Find a Way To Be Alive

"June?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you hurry up? I need to get ready as well."

"Hurrying," June shouted from the bathroom. She closed her mascara tube tight, not eager to shell out another eight dollars before she had to. She opened the door so her younger sister could get into the bathroom. June walked to her room, the walls were Robin's Egg Blue. The walls were calming to her.

John and June hadn't talked since they left each other after breakfast despite sealing the deal with a kiss. Today June started back to school and the day before was the first day of tour for John's band.

After the day had come and gone June had no expectations from hearing from him anymore. She wasn't angry because she knew she didn't make any effort to talk to John either. June pulled a navy dress over her body. It flared at the waist and was simple.

"June..."

"What Anna?"

"There... Well... You should just come and see."

June rolled her eyes and walked out of her bedroom to see what her roommate was shouting about. "I've got to get Hanna to school in just a little bit! What- What the fuck is this?" Outside of her apartment window June saw a van with writing all over it and flower petals that spelled June on the roof.

"What's going on?" Hanna, June's younger sister asked, peeking out the window. Hanna had spent the night with Juna and Anna at their apartment.

"Get ready for school and come to the parking lot," June replied, slipping on her brown moccasins and grabbing her purse. June took the stairs two at a time and busted out of the apartment building in a rush.

"Hello beautiful, how- What in the world?"

John ran a hand over his face, wiping off the spit. His hand was barely off his face before June's own hand collided with his mouth. He stood in front of her, his jaw to the floor. His dark jeans were similar, maybe even the same ones, he wore to breakfast the last time they actually spoke. His black v-neck shirt was slightly large on his thin frame.

"First off, do not say hello beautiful to me in that cocky ass way. You broke a sealed deal O'Callaghan."

John nodded, "You did too, Collins. What is second off?"

June smiled a little smile. "Second off... I don't actually have a second off to be honest."

"June, we have to go! I'm going to be late!" Hanna bounced out of the apartment building with her book bag thrown over her shoulder. "Who the hell are you?"

John laughed, "What a mouth you've got! You're only like what, seven?"

"Seven," Hanna nodded in agreement, "My name is Hanna and you are going to make me late for school if you keep standing here willy nilly talking to my sister. Do you want me to be late?"

"Oh hell," John muttered to himself, wondering what exactly he had gotten himself into. The van's horn honked, alerting him to just how long he was taking. He hadn't exactly expected things to work out how they had. He definitely had never been spit on and slapped across the mouth for saying 'hello beautiful' to a girl. Nor had he been cussed at by a seven year old.

"Running late as well?" June asked with a smirk.

"You two women just may be the devil."

"Well maybe you should plan things better. You know, you just can't pop up somewhere and expect no one has anything going on in their lives! Who do you think you are?" Hanna exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "June is a very busy woman, did you know that?"

June laughed out loud this time. A big smile fell on John's face, he couldn't get over the cute older girl standing in front of him, or the cute little girl.

"Uhm, I'm really, really sorry. I'm sorry I'm making you late to school, I'm sorry I didn't call you. I promise, I give you both my sincerest of apologies."

"Oh that's alright, we accept," Hanna said.

"Hanna!"

"I said that we accept, June! It wouldn't be very polite to take back an acceptance of an apology would it?"

The horn honked again and John looked back at it. With a huff, Hanna marched towards the street.

"Hanna! Don't go in the street!"

Hanna ripped open the vans door with some difficulty, but she managed. Everyone inside the van stopped what they were doing to look at the child in front of them.

"You are being SO rude! Can you just be patient!"

"Ugh, guys, this is Hanna, June's little sister."

"I'm Pat," he introduced himself immediately, shaking the child's hand.

"Garret."

"Jared."

"Kennedy."

"Well it's nice to meet you," Hanna said to all of them. "I don't actually know you're name."

"My name is John. Ugh, everyone this is June."

"We would love to know you better June, we're just-"

"I know," June stopped him, "I'm sorry to be holding you guys up."

"Look," John said, pulling June towards the rear of the van. Pat challenged Hanna to a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors before she could follow John and June.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry I didn't call-"

June shook her head, "I'm not mad, not really. I didn't either."

"I really, I mean this, I want you in my life somehow, Doll. I'm leaving today and this time I will actually contact you. Me. Because the man should call the woman first."

June laughed, "Very true."

"Seal the deal?"

June smiled and leaned forward. She placed a small kiss on John's lips then went to get Hanna.

"Bro, have you ever heard of dynamite? She used dynamite! It's Rock, Paper, Scissors! There is no dynamite! You can't beat that! You cheated!"

"Dynamite does too exist!"

"I have heard of dynamite actually, I just know it's unstoppable."

"No it isn't," June and Hanna said at the same time. The boys turned to face the girls. "You can beat dynamite with scissors. Snip the fuse," June explained, making a snipping motion with her fingers.

"So, we'll see you guys later."

"Bye everyone, so very nice meeting you," Hanna shouted. She skipped over to June's black Altima and got in the passenger seat.

"This time for real. Bye June," John said. He pulled June against his chest tightly. June hugged John back. John inhaled and smiled at the scent that was all over his sheets. That smell was beginning to fade, part of the reason John decided he had to talk to June. Before it was really too late to repair any type of relationship they could have.

"Will you answer?"

"Any time you call, no matter what," June agreed. John smiled and kissed the top of June's head, then got in the van. June got into her car and pulled out of the parking spot.

"Is he your boyfriend?"

"No," June laughed, "I don't even think we're friends."

"Well he is pretty cute... Keep your options open," Hanna advised.

"Thanks Han, I'll keep that in mind."

The drive to Hanna's school didn't take long. The Elementary school was the same one that June and Anna had attended. It was actually where they had met.

"Have a good day."

"You too, June," Hanna said, hugging her older sister. She got out of the car and June watched to make sure she got into the building, then she pulled out of the school parking lot.

*****************

"So what in the world was that?" Anna exclaimed when her best friend walked back into the apartment they shared.

"That party the other night, the guy I left with? That was him."

"The one that didn't call, right?"

"Mhmm. Well he feels bad or whatever and he wants me in his life in some way blah, blah."

"You're not interested? He is pretty fucking cute!"

"I am, sort of," June replied. "I don't know. I'm just taking things a day at a time."

"Was he leaving today for tour?"

"Mhmm."

"What band is he in?"

June laughed, "I actually have no idea..."

"Well you know his name, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Google him."

"I don't want to know," June laughed, "It's probably shitty."

"I want to know," Anna said rolling her eyes. She picked up her laptop. "What is his name?"

"John O'Callaghan."

"Alrighty... He is in... Ah! The Maine! Do you want to hear their music?"

"I'd really rather not, Anna. What if I don't like it? Then I would have to lie and tell him I do."

"Alright I'll give on not listening... If you'll come with me to their show tomorrow night in San Francisco!"

"Anna! I have school! So do you!"

"Come on, June! I have a wonderful feeling about this! Please, please!"

June sighed, "Fine. But you're driving."

"Deal!"