Family Ties: Prologue, Chapter 1 and 2
Prologue
Chances, I was always searching everyone and every place for chances. I think I had always wanted more than what I had out of life and the chance to make it all better and into what I wanted of it enticed me always. I had a passion to learn, to think, to be the real me and always believe in myself. Most of these were no problem for me. But for me faith in myself was a feat to accomplish. I was always the girl who did things others approved of but I was never able to be fully happy with myself. From school work to guys nothing was ever good enough for me. I think the main thing I longed for was love. I needed and wanted a guy to love me and care for me so bad that I looked for it to hard and when it found me I didn't take time to notice because I had my perfect image of it planned out. This is the story of my change, the point I finally became the girl I had always wanted to be and the girl I looked up to in my dreams at night.
Chapter One
"Katlyn Michelle Ladner" I stepped onto the stage, in front of everyone. I wore my silver graduation gown, the one designated for honors graduates. I had dreamed of this day my whole life as I stepped forward to shake hand with our 6'5" towering principle Mr. Madison. I accepted my "fake" diploma with caution wanting so bad to have the real one and be out on my own. I could hear the applause around me and make out my mother's sweet crying face within the crowd. This was my day, my time to shine, yet all I felt were worries of what lay ahead. In late August I would start freshman year of college at The Art Institute in Orlando, Florida.
Danielle and I stood side by side crying sofly to ourselves singing our alma mater for the last time that it would really mean something. She was not like the rest of my friends and had been one of the few people I could really open up to other than my cousin Samantha. They said the words and the class of 2002 threw up their graduation caps with a loud cheer.
Our grad night trip was a cruise around the harbor and a nice meal, the works, what they make it up to be all through high school but I wasn't going. I wanted to in ways but in others I didn't. I said a teary "good-bye" to all my friends who didn't seem to mean as much to me now as they had back when I was younger. I found it strange how we grew up wanting to be exactly the same but all became such different people making me wonder why we became so close to begin with. Dani and I said a "good-bye" away from the others because I knew I'd actually miss her the most. She was off to college up in Seattle and I knew it'd be a while until we could see eachother again.
"Katlyn, I promise I'll keep in touch!" Dani sobbed with a grin on her face.
"I know girl! I love you, k? You've been such a great friend to me and I treasure that a lot! I promise next summer I'll come back home and we'll spend it together and go out and everything, like old times."
"I know, I know...but write me okay?"
"Dani you know I will!" I hugged her and said good-bye again. I walked over to my silver VW Jetta where my cousin was waiting for me. "Ready Sam?" I asked still teary-eyed.
"Sure thing, you okay Kat?"
"I'll be fine, let's go" I said hopping behind the wheel and hanging my silver, blue and black tassle on my rear-view mirror before driving away.
Sam and I drove back to my house on my quiet little street that I was going to miss so much. We loaded our packed suitcases into the car and said our good-byes to family. My mom was the hardest to say it to and she sobbed so much. I told her I'd be okay, her only baby off to college across the country. With that, Sam and I got back into my car and began the journey of our lives. We were off to Orlando to start a fresh life.
Chapter Two
I pulled out my key and opened the door to mine and Sam's first apartment, life on our own had begun. It was 4 days after graduation and late at night. I threw my suitcases on the floor and went down the hall to make my bed. The cozy little two bedroom apartment had been rented to us a few months before graduation in June and furnature bought and paid for. I quietly made my bed and said good-night to Sam, it had been a long trip and I was eager to start a new life full of adventure.
I woke to the smell of sizzling bacon and went to the kitchen in my PJ's. Sam was cooking and I sat silently watching her from the bar. "Hey sleepy!" She hummed sofly, "Want some coffee?"
"Sure" I replied. I envied her, really I did. She was short, only 5'4" but very small and not a piece of fat on her. Sam also had what I envied most, breasts. Yeah, it sounds funny but with my 5'7" height and "larger" structure I figured I deserved something, which I was not granted.
"What do you say we go walking around like tourists today!? Fun? Or no? I just need a job, something to keep me busy."
"That sounds okay. I think I'll look for a job too, I'll need something to pay for all those damn school books. Made any decisions on if you'll do college?"
"Nope, I'm keeping my options open. And I figure if I get fired more than twice I'll go to college and get a better education and all. I just don't feel the need now."
"Alright, it's your life" I sipped my coffee and rolled my eyes. Sam was sweet but I could never understand why she hated learning so much and never wanted school, just a fun job like at a daycare where she could be busy and still able to act young.
I ate my breakfast to the sound of Sam's constant chatter. Half of what she said I never heard, but it never seemed to bother her. We left the house around 11 and headed off to explore the city. "What do you say we go see a movie?" Sam asked getting excited as we approached a corner theater. It didn't look large but cozy anyway.
"Sure thing, sounds like fun." We walked up to the ticket booth behind to tall young men. "I want to see the new Star Wars Movie Sam."
"Why? Those movies are so boring! Let's see the new one with Freddie Prinze Jr.?"
"You never let me see the movies I want to watch. What's wrong with Star Wars? I like it."
"Those movies are for little 10-yr old nerds."
The two guys in front of us turned around to listen to our little argument. One of them was about 5'11" and wearing an orange baseball cap. He appeared to have dark hair under the cap and I was mezmorized by his beautiful sparkling blue eyes. He spoke in a soft and calming voice. "I happen to like Star wars and I'm not a 10-yr old nerd."
Sam stutered, not knowing what to do next. "Sorry," she mumbled.
"It's okay, just let the girl see the movie. No harm done." With that he turned to follow his friend to the ticket booth. "Four for Star Wars please?" he asked the teenage girl working the counter. His friend gave him a puzzled look and started walking to the entrance. The guy turned to us again and handed us his two extra tickets, "Here you go, on me." He smiled and began to walk away.
"Wait," I called after him. He was in a blue button plaid shirt and kaki pants. "Thank-you, I mean, I'll pay you back or at least let me buy you a drink?"
His 6' friend looked at him and shrugged. He looked younger, but not much, I couldn't see his eyes behind his dark sun glasses and his hair was hidden by a NC hat. The dark-haired one turned to us again. "Sounds okay, if you promise not to talk through the whole movie?"
"How could I? I love these things." I laughed and dragged Sam into the theater with me and our new friends. "I'm Katlyn by the way, but my friends call me Kat."
"Well hello Kat, my name is Josh and that quiet fella over there is Justin...you would be?" He asked his question towards Sam.
"Samantha, I'm Katlyn's cousin." She looked annoyed and bored just like Jusitn. We took our seats in a middle row, Justin going in first followed by Josh, me, and Sam. Justin remained in his sun glasses even in the dimly lit theater and leaned down in his seat looking to fall assleep. Sam quietly munched on a box of Milk Duds and remained speachless. The movie began and Josh and I stared at the screen wide-eyed.
"I think I still like the first three the best." I commented as the credets rolled by and Josh woke Jusitn up.
"Yeah, I think I agree, but I do like that they are explaining how everything happened now, you know what I mean?"
"Deffinatly, thanks again. This was fun. Your a really nice guy."
"Thanks sweetie." He replied grinning and looking into my eyes. As I looked at him more I could tell he was a few years older than myself. "You girls up for dinner?" Justin rolled his eyes behind him and gave him an 'I don't think so' look, Sam also appeared annoyed by this as well.
"Well, I know I'm interested, even it Sam's not."
"Your right I'm not, I'm going home Kat, you have your keys right?"
"Yeah, go home you big grouch."
"You know what Josh, I'm not really up for it either." Justin said cautiously leaning over to wisper something to Josh that I overheard and tried to ignore. "You shouldn't be up for it either man, you know people still recognize us and get hyped up about it."
"Go home, but your walking or catching a cab because it's my car and I'm taking it with me."
"Fine, whatever" Justin replied angry heading to the curb to flag down a taxi. Sam was walking off towards home.
"So, you ready?" Josh smiled turning back to me.
"I sure am."
"Alright," he said as we walked towards his black Jeep, "where do you think we should go?"
"Actually I just moved here yesterday so I'm not familiar with town at all, you pick."
"Okay, I hope you like Hard Rock Cafe, I love that place." We got in the car and drove off to the restaruant listening to soft music like "Seal". Josh glanced over at me, "This station okay with you? Or are you into like 'boybands'? Rock? What?"
"Oh it's fine, I don't listen to the radio that much or pay attention to many music artists. It probably sounds lame, but lately I've been really concerned with studing and finishing high school. Lame, I know, but I have always wanted to graduate with honors."
He looked worried at that comment. "Uh, how old are you?"
"Oh, I'm 18, I just graduated about a week ago and Sam and I moved out here."
"Good," he siged with relief. "Your still a young one though" he added with a grin.
"Oh really? I'm sorry, how old are you?"
"I'm 25 but dinner won't kill us, huh?"
"Not at all, I'm starving."
Throughout dinner we talked about everything on our minds and I loved the feeling of openness between us. I was constantly mezmorized by Josh's eyes which danced around as he told me stories of the exotic places he had traveled. "So, how is it you have been so many places?" I finally asked.
He stumbled for an answer for a few seconds then replied. "I guess I've just been very fortunate."
"Well, you don't seem like the spoiled rich kid type or anything."
"Trust me, I worked for what I have."
"That's always good. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to for a living, but for now I think I'll be okay. School keeps me busy and I guess tomarrow I might go job hunting."
We continued to talk through our meal and into desert. The food was great, and the company even better. It seemed that Josh and I had been friends our whole life, and never once that whole night did it seem either one of us had a physical attraction to the other.
I gave him directions to my apartment and we pulled up around ten at night. I could see lights on and knew Sam was probably up watching TV. Josh kept the engine running and turned to speak to me. "Look, I'm sorry for the way Justin acted today. He gets like that sometimes. But, I mean, life doesn't always keep serving everything to you, and you have to come back to reality at some point."
This comment perplexed me but I didn't know Josh well enough to nose into his whole life, or Justin's. "It really is okay. Sam wasn't much better."
"You right." he added with a laugh.
"I guess I better get going then. Maybe I'll see you around."
"Oh, let me get your number. E-mail address, something...I'm going out of town tomarrow, but I'll try to get in touch sometime. Tonight was really fun."
I gave him my number and hopped out of the car, heading up the steps with no intentions of telling Sam what a great time I had without her.
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