Before It's Over

It is not common knowledge that Aiden and I were not from in Texas. We were both born in New Jersey. When I turned five, my father's job moved our family to Longview and we've lived there ever since. Aiden was in elementary school already, and I was entering kindergarten. At the time, I was completely infuriated with my parents for taking me away just when I was about to start out school for the first time. However, when we got to Texas, I sort of liked it. Then in the sixth grade I met Ross and everything sort of rocketed from there.

Texas and I bonded very quickly. I loved living there more than visiting any other place in the world. In time, I considered Texas my true home. I could never imagine living anywhere else. I don't know if Aiden feels the same way, but the rest of the guys are such Texas boys.

That why Ross, Adam, Shane, Norah and I were buzzing with the excitement of coming home. Norah could truly understand our home coming fever. She had gone away for school - Maryland, to be precise. She was studying painting at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Today she was finally coming home for the summer.

The Forgetting Curve was officially off Warped Tour duty for the next six days. There would be no suffering in the blistering heat, no long drives, and no Aiden yelling at us. All those things were ones that I was sure I wouldn't miss, but there was one aspect of Warped Tour that I wasn't looking forward to leaving.

"Hey, little sis," Norah said as she turned around in her seat to face me. "Why the long face?"

"She's upset because she just got Kyle and now she has to leave him," Ross chimed smugly.

I slapped his shoulder and he flinched rubbing the spot of contact.

"Shut up, Ross," I said.

"She didn't deny it!" Shane shouted from next to Norah without taking his attention from the AP magazine in his lap.

"Ugh! I hate all you people! Why is everything about me and Kyle?"

The van just chuckled quietly at me with the exception of my older brother, who was currently sitting in the passenger seat navigating. His eyes were squinted in concentration at the map in front of him. You would think he would know his way home by now.

"Hey, Aiden," I said cautiously. I really didn't want to get him angry if he was having trouble with directions.

"Yeah?" he responded, looking up from the map for a moment.

"What are we gonna do when we get home?"

It was a legitimate question. Our parents were currently away on some Hawaiian cruise and the house was pretty desolate in the food department. Aiden didn't have a room back home because my parents assumed that he would be living at the college campus then getting an apartment. So, I was wondering what the plan for the next few days was.

"Well, actually," he started in a slightly guilty tone.

"Oh, Aiden, what is it?" I whined, anticipating the worst.

"I was gonna bunker up at Adam's," he confessed, turning to give me an apologetic look.

"Are you sure you guys aren't from England, 'cause this British slang is really throwing me off," Ross said, his head still resting on my shoulder.

I rolled my eyes and pushed his face away with my palm. He gave me an offended look in return, but I just rolled my eyes once more. Ross leaned back in his seat and crossed his arm in the manner of a pouting three year old. I smiled, but quickly remembered what my brother was telling me.

"What do you mean you're 'bunkering up at Adam's'? I'm gonna be all alone at the house! Adam, don't you have a girlfriend to spend time with?" I asked, looking at Adam.

He shrugged and said, "She's at school still."

I groaned at leaned back against the seat. I stared aimlessly up at the ceiling for the rest of the long ride home. Ross repeatedly poked me in the arm to try and get my attention. I, however, was too engrossed in my moping. What was I going to do in a big house all alone? Ross could only occupy my interest for so long, though his energy could last for days. Norah and Shane were sure to spend some quality time together and with Shane's family. Hanging out with my brother and his best friend was still a bit strange, no matter how close I was to both of them.

As if answering my prayers, after I was dropped off at my childhood home and had dropped all my bags carelessly in my room, my cell phone buzzed in my back pocket. I pulled it out of jeans and fell back on my gray bedspread. I glanced at the screen to see a text message number that I didn't recognize. I opened it and read.

Hey I kno u just got home but u wanna go somewhere?

Confused I sent back a text asking who it was. The mystery texter responded almost immediately.

Kyle duh! so do u wanna hang? we have a 4:45 set.

When I took down my wall that was keeping me from being platonically involved with Kyle, I didn't think he would take advantage of it so quickly. He knew I was in Longview, didn't he? Even if I did say yes, it would take me over two hours to get to the venue. It was already one o'clock. That would give us a little over an hour to do whatever Kyle had in mind.

I was never one for texting. It was too slow for me. So, I entered Kyle's number into my contacts and called him.

"Hey Avery."

"Hi Kyle," I said as I sat myself up against my headboard. "What exactly were you expecting to do today? I'm all the way in Longview and you're in Dallas."

"Oh, crap" he said. I could hear him bring his palm to his forehead. "I forgot you lived in Longview. Dallas is a bit closer to home for us."

I waited for him to answer my previous question, but maybe he wasn't listening. I repeated myself and he apologized for zoning out. Kyle didn't strike me as the pondering type, but in the moment of silence I could tell that he was milling over something in his head.

"I was actually gonna ask if you wanted to go to Six Flags over Dallas with me and a few of the guys."

"Believe me Kyle, I would love to hang out. I'm all alone for the break. My brother and Adam are spending guy time together. Shane is with Norah and his family. Ross is with his parents today. So, I'm left here with no friends."

I jutted out my bottom lip, and slid down the headboard until I was laying flat on my bed. I turned over, bent left my arm and planted my head in my palm. My other hand held my cell phone to my ear. I heard Kyle breathing, but he didn't speak for a moment

"Why did you have to go away right after I convinced you to warm up to me? I wanna show off my new best friend!"

"Best friend?" I asked. "Does Kevin know about this?"

"K Dirty thinks you're no competition." Kyle said in a passive manner.

"Well I guess I'll just have to prove him wrong, huh?"

"I'm sure you'll have no trouble with that." Kyle chuckled lightly on the other line and I could almost see the smile on his face.

I felt something inside me twist in a bad way. I felt like there were words I wanted to say, but I didn't know what they were. They churned in my stomach and gave it a light feeling. The mystery phrase tried to climb up my throat and out of my mouth but something stopped them and my stomach flipped.

"Hey, Kyle. I'm gonna go," I said, not wanting explain the sick feeling I had. Kyle childishly 'awww'ed in response. "I'll see you in Atlanta?"

"Yeah. See you then, Ave. Bye."

It was impossible to ignore the drop in Kyle's tone. It made mine drop as well.

"Bye, Kyle"I miss you already.