I'm Amazed That I Got This Far

"We should probably head home, now." I told John as we still sat on the log, after about an hour of talking.

"I'm not going home, Kay." John sighed. "I'll just stay here again tonight."

"No, you're not." I said, before standing up. "You're coming home with me, then."

"No, it's fine." He said as he shook his head.

"What if something happens to you?" I asked.

"Nothing happened last night." He stated. "Nothing will happen tonight."

"Well, you should go to school, John." I said as I grabbed his hands to pull him up. "You're coming to my house."

"Your parents are home. If they catch me, your dad will slit my throat and hang me over the mantle." He said.

"No, he won't! They won't know you're at my house. You'll just stay in my room and I'll bring you up some food after dinner." I said. "Please, John?"

He groaned and stood up. "Fine. Just because you're my best friend."

"Good." I smiled. "Now come on. You need to shower."

John nodded and him and I made our way out of the woods. Once we ended up on the dirt path, we walked down it, towards the field of the park. We walked across the playground and went towards my car, before getting in. I started it up and backed out of my spot, as John rested his head on the window and shut his eyes, obviously still tired from his lack of sleep last night and today.

I felt bad that John slept in the woods last night, and I wish he would've called me. His parents always got on his back about school and wanting to chase his dreams, and John always got upset. He wouldn't talk it out with them; he would just run. He would go as far as he could and just sleep wherever there was space. If I wouldn't have found him, he might've stayed in that spot for a couple days, only leaving to go find something to eat at a gas station or somewhere cheap. I usually took him to my house when I found him, unless he decided to go back home.

At my house I would let him shower, I'd feed him, and allow him to have a decent amount of sleep. He just hated coming to my house because he had to be extremely quiet the whole time, and I would force him to go to school. He knew he could probably get away with not going with me sometimes, but he never pushed it because he knew better. He knew if he acted like that, I wouldn't be around long, so he usually listened to me. He had his stubborn moments, but there weren't many, thankfully.

Once John and I arrived at my house, I pulled up into the driveway and I turned off my car. John and I got out, and we walked towards the front door. I opened it and looked inside, to see my parents shoes there. I sighed and looked at John.

"My parents are home." I whispered.

He nodded, knowing the drill, and left the porch. I walked into the house and shut the door behind me. I made my way into the kitchen and set my car keys down. My parents looked at me from the family room.

"Hi, Kalen." My mom smiled.

"Hey, Mom." I said with a smile. "Hey, Dad."

"Hi. How was your day?" My dad asked.

"Fine." I nodded.

"Where have you been?" My mom probed.

"I went to the park to do some homework. Kayla didn't tell you?" I replied.

"She said just that, but I was making sure." She said with a sigh. "Dinner will be ready in about 20 minutes."

"Okay." I nodded, before walking towards the foyer, and going up the staircase. I went past Kayla's room, and I went into my room, before shutting the door. I locked it behind me and went over to my window. I opened it and John was standing below, leaning against the house.

"John." I said.

He looked up at me and nodded, before standing on our air conditioner. He was so lucky he was tall and skinny, or else he wouldn't able to act like a monkey on our property. He stood on top of the air conditioner and reached towards the tree that was somewhat next to my window. He grabbed onto a branch and swung up onto it, before climbing higher into the tree. He crawled slowly towards my window, holding the branch above him so he wouldn't fall. Once he got as far as he could go, without the branch breaking, I held out my hands and he grabbed one of them with his left hand, before making his way into my window, being careful not to fall two stories down.

"Thanks." He said, as he shut my window.

"No problem." I said. "Dinner's in 20 minutes, so I'll bring some food up afterward. Anything special?"

"Just something edible." He smirked as he sat on my bed, before rubbing his dirty arms.

"Go shower." I said as I pointed towards the bathroom. "Before dinner."

"Okay." He said.

He stood up from my bed and I walked over to my bedroom door. I opened it slightly and no one was in the hallway, so John went into the bathroom and shut the door. I heard the shower start going, and I walked out of my bedroom, towards my parents room. I walked inside and over to my dad's dresser. I dug down to the bottom of the drawer, before pulling out some clothes that my dad hasn't worn in years, and wouldn't realize they're gone.

I shut his drawer and walked out of his room, as Kayla came up the stairs. She looked at me, then at the clothes, then at the shut bathroom door. She gave me a look.

"Don't tell anyone." I said through gritted teeth.

"He's here?" She asked.

I nodded and went towards the bathroom.

"I'm telling!" She said.

"If you do, I'll kill you, Kayla." I said. "What do you want?"

"To wear your new shirt tomorrow." She smiled.

"No! That shirt won't fit you and it's too expensive!" I said.

"Fine." She sighed, before walking down the stairs.

"Fine, Kayla!" I grunted.

"Okay." She grinned.

I walked into my room and pulled out the new, expensive shirt that I bought a couple weeks ago, and handed it to Kayla. She thanked me and sent me a smile, before walking into her room and shutting the door. I rolled my eyes and opened the bathroom door enough so my arm could fit through. I set the clothes on the counter and I heard John move the curtain.

"Thanks." He said quietly.

"Welcome." I said, before shutting the door again.

I went into my bedroom and sat down on my bed. I turned on my TV and put it on mute, so I would be able to hear when John needed the okay to leave the bathroom. I laid back on my bed and sighed, as I watched the actors and actresses silently talk to one another. My eyes started to shut when I heard John bang on the shower wall, telling me he was done and dressed. I stood up quickly and went out of my bedroom. I looked down the hallway and no one was coming, so I opened the bathroom door.

John came out with his dirty clothes in his hand, and he was dressed in my dad's clothes, that were a little small, since John was taller than my dad. His hair was soaking wet and he smelled a lot better. I took his dirty clothes from him and we walked into my room. I set his dirty clothes on my desk, so I could wash them later, and he sat down on my bed.

"Thanks." He said as he laid back on my pillow.

"Welcome." I sighed. "Did you eat anything all day today?"

"Just some gum that was in my pocket." He shrugged.

"Are you hungry?" I asked.

"Starved." He corrected me.

"Okay." I nodded, knowing that I should probably bring more than enough food upstairs so he could eat plenty.

"Kalen, dinner!" My mom called from the bottom of the stairs.

I looked at John. "I'll bring you some food in a little bit."

"Okay, thanks." He smiled. "I'll just...lay here."

"Okay." I chuckled.

I opened my bedroom door, and made sure it was locked, before shutting it. I walked down the stairs to see my parents and Kayla sitting around a table of food. There were mashed potatoes and gravy, grilled chicken, and green beans, and there was plenty to go around for John. I took my seat next to Kayla, at the table, and we all started to eat and talk about our days.

We had the same family conversation everyday, so I never really had to pay attention, while I was trying to think of how much food to take for John...and how to do it without getting caught. I ate most of my food that I put on my plate, and when everyone else was done at dinner, I took some more food and loaded it onto my plate.

"Someone's hungry." My dad smiled.

"Can I take this upstairs to eat?" I asked. "I didn't eat breakfast or lunch today and I'm starved."

"I guess. Don't make a mess." He warned.

"Thanks." I said as I stood up.

I walked towards the stairs and went up, before going to my room. I knocked on the door quietly, and I heard John squat down on the floor to see if it was me under the door. I smiled and rolled my eyes as he opened the door and smiled. I walked in and handed him the plate.

"Thank you so much." He said as he took it over to the desk, and sat down.

"There were green beans, but I know you don't like them, so I didn't bring any up." I shrugged as I sat on my bed.

"Thanks." He said again, before he started eating.

I smiled and nodded, before laying down on my bed. "What have you been doing?"

"Just watching your muted TV." He said through a mouthful of food. "And creepin'."

"You were looking through my stuff again?" I chuckled.

"No underwear drawer, I promise." He said with a small laugh.

"Okay." I smiled, as I laid down and put my face in my pillow.

After John cleaned his plate, I took it out of my room, and went downstairs. I washed it off and put it in the dishwasher, before going back upstairs. John and I got ready for bed around 9:30, in the bathroom, before going into my room. I pulled back the covers of my bed and I shut my door and locked it. Around 10:15, John was ready to hit the sack, so I shut the light off, and we got into my bed.

"Goodnight, Kalen." John said, after he turned on his stomach.

"Goodnight, John." I replied, before falling asleep.

The next morning, my alarm started going off, and I turned it off. John didn't hear it go off, considering he was still sleeping, and I got out of bed. I walked into the bathroom and turned on the light. I jumped in the shower and washed up quickly. I stepped out, dried off and threw on the clothes that I brought with me into the bathroom. I brushed out my hair and brushed my teeth, then I left the bathroom and walked back into my room, before flipping on the light and walking over to John.

"John." I whispered as I shook his arm. "It's time to get up."

He groaned, his face buried in my pillow, and he shook his head no.

"Come on. I gave you an extra 20 minutes." I sighed. "Please?"

"Fine." He said as he picked his face up from my pillow.

He sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He ran his hands through his hair, not bothering to find a brush, and he walked into the bathroom to brush his teeth and get ready. I walked into the bathroom after him and put on some make up. Once the two of us finished getting ready, we walked out of the bathroom and down the stairs.

John put on his shoes once we got down into the foyer and I smiled. He looked over at me.

"What?"

"You just look funny cause you can barely move in those pants." I chuckled.

"Well, they're yours!" He smiled. "So, be quiet. I'm glad you have a nice collection of v-necks, though."

"Thank you?" I said as I grabbed a jacket.

"You're quite welcome." He said as Kayla came down the stairs.

"Will you take me today?" She asked, adjusting my top that she was wearing.

John looked over at the over sized shirt that was on her and smiled, before looking down at the ground, trying not to laugh.

"Yeah, sure." I said. "As long as you keep your mouth shut about John staying here."

"I will." She sighed, before putting on her jacket.

I nodded and grabbed my things, while Kayla did the same. The three of us walked out of the house and I locked the door behind us, before we went over to my car. John got in the passenger's seat, as I got in the driver's seat, and Kayla got in the back. I started the car, pulled out of the driveway, and headed towards the junior high school, just like yesterday.

Once I dropped Kayla off at the junior high, I drove off the the high school. I parked in the same spot I did yesterday, and John and I sat in the car for a few minutes. When kids started walking through the doors of the school, John and I climbed out of my car, and walked towards the doors. We started down the hallway, once we got inside, and down to my locker. I put in my combination and pulled out my books I needed for first period. I tossed my other ones that I took home yesterday into my locker, before shutting the door, and walking to John's locker with him.

"Good morning class." Mr. Thomas said, once the bell to start first period rang.

The class mumbled a few 'Good mornings' as Mr. Thomas pulled out his attendance sheet. John laid his head on his desk, that was next to mine (since we were seated in alphabetical order) and sighed.

"John." Mr. Thomas said as he looked around the room.

"Here." John said, his head still on his desk.

"Pick your head up, O'Callaghan. You were gone yesterday so you better pay attention." He said.

John slowly picked his head up and looked at Mr. Thomas, who smiled and continued to do role call. Once he was done, he started to go over what we did yesterday, before he started to teach us the lesson for today. When the bell rang, John and I walked out of the class, and down towards our lockers.

"I don't want to go to History." John sighed as he laid his head against the locker that was next to mine. "Can I go home?"

"No." I said. "You're going to class, John. You're already here."

"Fine." He whined. "Let's just get this day over with."

I nodded and we went to his locker, so he could grab his books. After he shut his locker, John gave me a hug, before he went off towards History, and I went to Pre-Calc. I walked in as the bell rang, and took a seat at my desk, before the teacher started the lesson.

Once lunch rolled around two periods later, I went into the cafeteria with John, and we set our books down on the table. We walked to the line and waited behind the people in front of us. We grabbed a tray once we got closer to the food, and held them as the lunch ladies set food on them. John stuffed a fry in his mouth as he grabbed an apple and set it on his tray. I grabbed a water bottle, before paying for my lunch, and I waited for John. John paid for his lunch, before him and I walked towards our table.

"Ya know, I don't know why they have to serve fries everyday." John said as he stuffed a couple more fries in his mouth. "I mean, they taste like Heaven, but still."

"They're greasy! They're nasty." I said before I took a bite out of my sandwich.

"Uhm, no! They taste awesome." He stated as he tossed one at my head. "Try one."

"I don't want one." I smiled as I tossed it back. "They're fattening!"

"They are not! Look at me." He said as he pointed to himself with a smile. "I'm not overweight. And neither are you, but you don't eat freaking french fries!"

"I do, too! Just usually not the school's." I shrugged.

"You're such a woman." He smiled.

"Thanks, John." I chuckled.

"Anytime." He grinned.

After John and I finished our lunch, we threw our trash away, and talked until the bell rang. We went to Ecology together and had a long boring period and a half, before we went to Media Studies. We walked into the classroom and Mr. Anderson looked at John.

"Feeling better, John?" He asked.

"Yeah." John nodded. "Much."

"Good." He smiled. "We watched a movie yesterday, so you didn't miss anything."

John nodded again, and we sat down in our seats. Once the bell rang, Mr. Anderson started the movie we were watching yesterday. He found the spot where we left off, before sitting down at his desk, and messing with his computer. John and I talked the whole period and fooled around, as usual. At the end of the day, someone came over the P.A. system.

"Talent show try-outs start Friday at 2:45, after school. Once again, talent show try-outs start Friday at 2:45. Thank you."

"Talent show." John smiled. "There's a talent show?"

"Every year, John." I nodded.

"I never knew that!" He said. "I'm going to do it."

"Really?" I grinned.

"Yeah! I'll show this whole school up." He said. "I know what I'm going to do and everything!"

"What are you going to do?" I asked.

"Play my keyboard and sing." He shrugged. "I just have to work on a song."

"That's great, John." I said happily.

"Will you be there?" He asked.

"Only for you." I said.

"Where will you sit?" He questioned.

"Front row, baby." I smiled.

"Good." He chuckled as Mr. Anderson looked over at us. "Quiet, please."

John shut his mouth and looked over at the TV, before smiling, amused that he just got "in trouble". I rolled my eyes and laughed to myself, before looking at the TV as well.