I Hate To Say This But I'm Stuck On Loving You, John O'Callaghan
PART 12
We drove to Pat’s house in silence. When we got there we walked in Pat’s parents were in the front hallway.
“Caitlin! Perfect timing, we actually just got back from dropping Caroline off at the airport,” said Mrs. Kirch.
“Uh mom, dad, can I talk to you for a second in the kitchen?”
They looked confused but agreed and started walking towards the kitchen. Pat walked up and whispered for me to go upstairs so I could set my stuff up in the guest room since I would be staying for a while. He knew that I wouldn’t want to be there when he told his parents that I could kicked out because we both knew that they would make a big fuss over it. Pat’s family is extremely loud and they have really thin walls so I could still hear them talking while I was upstairs unpacking.
“Do you think it would be okay if Caitlin stayed with us until graduation or so?” Pat asked.
“Of course that’s fine. You know how much we love her. She is always welcome. Why is she staying so long though? Won’t her family want to be with her?” his mom asked.
“Well, you see her mom kind of kicked her out and disowned her or something. I’m not completely sure what happened yet. All I know is that she got kicked out.”
I heard Mrs. Kirch gasp.
“What kind of parent would do that to their child? Isn’t she still 17?” Mr. Kirch finally decided to jump into this.
“Well, you know how her parents are…”
There was a silence for a while. They knew what my parents were like. They knew pretty much everything. Pat was really open with his parents. He told them everything. I don’t really blame him though. If I had parents like his I would do the same thing.
“Well, the guest room is still set up from Caroline’s visit so she can stay here.” Mrs. Kirch said.
“Okay, thanks. She is one of my best friends. I can’t just leave her on the streets. Thanks for being so understanding.”
“Oh, and make sure she knows that she is welcome to stay as long as she wants.”
It was silent again and I started to hear footsteps. I heard a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
Pat opened the door, walked in, and sat cross legged on the bed that will be mine for now.
“I understand if you don’t want to talk about it now, but let me know when you’re ready to tell me, no pressure though.”
“No, Pat, it’s fine. I can tell you now. I actually have a little bit more to tell you that I was planning on telling you when we hung out today anyway.”
I took a deep breath and told him everything from what happened at the party to what happened today in front of CVS.
Pat had his eyebrows knitted together which meant he was confused.
“Wait, so let me get this straight. You basically got disowned because John wrote his number on the car window with sharpie?” He said slowly.
“Now that you mention it, it is actually kind of dumb. Well, it probably wouldn’t have gone as far as it did if I hadn’t bitched her out, but one thing just led to another. I am so done with her, Pat. If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t change a word I said. If anything, I would have told her off sooner.”
“So, you’re sure about this? You are done? I mean, she is your moth-“
“Don’t you dare finish that word. She is nothing to me. I have never been so sure about something in my life. Weight is just off my shoulders.”
“Okay, well as long as you’re positive. I don’t want you to do anything you regret.”
“I’m sure.”
“Okay, I’m going to leave now so you can call John.”
“How are you so sure that I’m going to call him? I could just blow him off.”
Pat laughed. “I know John really well. If you don’t call him you will defiantly regret that. Besides, if he ever does hurt you I will shun him and kick his ass…”
“Pat, no offense, but you’re kind of small and John is kind of…not.”
“Hey, hey, you are looking at the 60 pound wrestling Arizona state champion.”
“Pat, you haven’t weighed 60 pounds since you were in like 3rd or 4th grade.”
“Goodbye.” Pat walked out and closed the door behind him. Maybe I should call John. Pat wouldn’t lie to me. I moved over to the bed and stared at my phone from across the room thinking. I got up and picked up my phone. Even though John didn’t think I had his number, I did. Garrett put it in a while ago so I didn’t have to worry about going outside to find out his number. I opened up my contacts and put my phone down around the time I got to the D’s. This process continued for a few more minutes. To call or not to call, that is the question. I stared at my phone for a while before I decided I was finally going to do it. I quickly made my way to the J’s and pressed call when I got his name quickly so I wouldn’t back out again. While I sat there listening to it ring my stomach was doing backflips. What if he didn’t pick up? What if this was one of his games and it was a joke to call him? Oh God, what am I getting myself into? I was surprised when the ringing stop and I heard his voice on the other line.
“Hello?”
“H-h-hey John, It’s um Caitlin Monaco, Jared’s sister.”
“Caitlin, I know who you are, you don’t need to introduce yourself as Jared’s sister.” He said chuckling at the end.
I needed to calm down. I was nervous and being nervous was just going to make this harder. I gulped and decided to take a chance.
“Well, I thought about what you said earlier and I’ve made my decision. It would actually probably be better if I told you in person. Can you come over to the Kirch’s house?”
“Why are there?”
“It’s complicated and I don’t feel like talking about it. Can you just…come over?”
“Yeah, I’ll be there in 5.”
“Okay, cool. I guess I’ll see you then. Bye.”
“Bye, Caitlin.”
This was really happening. John was coming over. Maybe something was finally going to happen. This is what you’ve been waiting for. You can do this. Five minutes later I heard the doorbell ring. That was John.
“I got it!” I yelled so everyone in the house could hear me and ran downstairs. Before I opened the door I ran my fingers through my hair and exhaled.
“Hey, do you want to go on a walk?” I asked.
“As long as I’m with you, it will be good so I’m fine with whatever.”
I blushed and looked down hoping that he wouldn’t see me. I started walking and John followed. When he caught up to me he grabbed my hand and laced his fingers with mine. It felt like a lightning bolt was coursing through my body when he touched me.
“So, what did you want to talk about?” He asked finally breaking the silence.
“Well, I thought about what you said and I decided I would give you a chance.” I said.
John smiled and it felt like there were butterflies flying around in my stomach.
“In that case, what are you doing tonight?” he asked.
I had imagined this moment so many times before and I liked where this was going.
“Nothing that I know of, why?”
“Caitlin Ann Monaco, would you like to go out on a date with me?”
“Caitlin! Perfect timing, we actually just got back from dropping Caroline off at the airport,” said Mrs. Kirch.
“Uh mom, dad, can I talk to you for a second in the kitchen?”
They looked confused but agreed and started walking towards the kitchen. Pat walked up and whispered for me to go upstairs so I could set my stuff up in the guest room since I would be staying for a while. He knew that I wouldn’t want to be there when he told his parents that I could kicked out because we both knew that they would make a big fuss over it. Pat’s family is extremely loud and they have really thin walls so I could still hear them talking while I was upstairs unpacking.
“Do you think it would be okay if Caitlin stayed with us until graduation or so?” Pat asked.
“Of course that’s fine. You know how much we love her. She is always welcome. Why is she staying so long though? Won’t her family want to be with her?” his mom asked.
“Well, you see her mom kind of kicked her out and disowned her or something. I’m not completely sure what happened yet. All I know is that she got kicked out.”
I heard Mrs. Kirch gasp.
“What kind of parent would do that to their child? Isn’t she still 17?” Mr. Kirch finally decided to jump into this.
“Well, you know how her parents are…”
There was a silence for a while. They knew what my parents were like. They knew pretty much everything. Pat was really open with his parents. He told them everything. I don’t really blame him though. If I had parents like his I would do the same thing.
“Well, the guest room is still set up from Caroline’s visit so she can stay here.” Mrs. Kirch said.
“Okay, thanks. She is one of my best friends. I can’t just leave her on the streets. Thanks for being so understanding.”
“Oh, and make sure she knows that she is welcome to stay as long as she wants.”
It was silent again and I started to hear footsteps. I heard a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
Pat opened the door, walked in, and sat cross legged on the bed that will be mine for now.
“I understand if you don’t want to talk about it now, but let me know when you’re ready to tell me, no pressure though.”
“No, Pat, it’s fine. I can tell you now. I actually have a little bit more to tell you that I was planning on telling you when we hung out today anyway.”
I took a deep breath and told him everything from what happened at the party to what happened today in front of CVS.
Pat had his eyebrows knitted together which meant he was confused.
“Wait, so let me get this straight. You basically got disowned because John wrote his number on the car window with sharpie?” He said slowly.
“Now that you mention it, it is actually kind of dumb. Well, it probably wouldn’t have gone as far as it did if I hadn’t bitched her out, but one thing just led to another. I am so done with her, Pat. If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t change a word I said. If anything, I would have told her off sooner.”
“So, you’re sure about this? You are done? I mean, she is your moth-“
“Don’t you dare finish that word. She is nothing to me. I have never been so sure about something in my life. Weight is just off my shoulders.”
“Okay, well as long as you’re positive. I don’t want you to do anything you regret.”
“I’m sure.”
“Okay, I’m going to leave now so you can call John.”
“How are you so sure that I’m going to call him? I could just blow him off.”
Pat laughed. “I know John really well. If you don’t call him you will defiantly regret that. Besides, if he ever does hurt you I will shun him and kick his ass…”
“Pat, no offense, but you’re kind of small and John is kind of…not.”
“Hey, hey, you are looking at the 60 pound wrestling Arizona state champion.”
“Pat, you haven’t weighed 60 pounds since you were in like 3rd or 4th grade.”
“Goodbye.” Pat walked out and closed the door behind him. Maybe I should call John. Pat wouldn’t lie to me. I moved over to the bed and stared at my phone from across the room thinking. I got up and picked up my phone. Even though John didn’t think I had his number, I did. Garrett put it in a while ago so I didn’t have to worry about going outside to find out his number. I opened up my contacts and put my phone down around the time I got to the D’s. This process continued for a few more minutes. To call or not to call, that is the question. I stared at my phone for a while before I decided I was finally going to do it. I quickly made my way to the J’s and pressed call when I got his name quickly so I wouldn’t back out again. While I sat there listening to it ring my stomach was doing backflips. What if he didn’t pick up? What if this was one of his games and it was a joke to call him? Oh God, what am I getting myself into? I was surprised when the ringing stop and I heard his voice on the other line.
“Hello?”
“H-h-hey John, It’s um Caitlin Monaco, Jared’s sister.”
“Caitlin, I know who you are, you don’t need to introduce yourself as Jared’s sister.” He said chuckling at the end.
I needed to calm down. I was nervous and being nervous was just going to make this harder. I gulped and decided to take a chance.
“Well, I thought about what you said earlier and I’ve made my decision. It would actually probably be better if I told you in person. Can you come over to the Kirch’s house?”
“Why are there?”
“It’s complicated and I don’t feel like talking about it. Can you just…come over?”
“Yeah, I’ll be there in 5.”
“Okay, cool. I guess I’ll see you then. Bye.”
“Bye, Caitlin.”
This was really happening. John was coming over. Maybe something was finally going to happen. This is what you’ve been waiting for. You can do this. Five minutes later I heard the doorbell ring. That was John.
“I got it!” I yelled so everyone in the house could hear me and ran downstairs. Before I opened the door I ran my fingers through my hair and exhaled.
“Hey, do you want to go on a walk?” I asked.
“As long as I’m with you, it will be good so I’m fine with whatever.”
I blushed and looked down hoping that he wouldn’t see me. I started walking and John followed. When he caught up to me he grabbed my hand and laced his fingers with mine. It felt like a lightning bolt was coursing through my body when he touched me.
“So, what did you want to talk about?” He asked finally breaking the silence.
“Well, I thought about what you said and I decided I would give you a chance.” I said.
John smiled and it felt like there were butterflies flying around in my stomach.
“In that case, what are you doing tonight?” he asked.
I had imagined this moment so many times before and I liked where this was going.
“Nothing that I know of, why?”
“Caitlin Ann Monaco, would you like to go out on a date with me?”