Georgia
"I said no!" I yelled as I ran out of the house, one of my many bags slung over my shoulder.
"Shelby, please . . . let's try to work this out," he begged.
"No. You had your chance to explain, now you lost it."
"Please Shelby, please stay."
"How do you expect me to forgive you for this?"
"Please, give me another chance—"
I cut him off.
"No!" I screamed. "You let me down more than once and I don't think I can take it anymore."
"Shelby, I told you it wasn't me!"
"Can you prove it?" I yelled, my temper finally rising as high as it would go.
"Yeah, ask the person who did it!" he yelled back.
I looked him in the eye and he challenged my glare.
"Look, I know your recent popularity has gone to your head a bit, but DO NOT under any circumstances put all this on your stunt man."
"Shelby, I swear, it wasn't me! If you would just ask Hayden, I'm sure he would tell you."
"Ya know when you promised me we'd get married and live happily ever after some day?" I asked, my eyes getting a far away look in them.
"How could I forget?" he replied sincerely.
"I've always wanted to marry you. I've always thought that you were the one. But you never ever asked me and I'm tired of hanging on. I can't take your lies and bullshit anymore Scott," I said as I threw my bag in the back of the car and headed towards the house to grab a few more.
"Shelby, please . . ." he begged and got down on his knees as I came out of the house with my final 2 bags.
I stopped before him on the sidewalk and just stared down at him.
"I want to believe you," I stated, a tear finally winding its way down my cheek, smearing my mascara, "but I can't. I'm sick of your lies."
"Shelby, I'll change I swear," he pleaded as he got up while I walked past him to the car.
"No you won't. You can never change as long as you are a superstar."
"Fine. Do you want me to quit being an actor? I can go back to football."
"No Scott. Don't you get it? You are popular wherever you go and I am just your trampy sidekick. This is for your own good."
I glared harshly at him and threw my last bag in the back before going to the door and opening it, pulling the keys out first.
"Well if I can't change your mind, can I at least go to see you off?" he asked, a single solitary tear sliding down his sunburnt cheeks.
I looked into his eyes, contemplating my decision carefully.
"Sure."
He smiled like a little boy smiles when he gets his first puppy. He ran to the other side of the car and hopped in.
When we got to Amoco, the gas station, which was only about 3 miles from our house, I stopped and filled up with gas. I paid for it and came out, seeing Scott still in the car, staring straight ahead at nothing in particular.
I went to the window and tapped on it. He didn't move. I tapped harder and he looked at me and pressed the power window button.
"Where did you go?" I asked him.
"Just thinkin'."
He paused.
"Are you sure this is—"
"Yes, I'm sure this is what I want."
"Shelby, last time you tried this, you turned around at the state line. Do you really think you'll get any further?"
"We'll see won't we?" I asked as he got out of the car.
"Well you know if you want to come back I'll welcome you with open arms."
"I know."
"Can I kiss you before you go?"
"Sure."
Scott leaned in slowly and finally our lips met in a long awaited kiss. It lasted so long that we had half of the gas station customers stopped and staring at us.
When we finally pulled away because we were breathless, I went to the other side of the car and got in as Scott followed me. I rolled down the window so we could say our final farewells.
"I'm gonna miss you," he said sweetly.
"I know; I'm gonna miss you too. I love you with all my heart Scott, but you hurt me and I don't know if my heart can take it anymore."
"I love you too Shelby. But just to let you know again, I didn't hurt you. Yes, I might be letting this stardom go to my head, but I swear, I would never—EVER cheat on you."
"When you figure out a way to prove it, you know my cell number: 458-8968. We requested it personally. I would never have thought to request it to spell I luv you. I will miss you so much, but until then, you have to do without me. There was a time when I'd do anything for you, but this time I'm not turning back."
Another tear slid down his face. All of a sudden, we heard screaming and saw a big group of teenagers heading straight for us yelling out Scott's name.
"You better go. You've been spotted by your groupies," I said as I sped away, not giving him a chance to respond as his obsessive fans mobbed him.
Several hours later, I was speeding down the highway, not once had I looked back. I had done this so many times I learned not to look back. As I thought about this, a flashback darted into my mind.
FLASHBACK
"You won't leave," his voice said, ringing in my ears. "And if you do, you won't go far."
"You just watch me. I'm gonna keep headin' west until I can't anymore. I will get away from you and your lies. I'm gone for good; that's one thing I can count on. And you had better too."
END FLASHBACK
When I came back to reality, I realized I had let my car get into the other lane and I swerved back into mine. Just then, a song came on the radio. It described my situation perfectly.
If I'm not over you by the time I get to Georgia
Then I guess I'll be Alabama bound
There was a time when I'd do anything for you
But this time baby, I won't turn around
I always wanted to get married, and I thought you were the one
But you never ever asked me and I was tired of hanging on
You know a girl can only be let down so many times before she runs
And now this little bitty town's only got room for one of us, yeah
You always said I'd never leave, and if I did, I wouldn't go far
So I know how I must look with my tank of gas and beat-up heart
Well baby I'm gone for good, you can count on that
Yeah, I'm gonna keep headin' west 'til I'm too far-gone to come back, yeah
And if I'm not over you by the time I get to Georgia
Then I'll be Alabama bound
There was a time when I'd do anything for you
But this time baby, oh I won't turn around
I've only got ten miles to go before I cross the state line
I can feel my hands shakin' 'cause they usually turn the wheel around about this time
I heard that same old voice inside, I had to drown it out
So I found me a radio station playing something fast
And I turned it up real loud
And if I'm not over you by the time I get to Georgia
Then I'll be Alabama bound
There was a time when I'd do anything for you
But this time baby, oh I won't turn around
There was a time when I'd do anything for you
But this time baby, oh, I won't turn around
No I won't turn around
If I'm not over you by Georgia, then I'll head to Alabama
Roll on to Mississippi or maybe Louisiana
I'll drive all the way to California
Oh I won't turn around
No I won't turn around
No I won't turn around
No I won't turn around
"Wow," I thought in my head as the song finished, "that is the perfect song for me."
My mind started doubting my decision. I decided to give in and I picked up my cell phone out of the passenger seat and dialed Hayden's number. After a few rings, he picked up. It sounded as if there was a party of some sort going on.
"Hello?" he answered drunkenly.
"Hi Hayden, this is Shelby—Scott's ex-girlfriend."
"Oh—hey Shelby. What can I do fer ya?"
"Well, for starters, you can tell me if you have slept with Natalie Portman lately."
"Uh yeah, a couple times. She said she thought I was Scott but I didn't give a rats patoot."
"So you mean she wanted him and thought you were him? So he never slept with her?"
"Nah kiddo, he wouldn't do that ter ya. And after all, I am Scott's stunt man so we do look alike."
As tears came to my eyes, I looked out the window as I saw a sign for the state line.
"What have I done?" I asked out loud, forgetting I was on the phone.
"Ugh, you must be nearing the state line," Hayden responded.
"Yeah, how'd you know?"
"Well for one, I can tell that you're on your cell. I might be drunk, but I'm still very alert. Second, you said ex-girlfriend, so I figured you'd take off towards Georgia again. Third, Scott called."
"Oh. What all did he say?"
"Just that he hopes you'll come to your senses and come back to him."
"I don't know, I'm so confused right now."
"Well hey, why don't you just stop and think on the state line for a few hours until your head clears up?"
"Yeah, I guess I could do that. Will you tell Scott that I miss him and that I found out the truth?" I asked, rather happy I had gotten the courage to call Hayden.
"Why don't you tell him yourself?" he asked before hanging up.
I pulled the cell phone away from my ear and stared down at it as if it had just mysteriously disappeared.
"Okay . . . " I said as I pressed the end button.
I looked out the window again to see the state line sign a few hundred yards away. I slowly approached it and pulled off to the side. I got out and climbed up on top of the car and laid down, looking up at the already-starry sky.
"I can't stay very long, I have to keep moving so I don't get the urge to turn around," I said drowsily as my heavy eyes snapped shut.
When I awoke, the first thing I saw was the moon straight up above me. Deciding I was still kind of tired, I rolled over onto my right side and saw Scott staring back at me.
I sat up abruptly, my hair matted down to my head by sweat. I looked to my right immediately on impulse and saw that I was alone. I glanced down at my watch and noticed that it was near 3:00 in the morning. I then looked in front of the car and saw the Georgia/South Carolina state border sign, glowing brightly under the moon's light. Just then it started glowing brighter as I heard a car coming down the road. I turned around to see what looked like Hayden's car approaching me.
"What could he be doing here?" I asked myself as I swung my legs over the edge and stayed seated.
The car pulled up behind mine, and Hayden stepped out of the car and walked to mine.
"Hey Hayden, what are you doing all the way over here?" I asked.
"Come to save your life," he replied as he jumped up on top of the car and sat beside me.
"You and no one else is stopping me. This is something I have to do. And since I'm not over him by now, I'm headin' on to Alabama."
"Shelby?" he asked quietly.
"Yeah?"
"Do you still love me?" he asked even quieter.
"What?" I half-yelled, finally looking him in the eyes and seeing that they were the same color as Scott's. Hayden had brown eyes.
"Scott?"
"Yeah, who else would come all the way out here for you?" he asked, smiling at me with that smile I loved so much.
"Oh my god, what are you doing here?" I yelled happily at him as I leaned over towards him and hugged him, accidentally sliding off the car and pulling him with me. Luckily, we landed on our feet.
"I figured you wouldn't want to see me," he said, hugging me tighter on each word.
"Of course I would want to see you. I love you so much," I said before I realized where I was and what I was doing there.
"Wait," I said pulling away from him, "don't do this."
"I'm sorry," he said backing away a few steps.
"No, it's ok. It's not your fault. But Scott, even though I found out the truth about Natalie Portman, there are still all those other rumors about the rest of the girls—and all of your fans, and you coming home late and missing dinner and my special plans for us. Scott, I don't think that you could ever find the time to make that up to me."
"What—so you think that by running away again it will solve everything? It didn't the first 3 times and I'm pretty damn sure it won't this time."
"How are you so sure?" I asked doubtfully.
"Because I'll MAKE it work. Even if I have to quit acting AND football. I can get a job at Taco Bell or something. Please, let me prove I'll make it work."
"Scott, I can't!" I said, now starting to bawl.
I got in my car and started it quickly as he came and pounded on my window. He tried opening the door but I had all ready locked it. I pressed on the gas and I spun out, leaving him in a cloud of dust.
"Whew," I sighed, as I looked in my review mirror to wipe my tears off of my cheeks. That's when I spotted him quickly closing in on me. I sped up, hoping he'd give up.
He pulled into the other lane and was quickly up beside me. He had his passenger window rolled down. I quickly rolled mine down and he began yelling to me.
"Please Shelby! Come back home!"
Just then I looked away and saw a semi heading right for Scott.
"Scott look out!" I yelled as the semi got dangerously closer.
Scott sped up and pulled frantically in front of me as the semi just missed him. I sighed, and the next thing I know, Scott sped up even fast and turned the wheel sharply so he did a donut and blocked the road. I slammed on my breaks, which caused me to do a donut the opposite way. We jumped out of our cars at the same time and I ran at him and began yelling.
"What are you crazy? You could have killed both of us, or even worse that driver! Are you out of your friggin' head? You must be crazy!"
"Shelby!" he yelled over me. "Calm down. The only thing I'm crazy for is you. And you know that I would never purposely hurt you."
"Yeah, but what about all of those fans that you supposedly slept with?"
Scott was taken aback.
"Shelby, the only person I've ever slept with is Elayne, and that didn't count cause she seduced me. Even you wouldn't sleep with me. Remember?"
"All too well. I didn't sleep with you then because that was when I first heard about your fan rumors. I'm sorry for all of that pain I caused you and that's why I have to keep going. I can't stay here with all of the memories."
"Fine. Then we'll move. We can move all the way across the country—I don't care. As long as we're together. Who cares where we go."
"Scott, that's really sweet of you to want to try to give this another go," I said, "but we'd have to drive all the way back to Columbia. And that's a long drive."
"Well then we'll start over once we get to where ever we're going."
"You know how stupid we sound doing this right?" I asked him, my tears starting to subside and my mouth curling into a small smile of pleasure.
"Yeah . . . but that's what's making it feel so right," he said smiling that heart-warming smile at me. I smiled back and we took each other's hands as we stood there and looked up at the stars, seeing a shooting star zooming through the twinkling night sky.
Stupid, I know . . . I was bored. So sue me. I don't care if you review or not, I wouldn't if I had read it.
I do not own Scott, Shelby, Natalie Portman, or the song Georgia. Carolyn Dawn Johnson owns that.