Hold On Forever (A sequel)

reality shifted

Mum has been looking at houses in Brighton. I hate them all. I want to stay here, with the people I love. Thinking about it makes me feel sick. Everything good in my life is being ripped away from me. I can't describe how empty I feel. I know I should be enjoying my last months in Maryland but I can't help feeling miserable every single day. I sit on the couch, staring at the wood floor, wishing for a change, or a mericle. But I know it won't happen.

I hear somebody tapping on the glass door and my head turns in the direction. Caleb. He waves. It's raining a little bit outside, but not pouring. I motion for him to come in and he does, sitting beside me. "Mum took Joey to baseball," I say.

"Hmm, Mom took Annie and Hayley to gym."

"I guess it's just us then."

"I guess," he says. A few minutes of sad, dark silence go by.

"Why does life have to suck?" I ask.

"Life's okay," he says.

"No it's not. My life is ruined, Caleb."

"Eb, it's not ruined there's just a roadbump. We'll work it out."

"No we won't. Life sucks. I'm done."

"Ebony," he says, touching my arm. I look away.

"What's the point?" I ask.

"What's the point of what?"

"What's the point of living when your life is shit?"

"Don't talk like that, Ebony."

"I'm not kidding. My dad left, my family's a wreck, we're going broke, and now," my voice cracks and I let out a sob. "And now I'm being torn away from five of the seven people I love in life."

"Eb," he says.

"No Caleb, it fucking sucks. Everything does. That's the thing about life. You go on thinking everything will be picture perfect and then plot twist. You've been lied to your whole fucking fifteen years of living and you end up being some mistake idiotic drunk people made. All the shit about God bringing you into the world for a true reason or whatever doesn't apply for me because I WASN'T supposed to be living on this earth. So why should I?"

"Ebony STOP," Caleb says, grabbing my arm.

"No. I'm not stopping," I say, and get up from the couch. I run to the front door and walk out into the rain. I need to go somewhere that isn't here. I can't stay here. I can't be here. I begin running toward the road. As I'm about a quarter way across the street I see bright lights flashing in my eyes and a car honks it's horn, trying to swerve.

"GET AWAY FROM THERE!" Shouts Caleb, he grabs my shoulder and shoves me away from the road where a car goes by at top speed. It splashes in a puddle and muddy water gets all over my face and in my mouth. I cough and sputter before realizing Caleb just saved my life. "Ebony," he says. I look up and see him standing behind me. I'm sitting on the sopping wet grass. I put my face in my hands and sob.

"I'm so sorry, Caleb." I say.

"Come here," he says, taking my hand and pulling me up. We stand, looking at eachother for a few seconds before Caleb takes both of my hands.

"Ebony, I love you. I am in love with you. And I know saying I love you isn't anything more than making typical observances. They're just words. I know in a million years nobody will care that I love you and we will be forgotten. We won't have a ship name and fans. But listen, I will still love you. I will never forget you. I don't care if you're in a different continent of in the house next door. I love you. I am in love with you, Ebony Rose Shields, and I will always be." He says, looking me straight in the eyes.

"I am in love with you, Caleb Logan LeBlanc," I say. He takes my hand and pulls me close to him and I lean into his chest. "I am in love with you," I whisper as the rain falls down on us, drenching us. But we still stand there, unmoving. Tears are pouring down our cheeks and falling at our feet with the raindrops but we just keep holding on.

Eventually the moment has to come to an end when I begin shivering noticeably. "Are you okay?" Caleb asks.

"A bit cold," I answer. He puts his arm around my shoulders and we walk inside. We go directly to my room where we change into dry clothes and wear blankets around our shoulders. Then we go down to the living room to watch some telly.

I sit down on the couch, the blanket draped around my arms and Caleb sits beside me, leaning his head on my shoulder. As I'm leaning down to pick up the remote on the table I see a notification on my phone light up: missed call from Mum (5). I grab my phone and show it to Caleb.

"Mum's just tried ringing five times!" I say, then my heart begins racing. "What if something's wrong? What if she's hurt? What if Joey's hurt? OhmygodCalebwhatifsomethingiswrongwithMumandJoey?!"

"Ebony," Caleb says calmly, "let's call her back to see what's up."

"Right," I say, as her rubs my back, trying to calm me down. I ring her and hold the phone to my ear. There isn't even enough time for one ring when Mum picks up.

"EBONY!" She screams through the phone. I can't tell if it's happy, mad, or scared screaming but it's one of the bunch.

"Yes Mum?" I ask, putting my phone on speaker.

"Ebony are you with Caleb?" She asks.

"Yes, why?"

"Good. I have big news!"

"Yes?"

"Ebony! We don't need to move!" She screams, I can tell she's crying happy tears and my eyes automatically fill up as well.

"WHAT? REALLY?!" I ask.

"I got the promotion, we're staying right here. We aren't moving back." She says, I scream and throw my arms around Caleb, who is also crying tears of joy.

"Congratulations Mum! I knew you could do it! I love you! I love you so much!" I say.

"I love you too," she says.

"I love you, Laura." says Caleb.

"I love you, Caleb. I wish I could come home now but baseball practice isn't

"You're staying," he whispers.

"I'm staying," I whisper, sobbing into his shoulder. He pulls me into a hug and holds me tight. I never want him to let go. In this moment, I want him to hold on forever.

tysm for reading!! ilysm!! make sure to vote on this chapter for monday's chapter!

xx-e