6Mr. Lucas Scott,
You have been called to serve in the United States Military service and are hereby required to report to the New Mexico, Albuquerque recruitment office. You will then be required to take a physical and intelligence exam. From that point you will be inducted into the corp of the recruitment officer's deciphering from your exams. Thank you for your service, Private.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
President of the United States of America
That had been the letter I received from the President himself before I reported to the recruitment office. But that was weeks ago. I was now days away from shipping out of Albuquerque with my best friend and brother more or less to serve a war I didn't want to be joining, but it was for my country and I was drafted, just like he had been. Troy had gotten his call the same day I had and we had gone down to the recruitment office for our exams. I hadn't told Haley yet. Troy had told Gabriella soon after we had gone down to the recruitment office. But I couldn't tell Haley... and I didn't tell her until my uniform came in the mail along with my inductee papers.
Mr. Lucas Scott,
Based on your exams, you have been selected to training in the United States Military branch of the Army. You will therefore report to your recruitment office on October 10, 1942, at six thirty A.M. where you will be provided with transportation to the Albuquerque Sunport to where you will fly to your assigned training base for five-weeks of intensive training. You will then be sent to Europe in defense of your country. Thank you for your service, Private.
Andrew Fulton
New Mexico, Albuquerque
Recruitment Officer
That was when I told Haley I had been drafted. I showed up at her house, knocking on her door. I pulled down the bottom of my uniform jacket, smoothing out my arms and looking up at Jimmy James as he opened the door. Nodding my head, I saluted him. "Mr. James. Is Haley home?" He looked over me, a little confused, nodding his head. "Yes, Lucas. Come in." I nodded, taking my hat from my head and walking into the house as he shut the door behind us. "I'll go get her," he said, leaving me standing in the entry way, watching him walk up the stairs to Haley's bedroom. I stood at ease with my hands held behind my back. I didn't have to wait long before I saw Haley's smiling face standing at the top of the stairs... but her smile soon faded after she really saw me. I smiled up at her as she slowly walked down the stairs toward me. "What's this, Luke? Is this a joke? Because if it is, it's not funny." I shook my head, holding out my hands, holding my hat still in one. "No joke, Hales. I've been drafted into the United States Army."
She stood still on the stairs in front of me. "Why?" She asked, closing her eyes and sighing softly. "I know why.. but, I guess I don't even know what I'm saying." I took a step closer to the stairs, shaking my head. "This isn't my choice, Haley. When Uncle Sam calls..." I took a deep breath. "You answer." I wanted her to understand. I needed her to know that if it wasn't because I had been drafted into this war I wouldn't be going. I would never willingly leave her. She wiped away a tear and within a flash she was down off the stairs and in my arms. I wrapped my arms tightly around her, burying my face in her hair. "I know.. but I don't want you to go... not now... not ever," she spoke, the sadness tearing a whole in my heart. I inhaled her deeply into me, shaking my head slightly against her neck. "I wouldn't ever leave you by choice, baby." Kissing the side of her head, I stood straight, looking down into her perfect brown eyes. "I'm not a fan myself of war in general, but I have to defend my country." I leaned closer to her. "I have to protect you." She looked straight up at me, wiping her tears from her face. "I don't want you to protect me... I want you to be here." Whispering, I helped her dry her tears, "I know. But this war can't last forever, baby. If I could stay, I would. You have to know I would." She nodded, thankfully understading. "I do."
Stepping closer to me, she hugged me to her tiny body. "I'm scared... I don't wanna lose you." I held her against my larger frame, shaking my head. "You'll never lose me. We'll always be together." Pulling back, I looked down at her, placing my hand over her chest, nodding. "Even if I'm not here, I'll always be here." But that wasn't what she wanted to hear, not when she knew what that could mean. "That's a fancy way of saying if you die I'll always have you in my heart, Lucas! That's not good enough for me!" My eyes shot open wide. "I'm not going to die. I promise you that! I am not going to die!" My heart was breaking because I had to go. Her heart was breaking because I had to go. But that didn't mean I wouldn't always be with her, even if she came to that inference from I said. "I swear to our Lord and Savior, Lucas Scott if you die I'll NEVER forgive you!" She wiped some more tears from her face. "I can't live without you." I leaned down closer to her slowly, brushing my lips softly against hers. "I promise you, Hales. I promise you."
She slid her arms around my neck, pressing her lips back to mine, kissing me just as softly as I had just kissed her. "I love you." I held her gently in my arms, letting my lips linger on hers, not deepening the kiss, but letting my lips press against hers just a little longer, not wanting to let her go. She curled her fingers into my shoulders, whispering against my lips again, "I love you." I knew I hadn't said it, but that didn't mean I didn't feel it and I did want her to know. I let my head rest her forehead, inhaling her slowly into me. "I love you, Haley James." She rubbed my back as we held each other close. "I'm glad you came right here to tell me..." I swallowed hard as she pulled back from me after saying that. "You look nice." Lifting my hand to run it through my hair, I remember it was gone now, replaced by a military buzz cut. "I uh... I actually just got inducted into the army today... I was drafted into the military two weeks ago." She stepped away from me, looking like I'd just slapped her. And figuratively, I suppose I had, even though I hadn't meant to. "You... have known for two whole weeks about this? And you let me stay clueless that long? For two weeks!" She stepped backward up onto the stairs. "I can't... believe you!"
I shook my head again. "No, Hales. It wasn't like that." I paused, taking a short breath. "I got my draft papers instructing me to report to the recruitment office for my physical and intelligence exams..." Slowly shaking my head. "...if I failed, I wouldn't have been inducted." I sighed heavily. "But I didn't fail. There was no reason to tell you if I hadn't passed... But I did. So that's why I'm telling you now!" But that wasn't good enough for her. "That's how you justify keeping this secret? That you MIGHT not have passed? Seriously? There was still that possibility that you could! You should have told me, Lucas! We don't keep secrets and for two weeks you kept a HUGE one from me!" But I wasn't going to give up, trying to make her understand. "I was hoping I wouldn't pass. I mean, it's not like I intentionally tried to fail, but I could have. Haley, I don't want to go. Can't you see that? If it were up to me, I'd stay here with you. We'd get married. Have a family..." I stopped midsentence, not having meant to say that out loud, at least not in this context. "It doesn't matter. You don't get it! This isn't about you leaving! This is about you not warning me before slapping me in the face with this... you should have warned me there was a chance and you didn't! You didn't say a word to me! Go home, Lucas Scott!" She turned on her heel, running back up the stairs to her bedroom, slamming her door behind her.
I wish I could have run after her, but I knew it wasn't socially acceptable for me to go into her room. I wouldn't care, but Jimmy came to the top of the stairs, looking down at me. "I think you should go now, Lucas." Nodding, I put my cap back on my head. "Thank you, sir." I turned to leave, walking out the door and shutting it behind me. But I couldn't leave... not like this. I walked around the side of the house to where Abigail's room was, grabbing a few pebbles out of the garden bed beside the house, taking a step back, tossing one up at the window. Tossing another, and another, I waited for her to come to the window. And when the curtains finally parted, I saw her, shaking her head down at me. Taking my hat back off my head, I held it over my heart, looking up at her, pleading with her. "Please, baby." She let the curtains fall back into place and I let my head fall, sighing heavily at the ground. I wasn't leaving though. Not like this.
"Go home, Lucas," I heard her voice from the back porch. Hurrying over toward her, I grabbed the porch column, looking up at her. "I can't. Not leaving things like this with you." But she wasn't budging, physically or otherwise. "I don't wanna talk." I looked up into her beautiful face, appealing to her, "We need to talk, baby. I love you, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I never wanted to hurt you." I hadn't. I had only wanted things to stay the same between us. I didn't want her to be in this pain she was in now because I told her any sooner. "I just need to breathe. Give me my space. Come back in a few days. I need to breathe. Please." My eyes widened, the sound of that baring a gaping hole in my chest. "A few days?" Swallowing hard, I stepped closer to her. "I leave on the tenth." I saw the fresh tears spring into her eyes and knew that had only upset her even more. "See! Another thing you forget to mention. Another secret! Two weeks we wasted... two weeks we could have been spending time together, preparing for goodbye and you didn't say word... and now this... you say nothing!"
She turned quickly around, telling me yet again, "Go home, Lucas." She quickly shut the back door after running inside it and I ran up the porch steps, coming up to the closed door. Placing my hand on the cool glass, a curtain the only thing keeping me from seeing more than only her silhouette against the door. "I did spend all the time together I could with you, but I didn't want to spend that time with both of us thinking this would be the last we'd see each other for the longest, Haley. I wanted to be able to spend time with you like we usually do, not with the war looming over us." She yelled back at me through the door without turning back to face me, and even though she was getting angry, I could still hear the tears in her voice. "GO home Lucas Scott! Now!" Blinking, I dropped my hand,speaking softly at the door. "I love you, Haley." Turning around, I walked heavy laden down the porch steps and back around the front of the house. Opening the door to my car, I slid in the front seat looking back up at the house, sighing heavily. I left in four days. If she didn't forgive me for keeping this from her... No, I wasn't even going to think of that. I would see her before I left for Europe. I had to. I only wish I had told her like Troy had told Gabriella. How Gabriella kept it from her sister, I'd never know. Would it have been better if she would have told her? No. I had to tell her. I just wish I hadn't been such a chicken and kept it from her.
I had just gotten off work when I saw Troy standing there outside the grocery store waiting for me. Smiling at him, I lifted my hand to my forehead, scratching it softly, pushing my hair back out of my face, tucking it behind my ear. "Troy," I blushed, giggling uncomfortably. "What are you doing here? I don't like you seeing me in my work clothes." I was sure I looked disheveled and unpresentable, and I always liked looking my best for him. I was sure even my makeup was worn off by now. I didn't even have any on me to freshen up my appearance. He smiled, taking my hand in his. "You always look beautiful, babe. No need to worry about work clothes." I bit my lip as he leaned into give me a quick kiss before pulling back. "I was hoping we could go for a walk in the park?" I smiled softly at him, nodding my head. "A walk sounds great." My feet kinda hurt, but I'd never turn down a walk in the park, or any time spent with my guy. He pulled my hand up to his lips, giving it a kiss. "Perfect." Smiling brightly at him, we turned to walk toward the park. It wasn't too far down the street. "So, I got this thing in the mail... and it's kinda hard to say what it is out loud..." I narrowed my eyes in on him, shaking my head. "What kind of thing? You can tell me."
I could tell from the look in his eyes that this wasn't easy for him, but I wouldn't pressure him any. I wanted him to know he could tell me anything, but he could take as much time as he needed to. "Uh..." he scratched the back of his neck with his other hand. "I got drafted." Stopping just before crossing the street toward the park, I turned to face him, looking up into his face. "Say that again..." I didn't want him to say it again, but I had to be certain. "Gabriella, I was..." He took a sharp breath. "...drafted. Into the war." Closing my eyes, I turned my head down. I knew that's what he had said, but I had hoped it wasn't. "Oh..." was all I could say, nodding slowly, not looking back at him as I turned my head, seeing we could cross the street now, taking a step down off the curb. "Wait," he stopped me by grabbing my hand and pulling me back up onto the curb toward him. "Say something." Looking back into his pristine blue eyes I bit my lip hard, swallowing and shaking my head, my voice barely coming out in a whisper, "I can't." Sighing, he relented. "We'll walk till you can." Thankfully he understood. I knew he would. He always understood me. He held my hand as we stepped off the curb and crossed the street toward the park.
But I still couldn't face him. Keeping my eyes facing in front of me, not turning my head or averting my eyes off my purpose... not to look at him. But I had to say something sometime. What did I say? I don't want you to go! I didn't, but it's not like he could just say he didn't want to and they'd let him stay. But it was all I could think of to say. "I don't want you to go, Troy." I didn't know how I could ever let him go. "I don't wanna go either," he told me, bringing my hand back up for another kiss against my knuckles." I swallowed softly, still not turning toward him. "But I don't have a choice." Finally looking at him, I swallow the lump forming in my throat, turning to face him fully. "I love you, Troy." Shaking my head. "I don't know how I can let you go like this." Troy leaned down, pressing a kiss to my forehead, lingering there. "I know.." His hands rubbed at my arms gently. "I swear if I wasn't being forced... I wouldn't leave you." Closing my eyes, I try my best to hold it together, even though inside my heart was breaking. "When–" My voice broke, belying my composure. I swallowed, taking a shaky breath. "When do you ... have to go?" I hated asking, but I had to know how much time I had with him before he had to go. "I don't know yet... I'm not even sure they'll allow me to fight. I got the paper a few days ago and went for my tests... We'll find out soon if and when I leave. I'm so sorry, beautiful." He rubbed my arms some more and I nodded my head slightly.
Lifting my arms, I wrapped them around him tightly. "How horrible is it of me to suggest you dodge it?" Closing my eyes, I wished we could move to Mexico, start a life there were he couldn't be pulled away from me by the draft. Sighing, Troy laid his head against mine. "You and I know I can't do that..." I knew he couldn't, but it didn't keep me from wanting him to stay. "...not when I'd become a fugitive. I wouldn't want to spend my whole life, our whole life hiding." Unable to keep the tears at bay any longer, they silently streamed from my ears, as I whispered. "I know..." I hugged him tighter. "I know." I hated that he couldn't. I hated that he couldn't just say that he didn't want to go and they'd let him stay. "I love you," he told me, leaning closer to me to kiss my forehead, wiping at her tears. I hated crying, but my guy was leaving for the war... Who wouldn't cry? "I love you so much. All you have to do is wait just a little while for me. I promise I'll be home." Pulling back to look at him, I licked my lips. "Wait for you?" Shaking my head, I made sure he knew, "I'd wait forever for your return, Troy." He smiled down at me, that smile that always made my heart jump. "Good because I can't wait to get home to you. It will be the one thing keeping me sane... the one thing I'll be holding dear and close to me to survive."
Closing my eyes tightly, I tried to keep the tears from falling more heavily. "You have to survive!" Opening my eyes, I inhaled quickly. "Don't talk like that, Troy!" I knew he hadn't meant it that way, but I couldn't help but think that. "I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to upset you." He kissed me gently. "I'll be fine." Taking a few short, quick breaths, I spoke softly, "You'd better be. You have to read every letter I'll send you," I told him, trying to smile. "I'm going to write you every single day." I wiped away a stray tear. "Good. Because I look forward to writing you back every single day." Wrapping my arms back around him, I closed my eyes tightly, holding him tightly, whispering softly, "I love you, Troy... Forever." He hugged me tightly, leaning his forehead back against mine. "I love you, Gabriella. Forever." I knew our love was forever. I knew he'd come home to me. He wouldn't leave me back here waiting for him and not come home to me. I just had to hope that this war didn't last so long. I could only bear it if he was gone for years. He was my life, my love... I knew he was my soul mate, and we belonged together. Not even a war could keep us apart.