Saving Grace

I listened to the dial tone as I drove, my hand gripping the top of my steering wheel tightly. "Oh my god! You called me back!" Linnely shrieked as soon as she picked up her phone.

I smiled. "Yes I did."

"What's up, girly?"

"Uh-" I glanced out the window, glancing at the Missouri landscape beyond the highway, "Nothing really... When are the guys leaving?"

"Seven tonight, why?"

"You have to stall them, Linnely."

I knew that her face was turning puzzled. "I- uh- okay? Why?"

"I have to tell John something before he leaves," I explained.

"You're on your way here?" She sounded excited.

"Yeah, it's a long story but I really, really need to s-speak with John personally."

"He thinks you hate him. You haven't sent him a text since you left, he's actually pretty bummed."

"I don't hate him-"

"Yeah, obviously not if you're driving all the way here to talk to him. You have the hots for my cousin, don't you?"

I stared out the windshield, careful not to get into an accident. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't. Just stall them for me if I'm not there in time, please?"

"Sure, no problem. They're meeting up at the lake to load up. Do you remember how to get there?"

"Yeah, I should. I have to go, I'll hopefully see you in a while..."

"Yeah and don't worry. If I have to tie Pat up and stick him in the trunk of my car to stall, I will.

"Thank you, Linnely."

"No problem, best friend."

I smiled as I hung up and felt my racing heart start to slow a little. Adrenaline was pumping through me.

This was by far the most impulsive, crazy thing I had done in my life. I wasn't sure what John would think or what he would say, but I was bound and determined to wear my heart on my sleeve for once.

Nick and I weren't right for each other. Somehow, I had convinced myself that we had been. After two years of dating and still not knowing a basic fact about me, it was apparent that I had been the one a little more dedicated in the relationship.

It was sad to say, but I was bored and at my wits end with Nicholas. I was done trying to change, to be happy with him when I obviously wasn't.

-----

I glanced at the clock and felt my heart start racing. It was 7:15 and I was driving as fast as traffic would allow me to the lake that John had brought me to one of the first days I had been in Tempe.

I frowned when traffic came to a stand still for the third time. An exasperated sigh sounded throughout my car as I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel. At this rate, I wouldn't be able to make it in time. Linnely couldn't stall forever.

I glanced around and spotted a driveway leading to a parking lot. I smiled and as soon as I got the chance to get in there, I took it.

I parked and locked my car before pulling off my shoes. Almost frantically, I looked in every direction before remembering where the lake had been and began running as if my life depended on it.

My feet instantly felt raw as they started scraping against the concrete of the sidewalk but despite the minor pain, I continued running. People that I passed shot me looks of annoyance and alarm, probably thinking that I was a mad woman.

I was gasping for breaths, my forehead speckled with drops of sweat when I finally spotted the bus that undoubtedly John would be leaving in. Linnely appeared to be arguing with the boy whom I'd driven 2,655 miles to simply talk to, his back turned to me.
I huffed out a labored breath out of exhaustion before running toward the two, my heels still in hand.

I saw Linnely's eyes brighten upon seeing me but I was too concentrated on John and my dry throat to really care. John must have seen her facial expression change because he spun just in time to catch me as I stumbled forward.

"What the h- Amelia?"

I placed my free hand on his chest and pushed myself away from him as I tried catching my breath. "I n-ne... need to talk... to you," I huffed out, my lungs burning.

He studied me, his green eyes flickering back and forth between my eyes. "Are you okay?"

"No, I think I'm having a heart attack from running..." I wheezed, my free hand falling to my cramping side as I bent over to steady myself.

"What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you!" I repeated, finally starting to feel the effects of my sprint wearing off.

He looked like he was in shock but regardless he nodded in agreement and glanced to Linnely who was poorly hiding her smile behind her hand.

We walked away from the bus a short distance before I looked to him. I'd had 41 hours of driving to think of what to say but actually standing in front of him was a lot more intimidating than it had been in my head.

"I like you, too," I blurted. He looked like he had been back-handed across the face. "I liked you since we first kissed and I was severely jealous of Marissa when she made her appearances. I just didn't want to admit it because I was still hung up on Nick and it was complicated. Nick and I aren't together anymore.

"When you said that you liked me, it was at a really confusing time for me. I like you, John."

John stood there like an idiot, and I slowly felt my heart sinking. I glanced down to my aching feet, licking my lips.

"This was stupid; I'm stupid. I'll- I'll just go..." I said, turning on my rubbed-raw heels and starting to walk away.

"Stay."

I turned, looking over my shoulder to John's tall frame, unsure if I had heard him right.

"Stay," he repeated, stepping forward, slightly closing the distance between us.

I studied his eyes, seeing that unrecognizable expression held in them once again. The green flecks in them were prominent in the light of the setting sun.

Time seemed to slow down as he took another step forward.

Before I knew it, his fingers were playing in the brown waves of my hair as we looked into each other's eyes. As his head slowly dipped down, I tilted my chin up. Our lips gently brushed against one another's, our eyes automatically closing as I wrapped my arms around his neck loosely.

All sounds seemed to fade as we kissed sweet and softly. One of his hands fell to the center of my back as the other played gently in the loose ends of my hair.

It wasn't until a loud, ear-piercing whistle sounded that we pulled apart to look at the intruder. Jared and Kennedy were leaning out of the bus door with wide smiles, Garrett on the ground in front of them with a goofy smile telling me that he had been the one who had whistled. Linnely was standing beside Pat, who had his hand resting loosely on her hip as she bit back her excitement.

John and I smiled at them before looking to one another once again. "You should go," I whispered.

He nodded, a light smile pulling at his lips to hide his sadness. He took my hand in his, folding my fingers before pressing a light kiss on them. "I'm leaving right now."

I nodded. "I know; this is probably the worst timing..."

"As soon as I get back-"

I nodded, causing his words to stop. "I'll wait if you'll wait."

He smiled. "I'll wait forever if I have to."

I pressed a light smile to his lips once again. "Better get going, Mr. O'Callaghan. I already made Linnely keep you here for me."

John nodded and took a small step backward, our hands intertwined.

"I'll be seeing you," I said softly, slowly loosening my fingers from his.

He took another step backward, our eyes never parting. "Yes you will."

I grinned, one arm resting over my stomach as I touched my fingers to my lips.

It felt like an eternity as the guys climbed on the bus and left. Linnely walked over, standing beside me.

"So... I guess you're officially one of the crew now."

I smiled, watching the back of the bus grow smaller in the distance. "I guess I am."

"You going to stand here all night or are you going to get your shit moved into my apartment? I need someone to cuddle with now that Pat's gone..."

I smiled and shoved her playfully. "Yeah, I guess I'll get my 'shit' moved in."

She smiled widely, patting my back. "Welcome back home, Amelia," she said before waltzing forward in the direction of her car. I stood there partially in awe and partially in confusion. She looked at me when she opened the driver's side door. "Well!? Are we going to find your car or not?"

I smiled once again and walked forward.

I felt my heart fluttering happily as I glanced at the road that the tour bus had disappeared down. After a moment, I climbed in Linnely's car.

For some reason, I felt that I wouldn't regret this impulsive decision. This was going to be my home now. My job back in Massachusetts wasn't important to me nor was the house that I had left to Nick.

Tempe felt more like home at the moment than Braintree ever had.