I'm Amazed That I Got This Far

Still John's P.O.V.

"John O'Callaghan, open this door!" My dad shouted, as he pounded on my bedroom door.

I stared at the door for a few seconds, wishing my dad would just poof into thin air, and I sighed. I turned off my keyboard and microphone, before standing up and going over to my door. I unlocked it and stepped back as the door flew open to reveal a not-so-happy dad. He came into my room with my books in his hands, and threw them on my bed.

"Your mother told me what you said earlier! You do not talk to her like that!" He said. "We raised you better!"

"Well, you two are trying to get me to do something I don't want to do!" I shouted as I threw my arms up.

"You do your schoolwork! I don't care who you think you are! You aren't a musician and you won't get there by failing school!" He boomed.

"I should just fucking move out." I said as I threw my books that were on my bed, onto my desk.

My dad grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and pulled me over to him. "You don't use that language in this house. You won't be able to be a musician if you have a broken jaw."

"So now you're threatening to break my jaw?!" I laughed. "How is that supposed to help me do anything, Dad?! You act like that will get me to do my schoolwork; it won't."

"You were raised better than this!" My dad exclaimed. "You act like you run this house! Who are you to tell us that you don't want to go to school?!"

"I don't know but I'm not finishing high school, just so you know." I stated.

"And who said?" He scoffed.

"I did." I said as I grabbed my jacket and walked past him. "I'm leaving Phoenix, Arizona as soon as I fucking can!"

"And where are you going to go, John?!" He asked.

"Tempe!" I screamed.

"You have no money, no job, nothing! How do you expect to get a place to sleep!?"

"I'll sleep on the street!" I yelled as I stormed down the stairs.

My mom looked over at me from the archway of the kitchen with wide eyes. She knew I would do what I said. She knew I'd move out, and she knew I'd sleep on the street if I didn't have any place to go, which obviously scared her. I grabbed my shoes and cell phone, before walking out of the house, and slamming the door. I jumped down the porch stairs and passed up my car on the driveway. I started down the sidewalk and went towards the woods.

There was a place in the park that was mine and Kalen's place since the 2nd grade. We found it when our parents took us to the park one day; when Kalen's parents didn't despise me. We have a certain place where we put two logs to sit on, and we had a sign there for years, before someone ruined it, but that didn't stop us from knowing where it was. Kalen and I would go there every time we needed to think. I usually came here late at night when shit like this goes down with my parents, and sometimes I call Kalen down to come talk to me. I looked at the time on my cell phone and it was only 8:30 PM. I knew Kalen wouldn't want to come out here tonight since I upset her about homework, and I just needed some time alone.

Once I got to the park, I walked towards the woods and made my way down the small dirt path that led to God knows where. I found mine and Kalen's path that we made with stones, and got off the dirt path. I looked around as the leaves crunched under my feet and sticks snapped. I took my jacket off since it wasn't that cold out and tossed it onto one of the old logs, once I got to our spot. I walked over and sat down on it, before putting my head in my hands.

No one understood how much I want this; I don't even think Kalen understood what being a musician would mean to me. Everything I've ever wanted to do revolved around music; I even took extra music classes in middle and high school. Singing was my passion and it's all I ever wanted to do. I wanted to get a band together and take off, and look how good that turned out. My parents mock my fails and tell me I'll never get where I want to, while Kalen believes in me and she knows I'll get there. It's hard to believe my parents don't even believe in their own son, and it hurts. I guess as long as I have one person to support me, I'll be okay.

I sat around in the woods for a few hours, before looking down at my cell phone for the time. 11:38 PM. I sighed and stretched out along the log and laid on my stomach. I rested my head on my jacket and laid there for a while, just staring at the dark surroundings around me. I wasn't going home. I wasn't going to go anywhere but here for tonight. I sighed softly and closed my eyes, trying to get some sleep.

School tomorrow is a no-go.

Kalen's P.O.V.

I woke up to my alarm going off, and I quickly turned it off. I swung my legs over the edge of my bed and slowly slid off the mattress. I trudged over to my dresser and grabbed some clothes for the day, before going into the bathroom to shower.

After I took my morning shower, I stepped out and wrapped a towel around myself. I brushed my teeth, brushed my hair, and put on some make up, before getting dressed in my clothes. I hung the towel that has been around my body on the rack, and grabbed a different one to dry my hair a little. I wasn't in the mood for fixing it up, so I just left it wet and wavy. I left the bathroom as my little sister, Kayla came out of her room.

"Are you done in there?" She asked as she rubbed her eyes.

"Yeah." I nodded, before walking into my room.

I gathered up my school books and looked over at the time. John should be here to pick me up in about 10 minutes, and I was just about ready. I grabbed my jacket for the day, and pounded down the stairs, in search of some shoes. Once I found the pair I wanted, I slipped them on and opened the front door. John wasn't in the driveway, and this was usually the time he came. I sighed and pulled out my cell phone, before calling it.

"Hey, it's John...I'm not here. Leave a message, I guess. Bye."

"Ugh, John." I said as I hung up my phone.

I stuck it in my pocket as my sister came down the stairs and grabbed a jacket. I walked over to the hall table and grabbed my car keys, knowing today I was going to drive. I don't know if John over-slept, or was just running late, but I refused to be late for school.

"Are you driving today?" Kayla asked me.

"Yeah. Want to ride with me instead of going on the bus?" I replied.

She nodded and smiled, before grabbing her things. The two of us walked out of the house and down to my car. We got in, and I started the engine, before pulling out of the driveway, and taking off towards the junior high, which was right behind our high school, thankfully, or I wouldn't be taking Kayla. Once I got to the junior high, I pulled up to the curb, and Kayla got out.

"Thanks, Kalen." She said, before shutting the door and running towards the big doors of the school.

I pressed on the gas pedal, and made my way out of the drop-off line, before taking off towards the high school, only a short distance away. After literally two minutes, I pulled into my usual parking spot, and put my car in park. I turned everything off and just sat in my car. I looked over at where John usually parked, and the spot was empty. I sighed and got out of the car, before grabbing my books. I shut the door of my car, and walked towards the school with my other classmates that drive to school.

Once I got inside the building, I went down to my locker and spun in my combination. I opened the door and set my things inside, before grabbing my first period things; English...which I had with John, so if he wasn't there, I know he didn't show up for sure. I shut my locker and made my way down the hallway alone.

It wasn't a new thing that John didn't show up; sometimes he just didn't show up and usually told me, but today he didn't tell me. When he gets in arguments with his parents, he gets pretty upset and doesn't want to go anywhere or do anything, so he stays in his room. After school I planned to go over to his house and see if he was there, just to make sure he was okay. I know I wasn't his mother; I was his best friend, but I still worried about him sometimes because he can do some pretty stupid shit.

After the warning bell rang, signaling to get to class, I turned on my heel and made my way down the hallway. I don't even know why I walked around by myself; I just did, I guess. I should've just gone into my classroom and try to get a hold of John, but I had a feeling he was still sleeping if he was still at home. I walked into my English class just as the bell to start the day rang, and I took my seat. Mr. Thomas stood up and went over to his podium, before taking attendance.

"Kalen." He said after reading down the student's with the last names from A to L.

"Here." I sighed.

"John." He said, before looking around the room when no response came. "O'Callaghan...?"

No one said anything, since John wasn't here, and Mr. Thomas looked at me. I looked back at him and shrugged.

"You know where John is, Kalen?" He asked. "You two are best friends, right?"

"Yeah, I don't know where he is." I said with a shrug. "He's probably sick."

"John, sick...okay." He said to himself. "He's more likely to be in the cafeteria skipping."

I sighed softly and looked at my phone to see if John tried to call or text me. Nothing. I put my phone back in my pocket and crossed my arms over my chest, as class started.

After English, I went to Pre-Calc and History, then it was time for lunch, which I also had with John. I walked down to the cafeteria alone...and ate...alone. I got some of my homework for tonight done, since John wasn't sitting across from me throwing french fries and pieces of his bread at me, so it was kind of peaceful, but I didn't like it. I missed having John with me to bring my day up. If I was having a shitty day, he'd be the one to find a way to make me laugh, which I loved. I put my papers away as the bell to go to next period rang, and I gathered my things. I walked out of the cafeteria and walked to my next class...which again, I had with John.

At the end of the day, I walked out of my last period class, which I also had with John, and went to my locker. I put in the three-code combination, and opened the door. I put my books away and grabbed the few folders I had homework in. I made sure I had everything I needed, before I shut my locker, and walked down the hallway.

I went out to the parking lot and jumped in my car, before pulling out of my spot and taking off towards the junior high, to pick up Kayla. I pulled up to the curb and Kayla was talking with some friends. She looked over at me and said bye to her friends, before coming over and getting into my car. I made my way out of the line, and started to drive home.

"How was your day?" I asked Kayla.

"Good. Yours?" She replied.

"Boring. John wasn't there." I said with a sigh.

"He probably killed himself or something." She mumbled, never taking a liking to John, as well as my parents.

"That's not even funny, Kayla. John's too smart to do that." I said.

"Whatever you say. No one likes him. People talk about him at the junior high. A place he hasn't been in years."

"That's bull." I said as I turned up the music.

"It's true." She said with a shrug.

I rolled my eyes and continued to drive home. Once I pulled into the driveway, I put my car in park, and Kayla got out.

"Thanks, Kalen. Where are you going?" Kayla asked.

"I'm going to the park." I lied. "To do some homework alone."

"Oh, okay. Bye." She waved.

I waved back, before backing out of the driveway, once Kayla was safely in the house. I drove down the street and made my way to John's house. Once I got there, I pulled into the driveway and his car was there. I smiled with a sigh of relief, and got out of my car, before rushing to the front door. I knocked on it and waited for an answer, knowing his parents were at work, so he'd have to answer. After there was no answer, I lifted up the flower pot that was on the edge of the porch and took the house key from under it. I unlocked the door and walked into the house, thinking John was probably asleep.

I walked up the stairs slowly, feeling awkward being in my best friend's house without permission, but I know John wouldn't care. His parents wouldn't either, since they know who I am. I went to John's bedroom door and knocked a couple times. No answer. I turned the knob and went in to see John's bed unmade, and him not in it. I looked over at his nightstand, where he always charged his phone, and his phone was gone. I sighed and walked out of his room, before going down the stairs and out the door. I locked his house back up, put the key back, and walked over to my car.

John had no other friends to really go to; he didn't talk to many other people, unless they were from another school. I decided to go check at a spot that has been ours since the 2nd grade. Maybe he went down there to have some time to himself this morning. I pulled out of his driveway and took off to my destination.

When I got to the park, I looked around and there was no one there. I got out of my car and walked over to the woods. I started down the dirt path, trying to listen for any sign of John being here. I walked over to our path of rocks we set out in the 4th grade, that were still there, and made my way to our spot. Once I got there, John was laying in the dirt, with his head on his jacket. He was sleeping and his phone was next to him. I walked over to him and squatted down.

"John." I said as I shook his arm. "John!"

"What?" John sighed as he sat up, before rubbing his eyes. "What are you doing here, Kay?"

"I was worried that something happened to you, maybe? You didn't show up at school and you didn't tell me." I said as I sat on a log.

"Oh." He said. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. Were you late?"

"No." I said with a shrug. "But every single teacher asked if I knew where you were."

"Well, it's none of their business." He mumbled.

"I told them you were sick, so." I said, before heaving a small sigh. "Are you okay?"

"My back hurts but I'm good." He nodded.

"You slept here all night, John?" I asked.

"Yeah." He said. "I didn't sleep much...hence why I was just sleeping."

"Sorry." I said. "Why didn't you call me?"

"I upset you about the whole homework shit yesterday and I didn't want to bug you." He said as he pulled himself onto the log next to me. "And I just needed to think."

"Come to any new conclusions?" I asked, hoping it was to actually try in school.

"I want to become a musician even more." He said. "I'm fed up with my parents, school, and everything else in my life at the moment. My dad chewed my fucking ass out last night, which is why I came here."

"I'm sorry, John." I said with a slight frown, before pulling a folded piece of paper out of my pocket. "I wrote you a note in third period...I was super bored."

He laughed and took the note from me. "Thanks, Kay. How girly of you to write me a note."

I smiled. "Well, you know, I am a girl."

"Yeah, you look like one." He said with a chuckle.

"Thanks, I guess?" I said.

"Anytime." He smiled. "So, why'd you come here? Try and get me to come to school tomorrow? Nag me about homework? Yell at me since I didn't call before I left home?"

"No. Just to see if you're okay." I said as I looked at him. "I worry about you sometimes, John."

"Why?" He asked with a small smile.

"Sometimes I-I just think you'll leave." I said with a shrug. "You'll leave me here alone and go somewhere to find a band."

"That's ridiculous." John said. "If I left, I'd take you with me, bestie."

I smiled. "Thanks, John."

"And you'd be the first one to know I was leaving." He said.

"Good." I said.

He smiled and nodded before extending his arms. "Sorry."

"You're forgiven." I said with a smile, before giving him a hug.

And this is why we're best friends.