Rollercoaster Ride

I sat Indian style on Kennedy’s bed, staring at his back. He turned around from the screen of his computer and startled when he saw me.

“Since when are you here?” he asked, leaning into his seat.

“Kenny, I’m so sorry of what I said,” I apologized; my voice was muffled by the pillow I was holding.

“You’ve said it before, Daph,” he said softly.

“But I really am sorry.”

He noticed I kept my voice down and didn’t make an eye contact with him all the time, so he sat next to me.

“What’s wrong?” he asked attentively. “Hm?”

“Morgan’s back,” I mumbled.

“She did?!” I nodded. “Oh my god, since when?! I wanna see her!!”

I threw him a glare and grunted before going back to my room.

He’s not helping.

- - -

I decided to take a morning walk on the next morning. Ain’t it a shocker?

I was heading to the park (like I had any more option) although I didn’t really want to, especially after seeing Morgan yesterday.

I walked toward the swings but immediately ducked behind the bushes when I saw John was walking together with a person that I wanted to see the least.

You shouldn’t be that dumb to guess who it was.

I knew I shouldn’t be eavesdropping, but I didn’t know what to do besides that.

“I really didn’t see you coming back,” I heard John’s voice said.

She laughed. “I graduated high school early. Couldn’t stand the seniors there, and I skipped grades too, so…”

John chuckled. “I remember I was really shocked when you suddenly said you were gonna move to Australia. I mean how couldn’t I? You moved the next day after you told me.”

“Yeah, sorry for that,” she chuckled. “Actually they offered me college scholarship in Brisbane.”

“And?”

There was a hesitation. “I declined it.”

“As usual, you are so unpredictable!” John laughed. “Why?”

Another hesitation. “Because of our promise.”

My breath got caught in my throat. I couldn’t bear to hear more, so I got up and began to run back home, ignoring of my name being shouted behind.

I immediately locked myself in my room when I got home.

I was 11 and liked John so much. And I didn’t care whether John told me stuff about how he liked Morgan; because that was the only way I could be close to him. Call me two-faced, I didn’t care.

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t happy when I found out Morgan was leaving for Australia. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t sad when I saw the pained look on John’s face.

I didn’t know what to feel at that time; I was happy that Morgan left, but at the same time, I also felt bad for John because I knew how he liked her.

But then, I was really grateful that Morgan left. Especially after saw she kissed him right on the fuh-reakin’ lips before she left to go to the airport.

“Don’t break our promise, okay?” I remembered what John said before she left. No one told me what the ‘secretive’ promise was, but once again, I was grateful that Morgan left because that way, I could have John for myself.

I never thought Morgan would come back this fast.

I sensed something was not going to be right.

I just knew.

- - -

I hated the fact that Morgan was near to perfection; she was smart, she rocked on PE, she was pretty, slim – god, everything that a girl wanted was in her! I swore every guy in our school had had a crush on her – during the elementary years, though.

And her eyes? Ugh, I would gladly pop them out since they dazzled everyone who stared at it.

Even John was dazzled.

I didn’t understand why Morgan was here, in our school, right now, in the cafeteria, sitting in our usual table.

I didn’t understand the way John looked at her as if he had never seen a girl before.

I didn’t understand why they seemed so happy talking with each other.

I didn’t understand why I felt like an… outcast in the table.

I sighed, suddenly losing my appetite. Getting up as I gathered my stuff on the table, I left the cafeteria. Again, ignoring my names being called.

I headed to the rooftop, and when I got there, I scanned the place. No one was there but me.

This place was where I had my first date with John. Sure, we went out just the two of us a few times before, but never went on a date.

Sighing, I sat on the ground while looking for my iPhone and its earphones in my bag. When I got them, I plugged the earphones into my ears and the chord into the phone before listening to some music, and I was slowly falling asleep.

I was awake at 3.20 PM when someone called my phone. I didn’t give a damn of who it was; I went back home without even answering a call, or replying a text.