Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Higher Ground characters in my story. All rights are reserved to whoever owns the show now. Yada, Yada, Yada. I'm sure you get the picture.
Summary: Scott and Shelby are forced to go their separate ways after they graduate from Horizon. Can fate bring them back together?
Category: Romance/Drama
Rating: I'll just say PG-13
Author's Note: As you read a chapter, I'd like to ask that all of my reader send me feedback. I write all the time but I only put stories on site because I want to hear what other people think. Love it or Hate it, just give me some kind of idea, okay? Don't be shy, Send me some feedback! J
Chapter Three: Arriving at Horizon, Pt. 1
Scott dropped his suitcases on the gravel with a sigh, his head lifting to view the sights. The place looked exactly the same. Not one thing had changed since he had left so many years ago. With one swift motion, Scott lifted his hands and shut the backdoor of his SUV, his eyes grazing over the scenery once again. He closed his eyes as he inhaled the scent of the mountains. It even smelled the same.
"Yo, meat, 'bout time you showed." Scott smiled. He didn't have to turn around to know who had approached him. It wasn't until he heard his voice that he realized just how much he missed the people that had helped him through some of the toughest times in his life.
Scott turned slowly, his arms open to accept the incoming hug from his friend. "Auggie, it is so good to see you." It didn't take long for Scott to realize that Ezra stood beside his friend. "Ez, what's been up?" he embraced both of his old friends before backing away in distance.
"You look different, Scott. Things are finally going good for you, huh?" Ezra was the first one to speak of Scott's suit and tie. Out of the three, it was obvious that Scott had encountered the most dramatic change. Ezra and Auggie couldn't help but be a little disappointed. Seeing Scott dressed so formal had only reminded them how much things had actually changed.
"Yeah, things really are looking up for me. In fact, I've just recently been accepted to a partnership at Davidson's Law. Well, it's Davidson & Barringer Law now. What about the two of you? What has your lives been like since Horizon?"
Auggie jumped at the opportunity to explain how his life had changed. He smiled. "It's hasn't been too different. I own this now." he motioned to the buildings and cabins behind him. "A couple years back Sophie and Peter retired and decided to reside in some place warmer. Ezra and I are kind of partners in a way also."
"Yeah," it was Ezra's turn to describe things further. It wasn't that hard to see Scott's confusion because it was written all over his face. His eyebrows stayed furrowed as he gazed back and forth between his old friends. Being the owner of a school for delinquents wasn't quite the job that Scott had foreseen for Auggie. And in what way could Ezra be connected with the school? "I've opened up a second Horizon in Tennessee. After graduating from Horizon, it took me a couple of years but I finally realized that I wanted to help teens get their life back on track too."
"How noble." Scott joked and both Auggie and Ezra laughed soft-heartedly. "I'm glad that you want to make that kind of a difference, guys. That really is great." Silence fell between the three and Scott debated with asking the one question that had been lingering in the back of his mind since his arrival. "So .." he hesitated. "have you seen Shelby?"
Ezra and Auggie's faces softened. It must have been hard on Scott that night. He and Shelby had literally been pulled apart by uncontrollable forces and they couldn't have even began to imagine what that must feel like. Both had the two women that they had grown to love so unconditionally. "Sorry, Scott." Ezra was the first to muster up the guts to disappoint his friend. "We haven't seen her and it's been rumored that she won't be coming."
Scott's demeanor had visibly sagged. He was disappointed. His once in a lifetime in chance hadn't turned out to be anything at all. Scott immediately regretted coming. It was going to be great catching up with all the people that he had lost contact with over the years, but this place was also going to be nothing but a constant reminder of his past with Shelby. "Are you sure she won't be here?"
"Well it would make sense for her not to come, don't you think? You know how Shelby was. She always liked to run away from anything and everything. Coming back here would probably have been too hard on her. The way things ended with you two hadn't exactly been pleasant. Most likely, she just doesn't want to relive all of that." Auggie rationalized and it made a lot of sense. Shelby didn't like dealing with her problems head on. She never had.
Scott nodded with understanding, his shoulders still sagging from the sudden disappointment. "I just wanted to see her again, you know. I really miss the way things used to be. How happy we used to be."
Auggie threw an arm around Scott's neck, smiling over at him sympathetically. Ezra followed after them with Scott's luggage as they began to walk further into the grounds. "I'm sorry, Scott. I hope you can find a way to enjoy yourself while you are here though. I've arranged everything so perfectly. We will be staying in our old dorm while the girls will be staying in theirs. It will be just like the old days, give or take ten years."
Scott forced an enthused smile although smiling wasn't exactly what he had wanted to do. Suddenly he wasn't so ready to reminisce about how things had been, not when Shelby wasn't there to reminisce with him. They had made most of the times at Horizon so memorable so she needed to be there. But for the sake of everyone else he would put on a show. He would act like this was the place he really wanted to be. Scott didn't want his old classmates to think that he wasn't excited about seeing them. He was.