Tech Romance.

John.

“Hello there my Daisy.”

“Hi John”, she said with a smile as she lay still in her bed. “Where’s Alison?”

“She’s with Sophie, having girl talk or whatever”, I said with a laugh. “But I have people I would love for you to meet.”

She looked at me skeptically as I looked over at the door, my group of friends standing there awkwardly. I waved them in with a smile on my face; they all walked in one by one with their hands in their pockets. Daisy looking at all of them as they stared back at her, looking just as confused as I was the first day I met this girl.

“What are you guys doing?!” she yelled as everyone jumped up scared. “You don’t have masks on, John already had his shots so he’s safe but you guys are going to catch it!”

They all jumped up scared as they all raced for the door, Halvo pushing Loren into the chair causing him to fall on the floor. I looked over at Daisy who had a satisfied smile as I continued to laugh.

“Guy’s she’s fucking with you.”

They all looked over at us as realization rushed over them. They all had pouts as Daisy and I continued to laugh harder than we did before.

“You suck kid”, Halvo said as he walked closer. “I thought my skin was going to start falling off.”

“Or turn into a zombie”, Garrett said as Daisy laughed louder.

“A zombie?” she asked as Garrett nodded his head in embarrassment. “I wish I had that power that would be sick.”

“I’m Garrett”, he said as he put out his hand to Daisy.

“Daisy”, she said with a warm smile.

I watched as they all introduced themselves to Daisy, a smile on her face as each one of them shook her hand or in Halvo’s case hugged the poor girl. I sat back watching as they all talked to her, the smiles on their faces telling me that they were falling in love with her much like I did the first time I met her. Much like Alison, Daisy had this quality about her. This quality that made them completely honest, what you see is what you get.

“Bye Daisy, we’ll see you soon!”

“Okay”, she said with a smile.

I watched as each of my friends grabbed the girl into a hug, a wide smile on Daisy face as each boy hugged her.

“You better stop smiling like that, you’re making me jealous.”

“They’re all just so cute”, she said with a smile. “Especially Garrett.”

“He has a girlfriend.”

“Yeah, me”, she said making me laugh.

“I’ll see you tomorrow Daisy.”

“Okay”, she said grabbing me into a hug as I placed my lips against her forehead.

I started to make my way towards the door before turning to look at her, I watched her grab her book opening it up and instantly starting to read. I couldn’t help but to smile at the sight before walking out to the car.

“I love that girl”, Jared said with a smile. “The fact that she loves Tom Petty just made her even more amazing.

“Alison showed her a couple of their albums and she fell in love.”

“We need to show her our band”, Pat said with a smile. “I’m sure she’ll love it.”

I nodded my head with a smile, happy all the guys loved the girl. “Is that Alison’s little sister?”

I turned to look at Loren before shaking my head. “No”, I said simply. “Alison started working at the hospital in high school and that’s where she met Daisy.”

“Does Alison want to be a doctor?”

“Alison wants to be everything”, I said with a laugh. “A doctor, teacher and a children’s psychologist”, I said with a laugh.

“Alison’s really smart huh?”

“Yeah she is”, I said with a smile. “She’s probably going to end up doing all three things and still wanting to do more.”

“Do you know what you want to do?”

I turned around looking at Ryan; he stared at me waiting for an answer that I didn’t have. I shook my head before sitting right in the car.

“Alison’s going to be the bread winner”, Jared said with a laugh. “While she’s a doctor John’s going to be working at some fast food place.”

“In and out!” Garrett said with a laugh. “I’ll trade you; I want a girl that’s going to maintain me. Cecily for sure said she’s not going to take care of me.”

“She’s not going to maintain me.”

“Fuck yeah she is”, Alex said with a laugh.

I laid back in my seat listening to them all make fun of me and my lack of motivation. That was all that I could think of. When they dropped me off at home, there was Megan waiting for me. I rolled my eyes as I walked closer to the door, all I wanted to do was get my jacket and leave to the party but Megan was making that harder.

“Hey John.”

“What the fuck do you want Megan?” I asked annoyed that she was even at my house.

“I just wanted to talk to you”, she said looking down at her feet. “I just wanted to apologize for what I said at the party.”

“Whatever.”

“Ugh John, you make it so hard to fucking be nice to you!” she yelled throwing her hands in the air as I walked past her. “I just wanted to say sorry.”

“Just get the fuck away from me Megan; I’m so sick of your shit. We’re not together so could you please stop showing up places where you’re not welcomes.”

“Do you know what John?! I’m not fucking sorry”, she said as I rolled my eyes turning my back on her, typical Megan. “I’m not sorry for saying the fucking truth.”

And I stood still again, here it was. I just waited for her to say all the shit that the guys were just telling me. How I’m not good enough for her? What a big loser I am? How I was going to end up hurting her?

“What do you have to say Megan that I already don’t know”, I said letting everything get to me as I turned around to meet her sad face. “Alison is better than me, I know that. I knew it from the first day I met her. I knew she was out of my league from the first day I started to have feelings for the girl. I’m a fucking loser and I will never amount to anything”, I said feeling like complete shit. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

“You don’t need to be anything with me”, she said as she got closer grabbing my hand. “I love you the way you are. You don’t need to be anything with me.”

I looked down at Megan, I didn’t love her. Shit, I didn’t even like her as a person. I pulled my hand away from hers with a laugh.

“I don’t need to be anyone with Alison either”, I said backing away from her. “I don’t need to be some fucking loser constantly drinking and smoking, I’m better with her.”

“You don’t even see it do you?” I looked over at her confused as to what she was saying.
“You changed who you were for her, what was so wrong with the old John. The fun John.”

“Everything, sometimes you need to grow up”, I said as my thoughts went back to Alison and how much I loved him. “You need to grow up.”

“Fuck you John!” she yelled as tears fell from her eyes. “You’re just some pathetic loser that’s going nowhere and soon enough Alison is going to see that”, she said with harshness in her voice. “She’s going to find someone way better than your ass and then what? You’re going to be left alone and I won’t be here to pick up the pieces.”

And with that she walked away leaving me speechless, my mind racing at the though. When I walked into my house my room seemed so far away. I laid there until I decided to go out to the party a little early than I planned.

“Hey John.”

“Hey”, I said with a wave feeling like a mess. “Where’s the beer?”

I was pointed to the cooler that was in the dark corner, I staggered over there opening the first beer of the night. The cold liquid being downed my body like a dehydrated drifter. That was the first beer of many that night; the beginning of the many mistakes that were going to be made.

[&]

Alison.

I laid in bed waiting for John to call me, we were supposed to go on some sort of date and then go to a party, but here I was waiting for a call or even a text I didn’t care at this point. I leaned back listening to David Bowie humming along to the songs that I’ve heard time and time again. I felt my phone on my chest vibrating; I pulled it up before putting it to my ear.

“Hello.”

“Ali, get here quick.”

“Sophie?” I asked looking at the phone seeing that it was coming from John’s phone.
“Where are you?”

“The party”, she said in a worried tone. “John is drunk.”

“Oh”, was all I said having a rush of bad thoughts in my head. “I’ll be right there.”

I stood up from my bed slipping on my shoes before walking out the door and driving off to Trevor’s house. I walked in feeling out of place as my eyes scanned the backyard. That’s when I saw my boyfriend upside down as beer was being splashed in his mouth. I saw Sophie standing there with Max holding her close. I made my way through the crowd confused on what was going on.

“Oh my god Alison, what the fuck is going on with John?”

“I don’t know”, I said watching him get put down with cheers all around. “We were supposed to go out tonight on a date, he didn’t call me or anything.”

I looked past Sophie to watch John smoke from a bong, a rush of disgust came over me as I watched the guy that I was in love with act like a complete idiot. When he noticed me watching he passed off the bong with a look of embarrassment before walking over to me.

“Hey baby.”

“Hi”, I said dodging his lips; he reeked of alcohol and weed. “What are you doing John?”

“I don’t know”, he said completely out of it. “I love you so much and you’re too good for me.”

“John I don’t know what you’re saying baby”, I said as he continued on with his rant and stumbling over his words. “Do you want water?”

“I don’t feel good”, he said holding on to my body. “Fuck, I feel like throwing up all over your pretty shoes.”

“Come on babe.”

He wrapped his arms around me as I tried to hold up his weight. We walked through the crowd of people, leaving a very concerned friend behind. I got him to the bathroom just in time, I watched him fall over on the toilet before I heard the noise of chucks hutting the toilet. I felt sick as I watched him throw up on the toilet, his back arching with every breath. I got to the sink turning on the water at full speed so no one would hear my boyfriend puke his lungs out. I leaned over rubbing his back, throwing his hair up in a hair tie as he continued to empty out his stomach.

“I’m so sorry”, I head him cry as he spit out whatever was left in his mouth. “I don’t know why I do this to myself.”

“I don’t know either’, I said rubbing his back as the tears fell from my eyes. “Just let it out all baby.”

“I don’t deserve you, I’m a loser.”

“You’re drunk.”

“I’m an idiot”, he said as he started to throw up more,

“I can’t argue with you there”, I said as I stood up to grab the cup filling it up with water. “Are you all done?”

He nodded his head as he reached to flush the toilet. He leaned back on the wall grabbing at the towel above his head, whipping off his face. I looked at his blood shot eyes sweaty face. I handed him the cup of water as he chugged down the rest of the cup. I leaned back on the opposite side of him, spreading out my legs covering myself with my skirt.

“What are you doing John?”

“I fucked up.”

“Language”, I said as he closed his eyes looking pale as ever. “What’s going on?”

“You’re too good for me.”

“Who said that?” I asked as he continued to drink the water. “Want more?”

He nodded his head handing me the empty cup. I stood up walking over to the sink filling up the water.

“Everyone.”

“What?”

“Everyone thinks your better than me”, I heard him say as I leaned against the sink with the cup of water in my hands, just staring over at him as he leaned back on the wall. His eyes closed and his breathing out of control. “My parents, your parents, my friends your friend”, he said opening his blood shot eyes. “Me”, he said with a sad look on his face. “You.”
I watched him close his eyes once again hitting his head on the wall. I shook my head with anger before handing him the water and taking a seat across from him.

“You’re an idiot.”

“I know.”

“No you don’t know!” I said feeling angry. “No one is better than anyone; you of all people should know that. And who cares what people think, you never did.”

“I care what people think about you.”

“And why is that?”

“Because I love you Alison”, he said simply. “I love you so fucking much it hurts. I don’t want to bring you down. You need to go to USC.”

“John.”

“You need to go”, he said in a stern voice.

“And if I don’t?” I asked as he looked up at me.

“I’ll break up with you.”

“And if I leave?”

“I’ll break up with you.”

I felt the tears fall from my face, I was confused. I hated this, so I stood up from where I was looking down at John with hate.

“That’s not fair.”

“Life isn’t fair.”

I rolled my eyes as a single tear fell from my eyes. I reached for the door before turning to look at John. “Call me when you sober up and have your mind in place.”