Blinded by their betrayal

Chapter 17

"Shelby, I'm growing impatient here. We have to go now, or you will miss your graduation missy!" My aunt Gloria was yelling at the bottom of the staircase.

"Girls I have to go now." I was on facetime with the girls. "I'm coming Ria." 

I couldn't believe it has been six whole years since I left. I remember when I arrived at my aunt's, I was a wreck after reading Nicholas's text. 

After a whole bunch of crying and ice cream tubs, we came up with the best idea ever. My aunt  invited my family over for new year's, that's when she sold mom the brilliant idea of me finishing up my high school years at St. Claire's private school for girls. She used her daughter as an example, Wendy went to St. Claire's, and she got accepted into many prestige collages; she was now a successful architect. 

At first my parents said it was way too expensive and they weren't keen on the idea of not having me live with them, but my aunt persuaded them with the  godmother speech and promised she would make sure I visited them as much as possible. 

I visited my parents only once a year, the first time my aunt drove me to my parents, and I drove Optimus back, I couldn't leave him behind. Steven visited us every school holiday and we got to do so much. I facetimed my family and friends every chance I got; I told the girls the same thing we told my parents. They were sad that I was moving, but we made a pact to stay in touch and they even came over to visit me a few times.

In the years that passed; my parents were doing so good, dad never let alcohol touch his lips again. My genius little brother was now in the 12th grade, he even had a girlfriend. I was proud of my brother for picking such a sweet girl like Cassie. She was almost immediately part of the family, she came a long on school holidays with Steven and fitted right in. Her parents loved Steven, they called him their future son in-law.

Kazelynn and Randal was celebrating four years of being married, we got to be apart of the wedding, they're expecting their first child; she is a realtor. Amanda also went to college on a full bursary, she studied to be an accountant and didn't have anyone special in her life. Mandy and Timmy were engaged, she helped her mother run their family bakery and Timmy was working as rigger on the mine. 

And Nicholas, I haven't heard from him ever since his message  six years ago. I remember staring a whole in my phone's screen so many times wanting to call him, but his safety was more important. I ended up sitting on the beach one night and before I could drunk dial him, I threw my phone in the ocean. Not the most mature thing I know and even though I instantly regretted it and went bat crazy begging the Lord to find it, it helped as I would not be strong enough to resist  the urge of calling him always.  I only asked Mandy about him on Kaz's wedding night, I couldn't bear not knowing. She said he joined the army after high school and that he was doing good, Timmy said he was seeing someone. Explaining the pain I felt knowing he moved on would be impossible, but what did I expect I left him. I would get to live with that pain forever.

As for my tournaments well it didn't go very well for them. Jessica didn't finish school because Chase knocked her up. He started doing drugs and left Jessica alone most of the time with two children, he ended up beating her to the point of near death. He got arrested a year ago for attempted murder, he had to serve 25 years. Jessica and her two daughters moved back in with her parents, she got a job as a bartender. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her, despite everything. Ria said I was a better person than her, because she would be ecstatic that Jessica got exactly what was coming to her. But to me, no one deserved to go through that.

Today I was getting my bachelor's degree in education., I decided teaching was my calling.

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