Taylor and Tori walked in. They both looked confused. I sent Taylor outside to get Tori because I needed some time with Tommy alone. I needed to talk to all my friends, everyone of them. I packed at least 12 bags full of all my clothes. Being an only child for so long gave me some privileges. "May, send the rest of my things in a truck next week." I said like she was just an aquaintance. "All I want is my computer, and the rest of my stuff you can give to the next child you kidnap." I said. "Rachel, it's enough now, no more. Enough guilt has been done. Say goodbye." Diana said. "OK, mom.But then I need about 10 minutes alone with my friends outside, please, is that all right with you?" I asked sweetly looking at my real mother. "Please don't do this to me." May said to me. I softened a bit, but I still was mad, I'd always be mad, I could never forgive her, never. "Goodbye." I said stiftly, giving her a hug. She held me tight, like she didn't want to let go. I felt trapped. I didn't want to be in that position. "Mom, help." I said to my real mother. Diana came over, and tried to pry her off me. She let go with tears in her eyes, but that fire never went away. I wanted to leave her but then again.....No, I wanted to leave her, I needed my old life back, even if it was faint in my mind, it was a medicine. "Goodbye May, tell Jay to call me when he gets home please." I said stiffly again. "Mom, can you hang on a minute, I really need to talk to my friends, please?" I said again. I needed to talk to them, the people I lived with my whole life. I think they deserved a goodbye. My mother was soft with me. Thank goodness she was nice to me. I am so gald she was nice. "Yes honey, we'll put your things in the van, I hope it'll all fit." Mom said. I called her mom. But then again, she was my mother, I owed it to her, for all the time we have been apart. "Thanks." I said giving her a hug. "I'll be right back." I said walking out the back screen door which I have probably slammed into a bazillion times. Thanks goodness they were playing football. All of them. My old group. They were all guys which was amazing. All 5 of them, were standing there like a normal day.It wasn't a normal day. As I walked out, they all stopped playing but only for a second. "Come on guys, please stop for a second." I called to them. They didn't stop. "For all the times you made me do things I didn't want to do, at least let me say goodbye." I yelled. "Let her speak." Tommy said putting down the football. I looked at all of them. they were so familiar, they were the people who have probably seen me naked when I was a little kid, the people who have seen me with no make up. The again, I don't wear make-up, but you get the drift. They all walked over. The first time in my life, I was kinda embarrassed around these guys. But I knew I had to tell them goodbye. "So, um, I'm kinda leaving." I said a little shyly. "Yeah, Tom told us." Jimmy said. How could he be so casual? "Well, I wanted to let you know, that you guys have been the bestest friends in the world, like brothers, I guess." I said. I needed to pour my heart out. "Yeah well, you know you were like our sister, why do you think I beat the crap out of Josh the other day?" Tommy said. "Yeah, thanks a lot, he was an asshole." I said. They always have defended me, even though I never thought of it as defense. Just looking at them hurt. "I'm going to miss you guys so much." I said sitting on the little hill crying. "Hey come on Rach, it's ok." Tommy said giving me a hug. A hug from Tommy was the weirdest thing. We were never that way with each other. I looked up from the hug. One single tear rolled down Tommy's cheek. That meant the world to me. Seeing the quarterback of the football team, and the big shot in Ramsey cry, over me. I wiped away his tear. Maybe I shouldn't have done that, but what is done is done. I went around to each of them, giving them hugs, which wasn't the type of thing that those guys did, but hey, I had done so much with them, I guess they just did it. "Everybodies going to miss ya." Michael said. "Yeah well, I'm gonna miss everyone. But hey, I might be back, maybe, or you might just be able to visit." I said. I knew it probably would never happen. I don't know if I could stand the pain of coming back here. "Who's gonna protect ya?" Ryan said jokingly. "I have an array of brothers, I think, that could probably beat the crap out of anyone like you guys would." I said. "Maybe you guys can meet Taylor, he's inside." I said. "No, you gotta go, you don't belong here anymore." Jimmy said. I don't think he meant to hurt me, but it hurt more then he thought. "OK, well, bye." I said walking away. "Hey Rach." Tommy said. I turned around to see them all standing up. "Catch." He said throwing me the football. "I'll keep it forever." I said looking down at the football that was stained from all the times we have used it. "And, Rach." He said again. "Love ya." Tommy said. I knew he meant it too. It was just one of those things.
Tori
After what had happened with Taylor after we came in fom the backyard, I was thoroughly confused. What was up with him? And, Ray. I never knew she could be so cruel. Even if May had done something so horrible. While Ray was outside saying goodbye, I avoided Taylor's eyes. I knew he was looking at me. I didn't understand anything about him anymore. When she came back, she was crying softly. Tay went over to her and hugged her. As we passed through the city limits, I could hear Ray say under her breath, "Goodbye, old life. Hello, new life."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We stopped by my house next. My mom and Diana caught up while Ray helped me pack. We left Tay downstairs. Poor guy. Anyway, she helped mer pack up most of my stuff. I had bought the guys' CD just because. Plus, I owned like fifty others. I packed them all, pluds most of my clothes. Who knew how long I'd be with them? When Taylor saw all my stuff, his eyes widened. "Geeze, how much are you bringing?," He asked. "Very funny, smart guy. Just enough to last through the summer. Besides, Ray made me!," I said. "Come on, Taylor.Help her put her stuff in the car while we talk," Diana said. Ray had stay inside while my mother talked her. "Tori, I'm sorry for the way I was acting back in Ramsey. It was tense, and I..."," he trailed off. I stopped, and put my suitcase down. I looked at him. He stared back at me. We stood there, just gazing at each other for what seemed like an eternity.
Rachel
I sat there listening to Mrs. Jackson gush over me. She used to be extremely gorgeous, She still is gorgeous, but she had a few grey hairs, which I would have never thought could be on that women's head. She never played a special role in my life except fot the fact that she was my best friend's mother. I didn't know what was going to happen. I still felt like I was on my home territory, I've been on this street before, which was amazing, that I never knew she lived here. Kinda eerie. "Go outside now, Rachel, I'll be out in a sec." My mom said scooting me out the door. "And then when we get back, we have some catching up to do, the whole family, you haven't met the little ones either, or the big one." Mom whispered in my ear as she opened the door for me to go out. I had to laugh. I could feel the love in her voice. I walked out the front door to where Tori and Taylor were sitting on the hood of the van. They were staring at each other like zombies. It was kind of sickening. I didn't like the way they looked at each other, they were just leaning on the van, like they had no other care in the world. "Excuse me." I said. They both snapped out of it, and started putting bags in the van again. I felt like a princess, like I didn't need to do anything. I felt kind of abandoned, like they left me sort of. "Let me help." I said grabbing a bag off the driveway. I hope this isn't always the way it's going to be.
Tori
Oh, why did she have to come out that minute? She always managed to ruin any chance of Taylor and I becoing closer. Whoa! Hold on there. What am I saying? Did I even like him that way? I was getting more and more confused as the day wore on. It wasn't even dark yet! Anyway, we finished putting my stuff in the van. Taylor called his mom to to drive us back to the hotel. We were flying back to Tulsa for a week, then going on a promo tour for a few weeks. It sure was going to be hectic!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*Back at the hotel*
"Tori, you remember Clarke, right? And Zac. And Jessie. But, Avie wasn't even born yet. Neither was Mackie so here they are!," Diana said. I stared at the two elder boys. Zac had only been four when I last saw him. Now, he was eleven. And Clarke, or Ike,as he preferred to be called, was sixteen. He had only been nine the ast time. I felt very uncomfortble around them. Ray, on the other hand, was at home with them immediately. It was like they hadn't been separated for eight years. I was feeling very left out.