I Never Forgot You

c h a p t e r o n e

Richelle

"Hello?" i call from the front door as i push it open. After a long day at the studio all i want to do is lay on my bed with a cup of coffee and watch a new episode of Riverdale.

No reply. But what did i expect? Did i really think anybody would be excited to see me home?

Was i hoping my mother to be in the kitchen making dinner, my father on the couch watching the Football, Abbey singing along to another song.

That's what i was hoping it be like. That's what it used to be like. But not anymore, it can't be like that ever again no matter how much i want it to.

I sigh and dump my bag on the ground to check on my mum. I walk towards the sliding doors of the living room and gently slide them open.

My mother lays on the couch with a white fluffy blanket covering her torso. I smile to myself as she sleeps soundly, her head resting on one of the small circle cushions until i see the bottle.

A whole bottle of wine lays sideways on the floor just next to the couch. Her right arm hanging off the couch as if she's dropped the bottle once finished and passed out.

I shake my head in disappointment and try to hold back the tears. I really thought my mother said she was trying to get better. For my sake, for her families sake. But she can't help herself, alcohol has a spell over her that she can't snap out of. I sigh, shaking away the lingering thoughts of my Mom.

As i walk into the kitchen to turn on the kettle i spot Noah's car roll into his driveway across the road. Once parked, Jacquie hops out of the passengers seat and walks around the car to reach Noah. He looks down at her and smiles, interlocking their hands.

My insides squirm slightly at the sight of it.
I squeeze my eyes shut, a picture flashing in my mind of mine and Noah's hand interlocking. The look of horror on my face as he reaches his sticky hand covered in nutella out to me, my Mum forcing me to hold hands with him for "memories sake." I open my eyes again to feel a hot tear tumbling down my cheek. I quickly wipe it away angrily, annoyed that i let Noah and our past have that effect on me.

A part of me still can't let go of him. No matter how much i hate his guts, i still can't seem to forget the brunette haired boy. Or at least the boy he used to be.

The one who used to give me wet willys when we were in J-troupe rehearsal. The boy who used to be comfortable eating his sandwich in front of me,despite his awful eating habits. The boy who used to be happy when we were doing a duet together. The boy who used to knock on my door every morning to walk to school together. The boy who would defend me in pre-school when i was getting teased.

Now i don't even know who he is. It's like he cut out me from his life. He used to say girls would pass but i would always be his number one girl. He seems to have thrown that saying away. He can't even hold eye contact with me anymore. He used to look at me like i was a fairy princess that was untouchable. Now i feel like i'm not even worth looking at.

But i still care about him. I don't fucking know why i just do. Believe me, i want to cut him out of my life just like he did to me but something inside of me just won't budge.

Now he's just somebody that i used to know.

A distant memory, still clear and vivid in my mind but oh so long ago and far away.

The kettle makes a clicking noise indicating it's boiled. I grab a Coffee cup and pour the hot water in. I stir my spoon lazily around the brown liquid hoping it will tell me what to do.

I feel like a big part of me has been lost deep under the ocean these past few years. Noah stopped talking to me because of our family feud. My Mum won't talk to the Erlicks either instead turning to alcohol as something to lean on. My Father is never around these days either, he only ever visits me briefly for Christmas and Easter because of his "work trips" but I know he has another family. The person that i leant on the most was Abbey, now she's gone forever. Why did she have to get in that car that night? Why didn't I try harder to stop her?