Hello everyone! I'm so excited to finally be bringing you this sequel, and I will do everything I can to finish it, I promise I will no matter what. You WILL have an end to this story. This is a direct continuation of the preview at the end of the original story. Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 1: Stupid Schedules And Senior Year
Riley Chantley stared in distain at her newly attained class schedule. She had been shoved into Anatomy for the third year in a row, after countlessly repeating to her guidance counselor that 'she hated anatomy, and she doesn't ever, ever want to be in it'. Unfortunately, according to her guidance counselor, all other science classes were full to bursting.
She inwardly groaned. 'Well, this school year is off to a GREAT start' she thought sarcastically to herself. She was just happy to be a senior. It was the last year she actually had to do anything. After this, she could leave her stupid foster home, and this stupid high school, and finally be free. She could be her own person, an adult. She couldn't go to college (money was a scarcity in her life), and the last thing she wanted was to pay off student loans for the rest of her life, so she planned on just getting a job waitressing or something, working her way up to manager, even owner of the restaurant one day. The only part that truly made her sad was leaving her best friend, Cecilia Green. Celia's family was pretty well off financially, so no doubt she would head off to college and become a nurse or something. She would stay in touch, but she would probably find herself some preppy rich college friends to replace her with. Riley knee good and well how distance affects relationships.
As she looked up from her schedule, she spotted Celia sitting on top of a picnic table with their new friend, Dexter Samuels. Dexter had just moved to their town from Bakersfield in Southern California, which is about a six and a half hour car drive from their town, Redding. Needless to say, they were his only friends. He was a nice boy, with flaming copper red hair (which kind was kind of bittersweet for Riley to look at), but he was whacky too. Not in a bad or obnoxious way, it was a good kind of weird that made you love to hang out with the person.
As she approached them, they turned to greet her, smiling happily and waving her over to them. She smiled a frustrated smile, and waved back half heartedly, heading over to them.
"Hey Riles!" Dex said, a smile gracing his features.
"Hi Riles! What's wrong, you look frustrated." Celia asked.
Riley sighed, dragging her fingers through her medium length platinum blonde hair. She held up her clas schedule for Celia and Dex to take. "My stupid guidance counselor put me in Anatomy this year."
"The one science class you hate," said Celia, "that sucks Riley, I'm sorry." A look of sympathy flashed across her face, returning her attention to the schedule sheet. "Well, the bright side is that you don't have Ms. Prudence for history this year."
"Praise the Lord!" Said Riley, throwing her hands in the air. They all laughed and chuckled.
"Well, it looks like we all have English together!" Dex said excitedly. "It's a good thing too, you guys can show me where the classroom is." He chuckled. Just then, his phone dinged. He took it out and unlocked it. "Oh, looks like my mom's here. Got to go." He said with a melancholy tone. He turned to Celia and went to wave at her, but she went in for a hug. He then awkwardly tired to hug her, but she had seen his wave and retreated from the hug to wave at him. They awkwardly stopped and just decided to high five each other.
'Ok...weird...' thought Riley. He waved at them both before sprinting off. Riley looked back to Celia, a confused look plastered to her face. "What was that?" She asked, a slight smirk ghosting on her mouth.
"Nothing, I don't know...stop pestering me!" Celia said defensively as Riley chuckled to herself. She walked over to sit next to Celia, plopping down next to her on the nice picnic table. "So," Celia asked after a moment, "how are you holding up?"
Riley sighed. It had been a bit since their "adventure", and Riley has been feeling a bit down ever since. "I don't know. It's kind of like, there's something heavy always weighing on my mind. I'm definitely not over him yet, I think I'm just a little shook up about the whole thing in general." She took a moment to think about what she was trying to convey. "What I mean is, it's hard to fall in love with someone, even for a short time, and then have them ripped away from you. Just when your really getting to know them too."
Celia nodded. "Yeah, I totally understand." They sat for a moment as a comfortable silence enveloped them. "You know, you can always look at the history books in he library, and look at his pictures, and read about him. Maybe it'll make you feel closer to him."
"Yeah, I have been, but Ms. Ericsson won't take me to the library anymore, and makes me do more cleaning around her house, so instead I have to walk 3 miles to the bus stop, so I figured it's just not worth it." Ms. Ericsson was her foster mother, and a bad one at that. Not to say that Riley hadn't seen worse, but Ms. Ericsson was still not her favorite. She was just one of those foster parents that "only did this for the check that came in the mail".
"Well, my mom is supposed to pick me up in a minute, so I guess I'll call you later ok?" Celia said, patting her knee before standing up and running off, saying goodbye and waving.
'And then there was one...' Thought Riley, sitting alone on the picnic table. The other kids had slowly dissipated, leaving no one in the court yard but her. She knew Ms. Ericsson would be late, so no use in waiting around in boredom. She took out her headphones and turned on her music, listening calmly as a plane flew overhead. She looked at it fondly, remembering everything. The trip. Marlinspike. The clock. Snowy. The Captain. And a red headed boy who made her feel so special and loved.
Tintin.
It hurt to think about him. How he has already lived his life. He has lived his life, without her in it. His life is over, and hers is just beginning, without him.
She sighed as the heaviness consumed her once again, putting its weight on her shoulders once again. She wished for at least the millionth time that he would be right there, sitting next to her. She wished he could be with her in that moment. She wished to feel his warmth, his touch, his lips on hers, just once more...
...little did she know that her wishes would soon come true...
