I'm Amazed That I Got This Far

Still John's P.O.V.

I opened my eyes as I felt something wet hit my face. It was still dark outside and I was still laying in the dirt, in the woods. I wiped off my forehead as I felt another wet drop fall on my head. I sighed to myself, thinking it would start raining. Of course it would because I was John and my life just went that way. I sat up and thought about where I could go. It was probably around six in the morning, so my parents would be awake, but I really didn't want to go home. I could go to Kalen's house, because her parents were already gone to work. That is, if they were working today.

I pushed myself up off the ground and dusted myself off, as I walked out of the woods. I was just going to go to Kalen's. Hopefully her parents were already gone and I could just stay there for the rest of the morning, until I could go home to my parent-absent house. The rain was still just a slight drizzle, as I walked quickly through the woods, trying not to stumble over any branches since I was still half asleep and my feet weren't doing exactly what I wanted them to do at this time in the morning.

Once I got out of the woods, the rain started to pick up, and I groaned loudly. My clothes had finally dried, and now they were wet again. Just great. The rain made my hair stick to my forehead, and I sloppily combed it to the side. I wasn't worried about my hair now; I was worried if Kalen's parents were home or not. If they saw me on their doorstep, muddy, wet, and still dressed in my clothes from yesterday, they would definitely know I haven't been home to sleep. They already hated me as it was, and I didn't need to make anything worse.

I broke out into a run, once my body finally woke up, and the warm rain pelted against my forehead. Couldn't it be a cold rain? You know, so it would actually feel slightly good as it smacked against my face and flew into my eyes? I hated warm rain. It was just not my thing. I didn't like rain as it was, but I'd rather run in cold rain, than hot, sticky rain.

I put my hands on my knees, once I got to Kalen's doorstep, and I tried to catch my breath. Once my breathing was back to normal, I knocked on the door, trying not to be too loud, in case Kayla was still asleep. I couldn't tell if her parents were gone or not, because the garage was closed and I couldn't see if their cars were present. When there was no answer, I knocked again, but this time louder. I waited there for a few minutes, before the front door opened slowly, and Kalen was standing there, still in her pajamas and her hair a mess...but honestly, to me, she was just as pretty as when she was made-up.

"John, what are you doing here?" She said slowly. "Why aren't you asleep?"

"Are your parents home?" I asked.

"Uhm...yeah?" She said, like I was stupid. "It's three in the morning. You're lucky they didn't hear you. What are you doing out in the rain?"

"I left home last night and I was in the woods and it started raining, so I came here." I shrugged. "I thought it was later...like six."

She smiled and opened the door some more, so I could come in. "You're so retarded."

I laughed slightly and stepped inside. Kalen shut the door and flipped on the foyer light, which caused both of us to squint from the lack of light we've seen since we've been asleep. Once Kalen's eyes were adjusted to the light, she looked at me and her jaw dropped.

"What?" I asked slowly.

"You're filthy, John." She said. "You're soaked."

"I know." I sighed. "I'm so sorry, Kay."

"Don't be sorry." She said as she grabbed my hand. "Let's go upstairs and I'll let you wash up in the bathroom."

Once Kalen's hand came in contact with mine, I felt my stomach erupt with butterflies, and I felt my face go red. She didn't seem to notice as she turned off the light, and the two of us walked upstairs. We went into the bathroom and Kalen shut the door behind us, before getting a rag and handing it to me.

"Wash up." She said. "I can't get any clothes for you because my parents are in their room, so you can either wear some of mine or...sleep in your underwear."

"Wouldn't that be awkward." I chuckled, as I ran the rag under some hot water.

"Maybe a little." She said, with a quiet laugh. "But that's alright, I guess."

I heard a door shut from down the hall, before footsteps ascended down the hall. Kalen put a finger to her lips as there was a knock on the bathroom door.

"Kalen." Kalen's dad said, his voice groggy and filled with sleep. "Who was at the door?"

"It was no one." Kalen said, after she was silent for a few seconds. "Someone must've knocked and then ran."

"At 3:30 AM, in the rain?" He said slowly.

"I guess." She said. "Sorry for waking you up."

"Mkay." He mumbled, before he started walking back down the hall.

"Sorry." I whispered.

"It's okay. Just wash up." Kalen said as she patted my lower back. "Don't worry about it."

I nodded and put the hot rag on my face, before scrubbing off the dirt. I washed my hands and arms, before removing the dirt from my neck. Once I was cleaned up, Kalen shut the light off, before opening the bathroom door. After she made sure the hallway was clear, she let me out first, before following behind me, into her room. She shut the door behind her and locked it, before we went over to her bed, and she pulled back the covers. She looked over at me, as if I was supposed to say something.

"What?" I said.

"What are you going to sleep in?" She asked. "Do you just want some pajama pants?"

"Yeah, sure." I nodded.

"Okay." She said, before going over to her dresser.

She dug through all of her pajama pants, before pulling out her biggest pair of pajama pants, which were plaid and bright pink. She looked over at me, as to ask if they were okay, and I laughed slightly and nodded. She tossed them at me and smiled, before turning around, so I could change my pants. I pulled off my wet, sticky jeans, and slipped on the pajama pants, before taking off my shirt. I hung my wet clothes over her desk chair, and gave Kalen the okay to turn back around. She walked over to the light, turned it off, and the two of us crawled into her bed.

"John." Kalen whispered, after a few minutes of us two just laying there in silence.

"Yeah?" I whispered back.

"If and when you make it big," She started. "Will I still be your best friend?"

"Kalen, are you serious?" I asked, still whispering. "Of course. I'm not going anywhere unless you're coming with me. Haven't I told you that?"

"Yeah, but I was just checking." She replied. "And I just wanted to hear you say it again."

I smiled to myself, before letting out a quiet laugh. "Well, I won't go anywhere if you aren't coming with me. That's final. I want you to be by my side all the time. You're always going to be my best friend. Always. And even if I do make it big, you're still going to be my best friend."

"You won't change?" She asked, her voice still a quiet whisper.

"Never." I sighed. "I'm never going to change. Why would I need to with the bestest friend ever? I love you too much to just change."

I heard her laugh quietly, and she nudged me with her elbow. "Stop sweet talkin' me, O'Callaghan."

We both started laughing, and fell silent once we realized we were laughing to loud, then we just started laughing again. After we fell silent a second time, Kalen let out a sigh and I mocked her.

"What was that about?" I asked.

"I don't know." She answered, as I heard her shift positions. "What was yours for?"

"I was just mocking you." I chuckled.

"Ass." She joked.

"Learn to love it, Michaelson." I smirked. "Learn to love it."

"I'm afraid I already have." She giggled.

***

The next morning, Kalen and I woke up around 11. I sat up in her bed and rubbed my eyes, before running a hand through my matted and knotted hair. Kalen sat up a few minutes after me and stretched her arms. She rolled out of bed a little after that, and I did the same. Kalen left her bedroom and a few minutes later, she came back with one of her dad's old shirts. She handed it to me, so I could put it on, and I did so.

"Want to go get some breakfast? My parents are gone now, since it's after 6 AM." She said, cracking a smile at the last part.

"Are you making fun of me, Kalen?" I smirked.

"Just a little bit." She chuckled.

"So, you think you're funny now?" I joked.

"I know I'm funny." She shrugged. "I'm hilarious."

"Oh, you think so, huh?" I laughed.

She smiled and nodded, as she reached for her cell phone on her desk. I snatched it up before she could get it, and held it over her head, where she couldn't reach.

"Fuck you, John!" Kalen laughed. "Give me it!"

I started laughing, as I held it up higher. "Jump!"

She groaned and folded her arms over her chest. "I hate tall people."

"You're just jealous." I smirked.

"Maybe a little." She sighed. "How about if you give me my phone, I'll make you chocolate chip pancakes?"

"The little ones?" I smiled.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"Done!" I said, as I handed her phone back.

"Good." She laughed, before the two of us walked out of her room.

We went down the stairs and we went into the kitchen, to see Kayla sitting on a stool at the breakfast bar. She looked over at us, before looking down at Kalen's pajama pants I was wearing and smiling. She looked at my face and I smiled at her.

"Hi, John." She said happily.

"Hi, Kayla." I sighed, as I sat down next to her.

"When did you get here?" She asked.

"Three in the morning." I mumbled.

"I didn't even hear anyone come in!" She said. "It was probably because of the rain."

"Do you want pancakes, Kayla?" Kalen asked, as she started to get everything out.

"Yes!" She said, before looking at me. "You might want to brush your hair."

"I know." I chuckled. "But it'll probably take a week to brush out it's so matted."

"I can brush it for you." She shrugged, before smiling. "Can I?!"

"Uhm...sure?" I said, with a laugh. "Thanks?"

"Be right back! I'll use my new pink comb!" She said, before racing upstairs.

Kalen looked over at me and smiled. "She likes you now."

"Good." I said, with a smile. "I'm glad."

Now if her parents just stopped hating me, I'd be able to show my face around here.

"Ready?" Kayla asked, as she came back down the stairs with a pink comb and a purple brush.

"Sure." I nodded. "Where do you want me to sit?"

"In a kitchen chair." She said.

I stood up from the stool I was sitting on, and went over to the kitchen table, before pulling out a chair, and sitting down. Kayla stood behind me, and she was just at the right height to comb out my hair. Why she even offered, I wasn't sure. She started at the back of my head, and worked her way from the bottom to the top. I heard Kalen laugh to herself once in a while, when Kayla would get the comb stuck and had to almost cut my hair off, and I couldn't help but laugh, too, because it was actually kind of cute.

I always thought that since Kayla hated me, she was sometimes a little brat, but she's far from one it seems like, especially since she offered to comb someone else's hair. I mean, I thought I was nice and I wouldn't even offer to comb someone's hair out.

"Food's ready." Kalen said, as I heard her set plates on the counter, and then silverware.

"Okay, I'm almost done!" Kayla said, as she brushed the front of my hair out. "Done!"

"Thanks, Kayla." I smiled.

"You're welcome." She grinned.

"How much do I owe you?" I joked.

"Fifty bucks but make it in small bills." She said. "So I can make it rain."

I started laughing and nodded, before standing up from the chair. "I'll be sure to do that, Kayla."

"Okay." She giggled, before hopping up on a stool.

I sat down next to her again, and Kalen sat down on the other side of me. We all picked up our forks and started to eat in silence.

"Thank you, Kalen." I said.

"You're welcome, John." Kalen replied.

"Thanks, Kalen!" Kayla said, once she swallowed a bite of her pancake.

"Welcome." She sighed. "What time is band practice today, John?"

"It's at 1:30." I replied. "Are you coming?"

"When do I not?" She said. "And that is, if Kayla will tell my parents I'm...not at your band practice."

"Can't I come?" Kayla asked. "Please?"

"Kayla, you won't want to go there." She answered. "You'd be bored and those boys are too old for you. They don't want a 7th grader there. Sorry."

"Maybe another time." I said, as I looked at her.

"Okay." She nodded, before heaving a sigh. "I won't tell Mom and Dad."

"Good. Thank you." Kalen said, with a smile.

"You're welcome." She said.

The three of us continued to eat in silence. It wasn't an awkward "I don't know what to say" silence; it was a nice silence. A calm silence, even. I wish it was like this more often. I wish that I could come over to Kalen's house and talk with her and her family, and have them all like me; not just Kalen and Kayla. I really wanted Kalen's parents to like me, and I would probably do anything to try and gain their respect. Just because I didn't want to go to high school or college automatically made them think I was a bad kid. And I wasn't a bad kid. I just had my mind set on more important things.

And high school and college weren't important to me.