You Clicked Your Heels and Wished for Me

"John--stop!" I squeeled. He was dragging me down the sidewalk while I was digging my heels into the cement. "You didn't let me tell my boss that I was leaving. Because I'm not fucking supposed to be leaving! Why don't you care that I could get fired?"

"You're right. I don't care about whatever ties you're clinging to here. You're coming with me whether you want to or not. Wren and Kennedy came, and Garrett's the only one else here. You shoud see the baby." He snickered. "It's fat as hell."

"John Cornelius O'Callaghan, that's a terrible thing to say." I snorted with my incredulous stare focused solely on him.

"Then why are you laughing?" He chuckled, nudging me with his elbow. "You're still the same. Hard to believe it's been four months, huh?"

"I missed you guys."

"We missed you, too, Andy." He scratched his head. "Every single one of us."

"Andrea," I corrected for the second time, even though it was useless. "Why didn't he move on?" I muttered before I could slap my mouth shut.

"Why didn't you?"

"Ugh," was my only response. John took me by the wrist, now that I'd forgotten to resist, and made sure I didn't leave his side for anything. He continued leading me down streets I'd never seen before, until we were at the heart of the city--in all it's dirty, lit-up glory. "Did he really miss me?" I didn't know why I was asking.I didn't care.

"Um, yes. Whenever he sees Wren and Kenny, he gets this weird look on his face like 'that could've been me, but I met up with my ex-girlfriend to talk about an engagement ring for my current girlfriend, but she took it all wrong, and fled the state until she was at the east coast pretending like she never even cared about me.'"

"Make all that up by yourself, then?" I snorted, shoving my hands into my pockets. Then it hit me. "Did you just say 'engagement ring?'"

"Never mind." John shook his head, "And no. Pat helped me with that one." He got me in a headlock, and messed up my hair--which was getting incredibly long. I barely recognized myself. I'd taken my piercings out, grown out my hair, and stopped pinning my bangs to the side. I guess my attitude wasn't the only thing that'd changed.

"So, what've you done since you got here?" I asked, pretending to be interested in the scenery--including a bush, a fire hydrant, and two chain-smokers picking up trash.

"We went to the Yankees game to make fun of them. They lost to Cleveland by nine, and it was fucking awesome. God, I hate this city. You better be happy that we love you so much." He said, "We could've let you go."

I was quiet, chewing on the inside of my cheek.

"He could've forgotten all about you, Andy." I looked up when he called me Andy. I wasn't used to it. The last time anyone said that name, it was at Wren and Kennedy's wedding, where I sat by myself, and drank the entire champagne fountain without assitance. I was still three years underage at that point. "But he didn't. He came out here, and goddamnit, I'm going to make you love him again."

I stopped walking, about to say something, but closed my mouth.

John stopped, too, just to give me that knowing half-smile that gave me anxiety. "You never stopped, did you?"

"I have to pee." I said, as I quickly shuffled ahead of him. He just rolled his eyes, I'm sure, and added it to the list of times I'd run away from my problems.