Where I Belong

by Stella Andrew

  “Ameliaaaa...” Pierre said with a grin.

  We’ve grown so much in the three years we had been in school.

  “Bonjour. I’m Amelia Brooke. It’s nice to meet you all.” I say the same words I said back then. Only this time everything was different.

  I am not the sad, heartbroken girl I was when I first transferred. This time I said it with a smile, my heart content.

  The three of them come to the front and although Ethan felt awkward we get into a group hug.

  “Should we make a move to the council room for the last time?” Ninnon asked and we all nod.

  Opening the council door, I enter followed by my friends. We look around. The place which had been close to a heartful home to the four of us.

  I excuse myself for a moment and walk out the door. I take quick strides and go down the stairs and fastening my pace, I finally reach my spot.

  I sit on the dirty stairs and smile to myself. I’m going to miss this spot. I wonder if anyone would ever use this place.

  Perhaps a new love would bloom here.

  Dusting my skirt and adjusting my blazer I take my leave.

  “Amelia.”

  Shyne called out to me. I stopped and throw a smile his way.

  “You finally graduated.” He said with a smile.

  “Yeah. It seems so unreal. Just like it was yesterday you picked a fight with Adrien.” I said in a teasing tone. He laughed.

  “I can’t believe I was so childish back then.”

  “Don’t worry. No hard feelings.”

  “Listen, Amelia. I just wanted to apologize to you if I had ever caused you any heartaches. If I had ever hurt you, it wasn’t intentional.” He looked so solemn as he apologized.

  I pat him on the shoulder.

  “You are also a reason I enjoyed my time here. Thank you for being part of my school life Shyne. I’m going to miss seeing you every day.”

  I meant every word. He truly was a good kid.

  Shyne moved in front and gave a quick hug. I stay frozen for a second but then give the hug back.

  “Thank you too for everything. Have an amazing future ahead.” And he left with a wave.

  As I walked around the school, many kids come up to me to congratulate me on passing the Baccalaureate Examination.

  It had been tough. But I pulled through.

  We all did.

  Finally, the four of us meet at the entrance of the school building. We look up at it. It wasn’t just a massive building full of bricks. It carried thousands of hearts. Millions of memories and unlimited dreams.

  Our stories. Our love. And when we all reached adulthood. The school had seen it all. It will continue to harbor these memories and emotions in the future to come.

  So with a final look, the four of us walked out the gates of our beloved Harriet High.

  CHAPTER THIRTY- EIGHT

  I pause my writing when I hear a crash somewhere in the house.

  “Is everything alright?” I call out.

  “Yeeeeees.” He shouts back.

  I get back to the book I’ve been writing on this whole time. I pause for a moment to think back to my time in France.

  I had successfully graduated from high school. Entered the same college as Adrien to his utter shock of course. Things had gone so smoothly for the two of us.

  Pierre and Ninnon had managed to enter the same college as well. We were like a package deal.

  Ethan sadly flew to LA, to enter a college there.

  Pierre grew the guts to confess to Ninnon and after a week of waiting, she agreed and they had started dating.

  I was so sure back then that only happy times were in our lives.

  Until...

  Adrien and I had our first big fight.

  He was beyond control and enraged. He had misunderstood the friendship I had with a guy from my class. He was furious and beat the crap out of the guy.

  We didn’t speak to each other for a month. He refused to listen to me. He said he didn’t need me anymore.

  If only he had he would have known that the guy had spent a little more time getting to know me is cause he was moving to Miami, and wanted to know the ropes from me.

  Unable to handle the pressure of being so separated from Adrien, I flew back to America.

  My parents had been devastated seeing me in such a broken state again. Dad forbade me in returning to France. I enrolled in college and was together with my Miami friends.

  Half a year later, I heard from Uncle Cam that Adrien had gone missing.

  No one was able to find him and with that, my life just went on.

  The soft padding of feet shook me from my daydream.

  “Mommy mommy mommy! Wha are you shill dwing? You plomised me you will take me to a plarty.”

  Chuckling I place the pen on the tabletop and scoop up my little 3-year-old boy. I tickle him down the chin. His weak spot and he gets into a fit of giggles.

  “Mommy was busy with writing sweetheart.”

  “Wha were you wliting?” He asks with big eyes as he stares at me.

  “Something very precious honey. Now then shall we make a move?” I ask an excited toddler who nods his head very hard and drops to his feet to go grab his jacket.

  I turn back to close the book. I’ll get back to writing when I get back home.

  Today is the tenth year since I graduated from Harriet High. There is a custom in the school, where in ten years after graduating, the students of the year meet up for a ten-year celebration.

  And so today it’s ours.

  I am going to meet my classmates today.

  After I had gone back to America, I lost contact with Ninnon, Pierre and Ethan.

  I had been a mess and it took me a year to heal, by then when I tried contacting them their numbers had been changed.

  My son and I flew back to Lyon two days ago. I was supposed to leave him at his granny’s but she had somewhere to go to and so he is tagging along, much to his happiness.

  “Amelie... Are you done yet? You’re going to be late.”

  “I’m coming.” I quickly leave the room and go into the living room.

  Ryan stands there, playing with Keith.

  “Huwwy Mommy.” Keith urges me. And then he grins at Ryan waiting for an approving pat on the head.

  These two are such an adorable duo.

  I’m thankful to Ryan, who had been with me since we were kids. He was a vital person who had helped me when I had gone back to America with a shattered heart.

  I didn’t want to keep the two of them waiting longer. And of course, I wanted to get to the hotel fast to meet my friends.

  I put on my beige jacket as Keith comes up to me to button up his coat.

  It’s gotten colder in Lyon and I didn’t want my son to get a cold.

  I check my phone for any calls or messages. There’s none so I drop it into my purse and head out the door to join Ryan and Keith at the Car.

  The school was sponsoring this meetup since it was a huge scale party. Not only was it the tenth anniversary of my year students but even the previous year’s.

  Evan and Esmee’s year wasn’t able to have a ten-year anniversary party what with half the people have gone abroad and so we are having a joint party.

  Keith stares out the window in awe. This is the first time he’s been to Lyon and he was sure as hell excited.

  “Here we are beautiful lady and young gentleboy.” Ryan jokes as he pulls the car into the parking lot.

  Keith giggles as he is lifted and carried out by Ryan. I step out and take a huge breath as much as possible.

  I’m nervous.

  “You alright babe?” Ryan asks and I give him a smile to show him I’m fine.

  Let’s do this Amelia.

  And so I walk into the hotel and ask the reception table on the ground floor where the Harriet High students we located.

  She asks me to go up to the sixth floor and so we do.

  As the elevator opens, I step out into the hallway.
There’s a door in front of me that is slightly ajar and I hear the excited loud chatters of people and the music pouring out.

  Taking a breath once more, I open the door and take a step inside.

  Many eyes follow my movement as I try to find a familiar head of strawberry blonde hair and it wasn’t so hard to spot him.

  He was by the food table and beside him stood the girl I call my best friend.

  For a moment I forgot I came to the party with Keith and Ryan. I rush to where Ninnon is and as she turns to find me, her eyes go wide as a gasp leaves her lips.

  Pierre quickly turns around to see what’s wrong and he drops the fork he had been holding on.

  “A- Amelia?” His voice has gotten rougher. Manlier. Not the childish Pierre anymore.

  “Hey, Pierre,” I say before a teary eyes Ninnon crushes me with a hug.

  “Amelia. Amelia. Oh my god. Amelia.” She kept repeating over and over and over.

  I hug her back tight as I freely let the tears out. Pierre joins the hug and he clumsily throws his arms around us.

  The only person missing is Ethan. He wasn’t able to come to Lyon due to some work.

  “What the hell happened? Where have you been!?” Ninnon, once she regains her posture, demands with the same fiery eyes she always had since high school days.

  Head’s turn to see what the commotion is and some point at me with recognition.

  A hand taps me on the shoulder from behind and looking back I find Evan and a big-bellied Esmee.

  Fuck. She’s pregnant.

  “Amelia Brooke? Is that really you?” He asks and I can’t help but laugh.

  He still calls me by my full name.

  Esmee comes in front and hugs me.

  “Careful there. We don’t want you squashing your baby.” I say and she chuckles.

  Evan drapes an arm around Esmee lovingly.

  Now we know who the daddy is.

  “Tell us. What happened to you all these years? Why did you never come to see us?” Pierre asks in a rush.

  But before I could give him a reply, I feel a soft tugging at the bottom of my dress. Keith hugs my legs as he looks around at the adults in front of him. I pick him up and he throws his tiny arms around my neck.

  “Shit,” Pierre exclaims in surprise. “Don’t tell me...”

  I smile as I get Keith to face my friends.

  “Say hello to them, sweetheart.”

  “Who are twey?” He asks adorably with big eyes.

  “These are mommy’s best friends,” I say him with a gentle smile.

  “Mommy. Wow.”

  Just how much surprised is Pierre going to act?

  “Hewwo. My name is Kyeeth.” Keith introduces himself with a wide grin.

  Esmee and even Ninnon aw at him.

  “He means Keith,” I say and my son nods.

  There’s silence and then Evan looking embarrassed tries to ask me something.

  “So um.. Who’s... Who’s the...”

  He stops when Ryan comes into view.

  “How could you forget us?” Ryan feigns a hurt expression as he looks at me because I had abandoned him by the door with Keith. But then he grins.

  Keith wiggles like a worm and jumps into Ryan’s arms.

  “You guys remember Ryan right? He once made a grand entrance into our school during the school festival.”

  The four in front of me nod. They suddenly have a grim expression on their faces.

  What went wrong all of a sudden?

  “Anyways babe. I think I better leave.”

  “But you promised me you’ll help keep an eye on Keith,” I say with a pleading tone.

  “But...” He starts and then stops when I give him my puppy eyes.

  He sighs giving up.

  Yes!

  Looking at my friends, they share uncomfortable glances between them.

  “What’s wrong? Why the long faces?” I ask.

  Pierre is the one who speaks up.

  “You see Amelia... It’s just that...”

  But then Ninnon grabs his arm and shakes her head. And so Pierre doesn’t ask whatever it is that he had been trying to ask.

  I exchange a confused glance with Ryan and he just shrugs.

  The silence was driving me insane. I didn’t come all the way from America to meet an older version of my friends just to keep silent.

  Keith doesn’t like the silence as well and keeps struggling and tugging at my dress.

  I’m about to talk to Ninnon when the doors behind open with a loud noise. We all turn back as a figure walks into the room in a hurry.

  “You still find ways to annoy your mom even if we are far from home Champ.”

  “Your late,” I say crossing my arm.

  “Sorry. The flight delayed.” Was his excuse.

  He gives me his signature obnoxious grin he always does to get away without a scolding.

  I’m a sucker for that smile.

  “Daddy!” Keith was so excited he just dropped to the ground and went rushing to the new guest.

  There he is. My punctual husband.

  “Hey there Champ. Having fun?” He scoops Keith into his arms and walks to where we are standing.

  His presence is so strong the entire room was looking at him now.

  No matter how hard I tried, he stubbornly refused to wear a suit and so with a black jacket, black jeans and an inner white T-shirt, with his hair all ruffled up, he definitely had the bad boy look.

  “Hey.” He says softly as he kisses me on the crown of my head.

  I smile at him.

  “Adrien.”

  At the call of his name, Adrien, my sweet husband, looks at the caller and a grin breaks out as he sees his best friend.

  “Evan,” Adrien says with an excited, happy tone.

  “You ass!” Evan yells and I quickly grab Keith, before Evan’s fist collides with Adrien’s face.

  Ouch.

  I cover Keith’s eyes. I hate him seeing violence.

  “The flight delayed? Ass-hole your years delayed!” Evan yells at a shell-shocked Adrien.

  Wow, I’ve never seen the cool-headed Evan boil this much.

  Esmee had her mouth covered while tears kept dripping down her face.

  “I’m sorry Evan. Esmee too.”

  Evan who had been enraged hugged Adrien tightly and Esmee joined.

  I stand back close to Ninnon and Pierre, watching all this. Keith struggles to get himself out of my hands and watches his dad hugging people he wasn’t aware of.

  Nevertheless, he smiles sweetly. Keith loves Adrien more than anyone else.

  He took after his dad. With the unkempt dark locks and the intense emerald eyes.

  “Amelia. I’ll take my leave now. So have fun, Kay?” And with that Ryan rushes out.

  “So he’s not the Dad?” Pierre asks so suddenly we all stop to stare at him.

  “What?” I ask and he points at Keith.

  Adrien takes Keith and then glares at Pierre.

  “He’s MY SON,” he says with a force, Pierre has no option but to nod.

  “You came in with Ryan. And well the kid seemed fond of the guy and all that. So we sort of misunderstood.” Pierre explains sheepishly.

  “That’s because Adrien had work to finish until the last moment and so I begged Ryan to escort me to Lyon. Don’t assume things on your own, you idiot.” I say to Pierre and well, to all.

  “But what can I do? Years ago things went bad to worse and you returned to America. Adrien went missing. You show up with a kid and no Adrien. Of course, we will have weird assumptions!” Pierre yells exasperated.

  To this Adrien gets all embarrassed.

  “I couldn’t live without Amelia and so I went looking for her in America.” He says with a dry laugh.

  I still remember it very well.

  The huge scene he caused when he suddenly appeared at my doorstep. Dad had been furious and said he’d call the cops if Adrien didn’t leave at once. But he never left. He insisted on
seeing me. I was in the kitchen and ran up to my room. I couldn’t bear to see him.

  Adrien had followed me up. Locked the room so I had no escape.

  I clearly remember the words as if it was just yesterday.

  He held my hands as he looked at me with a hopeless expression.

  “I can’t live without you. I will perish without you. That’s how much I love you.”

  That was all he said.

  That was all I needed.

  I didn’t think a second more before I accepted him back. Because that is exactly how I had felt in the time Adrien had gone away from me.

  He made me complete.

  He made me whole.

  How could someone love me so much?

  Of course, he got a good scolding from dad. And yes a couple of slaps but then dad hugged him and thanked him for coming back into my life and that’s when Adrien broke down.

  Adrien is my sweetheart.

  He is my love. My life.

  And so in the years I finally gave life to a little Adrien. Our baby Keith.

  While I was reminiscing down the memory lane, Adrien was explaining to our friends what had happened.

  “I didn’t care if she loved some other guy. I just knew I had no life without her, and so I got myself on a plane to Miami when I learned she had gone back home.”

  Adrien finishes and hugs me sideways tightly.

  “She’s the only one for me.” He says with great gentleness.

  Esmee wipes her eyes and Evan smiles at his best friend. Ninnon and Pierre smile at each other and then at us.

  I look around at my circle of friends. They were more than just friends. They are family.

  Once upon a time, Lyon had been a place I escaped to. But now it’s a place I come home to.

  This is exactly where I belong.

  A love story is not something of a miracle. Don’t expect it to just happen. Make one yourself.

  Just as I have.

  The question is. Will you?

  EPILOGUE

  As I enter a class full of chattering kids and the same homeroom teacher as my mom’s, I wonder if mom felt the same way as I am now?

  I’m not nervous. Not at all.

  I was brought up in a way where I’d be able to move with anyone and everyone.

  Miss Valerie, though age had taken over her, still had the same don’t-mess-with-me-brat expression stuck to her face.