Chapter 1
~2011~
**Shelby**
I sneezed as I set the box down all of these boxes were filled with nothing but old papers. Spring Cleaning was rough but it had to be done. I looked through a big box coming across a small shoebox I didn't even know was there. I talked to myself "God! What the hell did I do? Just throw all my junk in boxes so I could just go through it throwing it all out?" I chuckled at myself. I usually did every time I talked to myself. I looked down at the lid on the box opening it. I saw pictures, letters and memories of a life I once knew. I couldn't believe it I thought I lost this stuff from moving a lot I was relieved I hadn't though. I chuckle looking at some of the pictures, everyone laughing and happy. I found some letters at the bottom of the box I opened one reading it.
June 14, 2006
Dear Shelby,
Thanks for the birthday card it was so sweet that you remembered. I miss you a lot things are just so hectic right now. I'm still single though there is someone I'm interested in, surprisingly enough! I hope you're doing okay, I heard about your little girl being born, Sophie told me at the reunion which I'm sorry you missed also. Congrats though, you're going to be a great mom. I hope all is well, write back please. I'll write again as soon as I possibly can!
Love, Daisy
P.S. I saw Scott recently, doesn't look so good.
A teardrop fell from my eye think about Daisy, I wish that I had written to everyone more often, or even thought about it. All of these people help me through the roughest time in my life Peter, Sophie, Daisy…Scott. Just thinking about him made me cry a little more, even though I forced myself to block him out no matter how hard it was. I found another letter under Daisy's opening it after drying my eyes.
June 17, 2006
Shelby,
I heard about your little girl being born, I'm happy for you. I wish I'd seen you at the reunion though I miss you. I know we weren't on good terms after our last confrontation, but I hope someday we could someday be friends again. I'll miss you always I love you.
Scott
I couldn't take it anymore, I put everything back in the box where I got it from, and I then came across one last picture before I closed it. I will always miss him I look at our happy faces in the picture when I stuffed it back in the box setting it down, I wonder what happened to them all the letters were about 6 years old. I walk upstairs to take a break I lay down on the couch closing my eyes a minute when everything came back to me.
**Flashback**
~2004~
"Will you marry me?" I froze up I couldn't answer him. Was I even ready for marriage? I knew that I loved him and that I couldn't love anyone as much as him but could I really settle down?
"I uh…I can't Scott" I stuttered, that was all I could say.
"What? Why?" he asked me I didn't know the answers to.
"I don't know Scott! I just don't know if I'm ready for that yet! Things are happening so fast."
"What do you mean things are happening so fast? We've been together for three years, I want to be with you forever."
I was crying now and just whispered to him "I'm sorry, I just can't I don't know how to explain it. I can't right now. Please understand."
Scott was crying also he just turned around walking off I fell to my knees crying. It wasn't the last time we were together but it's what started it all.
**End Of Flashback**
"Mommy?"
I heard a little girl's voice she looked down at me worried.
I sat up not realizing that I had been crying. She looked at me worried "What's wrong mommy?"
I shook my head chuckling
"It's nothing sweetie, mommy just watched a sad movie earlier and I fell asleep to It."
she smiled at me "Okay!"
"So, how was school today?" she sat on my lap and we talked about how school was.
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Chapter 2
**Scott**
I sat at my desk writing checks, I hated bills. I grabbed for an envelope when I felt nothing, looking around realizing I was out of envelopes. I leaned over to the bottom drawer of the desk looking for some I pull out a whole bunch of papers going through them. “Wow, didn’t realize I was such a pig!” I chuckled to myself. I found some envelopes setting some on the desk and the rest of the papers back in the drawer spotting something before closing the drawer. I picked up the picture looking at it, at her. She always was beautiful I wonder where she was now? Last thing I knew she had a baby girl and that was six years ago, was she married? Was she happy? I sighed laying my head back tired, I rubbed my eyes, throwing the picture back in the drawer. I took one of the envelopes not noticing the writing on the front I take the old letter out of it looking at it.
November 2005
Scott,
There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think of you. I’m busy at this point in my life, I have a career and a baby inside of me to worry about please don’t make this harder for me then it already is. I miss you dearly and I will always love you please know that. I love you forever.
Shelby
A single tear dropped out of my eye, I sighed leaning my head back rubbing my eyes. I stood up walking outside barefoot, looking around the neighborhood watching the kids play. I had just moved here a month ago, glad I chose a good place. I sighed walking inside throwing my shoes on, I then left the house walking down the street. A ball flew over at me I grabbed it throwing it back at one of the little girls in the yard. She smiled at me waving I chuckled. I walked to the park that was half way down the block. I crossed the street walking to the park the rest of the way. I found an empty swing sitting down on it I sat and thought.
**Flashback**
~A Week After The Big Question Was Popped~
I knocked on her door she opened it letting me in. I sighed turning around looking at her “I’m sorry I over reacted.”
Shelby sighed walking towards me “I’m sorry too.”
“I just want to know one thing Shell. Why can’t you being with me?” I asked, she walked towards me but didn’t answer.
I spoke up again “Why?”
She started crying more, which was killing me inside she, looked up at me “I don’t know Scott, I don’t know. I just know that I can’t right now.”
“Why not! We’ve been together for three years! We’ve put up with each other’s problems, been there for each other, we loved each other…” I sat down putting my head in my hands.
“Unless that’s all we were, each other’s rock.” I stood up walking to her looking her in the eye. “Do you love me Shelby? Have you ever?”
Shelby nodded “Yes I love you Scott, I always have. I don’t know what’s wrong with me I just can’t marry you. I’m sorry.”
I didn’t know what to do, this woman said she loved me but yet she didn’t want to be with me.
I turned walking out of her apartment.
**End Of Flashback**
I came out of my phase to a little girl tugging on my shirt I turn to smile at her. She giggled “Can I please use the swing?” I chuckled standing up “By all means little lady” I smiled watching her swing walking out of the park. I continued my walk around not going home quite yet.
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Chapter 3
**Shelby**
I ran into the swing area smiling that she got a swing, she waved at me I chuckled. Off in the distance I saw a tall figure, I let it slide though. I chuckled watching her jump off the swing I yelled for her “Stephanie come back here!” I ran after her a bit chuckling as she ran faster. I swooped her up in my arms “Gotcha!” she was laughing, I set her down on a bench tying her shoe back up. She went to go play with some kids. I sat back on the bench thinking, about everything.
Back at Horizon, everyone’s problems were solved. I chuckled remembering Peter & Sophie, I hoped they were happy. All of them I wonder if Daisy was still single, she never could settle down. What about Scott? Was he married? Did he move on? I wish I could see him again. Maybe I could take a trip to Horizon, that’s if anyone is even there. I’ll do it anyways. What if I saw him? What would I say? It’s been 6 years since I’ve even heard from anyone. That’s my own fault though, not leaving a forwarding address.
I sighed standing up looking for Stephanie, I look around calling for her “Stephanie!” The bushes were tall so it was easy to lose someone, I heard some rustling in some bushes near me I jump opening the bushes but finding a friend of hers “Hey Billy, do you know where Stephanie went?” he nodded his head taking her to where Stephanie was hiding, she jumped out surpirisng me I smiled picking her up. “You sneak! Let’s go home and eat dinner okay?” Stephanie smiled asking me “Can we eat at McDonalds please?” I chuckled pretending to think a moment. We walked out of the park after saying goodbye to her friends.
That night when we got home I carried her up to bed, smiling down at her kissing her forehead. I walked back down to the basement picking up the shoebox taking it upstairs with me. I sighed opening it again at my desk, looking at the return address on the letters. I took out a pad or paper writing a letter.
Dear Daisy,
I’m sorry I never wrote you back, life got in the way and I moved. Somehow in the past 6 years I’ve seemed to forget about Horizon, thinking I lost all my memories when I moved. Thankfully cleaning out my basement told me otherwise. How are you? Still single? The last letter you sent me was sweet thank you. I wish I would’ve made it to the reunion I miss everyone. I hope you are well. My daughter Stephanie is 6 she’s a doll. I’ve been thinking of going up to Horizon to take a trip. I miss you and hope to see you soon.
Love,
Shelby
I put the letter in the envelope writing the address on it. I set it aside after setting a stamp on it also. I took the second letter setting it back in the box. Like I knew what to say to him. I turned out the lights locking the door walking up to bed. I laid down turning off my light. Sleep soon found me.
**Flashback**
~2004-January-Right Before The Proposal~
“You know why he’s with you don’t you?” This skank that was supposed to be my friend, I sighed.
“Because he loves me Corinne.” She chuckled evil like “You only wish Shelby, he wants a wife, a family.”
I chuckled “I’m going to give him just that, I am in love with this man. Nothing will stop me from loving him, not even some jealous bitch like you!”
She spoke up “I never said he wanted any of it from you. Why would he? You’re old news to him, it’s out with the old and on with the new.”
“Once he asks me. He hasn’t yet!”
“Yeah and you’re such a prude you’ll chicken out. I’m betting on it.”
With that she walked away and out of the bar we were in, I then felt a tap on my shoulder awhile later. I turn my head to see Scott smiling at me. I stand up hugging him he chuckled.
“Hey, I was only in the bathroom. Where’s Corinne?”
I sighed, “She left. Can we just go home?” I pulled away leaning up kissing him.
He smiled “Yeah let’s go.” We headed out of the bar in the parking lot he grabbed my hand pulling me back to him first kissing me deeply. “Before we go I have a surprise for you.”
I smiled “Okay.” He chuckled looking into my eyes. “You know how much I love you don’t you? So much I would die for you?” I chuckled.
“Well please don’t.” I laid my head on his shoulder just as he whispered in my ear.
“Will you marry me?”
**End Of Flash Back**
I sat straight up in bed, I couldn’t relive it again it was too hard then and I can’t go back to it. I got out of bed walking into the bathroom throwing water on my face. I dried it off walking back crawling into bed. I sighed nervous to go to sleep, why was I so stupid to believe Corinne? How could she know I would’ve said no? Why did I say no in the first place? I wanted to be with him forever, but the fact that I could get hurt plagued me that he could leave me for someone else. I laid back down falling asleep again
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