I Hate To Say This But I'm Stuck On Loving You, John O'Callaghan
PART 11
I furrowed my eyebrows together as I took all of this in. It was a lot to think about.
“I-I think I have a lot of thinking to do. I’ll talk to you soon I guess.” I said opening the car door, getting in, and closing it before John could say anything. I looked out my window to see John crouched down in front of my window with a black sharpie in his hand. He uncapped it and started writing down numbers. I let him finish, then I rolled down my window.
“What the fuck was that for?”
“Well, I never officially gave you my number and you kind of got in the car before I could tell you.” He smiled.
I sighed. “I’ll see you later, John.” Then I rolled up my window and started driving off. The entire way home was quiet. I didn’t turn on any music. I was too absorbed in my thoughts. Should I go for it or should I blow him off? I was going through the pros and cons in my head. I looked out my window when I was stopped at a red light and saw the numbers written in sharpie. I sighed and bit my lip thinking about how cute I thought it was. Well, I thought it was cute until I remembered that this wasn’t my car. When realization struck me I yelped and my first reaction was to find a way to hide it or get rid of it. I called Jared to check if my mom was home so I knew how much time I had. After a few rings he picked up.
“Hello?”
“Hey, is mom or dad home?”
“No, she just ran out to the store and dad is at work like always, why?”
“Do you know how to get sharpie off of glass?”
“What, why?”
I was started to get irritated now. “Just, do you know how?”
“Well, it is sharpie so it’s kind of permanent. Your best bet is probably hand sanitizer though.”
“Hand sanitizer? Okay, thanks Jared. You’re the best.”
I hung up and changed my route. I started driving in the way of the nearest CVS. If I was going to get this off I needed to catch it early on. I got there quickly, bought hand sanitizer, and ran out to see my mom looking at the car with a horrified look on her face. How was I going to find a way out of this?
“M-m-mom, I thought you were at the uh store?” I said shakily.
“I was, but I was coming here to pick up a prescription. Caitlin Ann, what is this all over my car window?”
Shit, the full name. “It’s uh sharpie,” I whispered.
“I realized that already. Care to explain why the hell it is on my car? I bet it was Garrett or Patrick.”
I didn’t care that she was my mom or how much trouble I would get in for telling her off. I was done with her talking shit about my best friends. Finally, I spoke up.
“Okay, mother, a few things. First, I can’t stress this enough he goes by Pat not Patrick. You brought me up stressing how important respect was. Well, how can I learn that if you are always disrespectful to my friends? Second, what did Garrett or Pat ever do, or any of my guy friends for that matter, that makes you hate them so much? They are all great guys and they are my friends. They’re always there for me and care for me. I love them, mom. As a matter of fact, when I got too shitfaced to even walk straight, Garrett carried me to his house and covered for me so I wouldn’t get in trouble. Shocked that I spent the night with a boy? Well, get used to it because it wasn’t the first time. I’ve had countless sleepovers with Pat and Garrett. Third, that writing on the window, yeah, it was written by a guy. It was written by John actually. That is his number. He wants me to call him so we can discuss the possibility of being in a romantic relationship in the future and let me tell you, the fact that he did that is damn adorable. You wouldn’t know the first thing about that though because you and dad never spend any time together anymore. When was the last time the two of you had alone time? No, scratch that when was the last time you or dad did something even remotely spontaneous as that? Can’t remember, can you? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Now if you will excuse me, I have to call John.” I Stormed past her and made my way to my door. Damn, that felt good to say and let me tell you, that was long overdue. My mom looked shocked and like I had just slapped across her face and as bad as it sounded, it felt good.
“Look, I don’t care that you’re still 17. There is no way in hell that I can live with you until August 29th. As far as I’m concerned, I have no daughter. Don’t bother coming home unless it is to get your stuff.”
Before I could respond, she was already inside the pharmacy. I opened the car door and slammed it closed as hard as I could when I got in the car. I banged my fist as hard as I could on the passenger seat leaving a small dent and tears of frustration starting falling. There was no stopping them. I gripped the steering wheel and drove off home so I could gather my things. I wasn’t worried about not having a home. I knew that I could just stay with Pat or Garrett. I made it back to the Monaco house and walked in the front door slamming it behind me. Pat, Jared, and Kennedy were sitting in the living room.
“Whoa, what crawled up your ass?” Jared asked
“Don’t fucking ask. Pat, come here.” I motioned for him to follow me upstairs to my room. Once we got there I closed the door.
“What the hell happened? You look like shit.”
“Well, if you must know I got in a fight with Joyce. I will explain everything later, but for now, do you think I could live at your place until school gets out?”
Pat walked up and hugged me. “You are always welcome in my house.”
More tears started to fall down my cheeks and I wiped them quickly. “Thanks, Pat. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“Anytime, Caitlin.”
We stood there for a little while just hugging until I remembered what I came up here for.
“Do you mind helping me pack up all of my things? I don’t think I have much time until my mom gets back.”
Pat nodded and we got to it. Surprisingly it only took about 15 minutes to pack everything up. Once we got everything we walked downstairs and I went into the living room and walked over to Jared and hugged him.
“You are a great brother, but your mother is a bitch. I’m leaving.”
Jared froze. “What the hell are you talking about?”
I heard the garage door open. Shit, I was out of time.
“Shit, she’s home. I promise I’ll explain everything later, okay? I love you.”
Then Pat and I bolted out the door and ran for the car that I was assuming was now mine. Joyce saw us and just scoffed and walked in my now old home. Goodbye Monacos.
“I-I think I have a lot of thinking to do. I’ll talk to you soon I guess.” I said opening the car door, getting in, and closing it before John could say anything. I looked out my window to see John crouched down in front of my window with a black sharpie in his hand. He uncapped it and started writing down numbers. I let him finish, then I rolled down my window.
“What the fuck was that for?”
“Well, I never officially gave you my number and you kind of got in the car before I could tell you.” He smiled.
I sighed. “I’ll see you later, John.” Then I rolled up my window and started driving off. The entire way home was quiet. I didn’t turn on any music. I was too absorbed in my thoughts. Should I go for it or should I blow him off? I was going through the pros and cons in my head. I looked out my window when I was stopped at a red light and saw the numbers written in sharpie. I sighed and bit my lip thinking about how cute I thought it was. Well, I thought it was cute until I remembered that this wasn’t my car. When realization struck me I yelped and my first reaction was to find a way to hide it or get rid of it. I called Jared to check if my mom was home so I knew how much time I had. After a few rings he picked up.
“Hello?”
“Hey, is mom or dad home?”
“No, she just ran out to the store and dad is at work like always, why?”
“Do you know how to get sharpie off of glass?”
“What, why?”
I was started to get irritated now. “Just, do you know how?”
“Well, it is sharpie so it’s kind of permanent. Your best bet is probably hand sanitizer though.”
“Hand sanitizer? Okay, thanks Jared. You’re the best.”
I hung up and changed my route. I started driving in the way of the nearest CVS. If I was going to get this off I needed to catch it early on. I got there quickly, bought hand sanitizer, and ran out to see my mom looking at the car with a horrified look on her face. How was I going to find a way out of this?
“M-m-mom, I thought you were at the uh store?” I said shakily.
“I was, but I was coming here to pick up a prescription. Caitlin Ann, what is this all over my car window?”
Shit, the full name. “It’s uh sharpie,” I whispered.
“I realized that already. Care to explain why the hell it is on my car? I bet it was Garrett or Patrick.”
I didn’t care that she was my mom or how much trouble I would get in for telling her off. I was done with her talking shit about my best friends. Finally, I spoke up.
“Okay, mother, a few things. First, I can’t stress this enough he goes by Pat not Patrick. You brought me up stressing how important respect was. Well, how can I learn that if you are always disrespectful to my friends? Second, what did Garrett or Pat ever do, or any of my guy friends for that matter, that makes you hate them so much? They are all great guys and they are my friends. They’re always there for me and care for me. I love them, mom. As a matter of fact, when I got too shitfaced to even walk straight, Garrett carried me to his house and covered for me so I wouldn’t get in trouble. Shocked that I spent the night with a boy? Well, get used to it because it wasn’t the first time. I’ve had countless sleepovers with Pat and Garrett. Third, that writing on the window, yeah, it was written by a guy. It was written by John actually. That is his number. He wants me to call him so we can discuss the possibility of being in a romantic relationship in the future and let me tell you, the fact that he did that is damn adorable. You wouldn’t know the first thing about that though because you and dad never spend any time together anymore. When was the last time the two of you had alone time? No, scratch that when was the last time you or dad did something even remotely spontaneous as that? Can’t remember, can you? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Now if you will excuse me, I have to call John.” I Stormed past her and made my way to my door. Damn, that felt good to say and let me tell you, that was long overdue. My mom looked shocked and like I had just slapped across her face and as bad as it sounded, it felt good.
“Look, I don’t care that you’re still 17. There is no way in hell that I can live with you until August 29th. As far as I’m concerned, I have no daughter. Don’t bother coming home unless it is to get your stuff.”
Before I could respond, she was already inside the pharmacy. I opened the car door and slammed it closed as hard as I could when I got in the car. I banged my fist as hard as I could on the passenger seat leaving a small dent and tears of frustration starting falling. There was no stopping them. I gripped the steering wheel and drove off home so I could gather my things. I wasn’t worried about not having a home. I knew that I could just stay with Pat or Garrett. I made it back to the Monaco house and walked in the front door slamming it behind me. Pat, Jared, and Kennedy were sitting in the living room.
“Whoa, what crawled up your ass?” Jared asked
“Don’t fucking ask. Pat, come here.” I motioned for him to follow me upstairs to my room. Once we got there I closed the door.
“What the hell happened? You look like shit.”
“Well, if you must know I got in a fight with Joyce. I will explain everything later, but for now, do you think I could live at your place until school gets out?”
Pat walked up and hugged me. “You are always welcome in my house.”
More tears started to fall down my cheeks and I wiped them quickly. “Thanks, Pat. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“Anytime, Caitlin.”
We stood there for a little while just hugging until I remembered what I came up here for.
“Do you mind helping me pack up all of my things? I don’t think I have much time until my mom gets back.”
Pat nodded and we got to it. Surprisingly it only took about 15 minutes to pack everything up. Once we got everything we walked downstairs and I went into the living room and walked over to Jared and hugged him.
“You are a great brother, but your mother is a bitch. I’m leaving.”
Jared froze. “What the hell are you talking about?”
I heard the garage door open. Shit, I was out of time.
“Shit, she’s home. I promise I’ll explain everything later, okay? I love you.”
Then Pat and I bolted out the door and ran for the car that I was assuming was now mine. Joyce saw us and just scoffed and walked in my now old home. Goodbye Monacos.