Page 87 of Forget About Me

Bella looks at her watch as we all troop down the hall. “When’s your flight?”

“Seven.”

After I heave my briefcase strap over my shoulder, she grabs my free hand. “Perfect! It’s only five. That gives us plenty of time to grab a beer on the way and get you to the airport by six thirty.”

She squeezes my hand. “And don’t worry; I’m driving and I won’t drink. But you, my friend, can drown your sorrows all you want.”

Too soon, I’m on the plane, already missing Boston. When I landed at Logan a few months ago, I figured I’d make sure my dad was okay and within days—weeks at most—I’d be back to my real life in LA.

Now it’s that life that feels unreal. Untethered, anyway. Not only did I stumble into the work I do there, I have no lasting connection to it or to anyone I know.

Whereas here, I’m already missing so many things—new friends, colleagues, Puck, my dad. Most of all, with Lucy. That link has never been broken.

Not seven years ago, and not now.

I can’t believe that big kid, Tony, invited me to play capture the flag. When he caught up to me on the walk home from my first day at my new school today and tapped on my shoulder saying, “Hey, new kid,” I was sure he was about to beat me up.

Instead, here I am in the woods near our house—a super cool park full of giant rocks and trees and other hiding spots—with a whole group of kids my age. Mostly boys. Two girls. One is our age and kind of a tomboy. The other is younger. Pretty sure she’s Tony’s sister.

Problem is, I’m a captain and I don’t know anybody.

And it’s my turn to pick.

The other captain already picked Tony. Obvious choice. I scan the group. I mean, probably everybody is good. Except maybe Tony’s little sister. I catch Tony’s eye, and I get it. I’m being tested. It’ll probably doom my team, but I know what I need to do.

“Uh, I don’t know any names, but I pick you.” I point at Tony’s little sister, but her messy hair is covering her face while she digs around in the dirt.

A kid next to her groans and shoves her. “He picks you, Lucy.”

When she looks up, I can’t stop the smile on my face because hers is lit with a grin that makes me think we’re either gonna win this game or get in some kind of trouble.

Turned out it was both.

Blinking awake as the cabin lights flick on and the person next to me shifts, sifting through memories and dreams, I’m suddenly energized. I can’t wait to get off this plane and start making changes.

Something about that smile on Lucy’s face in my memory makes everything crystal clear.

I left behind my family, my friends, my dog and the love of my life. But this time it’s different.

Yes, Tony’s gone. Yes, we miss him. When I left Boston seven years ago, I was running from a giant crack in the Minola family foundation that I was sure I’d created. I couldn’t face it—couldn’t face Boston without Tony, couldn’t face Lucy and the many ways I’d hurt her.

But all of that—or at least a lot of that—was fiction.

The reality is that we’re all responsible for Tony’s loss, and none of us are. Including Tony himself.

All I can do now is take responsibility for my own choices, my own career, my own life. Something new for me, but I’m ready for it.

The minute we land, I’m putting a plan together. Tomorrow, I’ll meet my agent and lay it out for him. When it’s in place, I’ll go back to Boston and reclaim my life there.

Then I’ll do whatever it takes to convince Lucy that she should be a part of it.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

“Always Something There to Remind Me” - Naked Eyes

Ben’s Very First Mixtape, Song #3

LUCY

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