The Goodbye Note

Chapter 18

Here's the truth: I cried writing this chapter, I know some of you don't get emotional while reading but I am one of those people who cries for anything that's sad. I'm apologizing for making this chapter now, but remember, now we really have to start the search for the note!

The song that I recommend for this chapter is If I Die Young by Glee Cast. Naya Rivera sings this song, the words match the chapter and unfortunately they apply to her. Rest in peace Naya.

***

As soon as we get to my house I immediately notice a car in the driveway that I've never seen. "Do we go in?" I ask, because I really don't want to.

"Yes." Xander answers me, "But take this." He hands me a knife.

"Oh no, I don't want to hurt anyone."

Dan takes a deep breath, "Em, they are holding your parents captive, if you get the chance, you need to kill his ass." I don't want to kill anyone. I don't want to hurt anyone.

"Okay." I take a breath and open the car door, my best friends follow behind me. I open the door and see a man with a ski mask on. I couldn't recognize his eyes. But his body shape was very muscular. He looked like someone who worked out for enjoyment, couldn't be me.

"I said come alone."

I look at my parents who are tied on the floor, my mom is knocked out and my dad had blood on his lip. I just can't believe that my dad didn't kill him. My dad always carries a gun, even in our own house. "No, you said to not tell the police, last time I checked teenagers are not the police." We actually did tell the police, we told them to follow us and come after we were here for five minutes. But what he didn't know wouldn't kill us.

He scoffs, "Emily, I need to find the note that Emma told you about, where is it?" This is starting to make sense. He didn't want the cops because he's not actually here to hurt me, my parents wanted to find the note so they probably found some actor to scare it out of me. My parents just can't be like normal parents and ask me. But it's okay, they are playing their part, so I guess I need to play mine.

"Oh but I thought mom and dad said it was fake. And um, why would you be robbing our house for a letter? Are you telling me that it's real." I gasp and try my hardest not to laugh.

My dad's eyes grew big, "Emily just please tell him." His acting was as bad as my dance skills, and let me tell you, I cannot dance.

"Mom, I know you're not actually knocked out," she opens her eyes, "dad, I know that's not real blood. And big man in the mask the police are outside."

Dan and Xander start laughing so hard, "Are you guys that desperate for a note?" Dan ask between laughs. He's not wrong, in the beginning I almost believed that it was fake, but now, now I need to find this note if it meant this much to my parents to hide it, then that means the note could be important.

Mack walks away to the outside, I'm guessing she's going to tell the police that it was all an act. A very funny one actually. "Mom why couldn't you just ask me? Why did you guys have to go to such extreme measures?"

She looks at my dad then at me. "Sweetie I need to tell you the truth about somethi-" she didn't get a chance to finish her sentence. The gunshot interrupted her. No it stopped her from talking, because it went through her chest. No! I turn around to see the man I thought was an actor holding a gun pointed at my mom. He runs and Xander follows him. I don't even look back I run to my mom. She's breathing very heavy. My body is numb, but I know the tears are there.

I rest her head on my lap and hold my hands over the wound, "It's okay, Dan is going to call the ambulance. Mom, you're going to be okay. It's just a small wound. I promise it'll heal." I never understood why people say such reassuring words to a dying person, at least I didn't understand until now.

She tucks a hair behind my ear, "Emily, I love you, you are an amazing young woman. I want you to promise me that you will find the note and you will make things right. Please promise me. My baby needs you."

What she says confuses me but I don't say anything. "I promise mom, I promise. I love you, I'm sorry I didn't always show it but I love you. You are the best person in the world."

"It's okay sweetie, I'm okay. I'll see you again, not tomorrow but in years. I promise." She pauses, "I love you Emily." Her body stops moving. I rest my head on her chest and let out everything I've ever held in. No. How is this possible? She wasn't supposed to die. Why did she die? Why did she leave me? I feel arms around my waist that are pulling me to my feet. I don't stand so instead the arms carry me. I try to fight but the person is too strong. I turn my head to look Dan in the eye. I hug him. And rest my face on his shoulder.

"She's gone. It's my fault, I thought he was an actor." He runs his hands through my hair and whispered meaningless words in my ear. "Dan, she's gone. She left me. Just like Emma." I never thought that I would witness two deaths in my life. I never thought I would see my mom shot or my sister shake into her death. But life isn't what we thought it would be. Life is sad. And hard. My mom believed in God, but he took two of the best people away from me. How was I supposed to believe in him? By the time the ambulance get here, it is too late. Way too late. Dan keeps me held tight in his arms and guides me away from this messy life of mine.

Xander runs up to us, "He got away, I'm sorry Em. I'm so sorry." Dan puts me down and Xander walks up to me and hugs me. I want to tell him that I would be fine but I can't make a promise that I most likely won't be able to keep. "I'm so sorry Emily." He says as he cries in my hair. I hug him tighter.

Now Mack comes, "Em, what's wrong?" Oh, I forgot that she had walked out before my mom, well you know. Dan pulls her away from us for a second and then after a little bit she wraps me in her tan arms. "No, Em, it's not your fault." She says through a croaked voice, "She wasn't supposed to leave. I'm sorry, we were all supposed to be safe." The three of them lead me to Xander's car, I didn't want to but I knew that I couldn't stay here. Not just because it was a crime scene but also because all my memories are here. But my mom told me, right after Emma's accident, that life takes all these crazy turns that we would never expect and we learn new things but our memories are all that we really have. Our knowledge really means nothing, but our memories are our prized possessions. No one has them except us. The person who dies leaves us with memories and that's more important than anything. We need them to be happy in life.

I buckle the seat belt and rest my head against the window. It was lightly raining, I would watch the drops fall down and at the same time my tears would come down, it's like they were synced. But my life just like the rain. It may be pouring now but it won't be pouring forever.

I don't realize that I am tired until I yawn. But I don't want to sleep. I know that if I let myself drift off even for just a second then I will relive the whole night. From my misery at homecoming to the blood all over my hands as I held my dying mother in my arms. My dead mother. No matter how real it was, I will never believe it, at least not for a while. Xander arrives at Mack's house, "Emily my mom talked to your dad, he agreed that you should stay here, at least for the next few days." Mack tells me and grabs my hand to help me out of the car. I follow. I don't say a word, I just obey. There was nothing for me to say. After what I witnessed I don't want to talk to anyone. We walk to her front door and she unlocks it. She walked inside and so did I. She leads me to her room and hands me clothes that I could wear for bed. "Here." She hands me a wipe for my makeup, even though most of it came off with my tears and I quickly change after. She lays down on her bed and I follow. "Emily, just remember, I'm always here for you, I promise." Her words remind me of that night on the beach with Xander. And those are the last words that I hear before I fall into a deep slumber. The words were a promise that she knew she shouldn't make. I hated false promises. But I wasn't going to reply, I didn't want to. She knows me well enough that she knows exactly what I would say. That a person should never make a promise that they can't keep. But Emma promised to never leave me. And so did my mom.

***

I truly am sorry for making this chapter. But now Emily has even more reasons to find that note!

Oh andddddd... I start school on Monday so I'm going to make my official posting day Fridays, so see you then!

I'm keeping it short today, lots of love, emma<3