Blame it on September, Page 2

  I ran out to the car with my hood over my head just to make sure none of the teachers saw me. I turned on the car and drove off the school grounds. It was absolutely beautiful out, a great day to be outside and just let my thoughts pour out to the fluffy white clouds overhead.

  The two-hour drive flew by fast and I could see the shopping centre in the far distance. I drove by the flower stands overcrowding the sidewalks and rolled down the windows to catch the summer aromas. This was my favorite place to be in Italy, right here, with the colors and scents of happiness filling me up with nothing other than the pure beauty of itself. There was nothing like it anywhere else.

  I pulled off into the road leading to the mall and quickly picked out the most expensive thing I could find at his favorite store. He wouldn’t care what it was, as long as he knew how much it cost. I bought him a new Rolex and hoped they would lead up to his standards, but I knew they wouldn’t. I never met his standards, but I was always somehow happy with him, even when he was never happy with me.

  I drove by the flower stands again and knew I had to get out and walk around. This was the only place I could be myself and just, well, be. While I was here I thought I should probably pick some up for Mom. She used to love this place as much as I did. I picked her favorites, pink carnations, and baby blue forget-me-nots. Like I could ever forget her.

  I paid the little woman selling the flowers and drove off down the valley until I reached an old, run-down cemetery. My mother’s grave rested beside an old oak tree we used to lie under and tell stories after we went and smelled all the sweet flowers. We could stay there all day and just watch clouds as long as we were together, it didn’t matter if we were silent. Each other’s presence was all we needed.

  Every time my father got to out of control and we had to leave, we would spend nights here, in each other’s arms, crying, waiting for our nightmare to end. It finally ended three years ago.

  I was only fifteen when it happened. My father went on one of his drunk rampages and we didn’t get out of the house fast enough. He took the bottle and smashed it off the table, holding the broken, jagged neck as a weapon. My mother forced me behind her and tried to shove me out the door but she knew I was stronger. She couldn’t defend me from own father; I was the one that had to help her. He came at us with the sharp end of the bottle towards Mom’s chest. She didn’t no what to do so I shoved her out of he way. The bottle connected with my collarbone and I stumbled back into the doorway…

  I sat by her grave and pulled down my t-shirt to reveal my crescent moon scar. I thought he would leave us alone then, but he was far from it. He ran at me with the bottle again but this time it was aimed for my heart. My mother knew what was about to happen next and I knew she couldn’t do anything about it, so I gave her one last look before I was gone. Except, she wasn’t where I left her. And there was no bottle in my chest.

  I looked down. The weapon was lodged in my mother’s throat. I couldn’t even scream I was so in shock. She looked up and saw me silently crying at the open wound. Her last words she ever said were. “We are forever infinite in our world of purity and love. Goodbye my beautiful buttercup, forget me not, we will see each other again in our field of roses.”

  Her eyes closed and she was just gone. It was the last time I ever saw my father, too. I later moved in with my grandparents and have loved it ever since.

  I looked down at Tevin’s watch and checked the time. I had been here for over two hours. School was almost out and I was a missing person! I kissed Mom’s grave and sped off into the car. I arrived just as the bell rang. Was I ever lucky. Tevin and Blakey’s cars were stilled parked so I ran into school to find them. I cut through the library to get to the gym where they both played softball. As I cut through the library I heard this odd noise. I looked around the corner of the bookcase and saw Blakley hooking up with some guy. Of course, only she would be brave enough to pull that off.

  I was about to pretend I didn’t see anything when the guy lifted her up onto the shelf, letting me get a better look at him.

  It was Tevin. With my best friend. They were kissing, and I was right there, witnessing it all. I coughed loudly so they would look up. As soon as they did, their jaws dropped.

  “Rose, I thought you went home,” Blakely managed to choke out.

  “Rose…” Tevin faltered.

  I threw the watch at the wall, watching it smash into tiny glass pieces. “You know what? Save it, both of you.”

  I ran outside, knowing they wouldn’t chase after me. Tevin always said as long as he was happy I would be too. Now I saw how wrong that sounded. I drove off, having no idea where I was going.

  I drove for a day it seemed. The sun started to rise when I decided to stop. I looked around and all there was to see was a dark, deserted town.

  The uneven stone roads bumped as I drove over them looking for some sign of a person to help me. I got out of the car at an old building that read Cos’s Inn above the doorway. The whole building looked burnt down and un-livable. No one could stay there anymore.

  I took a tour of the town trying to find a decent place to sleep, but everything was either rotting or so burnt that I couldn’t even tell if a chair was a chair or a bookcase.

  I jogged around the corner, desperately looking for a place to stay when I saw a movement. Someone just ran behind that building. It seemed like I’d seen this before.

  I ran after the person, hoping to find him when I came to an alley. The alley was dark and rusted out. Fog billowed in the distance, coming from out of no-where. It resembled a horror movie. But that’s not what made me stop.

  The boy. It was him, he was actually real. I couldn’t believe my eyes. He didn’t notice me yet, but was walking towards the fog. He stopped and looked down. It was his cross. He kissed it and started to step in the fog.

  “No!” I screeched.

  The boy spun around in amazement and gave me a helpless look. He was beautiful. His thick black hair hung over his icy blue eyes that stared with such intensity that I took a step backwards.

  The boy seemed so stunned he stumbled back into the fog. He let out a yell and I knew he wasn’t coming back alone. I ran in after him, hoping I could find him.

  The fog was thick and heavy and the smell was nothing like my flowers. It smelled of death and decay. The opposite of beautiful. I could see the boy’s faint outline in the distance and caught up with him just in time. I grabbed his hand and he didn’t let go. We clutched each other the whole way through until we reached an opening. It seemed like there was a light at the end of a tunnel and we had to follow it.

  The boy squeezed my hand and we walked through, together.

  The end of the tunnel was nothing I expected. We stumbled out, ours eyes adjusting to the sun. It was a bright meadow, filled with carnations and forget-me-nots and roses. A meadow I had always wanted to have. The boy looked at me and smiled. It was like he knew me too.

  “I had a dream about you once.” He was still smiling at me. “And you were at this meadow, picking flowers and making necklaces out of them. You seemed… happy.”

  He dreamt about me too? I didn’t understand, but I knew it was meant to happen. He turned his head up to the sky, taking it all in.

  And then we walked. Hand in hand. Having no idea where we were going, but as long as we were together, it didn’t really matter.

  ***

  Rio

  Andraia Gregory

  As we arrived at the luxury resort, I could taste the freshness of the air and feel its cool breeze. Brad stood beside me as we took in the sight of the place we'd soon call home for the next two weeks. When Brad told me we'd be vacationing in Rio, I was ecstatic. Finally, we'd have a chance to relax and enjoy the summer together. But of course, he was coming here to work with some rich clients and wasn't planning on relaxing in the slightest. Typical Brad.

  "Honey, do you have all your bags? We don't want a repeat of what happened in Florida, do we?" Brad's blond eyebrows raised. My ch
eeks flooded. I grabbed my two bags from the trunk of the taxicab and lifted them out, trailing them behind me as we walked towards the door of the Resort's hotel.

  The place was huge, reminding me of a castle. Inside, the walls were a soft yellow, and the wooden floors were the exact color of sand. There was a huge sunset painted on the far wall. Obviously going for the 'beachy' look.

  "Hello sir and madam. How may I help you?" A pretty brunette seated at a crowded desk politely smiled. Brad answered her, just as polite, but I was too distracted to comprehend; I was being watched.

  A curious young man across the lobby blatantly stared at me, not trying to be discreet about it at all. Either that, or the wall behind me was absolutely fascinating.

  When I looked over at him, he didn't look away-the normal reaction when you're caught gawking at someone. Instead, he met my gaze and continued to stare, almost as if I was the one caught staring at him!

  I turned my head, startled. I focused on listening to Brad and the woman at the front desk go over our entertainment options. You'd think there would be more than tennis and swimming for such a gigantic place.

  After receiving the key-cards for our room, our luggage was carried for us while we were given a brief tour of the hotel area. Our room was huge, the focus an excessively large, fluffy bed, pressed up against a pale wall covered in abstract art. A few steps from the foot of the bed was what appeared to be a little sitting area, separated from the rest of the room by a decorated divider. The entire far wall was glass, showing off a breathtaking view.

  "What do you think, Kate?" Brad beamed, obviously expecting me to be impressed. And I was; It was absolutely beautiful.

  "It's gorgeous. Thank you so much for inviting me, Brad." I knew that was what he wanted to hear.

  "Of course, darling! You know I'd do anything for my princess!" He wrapped his arms around me for a brief moment, then got straight to business, saying, "So what are you planning on doing tomorrow? I've got a meeting in the morning and then my boss wanted to show me around. I wasn't going to say no to the man. So I hope you don't mind hanging around here alone for a bit. And lets hope you don't get lost! A woman like you could easily get lost in a place like this." Brad could be sweet. But he could also be very insulting. Unintentionally, of course. I just smiled and rolled my eyes. And I didn't see that young man again.

  ***

  I was startled awake by a knock on the door. I glanced at the clock, annoyed to have my sleep interrupted. It was 8 o'clock, and Brad seemed to have disappeared; Must have gone to his meeting.

  "I'm asleep. Hello?" I called out towards the door. I heard a deep chuckle.

  "I've got your breakfast order." A pleasant male voice answered. He sounded amused, which annoyed me, I shoved my face into a pillow.

  "I don't remember ordering any food." I really just wanted to get some sleep.

  "Well, it was ordered. And now it's here. So are you planning on opening this door or not?" I could hear a smile in his voice. I sat up and glared at the door for a moment. Weren't hotel employees supposed to be almost annoyingly polite and all smiles every second of the day?

  I decided to throw on a white robe, one of those white things supplied by the hotel, and go ahead and open the door. My eyebrows shot up in surprise at who was standing in front of me.

  The young man from the lobby. He looked about 21. And handsome. He had long, dark hair, almost reaching his chin, and he kept it tucked behind his ears. His bright blue eyes were fringed with thick lashes, and his full lips grinned at me, exposing a set of perfect white teeth. In his hands was a tray containing eggs, toast, and orange juice, my favorite breakfast. Brad must have ordered it before he left.

  I scowled at his grin for a bit, until he said, "Well? Are you going to invite me in?" He raised his eyebrows when I didn't reply.

  "Hm. You're a grumpy one, aren't you?"

  I relaxed my face and accepted the tray. "Enjoy your morning," I said, my voice dripping of heavy sarcasm.

  "I'm Byron by the way." His grin grew wide as he held out his hand. I shut the door on him.

  ***

  After I was finished of my breakfast I trotted down to the lobby, wondering how I was going to spend the day. I wasn't planning on leaving the resort. In a city like this, you never know what could happen, especially without a guide.

  I ended up at the beach. The grainy sand between my toes and the salty air, combined with the distant sound of the calm ocean relaxed me. I sat myself down on my thick towel and observed the scene around me.

  People were scattered about, some playing with beach balls, some tanning. I even noticed a few surfers. Brad should've been there, but I doubted his ability to relax. Even when I met him almost a year ago, he was obsessed over his work.

  "Well look at you, Little Ms. Sunshine. Looks like you've finally got that scowl off your face. This is the kind of weather that could brighten anyone up, I suppose. Don't you think?" I looked up and sighed. Byron apparently decided it was a good idea to make a reappearance. His smile was genuine this time, though. He had a contagious smile, so I could help but laugh.

  "Are you stalking me?" I tried to look serious, but his look of mock-horror in response was hard to take seriously.

  "Excuse me? How could you think such a thing! I'm simply being a kind and helpful gentleman! And when a gentleman sees a damsel in distress it, isn't acceptable to ignore her." He waited for a response.

  "How on earth would I be considered a damsel in distress?" I asked, amused.

  "Well, you're in a wonderful place like this. And yet, you're sitting in the sand and you're staring at the sand." He paused and grinned. "So, it seems as though you either have an obsession with sand, or you're in distress." Byron seemed pleased with his explanation and plopped down beside me, stretching his legs. He looked really tan and in good shape. I found myself wondering if he was a surfer. He definitely had that look about him.

  "Does that mean you harass every girl who's trying to relax on the beach?" I laughed and he chuckled. "Is there much to do around here, other than swimming and tanning?" I really didn't feel like being bored for the next two weeks, but it looked like this trip was headed in that direction.

  "Too good for the resort, now are we? I think there's a dolphin. Everyone likes dolphins!"

  "I was actually hoping to find someone who knows the city. I wanted to go see what it's like, and I was really hoping to avoid getting lost..." I doubted I'd find a guide there, though. The only people around were vacationers and hotel employees.

  Byron smiled, almost mischievously. And right away I knew what he was thinking.

  "Oh no. Definitely not." I stood up.

  "I know the city like the back of my hand. I'll let you pay me if that makes you feel more professional about the situation."

  I frowned, contemplating. I did need someone to make sure I didn't get lost in the city. And I was almost positive Byron wasn't going to attempt a kidnapping.

  "Fine. But if we get lost, you're fired! How much do I pay you?"

  Byron chuckled again, "I was just kidding. I'm a gentleman, remember? I'm just helping the damsel in distress, free of charge!"

  ***

  The little shops Byron brought me to were amazing. Rio was filled with so many amazing things! He gave me a wooden charm bracelet called a Kobun. It was supposed to bring good luck.

  Over the next few days, while Brad was busy with his business things, Byron continued to show me the interesting things around town. And I eventually made him accept payment for his help navigating through the city. We actually started having a lot of fun!

  Brad continued to drone on about his boss and new clients every night. I felt like I was living two separate lives. Every day when the sun started to set, Byron insisted he get me home before dark. I guess I wasn't just being paranoid about the questionable safety of the city.

  ***

  "So how come Brad didn't want to run around the city?" Byron was picking at the park bench seat. This was our el
eventh day in the city and it seemed we were running out of places to go.

  "Brad's probably running around the city right now actually. Only, with his boss. He'd normally be having fun... I think he's just trying to impress his new boss." As I said it, it felt like a lie. I shivered.

  "Are you cold?" Byron asked. He started to shrug his jacket off.

  "No, no. I'm fine," I lied. The sun was going down quickly and it seemed to get colder by the second. An orange sunset peeked through the trees.

  "Thanks," I said as I accepted his jacket. That's when I noticed what he was wearing for the first time. His plain white T-shirt accentuated his dark skin, and his beige shorts and sandals reminded me of a surfer again. Just as I was about to ask, Byron stood up.

  "It's getting dark. I should really get you back to the hotel." He gazed into the colorful sky as he spoke, looking distracted. I felt a wave of disappointment. I only had three days left in Rio and I still haven't experienced the city at night.

  My emotions must have been clear on my face because Byron laughed.

  "If you'd like to keep sight-seeing a little longer, I suppose we could manage that..." He smiled. So did I.

  "Sounds great! Where are we off to next, then?" I hopped onto my feet, excited.

  He comically scratched his head as he thought, "Hmm... I think I have a place in mind." I opened my mouth to ask, but he cut me off with, "And it's going to be a surprise!" He laughed at my grimace.

  "Fine." I extended my arm out to him. "Lead the way!"

  ***

  The walk to Byron's destination was surprisingly short, but the sun had completely set along the way. The sky was only slightly lit by the pink streaks left behind by the sun. Byron rambled on about how much he loved wherever-it-was we were going, and how he knew I'd just love his surprise. From the way Byron was talking this place up, I was expecting something nice. But not something so brilliant. Not this.

  It was unbelievably breathtaking.

  In front of me stood an enormous glass fountain, glowing a soft yellow through the constant fall of water. The huge space surrounding the fountain was lit up by dim lamps, and was closed off by tall buildings. The sweet sound of water splashing filled my ears. I couldn't believe it was real.