Bring on the Pain

Sprawled on her small bed staring at the dorm's white ceiling with glassy eyes, she listens to Thunder, letting Martin's voice wash over her, remembering that summer. He had always talked about forming a band that would get huge. They would stay up during those warm nights, listening to the crickets chirp and watching the stars above them, talking about their dreams and plans of the future. And apparently, he did it. The crazy boy she had met two summers ago had touched her in so many ways, and then he left, letting her think she meant nothing to him. But listening to this song now, Rileigh hopes that she meant more to him than he had led her to believe.

--

"Who are you?", asks the curious boy with electric blue eyes. "Are you new here? I've never seen you before, and I've lived here my whole life. My name's Martin."

Looking at him strangely, and surprised that such an attractive boy would just come up to her, she replies quietly. "Rileigh. I'm staying with my grandparents now."

"Cool! Why are you staying with your grandparents?"

With tears coming into her eyes, she shakes her head. "I can't talk about it.", she says waveringly.

Instead of running off, Martin sits next to her. "Are you ok?", he asks with concern in his voice. When she doesn't reply, he brightens up, saying, "Since you're new, you probably don't know anyone! Let me introduce you to some of my friends!"

That day, she met John, Bryan, and Paul. Apparently, John and Bryan were both Martin's age, but Paul was her age. The three older boys were excited for their last year in high school, whereas she and Paul still had to endure another two years. For the rest of the day, the five of them became acquainted. And then throughout the next week, they began doing everything together. However, it was always Martin, the first boy that she had met, that she had remained the closest to. Sometime during the second week they'd known each other, they learned that both had trouble sleeping, when Martin saw Rileigh outside in the middle of the night, and decided to join her. Over the next few days, it became an unstated fact that if one saw the other alone at night, they would give each other company. As the summer progressed, Martin and Rileigh would hang out with the boys in the morning, and take a walk to the park at night, where they'd lie for hours looking at the stars. It was there that Rileigh willingly opened up about her parents and brother for the first time in eight years, how they were all killed in a car crash when she was nine, and how she had been shipped from relative to relative for eight years, how no one wanted her, or could bear to look at her as a reminder of their lost loved ones. It was there that Martin let her cry into his shirt until the sun was about to rise. And it was there that they had there first kiss.

At this point, the summer was already more than half-way through. She was dreading the new school, knowing no one but the four boys she had met. Martin tried to reassure her as much as possible, but she was always the new kid who never stayed long enough to make any real bonds or friendships. Why bother? She never stayed for long anyways. However, she pushed these thoughts out of her head. Afterall, she had a boyfriend who knew her better than anyone else ever had, and a group of new friends. She couldn't ask for anything more. A few weeks before school started, the boys decided to take her on a small roadtrip. Taking John's car, they went everywhere, did crazy things. A few times, they ran out of bars without paying. Once, they made a huge bonfire on the side of an empty road. As they passed by a community pool at night, they decided to go skinny dipping. Rileigh had never had so much wild fun, and Martin had never been happier with a gorgeous girl beside him. None of them were ever caught. When they came home, and Martin and Rileigh resumed their usual nighttime rendezvous, she saw and helped him write "The Great Escape." He always listened to what she had to say, she she always encouraged him to follow his dreams.

One night, there was a huge thunderstorm. Instead of cowering inside like Rileigh did, Martin ran to her and grabbed her hands, swinging her in circles in the pouring rain. Under the streetlamp, he picked her and pulled her close to him, kissing her with more passion than he ever had before.

"I love you Rileigh. I don't know how you did it, but you'll have my heart forever. You'll always be my thunder.", he says into her ear.

Rileigh's breath catches in her throat. Just a few months ago, she never would have imagined having any friends, let alone a perfect boyfriend. Burying her face into his neck, she says into his shoulder, "I love you too." Realizing that he wouldn't have been able to hear her, she looks up again at him, and says with a smile on her face. "I love you too. When you're here, I almost don't feel the pain."

Smiling gently at her, he picks her up in another embrace, kissing her sweetly on the lips.

However, that fall came more quickly than either of them could ever imagine. With Martin trying to start something with John, and Rileigh trying to keep up with work, the two slowly drifted apart, until neither of them even acknowledged in passing. It hurt for her to see him, and she could never tell what he was thinking whenever they made awkward eye contact. The boy that had held her heart so dearly seemed like a totally different person.

As her high school years flew by, she heard whispers of Martin's new band, but never thought too much about it. There were other bands, and will probably always be more. She wanted his dream to come true, even after all the hurt he'd put her through, but never thought it would happen. Little did she know she would be proved wrong.

--

Finally gathering the courage she could never find before, Rileigh picks up her phone and dials Martin's number. Three years later than she should have, she wonders what he will say.