First love has a way of holding you hostage. There’s nothing like it, and everything else pales in comparison. It can take a while to get over, if you ever do at all. Sometimes you have to force it, or it’s forced for you.
Now, I’m about to head back home and as much as I’m goingto try and avoid my ex, the town is too small to avoid him forever. Yet, there’s a feeling bubbling up,anticipation. As much as I want to avoid him, there’s a rush when I think about what it may be like to face him once again. It’s been so long, and every time I’m around him I have to fight the feelings that once were so strong. The ones I’m not sure completely went away, even when I want to pretend like they have.
“What’re you doing?” Aaron asks from the doorway, pulling my attention from my bag packing.
“Oh, I was going to head up there soon. I’m hoping to hear from a job I applied for.”
“You sure you want to go back there?” The way he says “there” with a small upturn of his lip has me narrowing my eyes.
“Yeah, it’s my home.”
“You left. This is your home now.”
I can’t say that home is where the heart is because my heart should be here as well, with him. But unfortunately for the both of us I think mine was left in the middle of the road in Amity the day I drove away, leaving for college six years ago. And it’s not one I’ll be able to get back. Not even now.
CHAPTER 3
Lily
“Family!”I call out as soon as I’m through the door of my parent’s house, lugging my suitcase behind me. I grunt trying to lift the heavy bastard over the threshold.
“Lily!” my twelve-year-old brother, Ethan, greets.
“Hey, little bro. Want to help?” I smile.
“No, you look like you have it.”
I scoff, “Wow thanks.” I turn to work on lifting the bag once again; this time I’m able to get it up over the edge and I gasp for breath dramatically.
“You’re the grown up.” He shrugs.
“How dare you call me that,” I scold. “Where are the parentals?”
“Dad’s at work, and Mom is out with the horses. Where’s the boyfriend?”
“He has some stuff to wrap up back in California. He’ll be here in a few days.”
“Shut up, Vern!”The familiar squawk followed by a bark comes from another room.
“What’s Jerry Lee doing here?” I ask, pushing my bag further into the house, and just now wondering how I’m going to bring it down to my room in the basement.
“Aunt Trish can’t have him at home because her dog tries to kill him.”
I nod, remembering the very short-lived stint of Jerry Lee living at our aunt’s house before she had to move him into the grooming salon. The one I purposely didn’t drive by on my way into town. My avoidance has nothing to do with the fire station being right next door and me not wanting to see someone that works there.
I look at my suitcase, toward the stairs that lead to the basement, then over to Ethan. “How much do I have to pay you to move this for me?”
“How much do you got?” He folds his arms across his chest.
“Enough. Name your price.”
“A hundred.”
“To carry this down like twenty steps?” I gasp.
He shrugs. “You don’t want to do it.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Twenty.”