After Elliot

14: Homeward Bound

A/N: I know its a quick update from the last one, and i hope y'all like it. its sorta short at the end. Meh.

"We'll miss you, Ana," Mr. Sanford pats my shoulder with a sincere tone to his voice. I half-smile, "Don't worry Mr. Sanford, I'll be back." "Greg, please," He smiles warmly and I nod, awaiting for Cindy to say goodbye before I'm off. She bustles in, her mascara running and her blonde hair looking slightly unkempt. She smooths out her pink ruched dress, then her blonde bob before dabbing at her eyes with a black-smeared tissue. "Oh, Analise dear, I'll miss you so much!"

She pulls me into a strangling hug, and I pat her shoulder as reassuringly as possible. "Cindy," Greg reprimands his over-dramatic wife, "She'll be back in a couple of weeks." "I'm only going for my friend's birthday. It's really important I see him," I give her a false reason. "I know, I know, it's just- it's like I'm losing the daughter I've never had!" She gushes, pulling back and blowing her nose.

"I'll be back, I promise. I'd rather be here than in the freezing tundra that is Wisconsin," I squeeze her shoulder and half-smile. "You better!" She points at me, "Because, I have all of this shopping money and no one to spend it on!" I laugh lightly along with her and nod, "Of course."

I turn to little Wyatt- the only Sanford boy who decided to show up since I've been avoiding them all- and ruffle his hair, "I'll miss you, kid." He hugs me around the waist and cutely says, "Promise we'll watch Drake and Josh when you get back?" "A whole marathon," He holds out his pinky, and I loop mine through it. After, he reluctantly releases me. "The limo is waiting, dear. You sure you don't want us to come with you?" Both parents seem reluctant about letting me go alone, but I don't want them to figure out the real reason I'm running away.

"I'm sure," I half-grin. "It will give me time to prepare myself in silence for the next long, high, plane ride." "Remember, there's an extra inhaler in your bag incase of emergencies," Cindy reminds me, and I nod in response, "Thanks." Greg opens the door for me, and I lug my suitcase out, reminding myself that I left half of my clothes here, so I'll have to come back.

As I'm rolling my bag down the walk, Cindy calls after me, "Don't forget to stay warm!" "Yes ma'am!" I call back, although it should be around seventy degrees fahrenheit there, before allowing Hails to take my bags to the back. He'd already opened the door for me, and I glance back at the house, wondering when I'd see Liam again. When you get back, obviously! I shake him from my head and sit in, closing the door and buckling the seatbelt after. I soon hear the car rumble to life, and I let the privacy screen down just incase I want to converse with Hails.

"Master William said that he'd be here to see you off," He speaks formally in his British accent, breaking me from my thoughts of, well, Liam. Master William. Hah. "Yeah, thats what he told me too," I mutter, and our eyes connect in the rearview mirror. "Don't worry, Miss Analise. He'll be here. Sir William never breaks his promises," He reassures me with a smile, and I return the gesture, but still uncertain about his words.

Let's acknowledge the fact he called him 'Sir William.' Hehe.

My subconscious decides to be childish, and I roll my eyes at her words and settle closer into my seat, just wanting to be at the airport already.

Hide the feeling Annie, and don't let them know you're hurting. Devon's voice rings through my head. It was rolling smoothly until he'd added, Or I'll give you something to hurt over. I slump farther into my seat and let my head fall against the window. Just fifteen more minutes, Analise. Fifteen. Then you'll be out of here- for a month, at least.

My thoughts are shattered by the ringing of my phone, which I answer quickly, seeing that it is Ryan calling. "Hey hey hey," I say as perkily as I can. "Hey babe! When do you get in?" "Two-thirty P.M.!" I exclaim, still annoyed with the fact that its a six hour flight. "Well, I'll be waiting for you! Pick you up in Amherst Junction and drive the grueling five minutes to Amherst! We're going to my house!" He basically sings into the phone. "Why?" I ask, probably sounding rude.