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The calls and gifts stopped, obviously, but no one pieced it together correctly I’d heard ht I was in bed They see that stuff tothe hate can My dad and brother still worried about me like crazy It was only recently that they letand barely sleeping had passed ed since then, but es had happened inside me I’d realised that life was short and that you shouldn’t waste it It was actually Luke’s mom that made me have that epiphany She’d come around to see me in the previous week and she’d sat there for an hour just talking about all the wrong choices that she’d made in life Her words had struck me deeply, and I realised that I couldn’t be here anymore Everyone knehat had happened, everyone had a sylint in their eye as they looked at me, everyone felt sorry for me here because I’d lost my boyfriend and almost died myself All that sympathy did was serve as a reminder that ain

So I’dto e so that it was just the two of us, so I et a fresh start with new people and not be re that I saw I needed a fresh start, I needed to let go and start living again

I’d put in a few calls, asked Principal Bennett for a favour, and I’d so as perfect as they should be,assistant job The job was about ten e I would attend in the fall, so I was to h school kids in suetladder which had always beenaway from my family three months earlier than planned And that had taken a heck of a lot of convincing on et away and put the past behindI wasn’t taking with reat ti with the girls, sneaking Luke intolike a moron with my headphones on I s with tears I didn’t want to cry I’d done too much of that recently, and I refused to cry any over tobrown eyes I s et going I was already an hour later than I said I wanted to leave I had a long drive ahead, and if I wanted to le on and go

Heading down the stairs, I purposefully tried not to listen to the snivelling that was co to beout now if you want to co up my backpack that was packed full of sandwiches, drinks and candy bars The big bulky furniture had already been sent ahead and aiting forwith three others All I had was my clothes and small possessions left to take with me in the car

I didn’t wait for them to follow me, just turned and headed out of the front door I’d already done et a new start

When I got tothe last bag in and then struggling to close it again after I was borrowing my mom’s car for now, until I could afford to buy one of my own and then they would take it back apparently

Zach was the first to reach oodbyes to Charlotte and Beth last night e had a girlie night I was kind of grateful that they weren’t here now; both of the today probably would have started ain

Zach stopped at ?" A frown made crinkles around his eyes

I nodded in confiret a chance toYou never know, in another couple of weeks I ht have worked up the nerve to ask you out," he said, raising one eyebrow teasingly

I chuckled, knowing he was only joking "You should start dating, Zach Don’t keep thinking that you’re not good enough because of your ADHD You’llhis shoulder in encourageood, but you’re nowhalfway across the country for four years," he replied cockily

I couldn’t help but rollme, but I had actually co when I was alone with no friends and no one to talk to "Shut up, Zachary" I stepped forward, wrapping htly "Look afteronnaon," I whispered

He nodded, his hand stroking ently before I pulled away and s to ht?"