Prologue
1 Year Earlier..
I respected Isaac’s decision to leave. Supported him every step of the way. If he felt that he needed to leave and find out who he is, who am I to stop him?
A day before he was going to leave he told me he wasn’t. He told me that he was going to stay and sort things out instead of running away. I told him I’d help him, we’d get all of the support he needs..
The next day, he left without a single goodbye. Nothing. No letter, voicemail, phone call.. just an empty apartment. Needless to say I went into a panic, he had disappeared without a word. He hadn’t even told Trevor about it.
“Elle, you comin’?”
Paige. Quickly tucking the poem away, I smooth my shirt. Zipping up the suitcase, I look around the room one last time. Funny, how a place you can spend your entire life in doesn’t feel like a home.
“I’m coming!” I call out, taking the suitcase off the bed and carrying it out into the hall.
Hurrying down the stairs to meet Paige, she grins at me. I return it with a smile of my own, and we head out, waving one last goodbye to my dad and Cathy. I guess they’re happy..
Paige opens the car door and we put our suitcases in the back. “So, you find out what you majoring in yet?”
She groans, slamming the door. “No, hell, I don’t even think college is for me. Only reason I go is because my family wanted me to. I’m the first Latina in our family to go to college.”
“That’s great, isn’t it?”
“Ha, depends how you lookin’ at it. It’s a lot of pressure, I don’t wanna let ’em down.” She admits, her shoulders slumping.
I place a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it. “You’ll do just fine, I’m sure of it.”
“Hope you right, let’s go. Marcus asked me to pick him up and I ain’t gonna be late, the last thing I want is to hear his mouth runnin’.”
“Right behind you.”
The two of us pile into the car and within seconds Paige has taken off down the road. Looking back, I can’t help but stare at the house, unable to stop myself from feeling homesick for a place I long ago lost. Paige makes a turn and the house disappears in the distance, turning back around in my seat, I fiddle with the belt straps.
“Finally decide what you wanna do?” Paige asks, seemingly unaware of my tense disposition.
I nod, “Yeah, I’m gonna be a therapist.” So I can help people just like my mom.
Her cheeks dimpled, a slow smile spreading across her face. “Sounds good for you, femenino, your la madre would be proud.”
I sure hope so.
“How you been holdin’ up?”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s been a long time since you seen Isaac.”
There’s no use in pretending that I’m not angry with Isaac, because I am. He had the audacity to look in my face and tell me he’d stay, and then suddenly he leaves without warning. There is always a part of me that thinks something bad has happened to him.. or maybe he’s just off living his life without a care for anyone who is concerned. B*stard changed his number too.
“It’s getting easier.” I reply, wishing I meant it.
