Forever and Always Read Online Free PDF Page A

the time.
    She saw she had 23 missed calls. There was eight from her Mom, 10 from her Dad and there were a couple each from Lucy and Katie. There were none from Mike and she was surprised she wasn’t actually as bothered as she thought she would have been that he hadn’t tried to contact her. She checked the time. It was almost midday.
    “Come on Jethro” she said as she stood up from the park bench. “You must be starving too”.  Jethro wagged his tail as if he understood what she was saying.
    When she got back to the apartment her Dad’s car was parked outside. “Crap” she thought to herself. She thought for a moment about not going in but she looked down at Jethro and she knew he was hungry. She really didn’t have a choice.
    “Oh thank God” Sarah exclaimed, rushing up to her and wrapping her arms tightly around her when she walked into through the apartment door. “I was out of my mind with worry”.
    “I am sorry I worried you Mom” Melanie replied feeling guilty for upsetting her Mom like this. She didn’t deserve that.
    “You must be starving” Sarah said holding her daughter arm’s length . “I will make you something to eat”.
    “I’m not really hungry” Melanie replied realized her hunger pain was gone and had been replaced with a knot of grief inside her. “But Jethro is”.
    As she moved further into the apartment she spotted Alex standing nervously in the living room and her heart began to race quickly in her chest. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him. She knew she would cry if she did and she didn’t want to cry when she said what she had to say.
    “Hi” he said nervous. He wanted to run and hold her in his arms but he knew by her body language that was the last thing she wanted from him. He would need to give her time and space. “Are you ok?”
    “I’m fine”. Melanie replied in the tiniest of voices, her eyes never leaving the ground.
    “Mel I am so sorry about last night” he said hoarsely, his voice revealing just how upset he really was. A tiny part in Melanie wants to hug her Dad until the pain inside her chest disappeared but the memory of the slap last night was still fresh in her mind. But she knew it wasn’t just the slap. It was the fight they had on Friday night too and the fact they were planning on shipping her off to the States for three months as well. It all hurt.
    Sarah returned from the kitchen after feeding Jethro. The three of them stood for a few moments in awkward silence. Melanie was the first one to speak.
    “I will go to stay with Aunt Maggie as soon as I am finished my exams” she announced unable to look at either of her parents.
    “Melanie if you don’t want to go” Sarah replied surprised by what her daughter said. “You really don’t have to”.
    “No I want to” Melanie insisted her trying to sound more determined. “I think you were right that, that maybe I need some time on my own. You know, give me some time to think”. Melanie glanced up briefly at Alex through her eyes lashes. He face was pale and full of shame and hurt. Again her heart tightened and she quickly pulled her eyes away from him.
    “Melanie I don’t want you to go” Alex said, his voice almost a sob. But she couldn’t reply to him. She knew she would cry and she didn’t want to. She wanted to be strong and show them she was growing up. “Not like this, can we just talk about it?”
    “My exams start tomorrow” she said taking a deep breath, surprising them with the sudden change of gear. “I need to go and study”. And without another word she turned and headed straight for her bedroom.
    Alex had tried calling her over and over again she refused to talk to him. He stopped by the apartment but that went no better. She couldn’t believe it when he actually agreed not to go to the airport with her. Instead agreeing to give her the space she needed.
    She didn’t hear from Mike again before she left and that hurt a little. But more than feeling hurt,