Rollercoaster Ride

I almost lost all of my upset feelings toward John, if only he wanted to talk to me. I was trying to contact him but he was ignoring. He wouldn’t pick up my calls or text me back; he wouldn’t even bother to gather with us during break at school. He went home immediately after school ended. He didn’t show up for practice.

What bugged me even more was the fact that he was spending all of his time with Morgan now.

How did I know? I just knew. Words spread fast in the town.

It was the second week since John was ‘gone’. The others didn’t seem to care much, so I guess they knew what was behind all these. But none of them would tell me what it was when I asked them about it. Either they just ignored me or they distracted me.

You think I can dig some information from Pat, right? Well that was what I was thinking too, but when I asked him about it, the others would call him over and left me behind. Darn.

- - -

I was shoving some text books into my locker. The hallway was still empty – my class was dismissed before the bell rang. When I was done putting books into the locker, I slammed it close and turned to my side to walk away, only to bump into someone.

I looked up and met John’s green eyes.

He noticed it was me that he bumped into, so he turned around to walk away.

I stopped him to do so by grabbing his shirt and pulled him back. Or at least, attempting to. He kept on walking with my hand holding onto the hem of his shirt and my feet sliding on the floor. He was practically dragging me.

“What, is it some kind of a revenge now?” I spoke up, and he immediately stopped his step. My grip on his shirt loosened, but still holding it. He turned around and softly looked into my eyes. I suddenly felt so speechless under his stare.

“What revenge?” His voice sounded softer than any voice could do; it made me even more speechless.

“Y – You’re ignoring me.” Now I was stuttering. Great.

He smiled a little. “I’m sorry if that hurts you.” He placed the back of his hand on my cheek. “I’m just having some important things to do.”

“What are they?”

He retracted his hand. “I can’t tell you that. But by the time it’s done, I promise I’ll replace all the times I’ve been missing with you.”

“Are you just saying it?”

“No. I promise – for real.”

I smiled, and he smiled too. He leaned in and pecked my lips, just as the bell rang – the syndicate for lunch.

- - -

My eyes fluttered open. It took me a few moments to realize where I was. I was at the living room; I had fallen asleep earlier with the TV on. Currently, an episode of House was playing. I sighed as I turned it off and rubbed my eyes.

It was just a dream.

I missed John terribly.

I needed him.

I wanted his hugs – I wanted his long, lanky arms to wrap around me and sing me to sleep. I wanted his lips to plant on my forehead and whisper me a ‘goodnight, sleep tight.’

I was staring into space, lost in my own world filled with images of John. Oh, how bad did that boy have effect on me.

The bell rang. I didn’t feel like answering, so I just stayed where I was.

The bell rang continuously, seeing no one was answering. Soon enough, I heard footsteps running down the stair and the person opened the door.

“Ohhai,” Kennedy said to the guest.

“Is Daphne here?”

I froze.

John?

I slapped my cheek to make sure it wasn’t a dream again. It stung.

“Yeah, she’s at the living room,” Kennedy replied.

“Could you get her for me, please?”

“You can just come in.”

“I wanna take her somewhere.” I could get a hint of smile by the tone of his voice.

“This late?” Kennedy asked skeptically. I glanced at the clock above the TV. 10.45 PM.

“I promise I’m not bringing her out to somewhere weird… or do something to her that makes you rip my throat.”

I smiled at that. He is always the man of his words.

“Alright,” Kennedy agreed. “Daphne!”

I got up and approached the two who were at the front door.

“I’m pretty sure you heard our conversation,” Kennedy said.

“Yeah, I did. But should I go out in these?” I looked down to my outfit. I was wearing a pair of striped PJ pants and a long-sleeve green shirt. Arizona was pretty cold at night.

“It’s okay, really,” John smiled.

Shit. 2 weeks of not seeing him made me go crazy. Even crazier when I finally saw his smile, heard his voice, and looked at his eyes.

“We should get going, though; I don’t want to get you home too late. School tomorrow,” he said, taking my hand and leading me to his car.

“Be back before 4!” Kennedy shouted after us.

“Sure thing!” John replied.

John started to drive away. I was sleepy already, so I took a comfortable position and drifted off to slumber.

- - -

“Daphne.” Someone shook me lightly. I grunted. “Daph.” He shook me harder. “Don’t make me blaring Bring Me The Horizon, only to wake you up.”

I rubbed my eyes so I could easily open them. We were at the place where we had our first date – no, not the school’s rooftop. The other one, when we were watching the city lights.

This time, the lights weren’t as bright as we saw few weeks back. Maybe because it was 12.20 AM already.

“Wait for it,” he whispered, holding my hand.

A few minutes later, I saw something on the sky.

My eyes bulged wide.

Holy shit.

Meteor shower!

“Oh my god,” I whispered. “It’s so beautiful.”

“I know, right?” he chuckled.

We spent the next minutes watching the meteor shower in his car with his arms around me. It was cute to know the fact that he was doing it to make me feel warmer because he didn’t have a blanket in his car, and the temperature was pretty cold with the engine off.

“I’m sorry,” he sighed, leaning his head against mine.

“You apologize too much,” I laughed. “But this time, what for?”

“Still for not spending time with you.” I felt him cracking a smile. ““I’m sorry if that hurts you. I’m just having some important things to do.”

My body froze. The words were exactly like he said in my dream.

I gulped. “What are they?”

He sighed again. “I can’t tell you that. But by the time it’s done, I promise I’ll replace all the times I’ve been missing with you.”

“For real?”

He nodded.

We spent the next few minutes in silence.

He then cleared his throat. “Anyway, Daphne.”

“Yeah?”

“Homecoming’s next week right?”

I nodded.

“Would you – would you come with me? To homecoming?”

I pulled away, far enough to see his face.

He was biting his lower lip and looking down.

“Are you serious?” I whispered, smiling.

He nodded slowly and then his eyes traveled up to see mine. They were reflected with anxiety, hope, and some other things I couldn’t put my finger on.

“Of course I want to,” I whispered.

His nervous face cracked a small smile, which turned into a big grin soon enough. He leaned forward to peck my lips, and then rested his forehead on mine.

At 1 AM, he drove me back home even though I was whining to stay because the meteor shower hadn’t finished yet, but he told me he promised Kennedy to bring me home before 4 AM. And he also noticed my eyelids were almost fully closed.

It was 3.15 by the time we arrived at my house. He walked me to the front door and kissed me.

“Sleep tight,” he whispered.

I smiled. “Thanks, John.”

“You deserve it,” he smiled back.

“Drive safe.”

“Will do.”

He waited for me to get inside and locked the door. A few minutes after I locked the door, I heard his car’s engine being started and he drove away, back to his home.

I slept with a smile plastered on my face.