Until Tomorrow

I was seated by myself in a booth at the back of the bar, probably looking less than thrilled. I saw Aubrey make her way over with two Cokes and a basket of fries.

She smiled at me as she set down the food, “Are you having a good time?”

“Oh, it’s just dandy.” I snapped. We had been here for over two hours and not one band was on yet. Aubrey kept telling me it would be soon. I was starting to doubt her.

She sighed as she sat down and took a fry. I pulled my legs up on the bench and rested my back on the padded wall. I watched all the people who stood around the floor. I wondered what they thought of this delay; if they even noticed.

It wasn’t until a particular face walked past me that I started to feel dizzy. No, no, no, no, no. I did not just see him.

I quickly stood up and then suffered a very bad head rush. I ignored it and pushed my way through the crowd of people with blurred vision. I could hear Aubrey’s voice call my name as I opened the bathroom door.

On the far wall there was an air conditioning vent on the floor. I stumbled over to it and sank down into the dirty floor. I let the cold air blow my hair any way it might. I leaned my head against the tiled wall and closed my eyes. Though it was loud and right in the ear, the cold air felt good on my sweaty body.

“Anna Maria!” Aubrey yelled the second she walked through the door. “Oh, my God! Are you okay? What happened?”

All I could do was nod. I realized my voice was in a far away place that I could not yet reach. I felt her sit down on the floor next to me. I knew I should tell her why I was acting the way I was but she wasn’t around when he was, so it wouldn’t make much sense.

“Can you tell me what happened?” As she asked a girl walked in. The door was open all the way and I could see him on the other side. He looked in and saw me. We stared at each other for a long moment. It seemed like it was ten minutes later that the door closed and I was staring at a block of wood. Why was he back in New York?

Anna Maria, listen to me. Everything is going to be okay. You’re just a little…insane.

“Anna Maria please,” Aubrey begged. The same girl walked out now but he wasn’t on the other side when the door opened.

I sighed and cleared my throat. “I just…I just…I am not feeling well. I have this huge headache and I am really dizzy. I am think I am coming down with something. I wasn’t feeling all that good all day.” I lied. I was feeling perfectly fine all day. It wasn’t until I saw his face that I started to get dizzy. I wasn’t coming down with anything. I was very healthy. I was just a little shocked.

I heard her sigh, “Do you want to go home?”

I nodded.

“Okay,” She stood up and took her hands in mine, pulling me up with her. “Go back to the table, I’ll go get Noah.” I stood at the sink and splashed cold water on my face. I watched as the door opened and she pushed her way through the crowd of people in search of her older brother.

After a few minutes I forced my legs out of the bathroom and back to the booth like Aubrey had ordered. I sat there for a good fifteen minutes before I saw the familiar head of wavy brown hair and two people behind her make their way over. Aubrey pushed her soda to my side of the table when she got to me.

“Drink that.” She ordered.

I rolled my eyes, “Okay Mom,”

I heard snickers coming from the two boys standing at the head of the table.

“Anna Maria, you know Bennett right?” She motioned to the boy standing next to her older brother.
I did know him. He was at Aubrey’s house quite a few times when I was. I had talked to him enough to remember the conversations we had and to call him an acquaintance.

“Yeah, we’ve met a few times.” I shrugged.

“Good, he’s going to take you home.”

“Oh, that’s alright. You don’t have to, I’ll-I’ll be fine.” I insisted.

“We’re not letting you walk home.” Bennett smiled. “Besides, your friend here ‘doesn’t want to leave yet.’ and my shift is over. I am taking you home.”

He seemed friendly enough, and it wasn’t like I would be riding home with a complete stranger. I truly did want to go home and leave this stuffy bar. I sighed and stood up. Aubrey smiled and looped her arm with mine as we walked outside. I heard Noah and Bennett talking behind us. Within a few minutes my bag was moved from Aubrey’s car and into Bennett’s Jeep.

Aubrey was hugging me, “Call me as soon as you get home. I want to make sure he doesn’t drive you off a cliff” She laughed and I saw Bennett roll his eyes, “and call me again tomorrow, so I know you feel okay.”

“I will,” I said as I got into Bennett’s car. He was in a few seconds later and we were pulling away.

At first the ride was awkward and quiet. The only sound was coming from the radio that was playing softly and me occasionally giving directions . I saw him glance over at me a few times but I stared out the window and pretended not to notice.

“So, um, are you sick?” He asked.

I shook my head, “No, it was just…a long night.”

“Those are the worst.”

I scoffed, “You’re telling me,”

“Did you and Aubrey fight? She said you were acting weird and wouldn’t talk to her.”

“No. I just…” I sighed and tried to gather the right words, “something that wasn’t supposed to happen tonight did.”

When he looked over at me, he had a confused look on his face. “What does that mean? Aliens fell from the sky? The world started to end?”In a way, yes. My world did start to end.

“Well,” I blew out a puff of air, making my bangs airborne for a few seconds, “someone who’s not supposed to be here is.”

“That’s not exactly the same thing as ‘something that was not supposed to happen did.’”

“I know, it’s just a really long story.” I shrugged and turned my attention back to the moving objects outside the car window.

“I’ve got time.”

“I am sure I’ll tell you one day Bennett.”

“I hope you do. Anna Maria, I am not saying that because I am noisy or want to be in you’re business; I am saying it because I care. I want to know who made you so upset.”

I smiled. For some reason I was happy to know that he cared enough to want to know what happened. It didn’t even seem weird coming from the boy I had met very few times. For some reason it just seemed…right. It had been a long time since someone had cared enough to find out why I was saddened.

Before long the we were pulling into my driveway.

“Thanks Bennett. It means a lot.” I said as I went to get out of the car.

“It was no problem at all.” He smiled. I was halfway up the driveway when I heard him call my name. I spun around and stared at his figure that was on the other side of the glass. I watched as he stuck his head out the window, “You’re going to Aubrey’s end-of-summer party next weekend right?”

I felt myself blush, and found myself happy that it was dark and he was in the car. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

“Good, I’ll see you then.”