Random Story: Untitled

The car was still running, but not going anywhere. I looked down at the clock on the dashboard. 12:30 PM. I sat, in the parking lot, across from a house that I had visited more times than I could remember. I wasn't sure I should do what I had intended to do when I drove here. There was a good chance that she didn't live there anymore. There was an even better chance that she had already forgotten about me.

I guess I should back up. Explain what happened, before I continue on to what I am doing. My story is a long and complicated one, so I will just say the basics.

My name is I.T. 3rd Class Jessica Sanders. I am currently on leave before going to my first duty station in Korea. I had joined the United States Navy, a month after graduating college with my Associates Degree, and I had just gotten done with Boot Camp and Advanced 'A' School. I wanted to make something right before I left. The house I am currently staring at is a house that I had visited a lot in high school, as its youngest resident had been my best friend, one of six that I had grown to call my sisters. High school had dealt me an interesting hand. Senior year, I fell for my other best friend, Gabby Fira. Yes, I know. Gabby is a girl, and so am I… however, she was my only serious girlfriend. Gabby was also one of the six. By age, the six were: Gabby, Michele, Shirley, Jillian, Tricia and Cairi. Anyway, high school got interesting when Gabby and I dated, and when we broke up, I did the stupidest thing, and told the five remaining friends, that I wanted nothing to do with her. My exact words were along the lines of "Don't let her use you to get in touch with me;" I will never forgive myself for bringing them into the middle of that. The day we graduated, was the last day I saw any of the five. Gabby and I fixed our problems, and even dated again. That was a horrible idea. Again we fought and again we stopped speaking. I haven't spoken to her since that day well over a year ago. That was before I went to boot camp. Fast forward through boot camp and 'A' school and you have my leave, which ends in a couple days.

I sighed, knowing that if I didn't do it now, I would never get it done. I pocketed the two things I had wanted to give her. Turning off the car, I grabbed my cover, still being in my blue camouflage uniform and opened the door.

"Here goes nothing, Sanders. Just breathe and hope that she gives you a chance to speak." The sister… for lack of a better term… that I was going to see was one that, if you pissed her off, stand back, she would rip you apart. Back then, I did more than piss her off. I hurt her, betrayed her, and now, I was risking my life… just to give her something that I had been too nervous to send to her through the mail.

There was brief walk across the mildly busy street and I was standing on the edge of her driveway. The house hadn't changed, it was still the dull blue it had been and Virgin Mary still stood proud out front. Straightening my uniform, adjusting my cover, and taking a deep breath, I started up the drive, onto the walk and up to the door. I rang the door bell and fell back a couple of feet. The door was answered by her grandmother.

"Ma'am, is Miss Jillian Wolfe home?" I asked, trying to stay calm.

"Can I ask what this is about?" She asked. Jillian's family has always been protective over her, with her being the only child and all.

"I am an old friend of hers. I just wanted to speak to her before I leave for deployment." I stated.

"Would you like to come in?" She asked. I shook my head. "I will send her out in a moment."

"Thank you ma'am." The door shut and I turned to look at the front window. I bit back a gasp as I saw Jillian studying me from the front room. When she noticed that I was looking in her direction, she dropped the curtain and disappeared from view. If I hadn't been so nervous, that would have made me laugh. I waited only a few more seconds before the door opened, and Jillian stepped out onto the porch. She had grown a couple more inches, her hair colored and she looked really good. It had been 3 years since I last seen her, so the differences were fascinating.

"My grandmother said you were a friend of mine." She said, folding her arms across her chest. "I don't know you."

I took a breath before beginning. "What I said to your grandmother was true. I was a friend of yours. A long time ago." I held up my hand, to stop her from responding. "I will explain. We knew each other in high school. I can tell that you have forgotten me, which is what I asked of you, when we fought. I wanted you to forget about the pain of my betrayal… and it seems you have. I however, never forgot about you, or the rest, with the exception of one." My hand dropped to my side.

"The Rest? Betrayal?" She seemed confused. Apparently 3 years is enough time to forget someone you once considered a sister.

"Jillian… Miss Wolfe, I apologize." I cleared my throat. "Your past and my past were for a long time, one. We had dreams of ending up at the same college, working for the FBI, and being friends the entire time. It seems that all of that has been forgotten." I hung my head. "I am not here to force you to remember who I am. I am not here to beg for you to be a friend to me again. I am here to say goodbye, as I should have said 3 years ago." I pulled out the two envelopes and held them out to her. "They don't bite, I promise." She took them. "The first is a flash drive with four things on it. The first is a Word document, a story. Something that I have been working on since graduation, literally, the day of graduation I began it." I paused, taking a breath. She gave me a look that said I should continue. "The second and third are both videos. The second was not of my creation, but something that someone emailed me. I believe you will remember, 'I curse your batteries to die and die forever.'? The third is my creation. I had pictures of all of us together, and decided to put them to good use." I pulled my arms back and snapped into parade rest, the most comfortable stance I could think of at the moment. "There is a final document on there, not so much a document as a note, with my contact information, should you ever want to contact me. It has my stateside address, my cell phone number, my rate and rank, my command, and my post. Use that information as you see fit."

"Who are you?" She asked, clearly the past was beginning to fade back into the present. "How do you know all of this?"

"I am different than I used to be. In fact, I doubted that you would remember me at all. As to how do I know this, I lived it. I know it because I was there. You have to understand that I am not a stranger to you, no matter how different I am from who I was." I reached up, and pulled my cover off. "Is my name what you want to hear?"

"Yes." She answered, taking in my full appearance. "You look vaguely familiar, but I still can't place a name."

"My name is Jessica Sanders." I hesitated, knowing that with those words out of my mouth, there was no turning back. "You met me in 11th grade, when you moved to Bayside. We stopped talking when I dragged you into something that shouldn't have happened in the first place. I will never be able to make that up to you, but I have never forgotten what I did to you. If you would be so kind as to actually read what I have given you, I will take my leave, I have a flight to Korea in a few days, and I would like to spend them with what little family I have left in the area." I turned on my heels and started to walk away, shoving my cover back into place. As I got to the end of the drive, I turned back. "Oh, and I am still waiting on D.I. to come out. I want to reread them. Princess in the Shadows and it's following stories have kept me enthralled in your work, but I really need to read about your other characters, even if I never got to be one of them. You did say I could never become one, as I am too hard to put onto paper. Be well, be safe, and keep writing." I nodded and bowed slightly. I crossed the street again, and walked to my car. As I unlocked it and opened the door, I heard someone call for me.

"Trouble!" A name I hadn't heard in a bit over 3 years, stunned me, as I turned to find Jillian running to catch up with me.

"Yes, Miss Wolfe?" I asked, shutting my car door.

"You never said what was in the second envelope is." She looked down at it. It was thicker than the flash drive.

"Ah, the second envelope, yes, I am sorry about that. The contents you will have to discover in detail yourself, but I will tell you what it is. A year after the last time I talked to you, I began to write… not a story… but a letter. I wrote and wrote and wrote for months, each time I wrote, I added a little, edited it, and took out parts that didn't fit. What you are holding is the final copy of the letter that has taken me 2 years to write." I sighed. "Originally, I had no intention of ever seeing you again, or even sending this letter. However, while in boot camp, I met a girl that had a similar past. She told me that I should, at the very least send it to you. I then began to think about everything else I had been working on, and decided I was going to send it all. Today was the only day I had the chance to do so. I had been debating with myself for the past 3 hours, sitting here in my car, just staring at your house, wondering if I was doing the right thing. After sitting there, I got up the courage and did so. And thus here we are."

She seemed content with that answer, as she nodded. She didn't speak, and only stood there, staring at me, as if memorizing my face. I opened my door and sat down in the seat. We didn't speak for what seemed like forever. I sighed, breaking the silence, and bringing her out of her stupor. She nodded again and turned away. I got into the car correctly and started it. I watched her cross the street and walk up her drive. Once she disappeared into the house, I pulled out and headed to my second destination, Bayside High School, the place where my life began, and where it fell apart as well. The school day was almost over, but there were only two teachers that I wanted to see. The office was almost empty; the only occupant was the secretary behind the desk. She smiled at me when I walked in.

"Is it possible to see Lt.Col. Livingston?" I asked, stopping in front of her section of desk.

"All you have to do is sign in." She pointed at the computer on the counter.