I'm Still Here: Where Do You Run?

Pushing back in her seat, she pulled into the parking lot of the school, parked the car and turned off the engine. Unbuckling her seatbelt her voice was soft but unfaltering as she faced him. "I haven't. It takes time. And maybe in time I will, but we both have a lot of baggage to work through and several or a hundred ridges to go over."

That made him think even further, and something in the back of his mind longed to be heard. It wasn't the fact that he longed for her always to be there, because she understood him for who he was. It wasn't that they were alike, no, they were vastly different which made at times, very interesting discussions.

"Why, were you thinking about talking to him?" She pressed gently, resting her hands in her lap. Adjusting, his hand hovered over to his seatbelt, the other rubbed over the back of his neck as he exhaled and proceeded to let the seatbelt click loose.

His expression contorted into an awkward look. "I've been thinking about it, but I don't think that I've quite gotten to that point of where I can. Frankly, I'm not even sure where he is. I got a postcard telling me that he had moved, but somehow the postcard got caught in a shredder."

Megan raised an eyebrow, almost laughing. "So tell me how does one accidentally get something caught in a shredder?"

Larry looked up at her contently, "Oh no, it was more like a shredder moment. You see I use to have a college roommate who was into aerodynamics. He was always constantly making airplanes and experimenting. He picked up the card mistaking it for something he could use, and sailed it out the window. Never could find it again."

"Have you ever tried just looking him up, like on the internet?"

A slight pause. "I never thought about that." He mused, shifting.

"You know someone once told me that just because you have a past doesn't mean that you can't have a future." She recalled with a smile. He caught the twinkling in her eye, the smile on her lips. He recognized those same words as what he had offered to her as comfort a few days ago. "Everything happens for a reason, it's your choice if you choose to take it." Looking at her watch, she looked up at the front doors of the school as a few teenagers sauntered out. "I think we came at the right time." Rechecking her watch, he opened his door and they both got out.

Rounding the car she interlaced her hand with his and walked side by side, grabbing a few looks along the way before they entered the building. Walking down the hall, along the way they ran into Parker Bennett.

"Back again I see." Parker smiled sweetly. "I knew you looked familiar when I first saw you. Those beautiful green eyes were something I've remembered all these years."

Megan smiled thoughtfully glancing towards the picture she had been looking earlier in the week. "Wait, Mrs. Bennett, my biology teacher?"

"Right. I'm actually a part time counselor now." She paused for a moment, smiling. "I know you. Megan Reeves. You're Milo's daughter." Megan nodded, watching Larry slowly walk over to the pictures lining the wall. As she peered down the hall, a few students trickled out. Some were going into the cafeteria, others leaving for lunch. "I'm assuming that you're here to see him. He should just be in his classroom. If you could excuse me." Megan gave a short nod and Parker went in pursuit of a student.

"She's interesting." Larry spoke without taking his eyes off of the picture as she stood beside him. "You know you were just as beautiful then as you are now?" He remarked, exhaling. His eyes meeting hers.

Megan was amazed, his eyes dancing with happiness. He absolutely loved her for who she was and that was something that she had always been missing. "I'm glad that you think so." She smiled happily, her hand wrapping around his and they admired the picture silently for another few minutes before making their way down the hall to her father's classroom.

He was as equally surprised when he saw her. Even more so when Larry followed behind her. His eyes following to her hand tightly wrapped around Larry's, her fingers interlacing with his. "There's somebody that I think that you should meet. Dad, this is Larry Fleinhardt."

Milo raised his eyebrow in surprise. "Larry Fleinhardt. Didn't you just recently come back from space?"

Larry was quite surprised, almost privileged. Megan however realized it was in her father's nature to keep updated on everything that went on in the world. In fact she was just glad that their first acquaintance was already starting on a high note. "Yes a few months back. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." They firmly shook hands, sitting in silence.

"You too. So I'm assuming that you're dating my daughter?"

Nodding, he looked down at her hand that was still interlaced with his. "Yes. I am." The door to the classroom opened and in walked a student who looked as if she had just walked in on a private moment.

"I'm sorry, I'll come back later." The teenage girl remarked and began backing towards the door. Megan gazed at her father with a raise of her eyebrow.

"No, Lindsey. Come in here for a moment." Milo gestured with a flick of hand. "Actually there's somebody that I would like you to meet." With that the young girl timidly stepped into the classroom. "Lindsey, this is my daughter Megan, and her boyfriend Larry." Gazing at the back of the picture of Megan when she was younger, the young girl raised her eyebrow from him to Megan.

"Hi." Lindsey offered, her eyes still darting from his back to hers. That's when she realized that the picture she had looked at so often was the same woman that was standing there today, right in front of her. And then she began to realize that her teacher had been telling the truth. She began to back towards the door. "Well it was nice meeting you. I just remembered that I have something that I have to do."

Milo gave her a fleeting concerned look as she disappeared from the room. Megan turned back to him, offering him an understanding glance. "So long have you been dating my daughter?"

Megan furrowed her brow at the closed door as a something slammed against a locker and a sob emerged from the hallway. Placing her hand on Larry's shoulder she gained both of their attention. "I'll be right back." Both men exchanged glances, as Larry nodded and she stepped out into the hall.

Making her way down, she passed the young girl who was slumped against her locker. Her backpack looking like it had been thrown by frustration and was sitting a few feet from her.

Turning on the fountain, Megan grabbed a quick drink of cold water. Lindsey gazed up at her, almost looking dazed at she stared at the tiles in the hall. "You know he talks about you all the time."

Megan released her hand from the handle. "I'm assuming that you're talking about my father."

Lindsey nodded numbly, "I wasn't sure what he had meant when he said that he cared." Looking up she had a tear running down her cheek. "Now I think I can see why."