Broken

Chapter 9

I realized how much money Taylor had given me when I walked up to the ticket counter. It was more than I had ever seen in my life. How was I supposed to repay him for this? I tried not to cry again as I looked over the flight schedule to figure out where to go. I didn't have a passport so I couldn't leave the country.
"Get as far away as you can," Taylor's words were in my head.
"I need a one way ticket to New York for as soon as possible," I told the woman at the ticket counter.
"Our next flight to New York is boarding in one hour," she said punching things into the keyboard at her computer. "We have a few seats left."
"Great," I said. "I'll take one."
She tapped her keyboard again and told me the price. I handed her the cash and she looked a little surprised but took it and printed out my ticket.
"Do you have any luggage?" she asked.
I shook my head and patted my book bag, "Just this carry on bag."
She nodded and directed me where to go. I went through security and still had 45 minutes before the plane was boarding.
I went into a gift shop while I waited. That's when I saw his face on the magazine rack. Taylor and his brothers were all over the covers of the teeny bopper magazines. I smiled seeing his face. I picked one up and smiled. I wanted to buy them all. I decided on one so at least I would have a picture of him. I kept looking and saw the newspapers. There he was again in front of the motel talking to Detective Jenkins with speculation about helping out some runaway girl. I shook my head and grabbed a few snacks for the plane ride. I paid for my things then went and sat down to wait for the plane to board.
Once I got settled into my seat on the plane I pulled the magazine out and browsed through it. They weren't kidding about being famous. I smiled at all the pictures of Tay and his brothers.
We had a two hour layover in Tennessee before we had to board another plane. I found the gate then made my way to the gift shop in that airport and bought another magazine with them on it. I had nothing in the world but a few clothes and now two teeny bopper magazines. I really had my priorities in order. But seeing those pictures of Taylor's smiling face helped me not think about my situation. I kept browsing the gift shop and saw this one had their cd and a portable CD player. I had never had a CD player before. I needed to slow down and conserve the money Taylor had given me but I couldn't stop myself from buying both the player and their cd.
I got something to eat and went back to the gate.
We boarded and I settled into my seat with my new CD player, slipping the headphones over my ears. I hit the play button and I was blown away. It was hard to believe these were the same boys I met in the truck stop that day.
I listened to half of the cd when I felt a tap on my shoulder.
I slipped the headphones down and looked over. There was a girl about my age sitting next to me.
"I couldn't help but notice," she said. "You like Hanson?"
"What?" I said a little confused at first. "Oh yeah. I do."
"Me too!" she said. "I'm Jen."
"I'm Amelia," I said.
"So who's your favorite?" she asked.
"My favorite?" I asked confused again.
"Yeah, which brother do you like?" she laughed. "I'm a Zac girl."
"Oh," I said and blushed slightly as memories of Taylor and I making love flashed into my mind. "I guess I'm a Taylor girl."
"I pegged you for a Tay girl," she laughed. "Have you seen them in concert?"
I shook my head, "No, I wish."
"Well, they're doing a tour this summer," she said. "Maybe you'll get to go then."
"Yeah maybe," I said. "You think they'll come to New York?"
"They usually do," she said. "Are you moving to New York?"
I nodded.
"Oh cool!" she said. "That's where I live! We'll have to hang out sometime. What are you moving to New York for? Parents divorced?"
I shook my head, "No, actually I have no family. I have nobody."
I lowered my eyes and I saw the cover of one of the magazines and Taylor's blue eyes were staring at me.
"No that's not true," I sighed. "I do have someone, my boyfriend I guess you would call it, but we can't be together right now but what's meant to be always finds away. I have to keep telling myself that so I know I'll see him again."
"Wow," she said. "Your life sounds way more exciting than mine."
"Exciting," I muttered. "Trust me girl if you knew half of the things I have been through you wouldn't think it was so exciting."
"Oh sorry," she said, embarrassed. "I guess I don't really know what you've been through. I guess I've just never met anyone our age who didn't have any family and could do whatever they wanted before."
"If I could do whatever I wanted," I thought. "I'd be with Taylor right now."
I smiled, "It's okay. I know you didn't mean anything by it."
"So where are you going to live when you get to New York?" she asked.
I shrugged, "I don't know yet. I have money for a cheap apartment so I'll probably do that and find a job waitressing or something."
"What about school?" she asked.
I shrugged, "I'm not worried about school right now."
"Hmmm," she said. "Well hopefully you'll be able to figure something out. So are you excited for Hanson's new album?"
I nodded, "Definitely."
"Did you hear about Taylor getting involved with that runaway?" she asked.
"How did you hear about that?" I asked, surprised.
"I read it on the Internet," she said. "People are saying she used him and stole a bunch of money from her parents and then from Taylor. But luckily they caught her."
"Maybe she wasn't using him?" I swallowed hard. "Maybe she just needed help and he helped her."
She shrugged, "Maybe. But either way they definitely don't need that kind of trouble."
I nodded and thought, that's why I'm here.
We talked the rest of the flight, mostly about Hanson. She speculated a lot of things about how the guys were. I just listened, I didn't want to reveal that I knew them. There would be too many questions and I wasn't sure how I would explain it without telling her that I was that runaway who had caused them so much trouble.
She met her parents as we got off the plane and introduced me. She started talking to them quietly so I couldn't hear the conversation.
"Well, it was very nice meeting you," I said, shifting uncomfortably. "But I should probably -"
"Why don't you come home with us?" Jen's mom said.
"Oh, I couldn't impose," I said, shaking my head.
"No imposition," she said. "We have plenty of room and Jen says you have no where to go."
"I really appreciate it but I can't," I said.
"Yes, you can!" Jen said. "Stop being stubborn and let us help you out."
I looked around, it's not like I had a better option.
"Well, if you're sure," I said. "But only for tonight, tomorrow I'll find my own place."
"If that's what you want," Jen's dad said. "But you're welcome to stay with us as long as you need."
"Thank you," I said.