Perfect Timing

“Hey, do you know where my red flannel shirt is?”

Sara rolled her eyes at the question the boy on the other end of the phone was asking. “John, you have a million flannel shirts and at least five of them are red.”

John chuckled. “Okay, sorry. Do you know where my lucky red flannel shirt is?”

“Did you check in your laundry room?”

“I have a laundry room?” John joked. “Hold on, let me check…oh, yep, here it is. Now, do you know where my black jeans are?”

Sara sighed. “How about I just come over and help you pack? You obviously can’t do it yourself.”

“I was hoping you all along you were going to say that,” John said and Sara could just picture the smirk that was sure to be currently adorning his face.

“Give me ten minutes and I’ll be over there.”

“Thanks Sara, you’re the best.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Sara grabbed her keys and made her way out to her car so she could drive over to John’s house. She knew she should be used to this by now; they went through this every tour. John would wait until the last minute to pack and then not be able to find anything so he’d rely on Sara to come help. If it had been anyone else Sara probably would have scolding them for not being organized and told them this was what they got for waiting until the last minute but she couldn’t say no to John.

“You’re late. It took you eleven minutes to get here,” John said as soon as she walked through the door.

“Excuse me, you should be a little nicer to me. I am the one that drove over here to help you.”

“I know, I was just joking,” John gave Sara his boyish grin and she instantly forgave him.

“Ok, what do you have packed so far?” Sara asked as she surveyed the mess in John’s room.

“Oh baby, I just love when you take charge…Ow! I was just joking,” John whined after Sara hit him for his comment. “So far I have my toothbrush, underwear, lucky flannel, and cowboy boots packed.

“Well that’s a start. At least you’ll have clean teeth and clean underwear,” Sara rolled her eyes.

“I’m sorry! I don’t know what to pack,” John pouted.

“Did you check the weather to see what it’s going to be like over there?”

“No, that’s a good idea though!” John said as he pulled out his IPhone and began scrolling through it to check the temperature and weather conditions. “Okay, it says it should mostly be in the 50s but towards late October it’ll get down in the 40s.”

“How long are you going to be there?”

John started counting no his fingers to number off the days of their tour. “We’re getting back November 5th so we’ll be there for a little over two months.

“Okay, well you should pack some t-shirts, quite a few long sleeve shirts, sweatshirts, pants, and probably a coat just in case.”

“Got it,” John began running around his room and gathering up his things and throwing them in the suitcase.

“John, have you ever heard of folding?” Sara exclaimed as she began picking up John’s clothes, folding them and then repacking them.

“Nope, that’s why I have you.”

“You’re impossible,” Sara muttered.

“But lovable at the same time,” John grinned.

Sara rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Just get the rest of your things.”

After an hour of arguing about how John couldn’t pack any alcohol, having to refold and repack half his clothes, and searching for “missing” pieces of clothing Sara zipped John’s suitcase and flopped onto his bed with a sigh. “Never again. Next tour you’re going to start packing before the night before you leave.”

John flopped down beside Sara. “You say that every tour yet we go through this every single time. No matter what you say you’ll always come to help me. I have no clue what I did without you.”

“Me neither,” Sara agreed. “We’ve only been friends for two years so I have no clue what you did for the first twenty-one years of your life.”

“It was in shambles.”

“I can only imagine,” Sara laughed.

“Even though we’ve only known each other for a little while you’re still one of my best friends,” John said with a serious look on his face.

“Thanks John. You’re one of my best friends too.”

“Well since you helped how about I fix you supper?” John asked as he hopped off the bed.

“John, the only thing you know how to fix is Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.”

“Yeah, but I make it special by putting the hot dogs in it,” John winked. “So what do you say?”

Sara shook her head and laughed but said, “I think that sounds wonderful.”

“Awesome. I’ll start making it because I’m starving.”

Sara and John continued joking and laughing while John fixed supper but there was a nagging feeling in Sara’s mind that she couldn’t shake. She knew there was a subject she needed to approach with John and she knew she needed to do it tonight.

Sara finally got up the nerve to approach the subject while she and John were eating. “Hey John? You know how we were talking about being best friends earlier?”

“Yeah.”

“Have you ever thought about us being more?”

“What do you mean?”

Sara sighed but forged on. “I mean that I…I…John, I like you. And I don’t mean like you as a friend. I like you as more than a friend. And I think we could make a really good couple. It makes sense if you think about it. We already spend so much time together and people always mistake us for being a couple.”

John was quiet for a few moments and Sara waited nervously to hear what he would say.

“Sara, I,” John paused and took a breath. “I’m going to be honest and say that I’ve thought about this too and I agree. We would make a perfect couple but I just don’t have the time to devote to a relationship right now. You know how people say relationships are not only about finding the right person but also about the right time? Well you’re the right person but this isn’t the right time and I don’t want to hurt you by trying a relationship and disappointing you when I can’t be there like I should.”

Sara swore her heart was breaking right there in John’s kitchen but she didn’t want him to know. “Oh yeah, I understand. Just forget I said anything. It was a stupid thought anyway and I don’t want it to affect our friendship. Well I better get going.”

“Sara, wait. You haven’t even finished your dinner.”

“I’m full. It was really good though. Thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow. Your plane leaves at noon, right? I’ll be there to say goodbye just like always. Like the good friend I am,” Sara knew she was rambling but she couldn’t stop. “So, tomorrow. See you then. Have a good tour. Oh never mind, I’ll just tell you that tomorrow. And nothing’s changed after this conversation. We’re still friends. Anyway, see you tomorrow. Bye.”

Sara could here John still calling after her in bewilderment but she couldn’t stop. He had said he didn’t want to hurt her by trying a relationship and not living up to her expectations but he was hurting her more by not even trying. That was one thing she’d never tell him though.



“So why are you riding with us to the airport? Don’t get me wrong, I love that you are but don’t you usually drive John?”

Sara looked up to see Alex, Pat’s girlfriend, turned around from her seat in the front to talk to her. Alex and Pat were a perfect couple but in a funny way. Pat’s hair was as long as a girl’s even though he was a boy and Alex’s hair was styled in a boyish, pixie cut. It was also comical that their names were unisex names. Sara was secretly jealous of Pat and Alex’s relationship and wanted one like theirs.

“Oh, he’s riding with Tessa and Jared.”

“Ok, spill the beans. What happened?”

“Nothing,” Sara shrugged.

“Bullshit! Something obviously happened,” Alex argued.

“Alex does have a point, Sara. You and John do practically everything together,” Pat piped up.

Hearing those words from Pat was like putting salt in Sara’s wound. Everyone else could see that she and John should be together… everyone but him.

“Fine,” Sara groaned. “Last night I told John that I wanted to be more than friends with him and now things are kind of awkward.”

“Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!” Alex exclaimed.

“I know, I know,” Sara muttered as she buried her face in her hands.

“Oh. My. Gosh.” Alex kept repeating.

“Could you please say something other than that?”

“Sorry,” Alex sheepishly said. “I’m just so happy that you finally admitted your feelings to him.”

“I’m guessing it didn’t go that well since you’re riding with us?” Pat softly asked.

“Yeah,” Sara sighed. “I mean he didn’t completely reject me. Instead he talked about how he’d thought about us being in a relationship but the timing wasn’t right.”

“Well that’s bullshit. So what did you say?” Alex was so enthralled with what had happened between Sara and John that she had practically climbed into the back from her seat in the front.

“Well I started rambling and then left.”

“You should have told him that was a shitty answer and then kissed him!” Alex dramatically said.

“I don’t think so,” Sara shook her head.

“Sara, you need to take a chance!”

“I did. And look where it got me.”

“Sorry to interrupt, but we’re here,” Pat said as he pulled the car into a parking space.

“Great. This shouldn’t be awkward or anything,” Sara muttered.

“Hey, don’t worry about him,” Alex tried to reassure her. “Just stick by my side and everything will be fine.”

“I don’t want to get in the way of your and Pat’s goodbye though.”

“Well when Pat and I are saying goodbye go hang out with Kennedy or something. He doesn’t have anyone to say goodbye to since he’s single,” Alex laughed while Sara rolled her eyes.

The trio walked in to the airport and Sara involuntarily stiffened when she say that tall, lanky boy with the light brown hair standing there. They made brief eye contact but she quickly look away.

“Shit, this is harder than I thought,” Sara whispered to Alex as she wondered how she was going to stand within five feet of the boy who had broken her heart just fifteen hours earlier.

“I’m right here,” Alex gave Sara a reassuring smile. “Why don’t you go over and tell the guys goodbye?”

Sara nodded and walked over to where Garrett and Kennedy were standing. “So how are the single boys doing?”

“Hey, don’t make fun of us just because we don’t have girlfriends to come say goodbye to us,” Garrett pouted.

“I’m not making fun of you. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m single too,” Sara laughed.

“Yeah, but you might as well be with John,” Kennedy said.

Sara gave a tight smile but didn’t say anything because Kennedy obviously didn’t know about what had happened the previous night and she wasn’t going to yell at him for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Thankfully she was saved from having to reply by Jared who ran up behind her and wrapped her in one of his famous bear hugs.

“Sara! I’m going to miss you while we’re in Europe. Be sure to keep Tessa company, okay?” Jared said as he nodded at his girlfriend who had just walked up to join them.

“Of course I will, Jare, especially if she cooks for me. Tessa is the best cook in all of Arizona,” Sara said.

Tessa blushed as she said, “I think you’re giving me too much credit but you’re more than welcome anytime. We can have girl’s nights. Alex, you’re invited too of course.”

“Woo-hoo! I love girl’s nights,” Alex jumped up and down.

“She is seriously just like Pat…except with boobs,” Garrett said which earned him a punch on the arm from Alex.

“Hey John! Are you going to come join the rest of the group or just stand over there being anti-social?” Kennedy called across the terminal at John who was standing by himself.

“I wasn’t being anti-social,” John muttered as he walked up to the circle of his friends. Jared scooted over so John could stand by Sara which was the last thing she wanted but she couldn’t really say anything or move without everyone questioning her.

Things were quiet for a few moments until Kennedy nodded at John and Sara and said, “Wow, there is some intense tension between the two of you. Are you in a lover’s quarrel or something?”

Alex hissed a shut up at Kennedy but the others obviously didn’t get the hint because Jared piped up and said, “You better kiss and make up before we leave.”

Tessa had caught on that something was wrong so she elbowed her boyfriend and told him to cut it out while Sara and John just stood there awkwardly refusing to look at each other. Thankfully someone came over the intercom and announced the boys’ plane was now boarding.

Everyone else started to make their goodbyes and Sara knew she should at least tell John goodbye so she turned to him and said, “Good luck with tour. I’m sure you guys will be amazing.”

“Sara, I’m really sorry…” John started but she quickly cut him off.

“John, it’s fine.”

John gave a sad smile but nodded his head. “Ok, well I guess I’ll see you when we get back?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Alex, Tessa, and Sara watched as the boys grabbed their luggage and make their way onto the plane. They watched for a few more minutes before deciding it was time for them to leave. They had just turned around and barely walked a few feet when they heard someone yelling at them

“Sara! Wait!”

The three turned back around to see John running towards them.

“We’ll just wait for you over here,” Tessa smiled at Sara as she and Alex began walking over to the windows to make it seem as if they weren’t eavesdropping even though Sara knew they were.

“Shit, that run was longer than I thought,” John panted as he finally got to Sara’s side.

“Well most people usually stay on the plane once they board.”

“I know, but I couldn’t do that. Listen, Sara, what I said last night was stupid. I was caught off-guard but mostly scared. I’ve liked you forever but I’m so scared because you could be the perfect one for me but at the same time I know you’re too good for me.”

“John, I…” Sara started but she was quickly silenced with a look from John.

“If I don’t get this out now, I won’t have another chance for two months and I don’t want some other guy to steal you away while I’m gone. I know I said some things about the timing not being right, which is true. Honestly, this timing sucks. I’m going to be on tour in Europe for two months and you’re going to be here in Arizona, half a world away. I realized though that if I waited for the timing to be perfect I’d be waiting forever. There’s no such thing as perfect timing. You have to go and make it yourself.”

“Okay…I’m still not sure what you’re trying to say though,” Sara said.

John chuckled. “What I’m trying to say is I want to try a relationship with you. It’s going to be damn hard but I don’t care. Timing and fate is probably against us but you’re worth it. So what do you say? Will you be my girlfriend?”

“Of course!” Sara exclaimed as she threw her arms around John. He picked her up and crashed his lips into hers. Their kiss was interrupted too soon though by the person on the intercom informing them John’s plane would stop boarding in five minutes.

“Well, I guess I have to go,” John softly said.

“Yeah, you wouldn’t want to disappoint your fans.”

“I know. I promise to call as much as possible and we can Skype and…”

“We’ll make this work,” Sara reassured John as she gave his hand a squeeze.

John smiled. “So, I’ll see you in two months?”

“I’ll be waiting.”