This Is the World We Left for Dreamers and Believers

I woke to a silent, empty house. The only sign of my family was a note telling me that they had gone to the newly bought beach house and would be back in three days.

“Thanks for the invite.” I muttered, putting the A Rocket To The Moon EP into the CD player in the living room. Nick Santino’s voice filled the empty space all throughout the house. I was standing in the kitchen scanning the continents of the refrigerator when I felt two strong arms wrap around my waist. I froze. My memory flashing back to a almost identical scene, Ocala, five months earlier.


“Hey- Hey Annabel!” I shook my head, clearing my head and turning to Kennedy who had released me. His chocolate brown eyes were filled with worry.

“Oh. Yeah. Hey Kennedy.” I said quietly turning back to the refrigerator and grabbing the Green tea can off the top shelf, my head rested against the door frame. My head still swam from the clarity of the memory. How real it seemed. Kennedy lightly touched my arm, I turned to him. He took the can out of my shaky hand and sat it down on the counter behind him, pulling me to his chest. I wrapped my arms around him.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. Maybe I should learn to knock huh?” He asked leaning back, his rough fingers brushed something off my cheek. It was then that I realized I was crying. Whoop, whoop go me! Fail.

“It wasn’t your fault. This…It’s nothing really. Missing friends and stuff. Maybe. For all you know I could have been in here watching porn with a hobo. Imagine how awkward that would have been?!” He laughed, rubbing my back.

“Hobo porn? I’ma have to get into that.” I laughed.

“Kennedy! Gees! What are you doing in he- Oh. Sorry.” John was standing in the doorway staring at us. I pulled away leaving one arm around Kennedy’s small waist and leaned against the island in the kitchen.

“Hey John.” I said, waving with my free hand.

“Hey Annabel. You guys coming?” He asked refusing to make eye contact with either one of us. I looked down at the clothes I’d worn to bed last night. A pair of too big black sweatpants and a Hit The Lights shirt. Not suitable to leave.

“Do I really have to go anywhere? Why can’t anyone knock in this state?” I asked stomping my foot and walking into the living room. The guys close behind still laughing at my mini tantrum.

“Yes.” John said smiling. I melted inside.

“Do I really look ready to go anywhere?” I asked gesturing to my outfit. Kennedy sighed.

“This is gonna take forever!” He whined.

“Well maybe if one of yall could learn to pick up a phone we could have avoided you guys having to wait on me!” I said grabbing the remote and lowering the volume on the CD player.

“None of us have your number.” John said, staring at the Iphone that was in his lap. I reached over grabbing the sleek phone. He stared at me, his eyes wide with disbelief. I programmed my number in going through his contacts in the process. If a fan girl ever got hold of this she would be in heaven. Numbers ranged from Alex Gaskarth to merch guy Emilio Delgado.

“There now you have my number. Pick a phone once in a while!” I said smirking at him. He rolled his eyes looking out the window. His chin propped up on the blue splint. I looked to Kennedy who was flipping through my CD case. He stopped at something and pulled out the former CD replacing it with someone new.

Cause Jersey just got colder and I’ll have you know I’m scared to death
He sang along quietly. I mouthed the words. It was one thing to sing and be awful in front of best friends but guys you’d know a few days? Ha. No way.

“I was so amazed when this CD came out. They did an amazing job on it.” I smiled, my fingers still wrapped securely around John’s phone.

“I still am. It’s one of those albums that never gets old.” I said looking through his pictures. Random road shots, food and the friends and family were laced throughout the whole thing. I stopped at one. It was John and Kennedy standing in front of each other, fingers interlaced both seconds from laughing. I smiled.

“Will I ever get that back?” John asked pointing to his phone. I shrugged still staring at the picture.

“You mind if I send something to my phone?”

“Naww. Go right ahead.” He said absentmindedly picking at his fingers. I sent the picture and quickly deleted the text. I sighed looking at the two guys who occupied my living room. Both so unique in their own way. John was sexy, sweet, almost dangerous. Kennedy was adorable, the sweetest guy in the world, the one person you could go to with problems crying and walk away smiling. It was who they were. I dropped the phone into John’s lap and sat back looking at the ceiling.

“Jared is going to kill us.” Kennedy said turning to face me.

“Why?”

“We were suppose to be there in time for band practice which started ten minutes ago.”

“Don’t let me hold yall up go ahead and go.” John shook his head.

“Jared demands you be there. See?” He said shoving the phone in my face.

I don’t care what she wants! She has to come! Now! It read. I smiled.

“Ugh, Fine I’ll be right back.” I said climbing the stairs and putting on the black pants and The Used shirt I’d set out last night. I was laying on my bed, camera in hand looking through the pictures that were on it when John appeared in my doorway.

“Hey.” He said taking a tentative step into the room. I watched him scan the tall white shelf that held most of my belongings that had yet to put away over the past couple of days.

“Hey. Where’s Kennedy?”

“He left….So you and him huh?” I sat up dropping the camera on the bed beside me staring at the back of his head. ((THE BACK OF YO HEAD IS RIDICULOUS!))

“No? If you -and- Oh. No. That’s not it at all. We’re not together.” He shrugged pulling down a blue and green yearbook. His eyes scanned the glossy pages of my past. He turned to me smiling and read a signature that had been left.

“I can’t wait to have more hot, angry, make up sex and babies! Love yaw Baby Mama!”

“Heather’s my BabyDaddy! There’s more in there if you thought that was bad…..you have no idea.” I said laying back down, the camera back in my hands. He came over and sat down on the edge still flipping through.

“Are we procrastinating?” He asked, a playful gleam made his green eyes shine.

“Yes. For as long as possible. Now read. Ocala High is huge. There’s no way your done!”

“Who’s this?” John asked leaning over so I could see the picture. A pang of sadness and hurt shot through my chest. I looked away for a second before looking back at the picture. My finger traced each face as I named them off.

“This is Danny, Joyann, Hunter, Erin and Alex.” I said quietly, my fingers played with the class ring around my neck. John stared at it for a fraction of a second before looking back down at the picture.

“You all look pretty close. Danny especially.” I shrugged, placing the long chain back inside my shirt. He watched my movements closely. Xrn

“We were pretty close.” I said barely above a whispered. We both jumped at the angry buzzing of my phone on the bedside table. I quickly grabbed it, the caller I.D. read Drummer/ What the shit?

“Hello?”

“Hey it’s Pat. Where are you and John?”

“How did you get my number?”

“I’m stalking you. No. The night you first came over I programmed my number in and grabbed yours. Now come on before Jared kills someone!”

“Hey Callaghan! We gotta go!” I said hanging up and walking out of the room. John followed close behind. His hand caught my wrist right as we reached the bottom. I turned to him.

“What was that?” John asked, his mesmerizing eyes holding my dull brown ones.

“Nothing.”

“Don’t say nothing. That was something. It was one picture and it brought you to the brink of tears.” I sighed, shrugging.

“It’s the past. Can we leave it there? I-I’m not okay with talking about that part of my life…with anyone.” I said sliding my hand into his. “Please?” He nodded, a smirk now plastered to his face. His hand let go of mine and swiftly glided to my waist. I stared at him trying to decipher the look in his eyes. He slowly pushed me against the wall, my back made a soft thud when it made contact with the wall. He looked down at me, a cocky half smile donned his features.

“No more questions. Now hush.” He whispered leaning down, his lips brushed up my neck, along my jaw and stopped inches from my lips. His breath tickled my face. I closed my eyes and then suddenly he was gone, walking out the front door. “Come on.” He said smiling. I stood where I was rooted to the spot, processing what had just happened. The drive over was silent. We stopped in front of a gray house, neither bothering to move yet. I grabbed the handle and opened the door. His hand grabbed mine just as I was getting out.

“What?” I asked.

“We’ll talk later hun. You owe me an explanation.” I stared at him before getting out and walking into the house. My thoughts interrupted by choruses of ‘Heys’. I smiled at everyone. Jared’s girlfriend Daray just so happened to be the shit but even a new friend couldn’t stop my thoughts from wandering. Was it possible I was falling for John O’ Callaghan? Impossible, right?