Oblivious

Chapter 25

My phone alarm ran for 8:30 and I jumped up. I had to find Kelly. I quickly got myself ready and ran down to the living room. Hillary was standing there tapping her foot. "Were you waiting like that the whole night?" She scowled and I held my tongue. "Um, Kelly called and texted me last night. She said she was okay and that she just wanted to clear her head. She also told me what happened when her mom died." Hillary hung her head down at the last comment. "Lets just go find her. I need to see if she's okay." I nodded and held open the door for her.

"Lets check my apartment first.", I said after we had gotten into the car. "Why?" I smiled. "I have a feeling that she might have slept there. Considering she somehow got a copy of my keys and the apartment is deserted". She just nodded slowly and I drove in the direction of my building.

We arrived in front of the building in less than thirty minutes. "Are you sure she's here?" I shrugged. "No, but I'm sure she's been here." We walked over to my room and went in. The first thing we saw was a note taped to the couch. She had been in here.

It said, 'Hey Ryan! You probably came looking for me. I only stayed here because needed someplace to rest. Thank you. I hope you didn't mind!' I sighed and tossed the note to Hillary. She caught it and read it slowly out loud. "Ryan, where do you think she is?" I shrugged and pulled out my phone.

Ryan: So... You were in my house?

Kelly: Yea. I hope ur not mad. I only needed a place to sleep and shower.

Ryan: Its fine. Mi casa, su casa. I will find you though.

Kelly: Good luck doing that detective.

Ryan: Are you mocking my capabilities?

Kelly: Yes. Yes I am. ;)

Ryan: Well I hope you're getting better.

Kelly: I always get better when I'm talking to you. I love you btw.

Ryan: I luv u 2. tbh I miss u

Kelly: Same. I'm a great actor you know.

Ryan: What does that mean?

Kelly: You'll understand if u ever find me.

I didn't know what that was supposed to mean but I had a pretty good idea where Kelly was. And I think I was on point.

"I'm going to find Kelly." I said boldly. Hillary just laughed in my face. "Isn't that what we're doing? Honestly, if you think you know where she is, would you mind sharing it with me?" She sat on the arm of my couch and I stepped forward. "I need to go. I'll tell you why later." I threw open the door and walked out. "Wait! Ryan!" I ignored her and ran to my car. I needed to find her first.

"Ugh! Where could she be?" I hit the steering wheel in frustration. I already checked all of the piers in Scholarsdale. She wasn't anywhere.

I parked my car next to a parking meter and stepped out. I put three quarters in it and walked towards a bench. "Ok. Ryan think. What did she say the night of the party?" I slapped myself in the head and laughed hysterically. "Great. Now I'm talking to myself". I put my head in my hands while I tried to remember Kelly's exact words.

I smiled and relaxed on the chair a little. "What place relaxes you the most?" I said while closing my eyes. Kelly faced me and said, "You mean like a place to unwind?" I nodded, my eyes still closed. "Well, I like piers. They have everything I would need to relax. I like the ones with a roaring ocean, a beautiful view of the horizon, and of course, benches, where I could sit and read. What about you?" I smiled and put my hands behind my head while Kelly took another sip of the Gatorade I got her. "I like a place where I could run forever. I like parks with tracks. I like to just keep running until I feel like every trouble I had was left behind in the dust."

"Yes! I am so stupid!" I got up and raced back to my car. All this time, I was searching Scholarsdale for a pier, but the only ones that I had actually looked at were the ones with calm lakes and no benches. There was only one pier that had everything Kelly described.

I put the car in drive and raced towards Hilyard Pier. It was the only pier in the entire Scholardsale that had a roaring ocean, a view of the horizon, and benches.

I got out of my car after I parked it and ran towards the pier. I saw someone standing there staring out into the ocean. I paused my running and walked slowly towards her, I didn't want to startle her. I could make out her beautiful long hair blowing back with the breeze and the same dress she wore to the party waving and moving with the wind. "Kelly! Kelly, I found you!" I yelled and she turned my way and smiled.

*****Kelly's POV*****

I watched the sky as the sun began to set. It was peaceful, my favorite place to relax. I let a tear slide down my cheek. I never knew that my dad might actually love someone else other than my mom. I always wanted him to move on and now that he actually has, I just don't know what to do. I miss my mom. I miss her taking me to the pier every Friday and her stroking my head when I was sad. I miss her tips on to never show too much emotion or to always believe in myself.

When she died, I knew something was wrong even when I wasn't informed yet. That's why I wanted to go home so bad. After I found out, it was as if a piece of me vanished and all that was left was despair. She was the only woman I looked up to. So kind hearted and so loyal. I never wanted to be anything less that who my mother was. Why did the good people have to be taken away? I wiped at my cheeks and sniffled. I thought I had put all emotion away and have moved on but for some reason, I just couldn't get past it.

I didn't know what else to do, so I began to talk to the ocean. "Mom. Mom, I never really got the chance to.... to", I cleared my throat and tried to stop talking so thickly. "Mom. I never really got the chance to say I love you one last time. So I just wanted to say I love you and I miss you." Tears began to slide rapidly down my cheeks. I tried to get rid of the lump that had begun to form in my throat. 

My heart ached with vacancy. "And if you were here right now mom, you would probably ask me if I'm ok. Well, I'm not okay. Without you to be with me every day, I will never be okay. You were the light at the end of every tunnel and now that you're gone, they're just dark and gray. I miss having you with me and me... I need you mom. I love you so much and I... I can't live without you. I've put up with this for years and I just need you to say something. Anything. I can't... I can't do this anymore. You were like a guardian angel to me... You never did anything wrong. Mom... I... I need you to be here with me. I love you!" I closed my eyes and felt the breeze push back my hair and my dress. It felt good to let the emotions out that I had been holding in for years. "Mom, please. If you're watching over me right now, send me someone who will love me and tell me what's right and wrong. I need guidance since you've left. Send me someone who would help me have the feeling that you were still with me." I opened my eyes and stared off into the horizon.

"Kelly! Kelly, I found you!" I heard someone scream. I turned towards the direction in which the voice was coming from and saw Ryan walking slowly over to me. He actually found me and maybe he is who my mom sent to me. "Ryan." I began to run towards him and he held out his arms to embrace me. We stood there for who knows how long before Ryan said, "What did you mean when you said you were a great actor?" I smiled. "All of those years when I acted like I was okay, I was actually broken. Guess I'm good at covering it up right?"