I'd Cross the Whole World

Bryn could hear her cell phone ringing but she couldn’t find it anywhere. She ran around hoping to find it before it stopped and whoever was calling her was sent to voicemail. She finally found the phone and quickly answered it.

“Hello?”

“Bryn? Are you okay? You sound out of breath,” The voice said from the other end with a worried tone.

Bryn laughed at the worry in her boyfriend’s voice. “Yeah, I’m fine, John. I just lost my phone for a second.”

“You lost your phone? What a surprise,” John laughed and Bryn could just imagine him rolling his eyes. “So where’d you find it this time?”

“Umm…in the cupboard with the coffee cups.”

“Why was your phone with the coffee cups?”

“I don’t really know,” Bryn paused as she tried to remember what she had done that morning. “Oh, I know! Kelsey called while I was putting up the dishes. I must have set it up there thinking it was a coffee cup when she hung up.”

“I honestly don’t understand how you lose everything.”

“I don’t lose everything.”

John laughed, “Bryn, yes you do. You even lost that organizer I bought you so you could keep track of things and remember them.”

“Okay, maybe I do lose stuff. I just have so much stuff going on and I’m really bad at planning,” Bryn trailed off as she looked at the time on the clock. “Shit! I’m supposed to be at school in an hour and I’m not even dressed yet.”

“Seriously Brinton? You know it takes you an hour to get ready plus another fifteen minutes to drive to ASU.”

“I know, I know, I just lost track of time.”

“I can’t believe you’re going to be late to your own college graduation,” John chuckled.

“I don’t understand why I’m always late to everything. I try so hard to be on time but it’s no use,” Bryn said as she began digging through her closet for her dress and shoes.

“I’m really sorry I can’t be there today, Bryn. You’re graduating from college and I won’t even be there. I suck,” John softly said.

“It’s fine, John, I understand. Yeah, this is a big day for me but what you’re doing is big for you too. I mean you’re over there in England for tour.”

“Actually we’re in Ireland.”

“Oh, I thought you were in England.”

“That was yesterday,” John said as he once again laughed before turning serious once again. “I know tour’s important and everything but I still feel like a douche for missing my girlfriend’s graduation.”

“John, it’s fine,” Bryn reassured him and then cried out in frustration, “Ugh!”

“What now?”

“My hair. It was perfect but then I was digging around in my closet trying to find my shoes and now it’s a mess.”

“Let’s see, your hair’s a mess and you’re running late. That sounds like the first time we met,” John said.

“Shut up,” Bryn laughed as they both relived the memory of their first meeting.

“Pat, are you sure your cousin’s going to show up? She’s already 15 minutes late,” John asked as he sat in the local Starbucks with Pat. Pat’s cousin had just moved to Arizona so she could attend ASU and Pat said John should meet her because they would be perfect for each other.

“I’m sure John. Bryn always runs late. Honestly if she shows up twenty minutes late that’s early for her,” Pat laughed.

“Whatever you say man,” John said still a little unsure about this whole thing.

Suddenly a girl came running in. She had brown hair very similar to Pat’s, thick framed glasses, and tattoos covering one arm. Her hair was a mess, most likely from the running she had just done to get from her car to Starbucks, and John was pretty sure he saw a price tag still attached to her dress but he still thought she was beautiful.

“Pat, I’m so sorry I’m late. You’ll never believe what happened…” Bryn trailed off as she noticed Pat laughing softly. “What’s so funny?”

“Well your hair is extremely messy and your price tag is still attached,” Pat said.

Bryn’s cheeks immediately turned a bright red and she reached behind her to pull the tag while trying to smooth down her hair with her other hand. “Oh my gosh this is so embarrassing. I can’t believe I look like such a mess, especially in front of your friend.”

“I don’t mind. In fact I think you look fine. I’m John,” John smiled at Bryn.

Bryn sat down in the chair across from John. “Hi, I’m Bryn. Actually Brinton but I prefer Bryn. I’ve always thought Brinton sounded like a boy’s name. Do you think it does? I do. My mom really liked it though so she decided that should be my name,” Bryn suddenly stopped. “I’m rambling, aren’t I?”

John chuckled and nodded, “A little.”

“I’m sorry. I ramble when I get nervous, and blind dates are definitely nerve-wracking. Not that this is a date…I guess it’s more like a meeting, a blind meeting. Blind meetings are still nerve-wracking though especially since you’re so cute.”

Pat shook his head and John laughed.

“I just called you cute out loud, didn’t I?” Bryn asked and blushed once again when John nodded. “I didn’t mean that. I mean I did mean that because you are cute but…I’m just going to stop talking now.”

John and Bryn managed to have a more normal conversation the rest of the night but Bryn was sure she’d ruined her chances with John in those awful first five minutes. Much to her surprise though, John asked for her number at the end of the night and their relationship took off from there.

“I can’t believe you still wanted to go out with me after that awful first impression I must have given you,” Bryn said.

John laughed. “What can I say? I thought you were adorable and you were honestly unlike any other girl I’d ever met.”

“I’ve always been different than most girls.”

“That’s one of the things I love most about you though, Bryn. You always manage to surprise me.”

“Bryn, do you have any idea where we’re going?” John asked as his girlfriend kept driving. They’d been driving for forty-five minutes and he had no clue where they were. He was starting to wonder if Bryn even knew where they were.

“Of course I know where I am. We’re almost there, I promise. Now be quiet, this is my favorite song,” Bryn replied as she turned up the radio.

A few seconds later Bryn started singing along to the radio but it was obviously that she was just making up the words as she went along.

“Bryn,” John laughed. “Those are not the right words.”

“I don’t care. I’ll sing it how I want,” Bryn said as she stuck her tongue out at her boyfriend

John just chuckled to himself.

The pair sat in silence for a few minutes until John spoke up. “Um, Bryn? It’s raining.”

“I know,” Bryn simply said.

“Well aren’t you going to roll your window up?”

“Why? I love the feeling of the rain.”

“You do know that most people would think you’re insane?”

“I know. I don’t really care though because driving in the rain with the window down makes me happy. Oh, we’re here,” Bryn said as she pulled the car over and parked it.

The pair got out of the car and John noticed they were at some sort of look-out point. They were about halfway up a mountain and the entire city of Phoenix plus its surrounding suburbs sprawled before them. There were benches at the look-out point and John figured it was some sort of tourist spot but at the moment it was deserted except for John and Bryn.

“Bryn this is perfect. It’s beautiful up here,” John said as he hugged his girlfriend.

Bryn smiled up at him. “I’m glad you like it. I also packed a picnic for us for dinner.”

The pair sat down and ate their dinner. Afterwards they just sat there and enjoyed the evening while talking. Eventually they decided they should get going. John started to gather up the picnic remains while Bryn headed towards the car.

“Shit!” Bryn yelled out.

“What?” John asked.

“I locked my keys in my car. It’s okay though I’ll just call Triple A or something…double shit!”

“What now?”

“My phone is in my purse which is right next to my keys in my locked car,” Bryn said on the verge of tears.

John laughed. “Bryn, it’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. I wanted to make this evening perfect for you but I screwed it up.”

“Babe, it’s still perfect. Plus I have my cell phone so I’ll just call someone.”

Bryn smiled and shook her head. “What would I do without you, John O’Callaghan?”

Bryn once again laughed at the memory. “I am such a spaz sometimes. I honestly don’t know how you put up with me.”

John suddenly became serious. “Brinton, I love you so much. Sure you have your imperfections and quirks but those are just little things, and they don’t mean much to me. You’re always unpredictable and sometimes you’re impossible but I don’t care. No one else sees you like I do, and no one else could love you like I do.”

Bryn smiled. “I love you, John O’Callaghan.”

“I love you, Brinton McKey. You better get going though because you’re already late.”

“Bye John. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Bye Bryn.”

Bryn hung up her cell phone and sat there with a smile on her face for a few seconds. She quickly stood up though and headed towards her car. She made it to ASU in time for her graduation and could hear her family’s cheers when she walked across the stage. After the graduation Bryn stood around with her family as they congratulated her and looked at her diploma.

“I’m surprised you haven’t lost that diploma yet,” Bryn heard a voice say behind her.

Bryn turned around with a look of surprise on her face. “John! What are you doing here?”

John laughed as Bryn threw her arms around him. “Did you really think I’d miss your graduation?”

“But when you called me you said you were in Ireland.”

“I was actually at Sky Harbor Airport. I flew from Ireland after our concert yesterday so I could be here. I know I lied but I wanted to surprise you.”

“You flew all the way from Ireland? That’s like halfway across the world.”

“Bryn, I’d cross the whole world for someone like you.”