The Past Is Present

Chapter 3

•Ross•
I left the park and decided to go home.
Once I walked inside, everyone was in the living room, watching old R5 TV's.

"I'll be upstairs." I mumbled.

I get to my room and close the door, but then I hear the door reopen.

"Hey Ross." It was my sister, Rydel.

"Hey." I whispered as Rydel sat next to me.

"How was the sunshine?" She asked.

I shrugged. "It felt nice."

"Reminds you of Laura doesn't it?" She asks and I weakly smile at Laura's name.

"Yeah. She surprised me by meeting me at the park." I said smiling, looking at my promise ring.

"That's great!" Rydel said.

"Hey Rydel? Do you think Laura is alive?" I asked her.

She looked down and bit her lip. "Honestly, no. I don't think Laura is here. Do you think Laura is alive?" Rydel asked.

"Yes." I said while nodding. "We've been talking for about 7 months, not everyday though. She'll also come to our house." I say while looking into Rydel's eyes.

Rydel smiles. "That's great Ross. What do you talk about?" She asks.

"Well, everything." I say and she nods. "Umm... Ross. I have something for you." Rydel said. She walks out of my room then comes back just a few seconds later.

"This-" She pauses and pulls something out from behind her. "-It's Laura's-" I then stopped her. "Laura's journal! How did you get this?!" I exclaim and Rydel sighs. "Vanessa gave me this after Laura passed. She told me to keep it." She said.

Wait, why would Vanessa give Laura's journal to Rydel?

"Why did she give this to you?" I ask my sister and take the journal.

"I honestly don't know. She told me I could have it. I tried to give it back to her but, she left." Rydel sighed. "I'll leave you alone to read it." Rydel said, and left my room.

I look at Laura's journal and smile. She's had this journal ever since she was 7. It was her song book and diary rolled into one. She was very protective of it.

~Flashback~
I walk into Laura's room with her on my back. She got tired of walking and made me carry her back home.

"Ross put me down!!" She demanded.

"Nope." I say, popping the 'p'.

"Why!" She whined. "I weigh like a gazillion pounds." She sighed.

"Laura, your like, negative zero." I said.

"Negative zero?" She questioned.

"Whatever. You get my point. What's this?" I ask reaching for a brown book with a design of a brick door with a big key.

"NO ROSS!!" She yells. I smirk and grab the book. I try and open it but it's like glued shut.

"You need the key bimbo!" She said. As I reached for the key, she snatched the book out of my hand. "Don't touch my book!" She exclaims, smacking my head with the book. Causing me to drop her on her bed.

"Ow! Is that key actually metal?" I ask.

"Yes. Don't ever touch my book."
~End Of Flashback~

I look down at the book and unhook the key. I've never actually read her journal before. I opened the brick wall and used the key with the little lock that was hidden behind the door.

I see Laura's neat and careful handwriting about halfway through the book. She didn't have very neat handwriting when she was 7.

Every page was dated. I decided to start at the age of 16.

•April 17th, 2012•
Let's just say, today was amazing! I uploaded my cover of the song 'The Me That You Don't See' by Ally Dawson. I got some extremely nice comments that made me smile. Sadly, I did get some negative ones. Then I thought, why should I care what they think? I like what I like, and I really like my song covers....

Moving on, I met someone today. Safe to say, a new friend. His name is Ross. Ross Lynch. He accidentally bumped into me and spilled his HOT latte all over me. After him constantly apologizing, he introduced himself. Then we started taking and he gave me his number! Now, time for me to listen to his band R5?

I learned that coffee can be a real conversation starter!
-Sincerely, Laura

I smile and remember the first day we met. R5 was finished with their matinee concert in Hollywood Stadium (I don't think it's real) so I decided to go to Starbucks.

~Flashback~
I walk inside the coffee shop and order myself a Carmel latte. After my order comes, I grab my latte and start to head out the door. Then my phone buzzed.

-From: Ellington;
GET ME A MOCHA PLEASE!!!!

I sigh and turn around and I make contact with someone, causing my latte to spill all over us.

"I'm so sorry!!" I say, picking up the now empty latte cup.

"It's okay. I should have watched where I was going." She said. I looked at her and examined her face. She had piercing chestnut brown eyes that appear to be the same color as her hair, minus the amber highlights.

"No it's my fault. I should have put my phone away. I'm Ross. And I'm really sorry about... This." I say, introducing myself, while referring to the latte incident.

"I'm Laura." She says smiling. 

"Well, I'm going to be at that table over there-" she says while pointing to an empty booth. "-if you would like to join me." She says, smiling.

"I'll be over after I get another latte and I'm sorry for the spill." I say.

"Don't worry about it. Good thing this shirt isn't white." She says and I chuckle.
~End Of Flashback~

That's the day I met Laura. I bumped into her, accidentally spilling espresso all over her.

Then I remembered, I never bought Ellington's mocha.

"You know, that latte stain never came out." Laura says, making her way into my lap.

"Sorry about that." I say, looking into her eyes.

"Ehh it's fine. I met you that day, I'm glad you bumped into me." Laura says, smiling. "You know, coffee is a real conversation starter." Laura continues while giggling.

I smile and talk about coffee with Laura.