The Last Goodbye

I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock. The noises that it made really irritated me. I was forced to wake myself up even though I wanted to just sleep the day away and impatiently wait for the next one to begin.

Its been two weeks since I last saw Harry and the only thing I managed to get that night was a cold. Ever since then I had been feeling at my worst. I was ordered to bed rest and I haven't been to school. I was glad about that part, because then I wouldn't have to run into Christian. Since the dance he has tried to call me a dozen times . I always made excuses as to why I couldn't talk to him. Beth would come over and bring me my class assignments. She wouldn't stay long, because she was afraid she would catch whatever I had.

On the days she would stop by our conversations were short and always the same. "How are you feeling?" "You're not missing much in class ." "What ever happened to you know who?"

I thought it was interesting at how easily she could bring him up. After all Harry wasn't a normal thing to talk about. And because Beth would ask me the same questions I would always give her the same response "I'm okay." On some days when I would feel better I would try and call my grandmother. But each time I tried to call her she never answered. I'd just assume she was busy or didn't hear the phone ringing.I would hear my mom talking on the phone with her and I would often ask her to pass the phone over to me. Once my grandmother heard it was my voice the phone would automatically disconnect. It was pretty obvious that she was avoiding me.

The door to my room came swinging open and my sister Chloe stood there wearing a red rain hat, red rain coat, and red rain boots. "Why are you dressed like that?" I asked her my voice sounding hoarse.

"Mom and dad wanted me to come up here and tell you that we would be back in about a few hours." Chloe said. Her voice was muffled because she had her hand over her nose and mouth. I guess to try and not breathe in the germs that I possessed.

"Where are you guys going?" I asked her as I stayed under the covers in my bed. It was quite dark in my room and the only thing I had turned on was the old Christmas lights I hung around my wall. "Grams invited us over for Saturday night dinner." Chloe answered.

"And what I'm staying here?!" I asked maneuvering my way out of bed.

"You're sick remember?" She said.

"Tell mom and dad to wait on me I'm feeling-" I had to stop talking for a moment because I started to choke on my own cough. "Better." I coughed out. Chloe rolled her eyes then shook her head and turned around. I quickly hopped out of bed and went over to my dresser. I was finally going to get the opportunity to ask my grandmother about August 19th.

Since I was in a hurry to get ready I grabbed the first items of clothing that I could find. A short sleeved crew neck grey shirt, pair of denim shorts, and a black fitted blazer. I did my hair in less then two minutes. I kept my original part down down middle and brushed it all towards the front. My head was pounding, I could only breathe out of one nostril, my nose was slightly the color of a tomato, and every time I blinked my eyes would water up. All the makeup in the world that night couldn't disguise how sick I looked and I felt like shit.

We arrived at her house sooner than I expected. On the whole ride there I felt brittle like any moment I would shatter. There had to be a reason she was avoiding me. She obviously knew something that I didn't and I was counting on finding out tonight.

"Grandma!" Chloe said throwing herself in my grandmothers arms.

"I'm so glad you all came. I had been listening the weather man and apparently another storm is coming." Grandma said.

"To hell with this shitty weather." Dad said passing everyone and going inside her house.

"Language Joey." Mom told him. "Hi mom." She said giving her a kiss on the cheek.

I was the last to go inside and the memory of the last time I was here washed over me, because that was the first day that I learned nothing is normal. I still imagine how different it would be if I never even went in the attic. My grandmother closed the door behind me. I turned around so she could face me. The ends of her mouth were curved upward almost making a smile.
"I see you must be feeling better."

"I've been trying to reach you." I told her.

"I know, I've been meaning to return your calls." She said.

"I can hear a but coming." I laughed uneasily. "Why don't we talk more about this later okay." She smiled putting her arm around my shoulder.

"Do you know anything about the date August 19th." I blurted. She dropped her arm and scanned the room to see if anyone was in listening. "Not now Victoria!" She hissed walking off leaving me standing by the door feeling more confused than ever.

I entered the living room where everyone was sitting. Mom, dad, and Chloe were all huddled around a photo album. While the three of them laughed and reminisced. I excluded myself and sat on the arm of a sofa trying to not combust. "Oh look Victoria you were just so cute at this age!" Mom said holding up a picture of me when I was six. I shook my head and pretended to smile.

"Hey mom didn't dad have his own storage of photo albums." Mom yelled out.

"Yeah there in a closet upstairs next to my bedroom." Grandma yelled back from inside the kitchen.

"Victoria do you mind running upstairs and getting them?" Mom asked me.

"Yes." I mumbled under my breath.

"What was that dear?"

"I'll go get them."

Her room was the last door on the left on the second floor. The house was old and had to many rooms for one person. When I was younger and actually enjoyed the presence of my younger sister. We would play hide in seek here. No one could ever find me, it was because I had a hiding spot within one of these rooms. When I finally reached the end of the hall I opened the closet door and grabbed a plastic container filled with pictures my grandfather had taken. Once I closed the door and was making my way back to the staircase I noticed light was coming from one of the doors I passed.

I put the crate down and opened the door. Harry was in the room that had nothing in it but a bed and old newspapers scattered out across the floor. "Harry?" I said closing the door behind me. He didn't turn around. Not even a glance. Instead his attention was focused entirely on the crumpled up articles lying on the floor. I was just about to say something else but I hid my face and sneezed.
"Forget it I have to take this down stairs." I said wiping eyes.

"Wait." He said turning around. "How've you been?"

"I've been better." I answered.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked.

"I could ask you the same thing. My grandmother invited my parents and sister over." I told him

"And not you?" He asked.

"For some reason I think she isn't talking me. But she isn't the only who is avoiding me." I said letting my words hang in the air. "I wasn't avoiding you." Harry said flatly.

"I tried not to think of you and the more I didn't see you. The more I started to forget you. And that really sucked because as crazy as it may sound I think I was actually starting to like you." I said putting the box down once again.

"Was?" Harry said holding his hands behind his back and leaning in towards me.

"What are you doing with all these newspapers?" I said pointing at all the paper that was on the floor. In a instant Harry turned around and began picking all the newspaper as fast as he could. But one of the articles he held came flying out of his hand. I bent down and picked it up, because in big bold letters the headline had August 19, 2013 written on it.

"Victoria can you just talk to me first before you read that." Harry said trying to capture my attention. On the front page was a picture of a wrecked car and as I looked further down the page it stated the people who were inside of the vehicle that day. Harry's name was first on the list and to my dismay so was mine..

Notes