The Replacement Girlfriend

Chapter 4

4. Plane Ticket to Mexico

Things were just not working for Krislynn that day. Not only did her boyfriend, now ex-boyfriend, dump her and ran off with all her things, but her best friend Elizabella wouldn't pick up her phone. It was odd really, since Elizabella always had her phone turned on---even in the dead of night. If anything ever happened and Krislynn needed her, she knew her best friend was only a phone call away. It had been that way since forever.

When her father had taken off when she was ten and her mother locked herself in her room and went into depression, Ella had been there. When her mother died in a car accident when she was fourteen and Krislynn became an orphan, Ella had been there. When she was thrown into foster care and was beaten by one of the household members, Ella had not only been there, she had helped her escape.

It was true what Carlos had said in the letter. Krislynn always bounced back, but only because she wasn't scared to try anything because she knew someone would catch her if she actually fell. Ella always had her back.

Quickly deciding that it was possible that her best friend wasn't picking up because she was doing the nasty with her boyfriend-though Krislynn really didn't want to know since it was three in the afternoon---she took the next bus to Ella's house. After all, Carlos had towed her trailer away. She had no home to return to and nowhere to go except Ella's house. She figured she'd just chat up Ella's mother if in fact Ella was 'preoccupied'.

A good twenty-five minutes later, Krislynn arrived in front of Ella's Mission Hill Winery Estate. Her mother and father stood in front of their double French doors and regarded her sadly as she asked if their daughter was in. Ella's mother burst into tears as her father let out a scornful growl. "I don't have a daughter," he yelled before stomping back inside the house.

"She eloped," her mother cried before beginning to ramble. "With that stupid boy she was dating. Supposedly he wants to marry her, but you know, he can barely support himself! How is he planning to support her! So we sat her down and had a talk and then..."

"You guys fought," Krislynn murmured, nodding in comprehension. They must have disagreed with Ella's engagement to Pedro and Ella must have lost her temper. "So then, that doesn't mean she eloped. Maybe she's just hiding out for a few days."

"Nope, she's gone. All her stuff is gone-left us a measly little letter saying she's following Pedro into another country and that she won't be back anytime soon. We fought Sunday afternoon and by Monday morning, everything was gone. She must have left Sunday night."

Sunday night-that was the night Ella had called her at two A.M and Carlos had made a big deal out of it. Krislynn remembered laughing because she thought the call was completely pointless. "I love you like a sister, okay?" Ella had said. "And no matter what happens later on in life, no matter how different our paths become, I'll always love you! I'll always be there for you---mentally if not physically."

Krislynn realized those were parting words now. Ella was definitely gone.

Biding Ella's mother a quick goodbye, Krislynn wandered aimlessly back to the bus stop. She didn't even have a place to stay tonight. Although she was sure Ella's mother would have taken her in, she personally wasn't too fond of Ella's dad and knew that he wouldn't be very happy to see her freeloading off of them when their daughter was nowhere to be found.