Together by This Christmas Tree

john o'callaghan

I had to tell her and hope for the best. After all, if this was truly to mean something, well, then, she’d be okay with it. I made my choice before I could over think it, before I could regret it. I rubbed the back of my neck, speaking slowly. “Actually,” I said, watching as Cally’s bright eyes locked back on mine, biting her lips. “I’m a lead singer in a band. A fairly popular band.” I cleared my throat, and spoke the name. “The Maine.”

Cally laughed. “I knew you looked familiar.” She giggled, surprisingly okay. She kept talking to me like I was normal. “Your eyes stare me down in the mornings when I get dressed. My roommate, Damien, saw you guys in concert a few years back. He put the poster up in what I call the wall of shame.” She smiled.

“How are you so ... cool with that?” I said quietly, before I could stop myself. I had to cover, speaking quickly and stuttering. “I mean with-”

“I know what you meant,” She said, not coolly. “I just figured you were used to and bored with the whole fangirl thing, so I just played it cool. It doesn’t change my opinion of you.” She shrugged. “My mom was in a band too, a smaller scale one. I’m used to the whole ‘oh, you’re Alexandria’s daughter?’ deal.” Cally shrugged again, and what love (love?) was growing in my stomach for her continued, deepening into the core of everything I knew.

After awhile, conversation grew halted by Cally’s frequent yawns, until she curled her knees up to her chest and rested her head on my shoulder, almost like she didn’t even realize it was happening until it did, falling into a deep and adorable sleep. As we passed over New York City, the flight attendant gently tapped me on the shoulder, and pointed to Cally, smiling.

“You two are quite adorable, sir,” She said, smiling. She moved on down the aisle, leaving me struck. She thought we were ... together?

But before my thoughts could get too muddled, I was asleep too, my head resting on top of Cally’s and the arm rest long since pushed up, leaving us cuddled together like the couple the flight attendant thought we were, and what my heart wanted so desperately.

When I woke up, Cally was gone, leaving only a post-it note in her lovely script, saying the words I was afraid of.

Well, you slept through landing and taxing, and I had to slip past you. You know, places to be and things to unpack. I hope I’ll see you around, John whatever-your-last-name-is. xoxoxo.

I clutched the note in my hand as I left the airport, hoping that somehow, it’d bring me to her.