the others make up for them.

Unable to decided where to go first, we both just ended up heading towards the huge fire. Along the way I hear several guys whistling, and a few others yelling "hey" to Abby. Natural I didn't see anyone that I knew yet. Stopping for a few moments so that Abby could introduce me to a couple of her friends from school. Some guy named Ryan, who seemed as though he was really nice. And two girls, one named Ashley, who appeared to be stuck on herself. The other girl, Becky, looked as if she would prefer to be at home studying rather than here.

"I was wondering when you were gonna get here, Abby." I didn't need to turn around to see who the voice belonged to because I already knew who it was.

"Well don't worry the party may began now that I have arrived." Abby replied back.

"Thanks. So glad to know that this thing can finally start, now that you're here."

"Sorry, I had to make a slight pit stop along the way." Out of the corner of my eye I see her hands gestured towards me. Understanding that it was now my cue to turn around.

Turning I came face to face with Jason, still as hot as ever. "Sorry, it's my fault that our dearest Abby is late." I tell him. Seeing the shock roll over his face was priceless.

"Natalie? Natalie Elwood! What the hell are you doing here? I didn't know that you were in town."

"Yep, sure am. Actually I live here now. I moved in with my dad just yesterday in fact."

"Oh shit! really? Well in that case I guess we will finally get to see more of each other now." He says to me giving me a wicked little grin. You could tell that he had been drinking already, but drunk or not he was still fine. Jason always had the darkest brown eyes that I had ever seen. With dark brown hair to match that was cut to where it kind of spiked up at the ends. He was definitely jock material all the way. You didn't have to look at his muscles that were on his arm to see that.

"Maybe." Locking arms with Abby and I walked away. Jason was typical guy so most likely he would be thinking about our little conversation all night. That's if he doesn't get to wasted tonight. Some little giggles broke me of my thought about leaving Jason.

"You know I bet he has all kinds of dirty little thoughts running through his head right now." We both started snickering because we knew that that's exactly what was happening right now.

I have to admit that is a little warm outside, even at night, to be be having a bonfire. Even with that fact I still couldn't help walking over to stand in front of it.

"Hey I'm gonna go find something to drink. Do you want anything?"

"Sure, that would be great. Thanks Abbs."

"I'll try to be quick. Wouldn't want you to be by yourself to long because I'm sure that Jason's probably looking for you already."

Laughing I told her that I would be fine, and after she was sure that I would indeed be okay she wondered off. Turning back to the fire I started thinking about how glad I was to be back in North Carolina. I felt a bit of happiness swelling up inside me, but I make sure not to let the smile come across my face like it wanted to. God knows that I didn't want anybody to see me and think I was some crazy girl smiling at the fire.

After a little while I figured that Abby got caught up by some friends talking. So I decided to do a little bit of wondering of my own. Even though nearly the whole entire school was at the party, I still managed to see a lot of very familiar faces. Out of the corner of my eye I caught a glance of bright fiery red hair. I rotated myself to where only the top half of my body and turned just enough so i could get a better look. Strolling up to me was Courtney Pearson.

If I could have ran and hid at that exact moment then I definitely would have. Courtney was taller than most girls, with bright fiery red hair. Growing up she had always had a huge crush on Jason, and despite how nice she acted to me I knew she had hated me ever since my make out session with him. Back when I lived in Missouri, the only real contact I had with Abby. She had told me that Jason and Courtney were constantly dating on and off. Apparently all the guys at school wanted to hook up with her as well. Of course, if I were a boy then I would probably want to also. I said probably because I know that beyond her beautiful and sexy appearance she is a mean and nasty individual. However, putting all that aside I still manage to put a sweet smile on my lips. If she was willing to act like we were friends then I guess I could too.

"Oh my god! Natalie? Natalie Elwood is that you?" The funny thing is I really don't remember Courtney's voice sounding so high pitched. It seemed as though she was talking through her nose. Guess the whole playing a dumb bimbo act is suppose to attract the guys.

"Yeah, it's me. How have you been Courtney?"

"Perfect! Absolutely perfect! I couldn't ask for a better life. So what about you?" I went to answer her, but before I could say a word she begin talking again.

"You wouldn't so happened to have seen Jason around would you? I've been looking for him all night. He texted me earlier saying that he wanted to talk. He probably wants to get back together, but I'm trying to keep my options open. Jason's cute and all, but there are a whole lot of fish in the sea..." Wow this girl had a huge ego. Seriously how could somebody be so full of themselves.

I continued to tune out all of Courtney's random babbling. In my mind I was actually trying to pinch her head with my fingers, without actually doing in real life. Making sure not to let my lips didn't pull up into devilish grin because of my devious thoughts I went on for awhile thinking of ways to take her large ego down a notch. Then I realized that Courtney was no longer rambling on and on about her self. I thought for a moment that I was busted, and that she had took notice to the fact that I hadn't actually been listing to her. Until I seen that she wasn't even looking at me, but rather she was looking past me at something.

I glanced behind me so that I could see who she was staring at, but I couldn't see anyone. At first I figured that she was just zoning out into the fire. At least that's what I thought until I just ever so slightly squinted my eyes so they could adjust from the light of the fire. That's when I finally seen what had Courtney's attention. Standing just on the other side of the large flames was the sexiest guy I've ever seen in my life, and he wasn't even staring back at Courtney.

He was looking right at me.

ch.5 coming soon

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 06.04.2012

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To anyone who is willing to read Take it to the Grave.