Jumping Puddles (13 page)

AFTER OUR TRIP TO
Georgia, Blake and I began spending every other weekend together. Either I would drive down to see him at school, or he would come home. It was nice to be able to spend more time with him. In fact, we’ve spent more time together in the last two months than we had since before he left for college.

College. It’s weird to think in a few short months, I’ll be starting classes, too. I got accepted into UCLA for fall semester. I have no idea what I want to study, but I do know I’ll get farther in this world with a degree than without one. Plus, I can figure out the details later on. At least, Alice seems to think I have plenty of time to make up my mind.

He’s traveling back to New York this summer. His boss called and offered him another position, one where he won’t be his assistant this time. Blake was hesitant at first, and so was I. He didn’t accept until after we talked it through. Blake wanted to make sure I was okay with him being gone again for most of the summer. I only had one condition. He had to promise he wouldn’t miss my graduation.

You know what they say, though. Promises are made to be broken.

“Hey, babe. Are you ready for this weekend?” I can barely contain my excitement and I’m sure Blake can hear it.

“Charlie.” The way he says my name tells me everything I need to know. My heart is broken already, and he hasn’t even said he won’t be able to be here.

“We had a deal. You promised.” The switch has been flipped, and I’m sure he can hear it. I just went from happy-go-lucky to giving the phone a death glare in half a second.

“If there was any way I could make it, you know I would be there in a heartbeat.”

“Then be here. You don’t need that job. You don’t even want to go into fashion photography,” I scream into the receiver.

“I can’t. I want to but I just… I can’t, Charlie. I’m so sorry.”

“I can’t believe this. We talked about this for almost a week. You said your boss promised you the time off. What am I supposed to do? We were going to check out places in LA. The entire weekend is ruined.”

“I’ll make it up to you,” he pleads. “I promise. As soon as I can, I’ll come back.”

“Sure. Sounds great.” I can hear someone hollering for him in the background. “I guess I’ll talk to you later, then.”

I hang up the phone before he can reply. It’s for the best, anyway. There were so many things I wanted to say, most of which would bring an end to our relationship. I’ve found I’m not the nicest person when I’m angry. In fact, I’m a borderline bitch. I have two days to shake it off before I have to walk across the stage and collect my diploma. Two very long days I’ll probably spend being pissed off at Blake.

GOING THROUGH THE
motions, I slide one arm and then the other into my robe. Zipping it up the front, I grab my hat and tassel. As I pass the mirror, I catch my reflection, and a sense of accomplishment hits me. I’m graduating today. I made it. After all I’ve been through in my lifetime, I’ve managed to push through the hard times and come out on the other side. I’m about to be a high school graduate.

Looking closer, I realize I look awful. I’m sure no one looks good in these shapeless graduation robes. At least mine is white and not the yellowish-orange the boys are wearing today. I can see the outline of my body and a hint of pink from my dress through the robe, but I don’t care. All I care about is the fact I’m about to leave high school behind me and move on to the next stage in my life.

Thinking about the future makes me think about Blake. I’m still angry with him. We haven’t spoken since I hung up on him the other day. He’s called, several times in fact. Alice has been great at covering for me. I figure I’ll start taking his calls next week. Right now, I need to figure out what I want. I need to focus on me and my life. I want Blake to be a part of that life but only if he gets his priorities straight.

My priorities are in line. Tomorrow, Alice, Scott, and I are going to head to LA in the morning to find an apartment for me. They said I could stay through the summer if I wanted to, but I already feel like a burden on them. Sure, I can pay for my own things now, but I’m still an extra mouth to feed. I offered to pay rent, and Scott got offended, so I dropped the subject and haven’t brought it up since.

Once we find me somewhere “safe” to live—according to Scott—they’ll let me move to LA. Thankfully, I can afford a nicer place in a good part of town. I’m hoping this makes the search a little easier. Alice and I spent the week looking on the internet for places, calling and setting up appointments. Our list is short because of Scott’s criteria: it has to have a secure entrance, a place where people can’t just walk up to my door and knock; it can’t be too close to downtown but not too far away from the city, either; near UCLA is an option if he thinks I won’t be distracted by other students and parties. The list goes on and on.

We have three places to look at tomorrow. I’m excited to get out on my own. Scott’s nervous and paranoid. Alice—she’s excited for what happens after I find a place. Shopping.

While we searched for apartments this week, Alice also spent time making a list of everything I would need to purchase for my new place once I found it. Furniture. Linens. A bedroom set. Kitchen gadgets. Her list is four times as long as Scott's and twice as detailed.

I love the both of them so much. I’m sad I’m moving out, but I also know if I ever needed to come back, to come home, I could. This place is my home. Scott and Alice are my family. They’re not my foster parents; they are my parents. Blood-related or not, these people love me just as much as they would love a child they created themselves. And I love them just as much as they love me, maybe more.

A single tear forms in the corner of my eye, and I wipe it away before my emotions get the best of me and the flood gates open. When Alice calls me from the bottom of the stairs, I know it’s time to go. It’s time to graduate. The next chapter of my life is about to begin. The only thing missing right now is Blake’s presence.

SCOTT WOULDN’T LET US
look at the first apartment. He drove right past the complex, stating the neighborhood wasn’t safe enough. The second apartment was really nice but “not secure enough” according to him. He had a point. I was going to be living alone, and there was no real security to keep out the riff-raff.

The last apartment had Scott’s vote before we even got out of the car. It didn’t look this nice on-line. They should really update their website.

We pull up to the gate, and a security guard comes out of his little office to greet us. He asks for our names, and Scott gives him all the information he needs. After checking out our information, he gives us directions to the clubhouse, and the gate lifts, allowing us access to the property.

After looking at two different floor plans and talking it over as a family, I sign a one-year lease. My rent is outrageous, but the place is worth it. I have my own private patio, laundry, and parking garage. The building I’m in surrounds a beautifully landscaped courtyard, complete with a water fountain and benches to relax on. There’s a pool on-site and a private gym if I ever decide to work out.

With my keys in hand, Alice decides we need to begin the tedious process of shopping for everything. She has her heart set on getting me fully set-up in one day. Scott and I share a look, knowing she’s not going to give this up without a fight, and even then we’d probably let her win. After convincing her we should get something to eat first, we agree to the shopping spree.

It’s after five by the time we finish dinner, and Alice still wants to shop. We have a six-hour drive ahead of us. If we’re going to shop, we’re going to need to stay overnight. Alice agrees instantly, still excited. Scott and I give in when we see how excited she is.

HOLY CRAP, ALICE CAN
shop. I thought clothes shopping with her was torture because I hate most things shopping related. I was wrong. So very wrong. This kind of shopping, where I have to pick out random things, like the color scheme for bath towels… that’s real torture.

We have to drop stuff off at the apartment between stores. Carl, the security guard on duty, laughs every time we pull up to the gate. Bags are piled high, almost covering me in the backseat of the car. The trunk is full, too. Thankfully, I have a first-floor apartment. I can’t imagine going up and down the stairs with as many trips as it took us to unload the car. Twelve to be exact.

My living room is overflowing with bags and boxes. There are things that need to be put together. Things that need to be washed. Pictures and curtains need to be hung. I have a lot to do, and none of it is going to get done today. We need to get on the road back home. I’ll be coming back down on Wednesday with Alice to wait for my new furniture to be delivered.

“Knock. Knock,” a voice calls.

“Hello?” I say, confused as to who is hollering into my apartment.

A perky brunette pokes her head around the corner into the living room where we’re all standing. “Hey. I’m Aubrey. I live upstairs and stopped down to say hi and welcome you to the neighborhood.”

“I’m Charlotte,” I reply, making my way across the room and extending my hand.

“Nice to meet you. It looks like you have your hands full,” she says, motioning to the piles of stuff all over the place.

“I do.”

“Well, if you need any help, you know where to find me. I’ll let you get started.” Aubrey waves and disappears back the way she came.

“Nice meeting you,” I call out just before I hear the front door close.

“She seems nice,” Alice says.

She does. Maybe I’ll make a new friend—someone I’ll get to see more often than Blake. Maybe my new friend will care more about my feelings than Blake does. Maybe…

I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Thinking about Blake upsets me, and if I keep thinking about him, I’m going to break completely. I don’t want that to happen. Not now and not in front of Alice and Scott. It’ll only cause them to worry, and my goal is to be living here, alone, by next weekend. I doubt they would let me leave if they thought I wasn’t going to be okay by myself.

Locking up behind us, we get on the road home. It’s a long but beautiful drive. I zone out in the backseat, thinking about Blake. Closing my eyes, I imagine the look on his face when he sees my new place. There’s a smile on his face when he runs his hands across the satin sheets I picked out for my bed. My imagination begins to go a little wild with thoughts of Blake until I feel a vibration against my leg.

It’s as if he knew I was thinking about him or something.

I contemplate sending him to voicemail. I don’t really want to talk to him yet. I’m still angry, but at the same time, I miss his voice.

“Hello?”

“Thank God. Charlie, I was about to get on a plane and come home. Why weren’t you answering your phone?” I can hear the concern in his voice. He’s been freaking out.

“I’m mad at you. Do you not remembering me hanging up on you? Did you think I would forgive you that quickly? We had a deal, Blake.”

“I said I was sorry. What else do you want me to say?”