I Was Abducted

Chapter 41 Jackson

My knuckles turn white from gripping onto the thing I never thought I'd get. My diploma. Graduating high school might not be a big accomplishment for some. But for me, it's my second greatest accomplishment so far. The first being Nadia.

"Please smile Jackson," mom says holding her phone up to capture the moment. I roll my eyes before my lips turn into a big smile showing my white teeth.

Mom wipes at her eyes that sprinkle tears onto her porcelain cheeks. Dad comforts me in an embrace as I cringe internally.

"I'm proud of you son. We both are. We knew you could do it because you're so smart. Stronger and smarter than all of us," dad says placing his hand on my shoulder. He pulls me into him and I whisper a thank you. A warm feeling resonates in my stomach from his heartfelt words.

"Jack, look Nadia's coming," Charlie says tugging on my hand. I look through the parting crowd to see Nadia in her navy blue cap and her grown being held in her arms. Her dirty blonde hair is loosely curled and her dark blue dress hangs on every curve.

"Oh great, let me take some pictures of you together," mom says whipping out her phone. Any special occasion happens and my mom thinks he's a photographer.

I pull Blondie close to me by her waist and smile into my mom's phone. Genuinely happy.

"You look beautiful, Nadia," I say into her ear causing her cheeks to turn pink.

"And you look handsome, Jackson," she says grabbing ahold of my tie and placing a peck on my cheek.
~
After the ceremony, Nadia and I stare into the trees of our special place. She places her head onto my shoulder whispering sweet nothings into my ear.

"Nadia," I say clearing my suddenly dry throat. "This is forever right?" I ask nervously for what seems like the first time.

Blondie turns to me looking right into my green eyes. "I couldn't imagine being with anyone else. I'll follow you anywhere," she says grinning.

"I'll follow you to the ends of the earth, Blondie," I reply as my lips curl into a smirk. "You are my home."

Home, not everyone has one, and some people rather not have one. I, on the other hand, have searched for one my entire life. And nothing could ever fill the void from what was taken from me.

That was until I met her. The thing the makes the ocean have waves and what makes honey sweet. She is not just a person she is a magical being that has the power to heal. She healed me.

My home does not stay in one place and I wish I could tie myself to her hip. Home is wherever she is. We could be in a crowded subway and I would feel right at home next to her because I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

"We should live together then," Blondie says pulling me out of my thoughts.

"What?" I ask for confirmation.

"We should move in together. We see each other every day. Wouldn't it be nice to wake up every morning together?" Blondie explains.

My eyes widen with delight. And I knew right then and there I was going to save every penny to marry this girl.

"I heard what you said. I just wanted to make sure you knew what you want," I say giving her a quick kiss on her forehead.

"Of course I do," she says looking at me with her big blue eyes.

"Okay, let's find a place to live," I say leaning in for a kiss. Our lips move passionately against each other until we pull away to catch our breath.

"I love you, Jackson," Nadia says breathing heavily.

"I love you, Nadia," I say with my whole heart.

I realize I am not a scared little boy anymore.
But a man with his whole future ahead of him.
My life will not be wasted when I just regained it.
It's as if  I finally found the path that I got ripped away from by a hungry lion.

Nobody should wait for a person to fix them.
I wish I would have fixed myself before I met my person, my home. If I would have fixed myself I would have not brought everyone else down with me.

Although you cannot go back to the past I wish I could have told the young boy that was abducted to have hope. I wish I could have comforted him and told him about a girl. A girl with big blue eyes and dirty blonde hair was waiting for him.

For what feels like centuries, but I finally am free mentally and physically.
~
Thank you for reading! I'm never good at ending things. And I love these characters and I hope you enjoyed them! A new book is in the works so stay tuned.