Chapter Eighteen: A Positive Future
...
I stood at the mailbox with the envelope that was to seal my fate in my hands. I had 10 minutes before the mailman was to come and 10 minutes to make my decision. Scratch that, I had made my decision. I was just working up the nerve to stick it in the mailbox which was proving to be more difficult then I imagined. But I had to do it and so I quickly threw it in the metal box, slammed the door shut, stuck up the little red flag and ran back to my house as fast as my legs could carry me. I needed to get away from it before I changed my mind, and not because I thought I had made the wrong decision. I think I made the right one, the one that would benefit me in the long run even though most people would argue with me.
My mom was standing on the porch waiting for me. She draped her arms around me and pulled me into a hug when I joined her.
"Do you think I made the right decision?" I asked her.
"Do you think you made the right decision?"
I thought about it for a second before I nodded, "Yeah, I do"
"Then I think you made the right decision too" she smiled before pulling her car keys out of her pocket. "How about we do some school shopping?"
"Sounds good" I told her as we headed to the car where Liam was waiting for us. He was going back to school in two weeks too and needed supplies as well.
-
Two hours later I was in my room, shoving my school purchases under my bed as I didn't want to see them until I had to go to school. And then I stood back up and wondered what I was going to do for the two weeks left of Summer vacation. It seemed Talia had read my mind because a few moments later my phone beeped letting me know I had a text message. I checked the inbox, Talia wanted me to go to the beach with her and Crystal for a girls night, Beth wasn't coming.
20 minutes later I was lying on the beach with Talia. Crystal had went to go get some fries, apparently she had a major craving for them even though, according to Talia, she ate like a pig at breakfast.
"So how are you feeling?" Talia asked turning her attention away from the beach to me.
I shrugged and adjusted my sunglasses. "I still feel like an idiot"
"Well don't, no one thinks you're an idiot"
"Jeff does" I stated dryly.
"No he doesn't, he's the idiot and he knows it. Yesterday when I got back to the house Beth was in her room pouting because the boys had jumped to your defense and demanded that Jeff make a decision"
"There's no need for that" I said as I turned on my side to face her. "I've already made it for him"
"Oh yeah?" she smirked. "Are you going to fight Beth for him?"
I giggled and shook my head, "No. I'm not going to fight for anybody"
Talia raised a brow but I didn't elaborate, she'd find out soon enough what I planned on doing. Crystal came back a few seconds later, munching on fries and a hotdog.
"What?" she asked when Talia raised a brow. "I'm starving"
"You just ate"
"Maybe she's pregnant?" I smirked not thinking anything of it until Crystal went all serious and Talia pulled her sunglasses off and studied her.
A few minutes later we were standing in the drug store buying a pregnancy test. "I'll do this later" Crystal said shoving it in her purse. "For now I just want to have a girls day"
"We can still have a girls day if your pregnant" Talia pointed out.
Crystal just shook her head, "No. Today is Riley's day and we're focusing on her"
Talia and I didn't argue with her.
That week flew by and before I knew it the end of the summer was fast approaching. I spent a lot of time with Talia, Crystal and Baby. Yupp, Shannon was going to be a daddy. Crystal hadn't told him yet, she was planning on telling him at Matt's yearly End Of The Summer BBQ. I didn't want to go because Jeff was going to be there but I too had an announcement to make. Although it wasn't as important as Crystal's, I figured it would be easier just to let everyone know at the same time.
-
It was going on 7 when I got to Matt's. Talia and Crystal were standing on the porch waiting for me. They came down and helped me carry the gorceries I brought inside.
"So are you nervous?" I asked Crystal. Tonight she was going to tell Shannon that she was pregnant.
"A little. I just don't know how he's going to re-act is all" she said as she sipped some water.
"He'll be thrilled" Talia smiled as we headed outside where everyone was gathered.
I headed over to Matt who was manning the grill with Shane as Crystal and Talia went to sit. "Glad you could make it" Matt said leaning down and kissing my cheek.
"Thanks for inviting me" I smiled, looking around for Jeff. Matt seemed to read my mind, "He's over there with Beth. Sorry, but I had to invite her" he muttered.
"Don't worry" I told him before I turned away and headed back over to Talia and Crystal waiting for dinner to be done and when I could make my announcement.
10 minutes later dinner was served and we were all seated at the table. Some how I ended up seated next to Jeff, Beth was further down the table, not that I was complaining though.
I looked around the table and smiled as my eyes landed on everyone that I had grown to know and love over the pass two months of living in Cameron. They had made the move so much easier on me, well almost everyone. I looked over to Jeff who was conversing with Shannon across from him. He had made things hard, but at the same time he was the reason I woke up with a smile on my face.
-
Once all the food had been devoured and the desserts were brought out Crystal said she had something to tell Shannon. Everyone went quiet and stared at the couple. Talia and I exchanged smiles and then turned back to them.
"What is it?" Shannon asked looking confused.
Crystal took a big breath, "I'm pregnant"
Everyone was quiet for a second until Shannon grinned, "No shit?"
"No shit" Crystal smiled.
Everyone congratulated them and then Crystal turned to me. "Riley, don't you have an announcement to make?"
Then everyone's eyes were on me. "Don't tell us you're pregnant too" Matt smiled.
I shook my head and took a big breath. "I got into university"
"Well that's great!" Matt said smiling.
"To Florida?" Shannon asked. He was one of the only one's who knew I had applied there.
I nodded and began to play with a napkin. "And I leave in two days"
All the smiles had disappeared, I felt Jeff go tense beside me but I didn't turn to look at him.
"But I'll be back for holidays and visits. After all, Cameron is now my home" I told then trying to lighten the mood.
"Yeah, it's no biggie" Talia tried to help out but Matt and Shannon didn't look too impressed. I couldn't stand to look at Jeff, he had taken too long to make up his mind and so I made the decision myself.
I left a few minutes later to go home and pack, that and I wanted to get away from Jeff who looked like a kicked puppy.
-
The next day I went to my dads grave to lay some flowers on it and tell him that I was going away for a bit. Tomorrow I would be leaving for Florida, and I was really excited about it but at the same time sad. It was bitter-sweet, but I had to do it.
I spent that day with Liam and my mom as I wouldn't be seeing them for at least four months, until Christmas. After dinner I went out with Talia and Crystal, we went to the ice cream parlour where Jeff had taken me a few weeks before. Shane, Shannon and Matt came later, I wasn't surprised to see that Jeff hadn't come.
I promised that I'd keep in touch with them through text messages and phone calls. They all had become like a group of older siblings to me and I was going to miss them just as much as my mom and brother.
It was hard to say good-bye to them that night. My flight to Florida was really early in the morning and Matt, Shane and Talia were leaving later tonight for work so they wouldn't be there to see me off.
And then I was back home sitting in my room with my packed suitcase, crying my eyes out. This felt right, I had to leave for school. But it still hurt that Jeff hadn't even bothered to come see me off.
Sighing I took my stuff out to the car to load it so it would be done for tomorrow morning and I wouldn't have to worry about it.
If this was a movie I would get my happy ending and Jeff would be standing outside, here to confess his undying love for me. But as it wasn't a movie I wasn't going to get my happy ending and so I headed back inside after the car was packed up. Tomorrow I was gone, and Jeff hadn't even said good-bye.
-
The next morning my mom woke me up. I had a quick shower and got ready, trying to ignore the throbbing in my heart. Jeff hadn't even bothered to call or text me.
But I wasn't going to dwell on it. It was clear he had made his mind up as I had made mine.
The drive to the airport was a quiet one. Liam had fallen asleep in the back seat and my mom was deep in her own thoughts. I just watched the town of Cameron fly pass my window. It was the ending of my past and present and the beginning of my future and I was going in with a positive attitude just like Jeff Hardy would.
A positive attitude equals a positive future.
And I kept my positive attitude as my mom was hugging me for dear life when my flight was called. And I kept my positive attitude as I walked to the boarding gate. And I kept my positive attitude as I got on the plane, and I never looked back.
The End
(For Real This Time)
Finally it is done. It feels like an era just ended!
I was going to drag this on for another couple of chapters but I started losing momentum for it and there was a lack of reviews on the previous chapters and so I decided to end it on the 18th chapter, as 18 is my lucky number. And no I didn't end it just because of the lack of reviews but as I said previously I did not want to drag this out to 100 chapters and now seemed like a good time to as I felt writers block slowly creeping in again.
Now I know many of you will want to know why I didn't get Riley and Jeff together but the name of this fic is called Loves Me Not. And I named it that for a reason. Not every one can have happy endings, but kind of ironic considering today is Valentines Day.
Anyways this was how it was going to end all along and I want to thank you all for staying on this crazy ride!
Huge thank you to everyone who has reviewed, added me to their favourite author, and added Loves Me Not to their favourite stories.
This isn't the last you'll hear from me, I promise.
Review one last time?
-Sheba16