"Remember me"

Part I

I remember walking down the driveway, the long winding driveway that led to the main dirt road. My face was flushed because it was hot out and I had just left the cabin in the mountains with my friends because I got in an argument with one of them. I could feel the heat in my cheeks, the sweat lingering over the palms of my clenched fists. I was outraged…hurt…shocked at the pressure in my stomach from the adrenaline. I quickly stumbled over to a birch tree and hunched over as I felt the acids in my stomach ascend out of my torso. I coughed. The burning of the sensitive inner flesh of my esophagus was causing me to wince.

"I hate this…" I croaked softly, to no one. I just wanted to feel useful, but I couldn't come to terms with what has happened over the past two years…it's become an adventure. One I was beginning to believe…has gone way over my head. I let out a long, exasperated breath as I slumped back into another nearby tree, and leaned my head over my arms that were now resting above my arched knees. Slowly, I began to think back on the past two years of my life.

--Pagebreak, Embrace it, fear it--

"Happy birthday." I looked up to see a pair of white thick lines flashing in front of my face and I had to shut my eyes and rub them as I sat up, blinking away the drowsiness from just waking. I let out a yawn and refocused my gaze on the subject of my curiosity. MY brow furrowed as I began to take in the now clearing visual.

"Are those tickets?"

"Yep."

At first, I thought maybe they were concert tickets, but as I began to read the print my eyes began to widen. "Plane tickets?" I admit, at first I was completely confused at why there were plane tickets dangling in my now flushed face, but then my heart began to pound in my chest with anticipation and the overwhelming feeling of anxiety hit my stomach. They were tickets to Ohio.

"I... don't understand…" I had only one reason running through my mind right now that I would have, two, plane tickets to Ohio.

Emily…

"You said, you've been dying to see your friends from Oregon, I was just…thinking maybe…you could go… your nineteen now. I know I never really understood why you considered these two more of your best friends than anyone else around here…but your life has changed so drastically well, and I noticed it was because of them. So, I think it's time, that you take a break from life, and take this trip…"

"Oh, daddy…" I took the tickets from his hand slowly and took in a deep breath before getting up and hugging him tightly. "Thank you, for everything."

"Please, take care of yourself, okay?" I could only nod, feeling overwhelming joy and I quickly grabbed my suitcase as he left my room, and began to toss some things into it. I knew he wasn't coming with me, he hated to fly as it was, same as me…one in the same. However, there was one other person who the ticket would go to. I knew, because its destination departure was different from the one I knew was mine.. I sighed contently, walking over to my cell phone and clicking my speed dial #3.

"Hello?"

"Aileen."

"Oh, hey Nikki, happy birthday, I was totally going to call you in a few more hours…I was just…currently sleeping." I noted her yawning into the phone and it chain-reacted a yawn from myself.

"Thanks, hey, pack your bags, I'm sending you a ticket with priority express mail, it should get there tomorrow."

"Wait…what about sending me a ticket?"

"My father got us two plane tickets, I'm sending yours in two hours when the post office opens."

"To where?"

"Ohio…we're going to Ohio."

It was like she finally understood, because the change in her tone seemed to be more awake, alert, and excited. "When do we leave?"

"Tuesday."

"All right! Now that I'm awake I gotta go freak out and take a shower, I'll call you later."

"Sure!" I smiled, happy as we hung up and I ran to the bathroom, taking my own shower. It was hardly a bareble wait as the minutes, hours, everything to the point of the flight to Ohio lead up to. I could not manage my anxientated excitment as I sat ruthlessly on the plane. The flight would make a stop around Michigan or something, I forget but I was out of my seat before anyone else as the plane pulled into the airport. I flew down that terminal with my carry-on bag, quickly trying to find the next plane I was supposed to board. That's when I felt myself going into overdrive. My hand flew in front of me as I showed the ticket and boarded the flight that should take me straight to Ohio. The anticipation running though my veins as I moved to find my seat.

"Nikki!" I was thrown off guard when I saw her. Aileen sitting in the seat next to the one I was supposed to be vacating. I couldn't hold back the suprised look that shot across my face as I stood before her. "Are you okay?"

I nodded quickly and sat down, giving her a hug and smiling. "I can't believe your on this flight!"

"We're both going to Ohio remember?"

"Oh yeah...sorry i've been in overdrive, i'm so excited..." I breathed into my smile.

"Me too...gosh...19...and yet i'm still the second oldest..." She laughed. "Gosh I feel young."

"Your 18, not 6." I rolled my eyes and chuckled. "Weirdo."

"Look whose talking..."

--Pagebreak...uh...why?...idk why...STOP PESTERING ME! ((cries))--

That's how it went, for the next hour or so.

We caught up, talked each others ears off, and we visited Emilys college.

That day was simple, the first start of an embracing future none of us knew was coming.