CHAPTER 2

    On Thursday morning, Carly drove slowly along the long school driveway.Teddy sat quietly beside her as he always did when they were going to school. Carly knew that even though he tried to hide it,he was always having a hard time going there.Maybe she needed to teach this Toby person a lesson.But then that would not be necessary since her son would be leaving soon.Maybe for the sake of another kid who would fall victim next.She slowly guided the car into the parking lot reserved for teachers.

             "Are you okay baby?" she asked as soon as she parked and saw him hesitate to unfasten his seat belt.

                "Do you want me to walk you to your class?"

                 "I'll be okay mommy. Don't worry about me."

               "Have I ever told you that I was bullied when I was in middle school?"

                "No,you don't talk much about your younger life."

                "Maybe it's time I started telling you all about it since we are about to run right back into it." Carly looked at him for a while then said,"Remember, it doesn't matter what other people say.What matters is what you believe in your heart."

  Teddy unfastened his seat belt and leaned towards her and hugged her,"I know mommy.I will see you later. " He took his backpack then got out and closed the door.He turned and smiled at her then waved goodbye.

              "Have a great day sweetie," Carly called after him as he left hurriedly to avoid a group of kids coming along the driveway.Carly looked at him sadly and wished she could just get out and knock their heads together, literally. But then knew that would only create problems for her and her son.He needed to have at least bearable last days and she needed a good recommendation letter from the school's head in order to secure a good teaching job when she moved.It was only two days towards the end.All she could wish for was a good start especially for her son.She hoped that he would have a better experience. Each day was bringing her closer to the end of her days here and not a single step closer to what she would tell her parents once she got there.She had only told them that she would be going back home but not told them why and also not specified if it was just a visit or a long stay and they had not questioned.She had figured it would be better to wait until she was there.There was no way they could throw her out.She sat in her car long after her son had disappeared lost in her own thoughts  until a gentle rap on the window on her side startled her.She jumped but her seat belt held her in place. She closed her eyes for a few seconds then faced her friend and lowered the window.

              "Hey Carol?"

                "Are you planning on going to class today?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

               "Yeah,just got a little carried away in my thoughts."

                "Having cold feet about the whole moving back to the States thing?"

              "You have no idea.I know I made the decision myself but I can't stop thinking about every negative thing we might encounter. I guess it's true a past has a way of catching up with us at last.There's no escaping it."

              "You've never actually told me what happened between you and your parents to become so estranged.We have been friends for almost five years now but I don't know much about your past."

              "I always thought it was better buried away but now I'm not so sure."

               "Why are you so afraid. Did you do something before coming here?"

              "A lot of things actually. One much worse than the other."

              "I am a great listener and you are moving away anyway so, it wouldn't hurt to talk about it.Wanna tell me all about it?"

               "I'm afraid this is not something to talk about in this setting," Carly replied as she got out of the car.

                "Oh,wow. Did you kill someone?" Carol asked teasingly in that Australian accent that Carly so much liked.

 She laughed, "That depends on how you define the word kill."

                 "Now I am double curious."

 Carly shrugged, "I guess it's not my parents I'm more worried about facing. That much I can manage for the sake of my son," she paused and looked far away into the empty space as if contemplating what to say."There was someone before Gavin.Dylan Lewis,back in high school."

             "Oh,a former lover.Was he a lesser jerk than Gavin?" Carol asked.She was a lesbian who never tolerated men.

 Carly chuckled, "She,was the prettiest girl I had ever seen.Like naturally pretty and a little tomboyish. She played basketball and made into varsity team within the very first week she came to our school, then captain of the same in the second week."

               "Carly McAdams, holy shit!I knew there was something about you, a certain vibe.Ella once mentioned it but since you are usually closed off we didn't dwell on it." Ella was Carol's long time girlfriend. "And well,I was afraid to ask."

    Carly laughed, "My sexuality is not the most outstanding thing about me.That's why it never came up."

                "Hhm,I'll say.So,Dylan?"

                  "She was my very first love and she brought out the best version of me.I was a cheerleader and deputy captain of the cheerios.One day I was sitting in the gym waiting for the girls to join me for practice and it was when I first saw her.I just looked up from a book I was reading and our eyes met.When their  practice session was over,she came up to me." 

                "Hold up right there," Carol said."A cheerleader? Into girls,Carly what other juicy secrets have you been hiding from me?"

             "Probably much more can come out along the whole story.Even sour ones,like the fact that I was a mean girl in high school," Carly replied laughing.

            "You are so gonna pay for keeping all this from me.I'm supposed to be your friend," Carol said jokingly and Carly laughed.

           "I didn't see the point of talking about it," she replied. "Anyway I broke her heart. Like really tore it into pieces and scattered them."

               "Whoa," Carol said flatly. "You were right.We need to be settled and have like lots of coffee or ice cream for this.I'm beginning to think that this will be the most serious talk we have ever had about our personal lives."

               "Mm hm," Carly nodded wearily.

             "Well,we can do like a coffee per chapter."

               "Seriously, stop being sarcastic about it.It's pretty hard that I don't seem to forget about her after all these years.Now that I am going back home,the thought I might encounter her is very much worse."

                "Trust me,you never forget about your first love.Only time tells if you were meant to be.I'd take this opportunity to know that," she paused. "Come over to my place tomorrow evening.We'll talk."

                "Okay."

                        ★★★

    The next afternoon, Carly knocked at her friend's house and waited, Teddy standing beside her.She had spent most of the day clearing out with various departments at school since it was the last day she would set foot in the school, the second last day she would be in Australia.She had booked two tickets for a flight on Sunday.Finally here she was,planning to spend the next few hours of the evening with her friend, talking about things she had spent the last few years trying to bury away.The door was opened by Ella  instead and she stood there surprised. She had not expected to find her there since  Carol had not mentioned it.

              "Hello there Carly! Come on in," Ella ushered them in cheerfully. " Carol is in the back but she will be joining us in a bit." She then acknowledged Teddy and led them in the sitting room.It was not the first time they had been there but they had never collide with Ella again.She and Carol still lived separately as far as she knew.

              "Thank you," Carly said as she settled on a couch."I didn't know what to bring so I brought a bottle of wine,"she added handing it to her.

            "You shouldn't have bothered yourself much."

               "Oh,I don't mind. I wanted to."

             "Teddy would you like some cookies?" Ella asked.

              "I'd love some,uhm..."

               "You can call me Ella or aunt Ella, no pressure," she said to ease his confusion.

    Teddy smiled sweetly, "Okay,I would love some aunt Ella."

           "Aww,isn't he a sweet one?" Ella said and Carly smiled.

            "The sweetest," Carol said as she joined them followed by a little girl around six years old.The girl headed straight to where Teddy was sitting as soon as she saw him.She smiled and stretched out her hand to him.Teddy looked at her apprehensively.

             "Hi,my name is Allie," she said."What's yours?"

Teddy looked at Carly for a second and she nodded to encourage him."I am Teddy,"he finally said and shook her hand.

              "It is nice to meet you Teddy. Would you like to come play with me in my new room?" she asked excitedly then turned to Carol,"It's okay,right?"

               "Of course sweet pea.You can go play with him," Carol replied smiling. Allie rushed to her and hugged her,wrapping her hands around her waist.Carly looked on and smiled when Teddy smiled warmly when Allie took his hand and led him away.Her son had just made his first friend without any struggle. Maybe it was a sign that everything would go well.

              "Grab some cookies before you go.And don't hesitate to come down if you need anything else," Carol called after them.

                 "Okay aunt Carol,thank you."

              "You are going to spoil her babe," Ella said laughing. "I swear she's going to forget me at this rate."

              "Her sweetness just overwhelms me.I'm sorry sweetheart but I can't help it," Carol replied and kissed her partner lightly on the cheek.

Carly looked at them and smiled but couldn't help but feel a little jealous. They were so good together.She was happy for them though. Especially now that it seemed like Ella was finally moving in judging from the extra stuff in the room.And the fact that the Allie had mentioned her new room and she knew she must have been from Ella's side of the family.

              "That's my late brother's daughter. I'm kind of taking custody of her since her mom passed on recently.Too unfortunate for the six year old," Ella explained.

            "She's a sweet one too," Carly said."Teddy has always had a rough time making friends but that one was smooth enough, it came easy.I have never seen him smile around his peers like he just did."

             "I'm sure they will hit it off well," Carol chipped in."Now this is about you Carly and I thought this sitting was better done outside in the fresh evening air.Just got back from preparing my back porch."

     Carly laughed, "You have really gone to extreme ends about all this."

             "Trust me,I'm really looking forward to the whole life story of my friend. Every single detail. I also hope that you don't mind Ella joining us."

            "No,not at all.You are both my friends and I'll need every insight I can get after the whole story because it is a very long and bumpy one."

             "What are we waiting for then?" Let's go begin as we wait for pizza to be delivered."

 As soon as they were all settled around a table in Carol's back porch, Carly cleared her throat and began, "Senior year of high school was the one that carried all the weight in my whole life.I feel like it's easier to begin there then piece everything together along the way." ​