Moments Like That

Chapter 1 – One Step at a Time

Blue eyes were focused on the streets they knew so well. It had surely been a while. Two months, three weeks and five days to be more exact. She still knew the way, the views, and the buildings as if they were branded in her memory. She knew the way so well that she felt her stomach dropping lower and lower as she realized they were getting closer and closer to their final destination. She always wanted to have shotgun on the ride to school. She would always argue with her brothers when they designated her to the backseat. Now, however, there was no competition and Spencer Carlin would give anything in the world to be sitting on the backseat and have her brother back.

The shooting at King High left twenty students injured and six dead. It still felt like it was yesterday. Everyone wished it was just a dream.

“Hey.” Spencer lifted her eyes to her brother, who was looking at her as they slowly approached the school campus. He took her hand and squeezed it hard. “It’ll be okay.” Glen said with a smile, trying hard to believe that everything would really be okay.

“It’s just…” The blonde girl couldn’t finish the sentence since her voice cracked and she felt the burn on her eyes, just like she every time she remembered what happened that year.

Glen maneuvered the car and parked further from the crowd, his hand still holding Spencer’s. Once they came to a stop, he shifted his body so he was facing his sister. “I know it’s hard. I don’t think I’m gonna make it through class either, but we can’t give up on everything.”

“I know.” She said looking down at her lap.

The blonde boy hesitated before asking something his entire family was wondering. He had to, though. “Spencer, did you talk to-“ Before he could even finish his sentence, Spencer shook her head intensively, her face taking a mood even sadder than it had before.

“I can’t…” Her voice trailed away again.

“Spence, you can’t run away from it. Talk to her today, okay?” The two siblings looked at each other before the girl nodded and attempted a shaky smile at her brother before stepping out of the car.