Status: Be right back...
Dirty Little Secrets
I Can't Wait
--Danny--
To make things easier, John took me to school the last few days of school because the seniors would have early release anyways and we’d want to hang out afterwards. The last day of school finally approached and John and I were getting the things out of our lockers before heading to the lunch table for the last time. The clan was silent and exchanged glances saying “It’s over.” What was over? Just school? Or our friendship. It was a very somber day. We got to leave after lunch and the clan went to the mall.
“So guys,” Eric said as we walked around quietly. “Jared, where are you going to school? ASU?”
“Yeah all of us are. I mean, except for Danny.”
“Way to make me feel bad guys.”
“We’re not trying to…” Jared said softly. “It’s just we’ve all been together so long and if you’re not there with us it wouldn’t be the same.”
“I’m sure you’ll find someone to take my place. And don’t for one second think that you’re not coming to see me in New York.”
“You won’t be too busy for us?” Eric asked.
“I’d never be too busy for you guys.”
John had his arm around my waist and had been quiet since this morning. That’s when reality set in. I’d always been accustomed to going into summer knowing that I’d see him and the rest of the clan the following school year but this was no longer the case. We’d probably go months without seeing each other. I mean, how would we stay together and make it work? He’d be across the country from me and there was no way I’d be able to know what he was doing 24/7. The only thing we could do was make the summer last and play it by ear.
John and I arrived at my house before my parents got off of work and before the other grades got let out of school so we went into my room and started making out.
I pulled away from him after I was barely getting any feedback from him. “John, why are you acting like this? You haven’t said anything all day and you’re not even into kissing me right now.”
“I’m sorry…it’s just that…I keep thinking that in three months you’ll be gone.”
“Are you going to think like this the whole summer where we won’t have any fun at all?”
“I don’t want to think like this, but I can’t think about anything else. We’ve always gone to school together and it feels weird that we’re not anymore. How are you not thinking about this?”
“I am but I’d rather enjoy my time with you as much as I can before I have to go. Don’t you want to enjoy your time with me?”
He didn’t say anything, just faintly smiled and began kissing me again. This time he was actually into it and took the lead. Half an hour later, he put his arms around my nude torso as I put my head on his chest and heard his breaths and heart beat steadying. “I love you,” he said and kissed the side of my face.
“I love you too, Cornelius.”
“You are the only one that will ever be allowed to refer to me in that way.”
“Good. I feel special.”
We put our clothes back on and continued to lie on my bed in silence. “What is this?” He asked and picked up the notepad that was sitting on my nightstand.
I started laughing and put my hand over my face. I had written ‘Note to self: John is really hot!’
“I wrote that after we um…yeah. The first time.”
“I’m hot?” He looked at me with a weird face then it turned into a smile. “You’re so weird!”
“You’re weird if you don’t think you’re hot.”
“Do you think you’re hot?”
“I do not.”
“Then you’re weird.”
“Touche. But seriously, you are a beautiful person.”
“Is that why you finally decided to go out with me?”
“Yes because I’m so shallow,” I said then kissed him. “It had nothing to do with you as a person or that we’ve been friends for like 12 years.”
“I knew it.”
My mom obnoxiously burst through my doorway during mid-kiss. “Just because I put you on the pill doesn’t mean you can just do it all the time!”
“We were just hangin’ out!” I defended. She walked away and I sighed. “Parents. Always assuming the worst.”
“But we weren’t just hanging out,” John said as I shushed him.
-Graduation-
--John--
I was so nervous for graduation to begin. I put my cap and gown in the truck as I dressed up and my parents took pictures of me. I can’t believe today was the day. I drove over to Danny’s house and got out to take pictures with her then we were on our way to the stadium.
“I’m so scared!” Danny said and rubbed her hands on her legs. “My palms are sweating.”
“What’s there to be scared of?” I said as I waiting at the stop light.
“Growing up.” She looked out the window. “We’re almost high school graduates. We’re almost adults. It’s scary.”
“There’s nothing to be afraid of. You have me, Eric, Jared and your family. We’re not going anywhere.”
“But I am,” she said quietly.
“Are you second guessing yourself?”
“No, I just feel like I’m breaking up the gang. We’ve been together for so long and I feel selfish for going all the way across America to go to school.”
“Don’t let us stop you from doing what you want. You’re going to do great things. You’re going to be Hollywood’s next Sandra Bullock.”
She stifled a mocking laugh. “I’ll be lucky if I got anywhere close to someone like Miranda Cosgrove.”
“Hey, she’s pretty badass.”
“She is pretty badass,” she agreed. “There’s just so much uncertainty.”
“Isn’t that what makes it fun and worth it?”
She smiled at me then scooted herself next to me as I put my arm comfortingly around her.
“Why are you just the greatest?”
“I'm just John.”
****
Since our last names were close together, Danny and I were sitting next to each other and Jared was about five people in front of her.
“Jared James Monaco,” the selected teacher, Mrs. Newland, announced and everyone in the clan’s section cheered, as they did for Eric. It was almost time. “Danielle Morgan Nunn…John Cornelius O’Callaghan V.” It seemed like the entire stadium had cheered for the both of us. I picked up my diploma, took the pictures then sat back down. I was getting closer.
My mind was elsewhere during the rest of the names and ending speeches. During the cap toss, I kept mine on my head because I was in another world.
“John, are you okay?” Danny asked me as we were shooed out of the arena and went outside to meet our group.
“I’ll let you know.”
“You look like you’re about to pass out!”
“Um, Danny?” I said shakily.
“Yes, John?” She still looked at me with concerned eyes as I knelt on the ground.
“Will you marry me?” I said as I took the ring box out of my pocket and opened it. She stood there gaping at me then tears started to fall out of her eyes.
To make things easier, John took me to school the last few days of school because the seniors would have early release anyways and we’d want to hang out afterwards. The last day of school finally approached and John and I were getting the things out of our lockers before heading to the lunch table for the last time. The clan was silent and exchanged glances saying “It’s over.” What was over? Just school? Or our friendship. It was a very somber day. We got to leave after lunch and the clan went to the mall.
“So guys,” Eric said as we walked around quietly. “Jared, where are you going to school? ASU?”
“Yeah all of us are. I mean, except for Danny.”
“Way to make me feel bad guys.”
“We’re not trying to…” Jared said softly. “It’s just we’ve all been together so long and if you’re not there with us it wouldn’t be the same.”
“I’m sure you’ll find someone to take my place. And don’t for one second think that you’re not coming to see me in New York.”
“You won’t be too busy for us?” Eric asked.
“I’d never be too busy for you guys.”
John had his arm around my waist and had been quiet since this morning. That’s when reality set in. I’d always been accustomed to going into summer knowing that I’d see him and the rest of the clan the following school year but this was no longer the case. We’d probably go months without seeing each other. I mean, how would we stay together and make it work? He’d be across the country from me and there was no way I’d be able to know what he was doing 24/7. The only thing we could do was make the summer last and play it by ear.
John and I arrived at my house before my parents got off of work and before the other grades got let out of school so we went into my room and started making out.
I pulled away from him after I was barely getting any feedback from him. “John, why are you acting like this? You haven’t said anything all day and you’re not even into kissing me right now.”
“I’m sorry…it’s just that…I keep thinking that in three months you’ll be gone.”
“Are you going to think like this the whole summer where we won’t have any fun at all?”
“I don’t want to think like this, but I can’t think about anything else. We’ve always gone to school together and it feels weird that we’re not anymore. How are you not thinking about this?”
“I am but I’d rather enjoy my time with you as much as I can before I have to go. Don’t you want to enjoy your time with me?”
He didn’t say anything, just faintly smiled and began kissing me again. This time he was actually into it and took the lead. Half an hour later, he put his arms around my nude torso as I put my head on his chest and heard his breaths and heart beat steadying. “I love you,” he said and kissed the side of my face.
“I love you too, Cornelius.”
“You are the only one that will ever be allowed to refer to me in that way.”
“Good. I feel special.”
We put our clothes back on and continued to lie on my bed in silence. “What is this?” He asked and picked up the notepad that was sitting on my nightstand.
I started laughing and put my hand over my face. I had written ‘Note to self: John is really hot!’
“I wrote that after we um…yeah. The first time.”
“I’m hot?” He looked at me with a weird face then it turned into a smile. “You’re so weird!”
“You’re weird if you don’t think you’re hot.”
“Do you think you’re hot?”
“I do not.”
“Then you’re weird.”
“Touche. But seriously, you are a beautiful person.”
“Is that why you finally decided to go out with me?”
“Yes because I’m so shallow,” I said then kissed him. “It had nothing to do with you as a person or that we’ve been friends for like 12 years.”
“I knew it.”
My mom obnoxiously burst through my doorway during mid-kiss. “Just because I put you on the pill doesn’t mean you can just do it all the time!”
“We were just hangin’ out!” I defended. She walked away and I sighed. “Parents. Always assuming the worst.”
“But we weren’t just hanging out,” John said as I shushed him.
-Graduation-
--John--
I was so nervous for graduation to begin. I put my cap and gown in the truck as I dressed up and my parents took pictures of me. I can’t believe today was the day. I drove over to Danny’s house and got out to take pictures with her then we were on our way to the stadium.
“I’m so scared!” Danny said and rubbed her hands on her legs. “My palms are sweating.”
“What’s there to be scared of?” I said as I waiting at the stop light.
“Growing up.” She looked out the window. “We’re almost high school graduates. We’re almost adults. It’s scary.”
“There’s nothing to be afraid of. You have me, Eric, Jared and your family. We’re not going anywhere.”
“But I am,” she said quietly.
“Are you second guessing yourself?”
“No, I just feel like I’m breaking up the gang. We’ve been together for so long and I feel selfish for going all the way across America to go to school.”
“Don’t let us stop you from doing what you want. You’re going to do great things. You’re going to be Hollywood’s next Sandra Bullock.”
She stifled a mocking laugh. “I’ll be lucky if I got anywhere close to someone like Miranda Cosgrove.”
“Hey, she’s pretty badass.”
“She is pretty badass,” she agreed. “There’s just so much uncertainty.”
“Isn’t that what makes it fun and worth it?”
She smiled at me then scooted herself next to me as I put my arm comfortingly around her.
“Why are you just the greatest?”
“I'm just John.”
****
Since our last names were close together, Danny and I were sitting next to each other and Jared was about five people in front of her.
“Jared James Monaco,” the selected teacher, Mrs. Newland, announced and everyone in the clan’s section cheered, as they did for Eric. It was almost time. “Danielle Morgan Nunn…John Cornelius O’Callaghan V.” It seemed like the entire stadium had cheered for the both of us. I picked up my diploma, took the pictures then sat back down. I was getting closer.
My mind was elsewhere during the rest of the names and ending speeches. During the cap toss, I kept mine on my head because I was in another world.
“John, are you okay?” Danny asked me as we were shooed out of the arena and went outside to meet our group.
“I’ll let you know.”
“You look like you’re about to pass out!”
“Um, Danny?” I said shakily.
“Yes, John?” She still looked at me with concerned eyes as I knelt on the ground.
“Will you marry me?” I said as I took the ring box out of my pocket and opened it. She stood there gaping at me then tears started to fall out of her eyes.