NaNoWriMo-untitled novel-Chapter five

*here it is...important stuff following in the next few chapters...*

The following morning dawned cold and dreary. I dressed in sweats and threw my hair into a ponytail. Stepping outside, I noticed it rained the previous night. The smell of worms lingered in the air and off I went. I decided that instead of running through town, I would drive to the park and run there. It was peaceful and I wouldn’t run into anyone.
As I drove, I encountered no other cars, but pulling into the lot of the park, there were people there. Surprised by the fact it was only 5:20, I parked and locked the Mercedes next to a new Explorer.
I found my favorite path after stretching and I was off, running along the trail in the quiet autumn morning. A few sticks cracked under my feet, but the leaves only made a sloshing sound, wet from the rain. I rounded the corner and started up the slight hill. On the other side was a valley, one I remembered from my youth and from the days I spent here with Justin. I hadn’t realized that I was going this way until I reached the top and started down.
The path twisted to the right and down I went until it met the tiny stream at the bottom. Slowing myself, I jumped over the stream and continued on, the sun rising slowly in the sky. It turned again, left this time and down a little farther.
That’s when I stopped and tried to turn around. But he had already seen me.
“Madeline?”

Dear Justin,
I know you must be mad at me for leaving, but I had no other choice. I couldn’t take being in Harpers Grove anymore. That Madeline wasn’t happy in that life.
You were not the entire reason I left. There were many others, like my mom. She never could tell me about my father. Do you know what its like to grow up, never knowing anything about where you came from? Of course you don’t, you had a family to surround you when you were growing up. You had everything. I had my mom.
The couple weeks have been really hard on me. I know that if I stayed, people would find out about what happened, our choice. I can’t live with that. So, I left.
I don’t expect you to understand, but maybe you will one day. I just can’t live up to your expectations anymore. Maybe I don’t want to be the same old Maddie. I can’t be. Hopefully, I can discover something of myself here, become new and be happy. Than maybe one day I’ll come back.
You’re the only boy I have ever kissed, and maybe you’ll be the only boy I will ever kiss in my life. You know I love you, I think about you every day. But the pain was too much for me. I couldn’t stay. You know, deep in your heart, that things would have failed between us eventually. We had too much put on our plates and we are so young.
I’m in New York. If you ever decide to come, look me up and I’ll show you my city. It’s a wonderful place.
I never wrote a letter to my mom to say goodbye, as I am sure she has already told you. If you see her, tell her I think of her often. Maybe, after I fix myself, I will come back and we will be together again. I still love you, I will always love you. Don’t forget that.
Forever Yours,
Maddie

“Hi.” I completely stopped, and attempted to fix my hair.
“What are you doing here?” He put down his paintbrush and walked over to the path I was standing on.
“I’m in town for a few weeks, staying with my mom.” I lowered my head, trying to avoid those eyes of his.
“Oh, I should have known you would come.” He stood, staring at me. I could feel his gaze boring into my skull. “Or maybe not, seeing as I haven’t seen you in ten years.”
“Ouch.” I looked up and saw his hurt.
“Don’t say you didn’t deserve that.” He stepped closer, making us only two feet apart.
“No, I did, but it still hurts.” I shifted on my feet again, my muscles tensing, telling me to run, far and fast to get away from here, away from him.
“We have a lot to talk about Maddie.” I winced at the sound of my nickname. “What? Did I offend you?” He reached out a hand to touch me, but I lowered my head again.
“No, I’m just not used to people calling me that. You were the only one to use that name.” I raised my eyes and saw him nod. He stepped closer and I could smell him. I closed my eyes and breathed slowly, drawing in his familiar scent.
“Maddie, we need to talk.” He touched my shoulder, but I stood my ground.
“Yes, we do, but not now.” He nodded again as I stepped back. “I’m sorry I disturbed your painting.”
“It’s okay; I was just surprised to see someone else here. Its only 6.”
“I’m an early riser.” Again, he nodded, sending his wavy hair into his eyes. Casually, he swept it to the side.
“How about dinner tonight?”
“What?” I was startled.
“I want to talk with you, so about over dinner?”
“I don’t know Justin. I haven’t seen anyone. I don’t think I can handle being in public…” He smirked a little.
“Afraid of your past?”
“Yes.” I said it matter of factly and he stepped back, a surprised look on his face.
“I’ll cook.”
“I don’t know where you live.” Please, back down.
“I’ll pick you up, at six.” He smiled again, and returned to his canvas. “I won’t be late. We have many things to talk about Maddie.”
I nodded and left. I sprinted my heart out, back up the path I came down a few minutes earlier. My chest was tight and a lump was forming in my throat. Back in the safety of the forest, I rested against a tree and let it all out. Tears streamed down my face, as I hit the hard oak of the tree.
My past was catching up to me.

On my first day of first grade, my mom walked me inside to meet the teacher. Mrs. Marley showed me my seat, with a blue plastic chair and my name printed on a sheet of paper taped to the top of my desk. A little boy was sitting next to me in our group of four desks. He had on blue overalls and a white t-shirt. His hair was a dark brown, like mine and his eyes were dark.
I eyed him as I sat down and put my book bag under my chair.
“Mrs. Marley said to put our bags in our cubbies after we emptied them into our desks.” He sounded so smart.
“Oh, okay.” Standing back up, I opened the desk top and my book bag and began unloading pencils and paper into it. “Where are our cubbies?”
“I’ll show you, come on.” He grabbed my arm and pulled me to the back of the room. Looking across the wall, I found my slot and shoved my bag inside. He smiled and pulled me all the way back to my desk.
We sat and stared as more kids entered the room and did as I did. Another girl and boy joined as at our table. They were Mary and Keith. Mary and I became instant friends as we chattered about Barbies. The two boys tried talking, and then stopped as Keith got annoyed with the nameless boy.
Mrs. Marley came back in as told us all to get to know each other and introduce ourselves. He stuck out his hand and shook mine.
“I’m Justin.”
“I’m Madeline.”
We were inseparable from that day on.

Upon arriving home, my mother greeted me at the door, waffles in the waffle maker. She sat me down and placed a full plate in front of me.
“If I keep eating like this, I’m going to get fat.” She laughed as she sat down to join me.
“Honey, you could stand to gain a few pounds. You look really thin.” I shrugged. I was used to hearing that from people in New York, although they praised me for it. “Where did you go running at?”
“I went to the park.”
“Oh, there was probably no one there this early.”
“You would be surprised.” I said it sarcastically and a look of shock appeared on her face. “I saw Justin.”
“Oh! Well…what did you say?”
“He’s picking me up tonight for dinner.” Her eyebrows rose. “We need to talk.”
“I see. I hope everything is talked out then.”
The rest of breakfast was spent in silence. Like the morning before, she insisted on cleaning up while I showered.
When I came back down, she was sitting in her favorite chair in the living room, watching the birds in the tree. She smiled when she saw me and reached for her knitting.
“I don’t feel like going out much today, I’m in some kind of pain.” Worried I knelt by her side.
“What’s wrong mom?”
“It’s just the cancer sweetheart; there is nothing you can do. I already took my pills.” I sank back on my heels.
“I’m sorry. I should be doing a better job taking care of you.”
“No, you coming home is enough to make me happy.” She patted my cheek and picked up her knitting, clicking the needles together.
I sat on the couch and watched her for awhile, then left to get my own yarn from the car. Sitting back down, she shot me a questioning look as I ran upstairs to grab another of my bags.
“What’s all this?”
“I’m going to knit with you, although, I’m not as good as you are.” I smiled as I pulled out my needles, and a half finished blue scarf.
“When did you learn to knit?”
“About six years ago. A friend taught me one night when we were bored.” She smiled as we started to knit together, our needles clacking together in a peaceful rhythm.
“I have my fellowship meeting tonight at the church, so you’ll be alone here until he comes to pick you up.” My stomach lurch at the mention of him. “I’ll be back around nine and then I’ll head to bed.”
“Okay. I don’t know when I’ll be back.”
“It’s okay. Just come in whenever. I have church in the morning, so no big breakfast tomorrow.” I smiled and nodded.
“Can I go with you?” She stopped her clacking needles.
“You sure you want to? A lot of people will be there.”
“I guess that I’m feeling brave. By tomorrow, I might have some answers for people.” She nodded.
“Are you getting these answers from Justin?”
“Hopefully. There are many things we need to talk about tonight. I just hope things go somewhat smoothly. Ten years is a long time.” She nodded and we fell quiet. Again, our needles passed into a smooth pattern and time passed and the sun rose higher in the sky before she spoke again.
“About five years ago, Justin mentioned that you were pregnant when you left.”
Time stood still as my heart stopped beating.