Back to the Start

Do I text back right away? Should I wait? Crazy thoughts are running through my head as I bite anxiously on my hair. It's not even midnight yet. Sam is definitely still there. Oh god. I hope she didn't have too much to drink. Suddenly worried, I send her a quick text. "If you're gonna drive, don't drink too much, kay? Call a cab, and I'll drive you tomorrow to pick your car back up." Now back to Garrett's text. Why am I freaking out over this? It feels like high school all over again. No. This isn't ok. I'll just wait until the morning. He probably forgot anyways. 

Throwing myself back on my bed, I stare at my ceiling. The same since freshman year of high school. I had a bad morning one day, and Gare had come over with huge bags of glow in the dark stars, insisting that we spend the afternoon taping the stars on my ceilings in the shape of constellations. I thought he was crazy, but we did it. Then later that night, we walked to the park and he pointed out the actual constellations to me. And we had our first kiss. He stuttered so much, but he managed to ask me out right after. And then we'd been together ever since. From Short Bus to The Maine, we'd been together. And then I messed it up. And he wouldn't stay. Or listen. 

I would never tell anyone, but I only ever came home for the stars. They would always calm me, and sleep would finally come, even if after long-ago memories. Despite happening years ago, the love was always there, and I still missed it. Missed him. 

I wake up to my phone vibrating like crazy. Garrett? Slightly disoriented, I look at it. Sam. Gahh. "Are you OK?" "Raaachhhh. You awake yet?" "What's wrong?" "Helllllooo? Are you alive?" "Are you ignoring me now Rach?" "Rachael! Are you mad at me or something?" "Ughh. Just tell me you're alive kay?"

Groaning, I type back. "I'm fine! I just woke up, no thanks to your buzzing xP and no, I'm not mad. I told you last night that I wasn't feeling well. But I'm up now. Wanna meet for coffee?"

Not even a minute later, I receive a reply. "Sure. And you think I believe you? You're spilling."

"I guess I should. I'm going crazy here. Starbucks in an hour?"

"Sure. Don't eat breakfast. We might as well as have lunch together."

Realizing that it would be one in an hour, I get out of bed and take a shower. It feels so unproductive. Usually by now, I'd have been up for a few hours already, with a short jog done and breakfast in my stomach. It always annoyed Garrett when I'd wake him up before one in the afternoon. Oh. Garrett. I suppose I should text him back now. 

"Hi Garrett. It's Rachael. The day this isn't my number anymore will be the day pigs fly, remember? New phones are good. But new numbers are bad."

He's probably not awake yet, so he won't reply for another few hours. Stepping into my already running shower, I let the steaming water run over me.