Status: FIN.

The Roots That Tied to My Feet

fear of flying

As John had instructed her, Melanie had called him a few days after their fight to get lunch at one of their favorite restaurants. Melanie followed John’s tall body into Claim Jumper relieved that the heat was on in the building. It was late November in Arizona and to most people it wouldn’t seem cold, but in Arizona, seventy degrees was jacket weather for the locals.

Melanie and John were seated momentarily and soon their waitress had taken their orders, all the while eyeing the suave man. Melanie rolled her eyes, “Do you seriously get hit on everywhere you go?”

“It’s a burden, being this good looking, I know,” John said cockily, laughing.

She chuckled in return, “At least you’re humble about it.”

“That’s the only way to handle this curse, I suppose,” he grinned. They sat quietly, looking around the restaurant they had visited many times in their life: birthdays, dances, just because. “Hey so Melanie,” John began.

“Yes, John?”

“I just wanted to apologize for the other day, I was being uncalled for,” he said honestly.

“I’m-

He cut her off, “Wait! I’m not done!” Melanie raised her eyes at him conspicuously as he continued with a smile on his lips. “You’re smart, I’m dumb. You’re small and adorable, I’m tall and ugly and gangly. You’re amazing and I’m worthless.”

Melanie stared at the boy as she felt remembrance run through her veins, happiness that he hadn’t forgotten. This was the John she had grown up with—her best friend. One minute they were screaming and fighting while the next they were giving simple apologies and then joking around like nothing had ever happened. This was her John O’Callaghan. She smiled trying to ignore the blush on her cheeks, “You’re forgiven.”

“Great. So, are you getting used to Garrett and Haley yet?” John asked, changing the subject smoothly.

Melanie shrugged, “I really don’t know, like, I still find it weird that she’s only eighteen and she’s dating a twenty one year old. I mean, I remember what we did our senior year,” she chuckled, “and I don’t want her to make a mistake and like get pregnant or something.”

John laughed, “I don’t think Garrett would be dumb enough to get her pregnant. You’d castrate him.”

“Are they having sex, do you know?” She questioned curiously, figuring John would know because of how close he and Garrett were.

“Define sex,” John said cautiously.

Melanie raised her eye brows at him, “Oh my God—they are having sex…”

He laughed suddenly, “Oh that was funny, no they’re not having sex I’m just joking with you. Haley told Garrett she wants to wait,” John said simply, taking a sip of his iced tea. “I think it had something to do with…your experience in high school. She knew that you originally didn’t want to have sex in high school, but then we, well, you know, and then that thing happened and yeah,” John trailed off.

“You can say I was raped, it doesn’t bother me anymore. ‘Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself’,” Melanie smiled.

“Watch some Harry Potter lately?” John teased.

“I’m a wizard, you know that!” She giggled.

“Oh how could I forget!” He laughed, but then his face became one of adoration. “Haley really looks up to you, Melanie.”

Melanie smiled, “I know she does. I just don’t think she realizes that I look up to her too. She’s a great sister, and I didn’t always deserve that.”

John looked at her curiously and in his head he debated on whether or not he should ask her the question he had been wondering for some time now. “Melanie-

“John!” The two at the table looked at the blonde girl that was approaching the table. She was wearing dark skinny jeans, a cute blouse, and a leather jacket. Melanie once again envied her undeniable beauty.

John smiled and stood up from the table bringing the girl into a tight hug. “Lucy what are you doing here?”

“I was at lunch with an old friend, as I see you are too! Hi Melanie,” Lucy smiled leaning over to give Melanie a welcoming hug.

She smiled, “Hey girl, nice to see you.”

Lucy smiled before looking back to John and rubbing his arm lovingly. Her perfectly manicured fingers ran along his arm and down to his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Call me later and we’ll do something?”

John smiled and kissed her cheek surprising Melanie, “Definitely.”

“Bye Melanie,” Lucy said with a small wave.

“Bye,” she replied, watching as John took a seat back across from her in their booth.

“Just friends?” Melanie laughed.

“Well, the other day you could say we became more than friends,” he chuckled, running his hand through his hair.

“John, you know, people usually ask people out before just having sex with them,” Melanie giggled.

“That’s not my style, you know that!” He winked.

She laughed just as the waitress came up to them with their meal. They were splitting a blub sandwich because at Claim Jumper every meal was enough to feed four. They ate in a comfortable silence and ordered a chocolate ice cream for dessert.

“So, when do you leave for Europe?” John asked.

“Tomorrow,” Melanie smiled, thinking of the trip she was taking for Thanksgiving to meet Ben’s mother and family.

“Are you excited?”

“You know I am, I’ve always wanted to go to Europe,” she said complacently.

“I know you have…I did too,” John smiled. “It’s awesome.”

“Oh I totally forgot that you’ve been there a few times now,” Melanie remembered him mentioning that they toured there.

“Yeah, it’s…well we’ll talk about it when you get back,” John smiled. “Ben is staying there for a while right?”

She nodded her head, “Through Christmas.”

“So, I’ll have you all to myself?” He smiled.

Melanie felt her cheeks blushing and in her mind ordered them to stop, “Looks that way.”

They finished their meal and John paid for it against Melanie’s wishes. They loaded back into John’s car before making their way back to her house.

“So, I like Lucy. I think you should date her,” Melanie simply stated, trying to change the mood John was trying to set a few moments ago.

“Oh you do huh?”

“I do, and it seems that you like her too.”

John grinned and stared at the road, “I do like her. She’s a neat girl.”

“You just said she was a ‘neat’ girl John, you sound like an old man in love,” Melanie chuckled, not at all jealous.

“Not love,” he said simply. “I just want to see where this goes. I’m not going to rush anything, that never works well for me.”

“I don’t think it really works well for anyone,” she replied.

Soon they were at her house and they climbed out of John’s car. They walked into her home quietly and Melanie grinned as she saw everyone around the kitchen table talking. She walked over to Ben and hugged him from behind, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

He grinned, “Well hello, beautiful.”

“Hey you,” she smiled. “What are we all doing?”

Jim Hendricks laughed, “Ben just schooled your sister in a game of Speed.”

Haley crossed her arms over her chest, “I wouldn’t say schooled.”

“No no you’re right,” Ben laughed. “I just beat you…miserably.”

The younger brunette stood from the table, “I’m going to go call Garrett before I beat you up Ben.”

John smiled once more before speaking, “Well, I better be going.”

Melanie grinned as she followed him to the front door. “Thanks, for lunch John Oh.”

He nodded his head and opened his arms for the girl, embracing her in a tight hug. His lips were near her ear. “Have fun In Paris, Melly.”

She blushed at his old nickname for her, “I promise I will. I’ll see you as soon as I get back?”

“I’ll get you from the airport,” John grinned before jogging off to his car.

Melanie walked back into the kitchen contently and sat down next to her mother at the table. Her father and Ben had disappeared in search of an old war movie and Haley was in her bedroom. Elaine smiled at her, “Did you have fun at lunch?”

She smiled honestly, “I really did.”

“Good,” her mother grinned. “I’m glad you two are able to be friends again. I was worried after you left…that boy, he was missing you. He was over here every day working on that doggone broken tree house of yours-

Melanie cut her mother off in bewilderment, “What did you just say?”

She stood up and walked over to the window in the kitchen accordingly. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t noticed it since she had come back. The walls and roof that was torn down during the storm on her last night in Tempe were rebuilt. They weren’t painted and there was no ladder to get inside showing that he obviously didn’t finish it.

“John came here every day for three months after you left, baby girl. He always asked if we had heard from you or if you asked about him…and after three months of nothing he gave up,” Elaine sighed.

Melanie looked away from her mother’s blue eyes shamefully. “I should have given him a proper goodbye.”

Elaine looked at her matured daughter, “It was the least he deserved…but you can’t change the past.”

_____

Melanie took her first class seat on the plane as the announcements could be heard over the loud speaker. First in English, then in French; people around her chattered in both languages and it was easy to tell who lived in Paris and who was simply flying to visit for the holidays.

Ben grabbed Melanie’s hand and gently squeezed it, “Are you excited?”

She smiled and bit her lip, “I hate planes though.”

He looked at her sympathetically, “I’m sorry my family lives so far away.”

Melanie giggled at his soft English accent that came out more considering there were other people on the plane from England that were flying to France as well, “No no, I’m excited to see France.”

“I wish I could take you home to where I grew up,” Ben sighed. “London is beautiful this time of year.”

“I still think it’s crazy that you’re from a different country,” she giggled.

He nestled his face into her neck and gave her small kisses along it. He softly nibbled at the sensitive skin and Melanie caught her breath. Ben’s lips pulled into an obvious grin, “You think it’s sexy. You love my accent,” he breathed.

Melanie grabbed his chin and gave him a loving kiss, “You’re right I do. Now get your lips off my neck before this lady over here condemns me to Hell.”

Ben followed his fiancé’s eyes to an elderly woman across the row who was staring at the couple disapprovingly. Her cheap red lipstick had gotten on her teeth and her tanned skin was wrinkled. “Ew,” he laughed.

Melanie lit his leg softly, chuckling, “Be nice.”

Ben groaned playfully and she laid her head on his shoulder as the plane left the airport and began driving towards the runway. “I don’t like flying,” Melanie repeated, closing her eyes and pressing her face into his chest.

Ben smiled softly and wrapped his arms around her thin frame, “I’m right here, Melanie. Don’t be scared.”

“I’m nervous about meeting your grandmother,” Melanie said softly.

“And why is that darling?”

“Grandparents just seem to know everything,” she chuckled. “Like, my grandparents can look at a person once and somehow know everything about them. And they’re always so wise. I’m just nervous she won’t like me.”
Ben shook his head at his fiancé. “Melanie, I can promise you that she will love you. You’re beautiful, amazing, funny, sweet…” He listed, giving her small kisses between each adjective. “I love you, and so will my entire family.”

Melanie sighed as Ben calmed her nerves, “Maybe you’re right.”

“I know I’m right,” he chuckled.

“Please make sure all seats are in their upright positions and all bags are placed properly under the seat in front of you,” the captain spoke over the loud speaker.

Melanie took a deep breath as she felt the plane begin to move. Flying was surreal to her. It had this extremely intriguing feeling. By force you would be pushed back against your seat but it wasn’t like wind blew through your hair as you were pushed back. It felt almost like a rollercoaster, especially because of the way her stomach seemed to repeatedly drop. Melanie let out a deep breath of relief as they were steadied in the air and as soon as she received the okay she was pressing her iPod ear phones in and attempting to sleep the whole way in Ben’s arms.
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All right, so sadly my polyvore is being tempormental and won't let me give you Melanie's outfit, argh. But anyways, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS <3 you all are too amazing. This chapter was sort of a filler but the story will start it's main path in the next two or three chapters.

I worked for eleven effing hours today, y'all. I am freaking exhausted, but hey, I made over one hundred buckssss. Wooooo; my parents really are encouraging me to buy gas but I don't know, I really want these amazing boots (; Oh! and check out my new John story : Learn to Fly

112 comments for an update? <3