Save Me

Three

I stared at my now blonde haired self. A year ago, before Adrian died, my best friend Don and I decided on making fake passports and ATM and a black Amex. I decided to take this joke further, thinking that maybe I could actually use it one day. So one day, I died my hair blonde and made a new account in the bank, under the name Falen Rose. I deposited my money there everyday last year and this year, since I’m making bigger money, my account there is already a billion which was pretty handy.

I grabbed my Nike backpack and filled it with clothes. I put my wallet in it too, but decided on putting my fake passport, ATM and Amex, along with Mom, Louise and Don’s numbers, in the inside pocket of my leather jacket, in case I lose my backpack. I slipped on my black Vans and headed to the kitchen.

It was already pass midnight and since I came back, I’ve been thinking of how to get out of absurd arrange marriage to a spoiled brat. I decided that maybe starting a new life was the best. I decided on moving out of town, to a different city where no one really knows me, especially with my now newly died blonde hair. I once fooled an accountant, I think I could pull it off. I grabbed a pen and paper and wrote Louise a letter when she wakes up.

Louise,

By the time you read this, I’ll be long gone. I’m sorry, Blair. I know running away wouldn’t really help but I can’t think of anything else. I tried talking to Johanna, but she’s a spoiled brat who gets what she wants and unfortunately for me, she wants me. I know John would search for me but I doubt he can find me. Don’t bother contacting me through my phone; I left it so Dad couldn’t track me. Please tell Momma I’m really sorry, for my abrupt departure. And that I love her. And Collin and Caryle and Kathryn too.

I love you too, Blair.

Seth

I tiptoed to Louise’s room and smiled when I saw her fast asleep. She was always a heavy sleeper. She was too close to the wall and her leg was wrapped around a pillow and she was hugging one too. Her air-condition was too cold and she was shivering so I adjusted her blanket on herself. I tucked a stray brown hair behind her ear and sighed.

I really didn’t want to leave my sister alone, to leave my family. I know that what I’m doing is selfish. But having to marry a girl I don’t like, barely know, crosses the line. I know that once Louise graduates this summer, or during her winter break, Dad would immediately train her because he just lost another son to be the heir of his company, to continue his legacy. And he can’t get Collin to do that, he’s mentally challenged.

I kissed Louise’s forehead and whispered, “I love you, Blair.”

I grabbed my car keys and my backpack. I drove out of Boston and to wherever I can find a bus or train station. It was already dawn when I finally reached a bus station, I was lucky that a diner was near it. I parked my car at the diner first and decided on buying myself breakfast since I was really hungry. Hey, I was still a growing man.

But once I got out, my breakfast and backpack in tow, to my horror, to men were trying to break in my car, “Hey! What the hell?!”

They looked at me and the other one immediately jumped on me, punching me. I fought back but in my peripheral vision, the other guy already broke in my car. He helped his mate and they both started hitting me and I couldn’t really fight back. Besides that I was hungry and tired physically, I was also tired emotionally.

I was laying on the ground and the other guy took my backpack, “Running away boy? Why? Are you running away with your girlfriend? Your parents not a fan of your fairytale?”

He took my wallet and they both started hitting me again. I tried fighting back but I didn’t have much energy to do so. They got in my car and drove off. After some long minutes later, I finally had enough energy to stand back up. I staggered to the bus station. It was a good thing I still have some cash in my leather jacket and that they didn’t get my passport, ATM, and Amex.

“What bus is leaving?” I asked, wincing as my jaw throbbed.

The cashier looked at me weirdly, “North Carolina.”

“I’ll take one,” I said.

“Better hurry boy, it’s about to leave,” she said.

I nodded and gripped my backpack tighter to my body and ran to the bus to North Carolina. Upon entering, everybody was staring at me. It’s not just because of my killer looks even as a blonde, or the black eye I have, it’s also because I’m a late comer. The only seat available was beside an old man.

I sunk beside him and closed my eyes, wincing as my body tried to relax after everything I went through, “What happened to your eye, boy?”

I opened my eyes and turned to look at the old man. He was of course, old. I think he was seventy something. His hair was a thinning white and his eyes were the palest of blue. He had wrinkles and his skin was also crinkling but his smile still radiated warmth of a young teenager with no idea of how the world was.

“Walked into a pole,” I mumbled lamely. Yea, it wasn’t the best excuse but when I was a teenager, my clumsiness was never questioned by Mom so when I got into a fight, that was always my excuse and she never wondered. So if I had fooled Mom during my teenage years, how hard was it to fool an old man?

But I was so surprised when he started laughing hysterically beside me. He wiped the tears that had gathered in his eyes and grinned at me, “You think I never used that excuse when I was a teenager or your age?”

I bit my lip, containing that smile that I had no idea why I was smiling. Maybe because this old man was quite amusing, “Nope.”

“Son, I’ve used that excuse more times that you did. I even used it to my wife,” I laughed when he winked at me, “So what’s the story?”

“Got robbed.”

He nodded, “You still got a wad of cash with you?”

“You’re not robbing me too, right?”

He laughed again and shook his head, “Just wanted to see if I could help.”

I shrugged, “Yea. I still got some.”

He nodded and we were both silent for a moment until he broke it, “So, you got a family at North Carolina?”

I played with the straps of my bag, “No. I just wanted to see if I could find a new fresh start.”

He furrowed his eyebrows, “Girl broke your heart?”

I’ve always been known to lying and it was too easy for me to do that. But with this old man looking at me, I could feel myself shrinking. So I just managed a light nod, “Yup.”

He nodded understandingly, “Ah young love. You always think that she’s the one and then she just leaves you broken. By the way, I’m Robbie Jacoby.”

“I’m Se- Falen Rose,” I said mentally scolding myself for almost using my real name, the one I was cursed with, “Have you ever experienced being broken by a girl?”

“Nope,” he said, popping the ‘p’, “But I know someone who did.”

“Who?”

He leaned on his chair, “A young man back home. Patrick.”

I really had nothing to do in this bus since I left my phone. And sleeping wasn’t exactly an option because I was scared I’d get my nightmares because I know Adrian wouldn’t approve of what I’m doing right now. So I decided to just ask Robbie about his Patrick guy got his heart broken. It was better to hear a story from a stranger than worry about my problems.

“Actually. He was first in love with my niece. We all thought that they were together but they always said that they were just friends, no commitment. He got my niece falling head over heels for him. But when she was almost near the end of the cliff, he wasn’t there to catch her. Instead he found someone new.

“Now, this girl wasn’t exactly bad. But we never really understood if she actually felt something for the poor boy. He was always the one putting effort. And despite how much effort he puts in the relationship, it still wasn’t enough for her. And the day she left him, unexplained and no goodbye, broke him.

Robbie then looked at the window, as if he was actually back at that time when Patrick was broken, “We were all worried about him. Especially when we found a suicidal note from him. But it was a good thing that his sister saved him from himself. He’s okay now. He’s married.”

“With the girl?” I asked, confused. Well, if the girl broke him so much he wouldn’t end up marrying her but how could he marry another girl when he loved so much already?

He shook his head, “With my niece.”

“How did that happen?”

“Let’s just say that when love is true, it finds a way,” he replied and then struck his finger on my chest, “So this broken heart of yours will mend, Falen.”

I smiled and then remembered that he mentioned that Patrick’s sister saved him, “How exactly did his sister save him?”

“Ahh, Camille. Well, it wasn’t like she stopped him while he was doing it. She talked to him. Camille has this way with people. She gets them, she reads them, and she manages to get them out of their reverie, to wake them up. She saves them.”

“Is that her job?”

“Nope. She owns a café and her friend is helping her manage it,” he said, “So where in North Carolina will you be, Falen?”

“I actually have no idea,” I said embarrassed.

He laughed but patted my shoulder, “You can come with me at Wilmington. In our lot, there’s another house. It was my son’s house. His family once lived there.”

I looked at him. The cheerful old man I was talking to earlier gone and he replaced by a man who was sorrowful, mourning for something, “Where is he now?”

“With Him,” he replied, “His wife and him died in an accident two years ago.”

He was mourning for the loss of a son, just like I was mourning for the loss of my brother, “I’m sorry.”

He just smiled, “So, are you going to live with me and my wife, Falen?”

“Just until I find a place to stay,” I said. Wow, this man was nice.

He shook his head, “No, no, nonsense. We’d love to have you. And my wife would be thrilled to feed another mouth.”

I chuckled, “Thank you.”

And then we were both silent. A few minutes later, Robbie dozed off. Sleep was also enveloping me but before my eyelids could close, I thought of everything and everyone I left behind. Being Seth Andrews had its perks. Girls swooned over me not just because of my looks but because of my money. I didn’t have to worry much about bills and financial crisis. And I rocked my life. But that was before Adrian Andrews died and I took over his life. I swallowed a lump in my throat. I never wanted to be the next best Andrews. But I took away my brother’s life, I had to do something, even if it wasn’t exactly what I wanted to do and would suck the happiness out of my life. But now, all that has changed because Andrews is no longer my last name.

Goodbye Seth Alexander Andrews.