Running From Forever
Read Running From Forever Online
Authors: Ashley Wilcox
Tags: #indie, #new adult, #the forever series, #waiting on forever
Copyright
©
2013 by Ashley Wilcox
Smashwords Edition 2013
***
Running From Forever
Copyright
©
2013 by Ashley
Wilcox
Smashwords Edition 2013
Edited by Erin Roth, Wise Owl Editing
Cover Design by B Designs
Formatting by Angela McLaurin, Fictional
Formats
Without limiting the rights under copyright
reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in
any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise) without prior written permission of the
copyright owner of this book, except by a reviewer who may quote
brief passages for review purposes.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters,
places, brands, media, and incidents either are the product of the
author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author
acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various
products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used
without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not
authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark
owners.
All rights reserved.
***
Trevor,
I’m sorry to have to leave this in a note,
but I have to. Not because I can’t say this to your face, but
because my train leaves before you get home. I’d call you, but I
don’t want to ruin your workday. Anyway, I can’t stay. I have to
go. I’m not who you think I am—not even close. I’ve thought about
your proposal and I just can’t say yes. I can’t say yes when we
don’t have the same outlook. I’m not ready to settle down and have
a family and everything that goes with it. I know that’s what you
want and yes, you should have it—you deserve it—I just can’t give
it to you. That’s not what I want.
I don’t want you to think I don’t love you,
because I do—I always have. From the moment we met freshman year, I
knew you’d be the one that could tame me—to make me settle down
with one person—and you have. Well, until now. The last three and a
half years have been wonderful. I loved every minute of it, but I
have to go. I have to move on and do the things that I’ve always
dreamt of doing.
I’ve accepted a job at a broadcasting
company in the city. I start tomorrow. I actually just found out
about it. They hired me on the spot. I was going to tell you last
night, but then...well, I didn’t have the heart to after I didn’t
respond to your proposal. I was speechless and didn’t know what to
do. Now you know why. I’m sorry. I suck at this. I suck at
goodbyes.
I really wish the best for you, Trev. You
really deserve to find someone wonderful and that will make you
happy. I’m just not a fairytale ending kind of girl and deep down I
think you know that. I hope. Okay, I’m going to stop rambling. I
just feel rotten for doing this, but I love you, Trev. I always
will.
Love,
Kayla
***
***
My gut clenched as I
boarded my train and heard the squealing as it started to move
along the rails. It was in that moment that I had to take a deep
breath and remember my reasoning; I had to refresh my memory. I
wasn’t just leaving. I
needed
to leave. So many mornings I
would stand in the shower wondering what I was doing and why I was
there. It wasn’t who I dreamed of being. It wasn’t the life I
always pictured myself living.
Since I was a little girl wearing pigtails and
eating popsicles, I wanted to be an entertainment news anchorwoman;
I wanted to sit on one of those high stools in front of cameras
giving everyone the 411 on the rich and famous. Sure, not everyone
dreamt of being the gossip source for millions of Americans, but it
was my deepest wish. I dreamt it. I wanted to be that person. Now I
had a degree in journalism to support my dream, but I wouldn’t be
able to do anything with it in Cortland. I could maybe get a job
with a local news channel, but I didn’t want to be chasing crime
scenes or interviewing random do-gooders. Not that there was
anything wrong with good deeds, reporting on them just wasn’t my
passion. Not to mention, the chances of me getting that job was
slim to none anyway, coming straight from college. Believe it or
not, living in a small town with minimal job opportunities, the
“good” ones were already snatched by people three times my
age—seasoned reporters.
I had a breakthrough moment last week fresh from
the shower, my hair still wet and wrapped in a towel. I opened my
laptop and pulled up the want ads for New York City. Looking for
jobs in New York was crazy and a complete long shot, but also
filled my body with so much adrenaline that I couldn’t stop and I
found a few that I applied for. One called me back, conducting two
phone interviews before giving me the position, requesting that I
start that Monday. There was no turning back then. The words
“absolutely” slipped from my mouth before I had a second to realize
what I was doing. I was signing on the invisible line, agreeing to
leave everything I had in Cortland to board a train to The City
That Never Sleeps.
