My Heart Says That I Just Can't Quit

It was twelve. Twelve! We agreed on breakfast two hours ago! So now here I am, alone, at a diner, looking stupid.

As I checked my cellphone for the last time the waitress came around again.

"Hun, if this boy was worth it, he would've been here early," she advised, pulling out her notepad in hopes of getting an order from me.

I looked up at her, hopeless and ready to shove the salt shaker through the table. "Pancakes please."

She jotted down my order and shook her head before walking back to the kitchen. Minutes later she came back with a plate of six rather than the normal three and the whole bottle of syrup.

"Thought you'd need a pick-me-up," she winked.

I smiled, "Thanks."

Just about ready to drench my butter-smothered hotcakes in syrup, the bell above the door rang. Raising my hopes a little too high I eagerly spun around to look. Just some tourist with a Hawaiian-print shirt and a camera. Disparaged even more I ripped off the cap of the bottle and commenced the drowning.

Meanwhile the bell rang again, but I just concentrated on getting the fork into my mouth.

"Anymore room in this booth for me?" a meek voice asked.

"Yeah, yeah," I answered, shoveling yet another forkful in my face.

My best friend held the utensil from moving toward the fatty food anymore and forced me to look at her.

"I thought I'd find you here," she said with a sigh.

"That's because I told you. I was so excited..." I recalled, staring down at the sickening stack that I used as my scapegoat, "Ugh, how could this happen?"

"Because David likes to make promises he doesn't keep. Don't worry about it, I'm sure they're just running late from the last tour stop," she attempted to comfort, "Charlie, you know how much that van breaks down."

Somehow her words cut me like the knife I forced upon my pancakes. David. Oh how I loved that boy but hated him all the same.

"Devin, thanks but no thanks. I just don't want any sympathy right now," I rejected, setting a ten dollar bill on the table, subconsciously knowing that those pancakes would cost about half as much.

Devin followed me as I scooched out of the booth and hurried toward the exit. While my eyes adjusted to the sudden exposure to the sun, I saw a familiar silhouette. David...

"Sorry it took me so long," he apologized timidly.

I walked straight past him to my car and I noticed Devin had hung back and gone to her own. David sighed heavily and trailed behind me.

"I really didn't mean it, but the fans..." he tried pleading but I wouldn't listen.

Swiftly and shockingly I twisted around and glared at him. "David, you deliberately promised me ten. I'd understand if maybe you were twenty minutes late max, but you had me waiting two hours!"

He tried to cut me off and argue but I held up my hand.

"You know, I miss the time when our relationship was spontaneous and if I wanted to go to your house and see you I would. If you wanted to see a movie, we would. If we decided on going to the mall but last minute thought the park would be better, we'd go to the park," I unregretfully nagged, "But ever since this boyband thing blew up there isn't any time for us anymore! Every little thing we do has to be premeditated, and I know the fans are important and so is this music thing, but David, I miss having my friend!"

When I had wrapped up he pulled me into a hug and whispered calmly to me, "Charlie, believe me, I loved the spontanaety too, but we just can't do that stuff anymore. Times have changed."

His thumb stroked my bicep and I snuggled into his chest. "Are you breaking up with me?"

"We weren't even going out to begin with," he reminded me softly.

"Should have been..." I mumbled.

"Hm?"

"Nothing."

David let go and looked me in the eye. "We're leaving again tonight, but I promise to call. And this time I really mean it."

"You didn't last time?" I stubbornly commented, averting his gaze.

"I did, I really, really did. And this time I mean it twice as more."

I met his bluish-green eyes again and involuntarily grinned, "You better."

He chuckled and hugged me again. "I have to go now, but I just wanted to make sure you knew why I accidentally stood you up."

"It's okay. I forgive you," I replied, knowing full well I'd probably regret it.

"Okay, bye," he beamed, waving me off and fast-walking over to the VFC mobile that the band traveled in on tour.

While I watched it drive away Devin was quick to be at my side again.

"You gonna be okay?" she asked, watching the van that carried her very own Jayk - another addition to the boyband that we call friends.

"Yeah," I answered, getting my keys out from my pocket, "At least for today."