Christopher+Meredith

In hopes of a better life  James double checked his bag, a week’s set of clothes, a toothbrush, a comb and all the money he saved over the past three years. Roughly 2500 dollars. It’s the middle of the night. James walked into the bathroom. He rinsed his face off with cold water and stopped and stared at himself for a second his eyes were dilated. His hair short, dark brown. Tan skin and a clear complexion. His breathing was heavy but slow. He walked back into his room and looked at the clock. It was one thirty- four in the morning. James opened his window and climbed out.

 He walked out to the driveway. Trying to be as quiet as possible he put his car in neutral and pushed it down the street until it was far enough away from the house. He got in. His car, a 2002 jetta, was in good condition. He started driving across the city until he arrived in a church parking lot. He pulled out his phone and went through his contacts, going through them slowly, trying to waste time. Finally he reached the name he was looking for, Layla. James hesitated for a second, he looked up at the church, trees surrounded it. The window was rolled down and the slight breeze flowed in the car. It was summer and the temperature was just right. He thought about his high school life. Graduation was two weeks ago. He pushed call, “hey” Layla said in a whisper “Are you here?” “Yeah I’m at the church, in the back”. “Okay, I’ll be there in a few minutes” “Okay”. James put his phone aside in the passenger’s seat. He got out of the car and walked over to the grass underneath one of the trees. He laid down and stared at the sky, a few stars could be seen, the moon was half full and beamed in the dark black sky sprinkled with dots of white stars. He sat back up and rubbed his eyes. Suddenly he heard footsteps.  Layla came around the corner. Beautiful brown hair past her shoulders, thin and tall, about five foot ten inches. Two bags, one over her shoulder and one in her hand. James got up and opened his trunk, next to his bag was a large supply of cereal and ramen. A few blankets and two pillows. Layla tossed her bags next to his and closed the trunk. She walked over to James and gave him a hug. They held each other for a minute and then kissed. “Okay, let’s go” James said in a whisper. They got in the car and started driving until they reached the freeway. “So I called my friend, he said there’s a motel in Long Beach by his house, we can stay at his house during the week but his dad comes home for the weekend so we’ll stay at the motel for thirty dollars a night.” “Okay” Layla said. James slowed down and pulled to the side of the road “What are you doing?” asked Layla. He stared into Layla’s eyes, they looked full of uncertainty and fear. “Are you sure you want to do this? I don’t want you to throw away your life to run away with me” “I’ve already made up my mind” her voice cracked as she said it. “No, the more I think about it the more I realize how much this will ruin your life, I just want to know your sure this is what you want.” “I’ve already made up my mind, I’m going with you” her voice raised but still sounded like she was in pain. James looked away from her, he turned on the car and started driving again.

 California was four hundred miles away. The first few hours went by with complete silence. Then the sound of Layla’s phone vibrating broke the silence. “It’s my mom” she said in a whisper. She hit end call and rolled down her window. She looked at her phone again her mom was trying to call again. Layla gripped her phone tightly and then threw it out the window. James looked over, her eyes were watering, her hands shaking. He looked forward and kept driving. “Are you sure, you’ll be happier this way, I mean coming with me?” James said. Layla clenched her fist “Do you really think my life is that good? My parents expect everything I do to be perfect! Every day I work my ass off to get good grades and get better at basketball so when they come to my games and get my report card they would be proud of me” Layla’s eyes were watering now, her face red “ but you know what they do when they come to my games and get my report card? They tell me how much I did everything wrong! If I would’ve made a few of the shots I missed we would’ve won or if I had a 4.0 instead of a 3.9 GPA I probably would have got the scholarships I applied for. Then they tell me I should just quit the team to focus on my grades and get more scholarships. I hate them they don’t care about me” James had been slowing down while she was talking and now came to a stop.

 He looked at her with disgust “You think they don’t care about you? My parents won’t even know I’m gone for a week at least and even then they won’t care! They’ll be glad I’m gone, one less thing they have to worry about!” James raised his voice even louder, “and your complaining about your parents?! I wish my parents cared half as much as yours then maybe my dad wouldn’t always be beating my ass and my mom wouldn’t be getting high on meth all the time, but I guess you wouldn’t know anything about that since your parents get you anything you want and give you a good life and home to live in!” Layla burst out in tears “I just want to be with you” her voice was shaky she looked at James still crying, “ I love you”. James got out of the car and slammed the door he wasn’t sure of anything anymore. He sat on the ground against the side of the car. A few minutes passed and finally he heard the door open. Layla walked around the car and sat by him. They sat there for second. James with his head hung. Layla looking forward at the road. They were somewhere in the mountains. A mile marker could be seen on the other side of the road. “I know your life is worse than mine, but I just want to be with you, and start a new life.” Layla said her eyes and face red from crying.” When I’m around you, I’m happier than I am with anyone else” Layla looked at James, he lifted his head, and reached in his pocket. He pulled out a small box and started fiddling with it in his hands” I wanted to give you a nice wedding with lots of people, but I know I can’t afford it” James eyes were watering now, “ but I want you to be with me for the rest of my life, that’s why I got mad and yelled at you, I felt selfish and I was just mad at myself” He handed the box to her” I can’t give you much, but I can promise to make you happy and stay with you for the rest of my life.” Layla opened the box, it was a gold ring with a ruby. She covered her mouth. She looked at James and then threw herself into his arms. They held each other for what seemed like forever. Layla finally released her hold of him and looked into his eyes “let’s just forget about our old lives, there’s no turning back when we’re this far already” James smiled and stood up “let’s go” he helped Layla up and they got back in the car, Layla turned on the radio. She looked over at James and then kissed him on the cheek. They kept driving.

 Another hour passed but this time they talked about all the great things they were going to do in California with a fresh start. A family and house of their own, hobbies they would take up and new friends they would meet. Days spent on the beach, how happy they would be when they got there. James checked the fuel gauge. He needed to fill up. The next gas station was a few exits away. The sun was just coming up over the mountains. They were about one hundred and fifty miles away from the California border. They finally reached the gas station. “I’m going in to get some snacks and go to the bathroom” said Layla “alright grab me something”. James started filling up. He looked over. A car was pulling in to the pump next to his. All he could hear was the bass coming from the car. Three men got out of the car, the biggest came over to James “Hey man you see that car? You don’t touch, got that?” “Yea no problem man” James replied. The man walked past him and into the gas station along with the other two men. James finished filling up and stood against his car, waiting for Layla to come out.

 When she did she was walking quickly. The three men came out right behind her “Hey where you going, I just wanted to talk!” the other two men laughed. James stared coldly at them “What are you lookin at?” said the biggest man walking towards James, “you got a problem? You don’t mind me talking to your girl right?” James stared him down “yeah I do, why don’t you just leave us alone, she doesn’t want to talk to you.” Layla walked up to James and whispered “Let’s go, I’m getting in the car.” The biggest man shoved James “Come on do something” James backed down “I’m not going to fight you “his fist clenched. One of the other men came up to the biggest man “Her we’re short on time, we have to make that delivery soon.” “Drug dealers? You guys sure pick shitty work” James said getting fired up “You know that shit ruined my life” “Oh yea? Good, your life isn’t …” James swung before he could finish talking. The biggest man ducked and hit James in the side knocking the wind out of him. James hit the floor. Layla screamed and started running to James but the other two men grabbed a hold of her and held her back. The biggest man squatted down beside James “ I said your life isn’t worth living anyway” James face was blue he looked over at Layla, she was crying. He looked at the man squatting beside him, he pulled out a knife from his pocket. He looked back at Layla. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his stomach and then another in his chest. He looked down, the knife was stuck in his chest. The men walked to their car and then drove away quickly. Layla screaming for help and knelt by James, he wasn’t moving. The cashier came out of the gas station “I just called 911, they’re on their …” He froze his eyes s frozen on James body. Layla still violently crying put her hands on James face, his eyes were still open “ It’ll be okay, you’ll be okay James, don’t die we have to get married, you promised you’d make me happy! Her sobbing was uncontrollable now “Everything will be okay, everything will be okay” The cashier was still froze, staring at James body. He knew it, Layla knew it. It was too late, James was gone. A Better Time A half moon rises. Shades of dark blue, shift into bluish yellow, which melt into orange and red. White scattered in patches. The hazy sun sets. Violet blue now fills the sky, <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">dots of white seen through sparkling eyes

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Perseverance

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Strength comes from effort <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">effort and motivation to succeed

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">the desire to be the best <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">working every muscle to the max

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">pushing yourself past your limit every day

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">off days don’t exist and never will <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">No one will beat you, you are the best

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Strength doesn’t come to you <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">So chase after it, achieve it

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">No matter the pain

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">No matter the suffering <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">No one can stop you