Mason Park - Chapter Ten

I shoot up in bed and squeeze my eyes tighter than they've ever been shut, trying to numb the shooting pains in my head. I'm out of pills, I never went and got the new perscription, damn my lazy self.

Running, now's the time to try it.

I carefully slide out of bed and slip on a pair of sweat pants, a hoody, and a hat, it's January and I've only got one layer of clothing on...I'll be fine. I slip on my tennis shoes and head out the door, who needs keys, I don't use them for anything anyway.

I jog down the stairs and out of the building, where better to run than Central Park?

It's quicker getting to the park than I thought, maybe because I've never ran to it before?

For five o'clock in the afternoon, it's not that crowded. Usually people come out to jog after work or go for a stroll with their family after dinner.

I'd say there's only about ten other people that I can see, all of which are jogging, just like me. Does that mean I finally blend in now?

My headache's already going away, but the deep pain is still there. I increase my speed and take quick, short breaths. Am I doing this right? I've got no idea, I've never jogged in my life...other than that time that Monica helped me lose some weight, man that was hell.

Sweat is already dripping down my forehead and my legs are starting to burn, my god am I out of shape. I should do this more often, well, seeing how my future is, that shouldn't be too hard of a task to acomplish. I hope these memories come back quickly and I can get this whole amnesia thing over with. It's like going to sleep in your bed and waking up on the couch out in the living room, you have no idea how you got there, but you're there.

This jog would be so much more peaceful if it didn't make me think so much. Maybe I should try jogging in the city? Yea, that would be great, I'd trip on somebody's shoe and then I could just slide down fifth avenue.

My mind wanders to tomorrow and I begin to think how everybody's really going to take this. Will they go to the airport with Ashley and I? Will they even say good-bye? I haven't talked to any of them, except Monica, since last night. They didn't leave me a message, they didn't stop by, they didn't leave a note, is that just how they express their feelings? Maybe they don't like Ashley?

No, that can't be it. Everybody loves Ashley, she's perfect. Her long golden hair that just reaches past her shoulders, her strickingly blue eyes, her slender body with more curves than a road through upstate New York, her I-don't-give-a-damn t-shirt and jeans style. She's perfect, in every sense of the word that I know.

I should actually give her a call. I think it's ok to stop running, my headache is gone and I'm afraid if I keep moving, I'm going to have a heart attack.

JKF, the next morning...

I stand shoulder to shoulder with Ashley, her hand gripped tightly in mine, watching as the plane pulls up to the building.

That's it, that is the contraption that will carry me away to my new life. Riding high in first class seats, which Ashley was awesome enough to get me one of.

Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, and Monica all stand behind us. We made up this morning and said our long good-byes so we wouldn't have to do it with an audience of a hundred strangers watching us. Rachel is leaning against Ross with his arm wrapped supportively around her and Monica and Phoebe each have a hand around the other, every once in a while they dab tears from their eyes.

I honestly don't see what's so sad, I'm moving, big deal. I said I'd be back, I said I'd write, I said I'd call, I said I'd visit, what more do they want? Well, for me to stay would be the obvious answer, but I can't give them that.

"Flight 124 to Los Angeles will now begin boarding seats 20 through 30." The lady standing behind the counter next to the door announces, and people begin to get up to gather luggage and restless children.

I look to Ashley and then turn around to face my friends who, with simple eye contact with me, begin to cry even more and I have to remind them that I won't be boarding for a little while yet.

"Do you really need to go?" Rachel asks and clings to Ross even tighter.

I smile and wrap my arm around Ashely. "Yea, I do. I told you guys we'd stay in contact, you act like I'm dying. I'll be back someday."

"Yea, we know that. But now California has stolen two of our group." Ross says and rests his chin on the top of Rachel's head.

I had almost forgot about Joey. I really should have called him and told him that I was moving out there, but now I get the chance to surprise him and beg for forgiveness, I just hope he doesn't own a shotgun..or a pitbull. Monica gave me his address this morning and the paper is still in my pocket, I plan on going there as soon as I get the chance.

"Flight 124 to Los Angeles will now begin boarding seats one through 19."

"I guess we're up next." Ashley announces and looks up into my eyes, silent encouragement.

I nod my head, I've been doing that a lot lately, and drop her hand when I move toward the four.

Rachel's tears become unstopable and she runs forward to give me a hug that, if she was any stronger, could very likely kill me. Monica and Phoebe take off for us and join the hug. Ross comes up to join the group hug and wraps his arms around all of us as we attemt to kill ourselves by dehydration from all the crying.

Ashley patiently stands out of this hug with respect and waits for me by the window.

"Flight 124 to Los Angeles will now begin boarding first and business class."

Wow, time really flies when you're hugging. We break apart and wipe our eyes with our sleves, this is it. The final moment, the last second, whatever it is, it's passing at a ridiculous speed. Ashley steps forward to hand me my backpack and pick up her own.

I sling it over my shoulder and pull my hat on that I had balled up in my hand. I reach in my coat pocket for my boarding pass and ticket on the way to the door with Ashley on my heels.

The lady smiles at me as she takes my pass and quickly glances at it before almost throwing it back at me. I smile a thanks and move to the door to wait for Ashley, who follows just as quickly. She reasuringly takes my hand and we begin our walk to the plane.

I look back one last time and wave to them over my left shoulder, my eyes stop on Monica for a second longer and I turn back toward my future with a smile on my face.

California, here I come.

to be continued...

Sorry for not updating for a while, and also sorry that this chapter is so short, but I'm trying to end them in interesting places. 

I didn't mean to sound like a bitch by asking for reviews after every chapter, I wasn't aware that I was pissing anybody off, and if you don't like that, I don't care.  It's like writing blind if you don't have any feedback to work off of.  I'm trying to make this a story based on what people want to read, and if nobody tells me what they want, I don't know what to write.  So I'm sorry.

And when I said I wanted an ipod because I didn't like cd's taking up space, I never said that I had billions of cd's, I was just saying that they take up a lot of room and an ipod is more convenient.  So sorry for that too...I guess.

Thanks for reading, Please Review!