Dear John

I discreetly admired him from afar, watching all the fan girls throw themselves at him with him enjoying every moment of it. That faithful day filled my mind as jealousy consumed my heart.

"Let's gooo," Jade annoyingly urged as she pulled on my wrist hard, trying to get me to move. She wasn't at all successful though. "They'll be leaving soon, Colby!"

"So let them leave," I harshly answered, yanking her back. "What are they even doing here? John never mentioned them coming up to Dallas for the tour."

"I heard they were throwing a free concert on the radio," she replied with a smirk at the end. "And also, I heard it was John's idea." I rolled my eyes and folded my arms across my chest. "Oh, come on, Colby. You know he did it to find you."

I snorted loudly and looked away. "Whatever."

I broke up with Kevin when he came over as we were loading the moving trucks, begging me to try the long distance thing but I couldn't. I just couldn't do it. Ever since I left the mall to pack up the rest of my things, my mind had been on John and I repeatedly kicked myself about not leaving my number with him when I had the chance. Hell, John was always on my mind the past two months.

"Colby?" an unfamiliar voice asked from the opposite direction. "Colby Hawthorne?"

I turned my head, my eyes widening when they saw him. I stuttered. "P-pat K-Kirch?" He flashed me a warm smile as confusion suddenly filled inside of me. "Wait, how do you know my name?"

He chuckled, briefly glancing back at John who was still pre-occupied with fan girls. "Do you really have to ask?"

I forced a weak smile as I continued to stare at him. I missed gazing into his gorgeous green eyes that had me mesmerized in a trance as we talked but I missed his smile most of all. It made my heart melt whenever he flashed me one.

"Don't be fooled by his smile," he whispered into my ear. I slowly turned my head, keeping my gaze on John but eventually making it all the way back to look at him again. "He's only here for you."

I rolled my eyes, refusing to let myself believe the ridiculous yet desired idea as I grabbed Jade's arm and began dragging her towards the parking lot in fast pace.

"Hey!" she cried out, trying to wriggle out of my tight grip.

"Colby, wait!"

My pace quickened on its own.

"Can't you just stay for a few minutes?" Pat pleaded from behind, ignoring fans that kept screaming at him for his autograph and pictures as we pushed past them. "John really wants to see you."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, not looking at him but continuing my way through the crowd. "He doesn't even know I'm here."

"Well yeah," he agreed, his voice trailing off as if he were trying to think of something that would make me stay. "But he's a mess without you."

I scoffed, turning around and looking at him like he was crazy. "Nothing happened. We just had lunch and talked."

"I know," he replied, lowering his voice. "But he said there was a connection between the two of you and he hasn't been the same since."

I sighed, skeptically staring at him as I chewed on my lip while folding my arms across my chest and rapidly tapping my foot inside my shoe in a nervous rhythm. Could he be lying just to get me to stay? I mean, John O'Callaghan couldn't possibly be feeling the same way I was...right? He could have any one of the hundreds, thousands of girls surrounding and fawning over him. Why would he want anything to do with me? I'm nothing special, just a Plain Jane. A hoard of screaming girls running by prompted me to finally speak. "Was it John's idea to come here?"

"On the off chance that you'd come?" he questioned back with a gleaming smug. "John wouldn't have done this if he weren't chasing something worth finding."

I slowly smiled at his clever answer as I felt my cell phone vibrate. I took it out from my back pocket, seeing that I had just received a text message from my dad. As I read it, a frown gradually replaced my smile and I looked back up at Pat. "I can't stay. My dad wants me to be on my way home now."

He stared at me with a frown similar to mine as he glanced at John, trying to think of something to get John's attention away from the fans as Jade randomly took a photo of me with her polaroid camera, giving me an idea.

I asked Jade to take another picture of me since I wasn't prepared for the last one, asked a fellow fan for a sheet of paper, and began writing.
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"I'm guessing you didn't find her?" Garrett awkwardly asked.

I solemnly glanced behind me, his shoes appearing next to me only a little while later. I didn't answer as he placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed it for assurance. "Don't worry, dude. It's not the end of the world."

I took a silent deep breath as I helped Jared pack the rest of the equipment into the trailer, still not bothering to answer him. I just wanted to pack up and get the hell out of here.

"What's that?" Kelly, Garrett's girl asked, vaguely pointing to something on the van. I mentally rolled my eyes. How could you tell what was new on the van anyways? It's all a big clutter of mess nowadays.

Wth no care for whatever the hell it was, I stood still with my hands buried deep in my pockets and my gaze down on the pavement as the rest except Pat walked over and checked whatever it was out. Does it really matter? It's probably just another crazy, creepy fan comment.

"John," Kennedy's girl Callie started, causing me to move my head half-way up. She looked back at me with a blank or rather unclear expression. "It's for you."

I sighed heavily, reluctantly walking over to them and as I got closer, I could make out that the something on the van was a Polaroid picture stuck near the passenger window on top of a piece of paper. Suddenly, my heart fluttered with exhilaration as I realized who was in the picture. I quickly snatched the Polaroid addressed to me at the bottom and smiled widely, taking in her beauty as I began walking away from the others, separating the small piece of paper from behind, unfolding it, and reading the short note personally left for me.

Dear John,

Found out you were going to be in town so I thought I'd drop by. After I left, I took your advice and broke things off with Kevin. You were right. He didn't take it too well but I just couldn't pretend any longer and I didn't want him to get hurt in the end.

I didn't have the guts to come up to you but I bumped into Pat and he told me why you guys made the unexpected stop. I guess I wasn't the only one feeling the connection. Maybe we can do it again sometime? To be honest, I kinda regret not leaving my number.

Sorry I couldn't stay, my dad wanted me home but I hope your chase was worth it.

Love,
Colby

I couldn't help but widely smile throughout the entire letter as I read it repeatedly, taking in the feeling that it was all real. She did come and she feels the same way. I just wished she could've stayed for me to hear her say it.

Wanting to keep it in my wallet, I folded the paper back up and went to stick it back behind the Polaroid, catching the seven digits written in lower right-hand corner. "Call me."

My smile grew as I took my cell out and dialed her number, waiting anxiously to hear her angelic voice again.