Nightingale

When I was fifteen, I moved to Tempe, Arizona. It was my sophomore year and I attended Mountain Pointe High School. It was two months into the school year, which was good because I didn't lose any credits. I moved to a quiet neighborhood, or at least I had thought it was quiet. That was until I met who my next door neighbor was. His name was John O'Callaghan. He was a year older than me, so were all of his friends, except a handful who were either in my grade, or a grade younger. Since John's birthday was early in the year, he was already seventeen as a junior at Mountain Pointe. He played baseball and he was quite the guy in his friends eyes.

The day we moved in, his mother, Jenny, and his father, who went by Jay so it avoided confusion as his name was also John, stopped by our house. They introduced themselves and told us of their children. Besides John, they had two younger sons named Ross and Shane. Ross was just a little younger than me, while Shane was years behind him.

My parents, being very outgoing and fond of neighbors, invited their family over to join all of us. That was the dinner that solidified everything. Over the years, our families grew rather close. John and I were fond of each other, and Ross began to date my younger sister, Lorraine. She was the same age as him. Shane also became best friends with my youngest sibling, my brother named Aiden.

Our families always assumed John and I would get together and would fall in love, but that was never the case. We were friends, just friends. Everyone thought our situation would be like the girl next door thing. In a way, it was, just minus the romance. In a very short amount of time, John was like a brother to me. He was protective of me and everything I did. But romance never blossomed between us and I never really had feelings for John, nor did he have feelings for me. We were simply just neighbors and best friends.

Just about two years later, John was leaving for his first tour with his band, The Maine. I watched them form and practice from the beginning of it all, and I was more than proud of the boys I called my family. I was told I was even the inspiration for some of their songs.

The night before they were leaving, there was a party being held at the Kirch home. That night, everyone went all out. We were all very drunk and having the time of our lives. As the night began to fade, we were all outside listening to music once most of the people had left. Wonderwall by Oasis came on the radio and everyone cheered loudly. It was almost a theme song for all of us.

At around five, we began to part our ways. While all of us were staying at the Kirch house, we separated into the rooms we were sleeping in. John and I were sharing a room. Neither of us were worried about that, since we had slept in the same bed many times before. That night, I could feel something shift in mine and John's relationship.

As we lied in the bed, we didn't sleep yet. "I'm going to miss you so much," I told John, reaching up to touch his face.

"You'll be fine without me," he said. "Me on the other hand, I don't know how I'll survive without you, Sav."

I wasn't sure if it was because I was drunk or if it was because he was leaving, but I found myself kissing John. And before I knew it, he was on top of me and we both had no clothes on. We became one in that moment. In that same moment, John told me that he loved me. And I said it back. It was like a sudden realization that I did in fact love him and that I always had.

The next morning, John wasn't in the bed anymore. I knew he had to still be there, because the others were there. I ventured into the living room, catching John's eyes who had a big smile on his face. I must've slept longer than I intended to because they were all waiting around with their bags.

"We're waiting on the van to get here," Garrett Nickelsen informed. I nodded, moving over to where John was.

"I'm sorry," he told me.

When I asked why, he gave me a look. "Don't be sorry, John. Look, I know it was inconvenient timing, but it's okay."

I could tell that John didn't care about his friends being around us because he placed a finger under my chin. He leaned down, capturing my lips in his. I could feel the stares on us. He placed his other hand on my waist while kissing me.

"What the fuck? When did this happen?" I heard the boys ask each other quietly.

Smiling into the kiss, I pulled back from John. "I love you, you big goofball."

He pecked my lips once more. "I love you, Savannah."

It was a month later that I realized I hadn't gotten my period yet. Usually, it was often late, but for some reason, I was very worried about it that time. John and I, going well in our relationship, talked about it. He told me I should take a pregnancy test. I decided to wait until the following month, when he would be home, if I hadn't gotten my period by that time.

Our parents were more than happy that we were together, telling us immediately that they knew they were right. John and I took the ridicule happily, because they truly were right. We both avoided the topic of my period being late and the possibility that I was carrying John's child.

The next month when John was home, I was sure I was pregnant before I even took the test. My period still hadn't arrived, I had morning sickness, my stomach was hardening, and my breasts were filling already. The test confirmed what I knew - I was indeed pregnant at age seventeen. Because it was already about to be the last semester of my senior, I decided to stay in school of course, hoping my stomach wouldn't show my pregnancy too much. I didn't want the whole school to know I was pregnant, other than the teachers who I told. They all agreed to keep my pregnancy a secret.

When we told our parents, they were of course disappointed that we didn't use protection and that we weren't responsible or careful, but overall they were pretty happy also. Both of our parents believed that children were a blessing.

Ellie was born in July. Three months prior, when it was getting more than difficult to hide my pregnancy, we let it be known that we were expecting. Our friends, who already expected it, were pleased, and I wasn't faced with much ridicule or judgment.

She was our world from that moment on. Even though John and I decided that he should continue with the band, he was still an amazing father to her. We tried to give her all that we could and John spoiled the girl rotten. She was such a daddy's girl, but John loved it. At times, I was positive that John loved Ellie more than he loved me.

Ellie was three when John and I broke up. While he was on tour, his drunken state had gotten the best of him and he woke up with a naked girl next to him that wasn't me. For the sake of our daughter, I remained civil with him, but we were no longer together.

Being so young, she didn't understand, but she knew well enough to not question it. Our daughter was way too smart for her own good.

Prior to our breakup, we all lived together. John moved out and moved in with Tim. Every time he would pick Ellie up, he would beg for me to take him back. I couldn't deny that I still loved him, but I couldn't do it. I knew it wouldn't be good for me, therefore it wouldn't be good for my daughter.

"Savannah, please, baby, it was a mistake. I love you so much, please take me back," he would constantly repeat. It was nearly the same sentences each time. And every time, my answer was always no.

About a year after our breakup, I began to see Joel Kanitz, a long time friend of mine and of John. He was also the lead singer for a band titled This Century. At first, John was angry. He hated that Joel and I were together, but he eventually got over it. Things were still tense at times when we were all together at a party or something.

Ellie grew to love Joel as well. He was like a second father to her, though none of us would ever admit that to John because it would tear him apart. He already wasn't too happy about the fact that Joel would often spend the night.

Months after that, John was in a relationship of his own with a girl named Lennon. She was very sweet and was wonderful with Ellie. For some reason, though, Ellie wouldn't warm up to her. She wasn't a fan of Lennon for reasons that none of us knew.

It was a night in November that Ellie, who had turned four that past July, begged for us to have a night where it was just her, myself, and John. Reluctantly, we all agreed. Joel and Lennon were at their respective homes, and John arrived at my apartment at six. We spent the evening as a family, watching movies and playing with Ellie. She went to sleep around nine, and it was just John and I then.

That was the night that changed our lives. It was the night where everything went from finally settling down, to complete chaos.