Shot in the Dark

Leah honked the horn once again and I sighed, picking up one of Adam’s toys and shoving it into my bag. My sunglasses sat on the counter and I put those on before locking the door.

“Don’t look so excited.” Mindy complimented my gloomy mood. “It’s a beautiful day, so smile!”

Adam sat in my lap and I rolled my eyes a little before looking out the window as Leah drove. I wanted to have a good day, believe me, but how am I supposed to when I’m still thinking about John? It was just so hard to get him out of my head after our fight.

“She’s thinking about him again,” Leah muttered like I wasn’t sitting right behind her.

“I’m right here.” I noted with a hum.

Mindy mused, turning in her seat. “Are you thinking about him?”

“Of course I am.”

“What are you thinking about?”

“Our fight.”

She frowned as if that was a bad memory. She wasn’t even there. “Look, just try to enjoy today? Please?”

I looked over at her exhaustedly, but put on a warm smile. “I’m with my best friends so it’s destined to happen.”

“That’s my girl.” She said accomplished and faced back to the road.

The party was actually at Jared and Chrissie’s, so John was definitely here. Adam hopped out from my arms when I got out and I held onto his leash to grab my bag. Leah looped her arm through mine and so did Mindy. She kissed my cheek to lighten my mood and it brought it a little higher, I’ll admit. We walked into the house and greeted the few people in the kitchen. Chrissie cooed at Adam and we all watched as he met their small dog. They got along pretty well.

A little boy came running inside, calling my name and I grinned at Nate hugging my legs. I didn’t think he’d be here, but maybe Chrissie invited them as well. Everyone in my old life were now friends with everyone in my new one. They’d all gotten to know each other over the past eight months and it was nice to have them be friends.

Nate was tugging me outside, telling me to come say hi to everyone else. I picked up Adam and hugged him to my chest before following. A laugh left my lips as Nate tugged on me more. The smile weakened when I saw John in the pool. After just having come up from the water, his hands were pressed to the rock around the in-ground pool and he was looking right back at me with an innocent face while spitting out the water that had gotten in his mouth. I missed that stupid face. My eyes averted and I trailed Nate toward Gabby, hugging her and sighing a little when she asked if I was okay.

“I don’t ache as much as I did yesterday,” I joked. She glared at me with a smile and stroked Adam in my arms.

Nate started to play with him in the yard and I stood around with Mindy with a drink in my hand. She was watching me uneasily, but I assured her that nothing was going to happen. I knew she didn’t trust me with alcohol because of yesterday and that she was scared about me killing myself. My intentions weren’t to go that far. I just wanted to forget, like I told her, and I’m glad I even woke up yesterday. Plus, we were in public and I don’t feel like embarrassing myself by being a drunkard– especially around Nate. No one was going to get drunk because of the virgin eyes among us. Nate shouldn’t have to see that.

Excusing myself from Mindy’s side, I set my drink down on the table and grabbed my bag from the chair. The house was empty when I stepped inside and I went into the bathroom by the kitchen to change into my bathing suit. Is it just me who’s conscious about windows in bathrooms? No? Okay.

I pulled my shorts back on over my bottoms and stuffed my shirt inside my bag sitting on the toilet. My ring slipped off and I put it in there too before I put my shoes back on. My heartbeat picked up slightly when I opened the door and looked up from inside my bag. John was leaning against the edge of the kitchen counter, with damp hair, in his bathing suit and a white t-shirt. He looked up just as I came out.

He made my heartbeat pound in my ears. “Can I talk to you?” He looked me up and down quickly whereas I nodded. “How are you feeling?”

“Better.” I swallowed to clear my voice, looking down at my bag in my hands then back up at his eyes.

He nodded, glancing down at his feet since he didn’t know what else to ask. My eyes slightly watered and I wanted to pull my sunglasses down to my face to cover them. “Andrea, I’m sorry,” he said quietly, looking up at me and licking his lips. “I didn’t mean to be a dick about it.” Well, you kind of were, John. “The funny thing is, is that I wasn’t even pissed. I was miserable.”

I pressed my lips together so I wouldn’t cry. “Why?”

“Because when I saw you guys through the window all I could think of was that he might make you happier than me. I didn’t think about who it was or who it could’ve possibly been. Just the fact that he might make you happier was there.” He almost winced as he thought of it again and my chest caved in.

My body suddenly moved and I wrapped my arms around his waist, starting to cry into his chest. His arms tightened around my shoulders and he rubbed my back softly.

“Don’t cry.” He chuckled a little and kissed my head.

I sniffed and wiped under my eyes before going back outside. We didn’t really stay close to each other, but I was okay with that. We were okay. Leah took my hand to go into the pool and we jumped with our hands still clasped while Mindy took the picture of us. I just wish that it could’ve been the three of us jumping rather than two. But I was so okay with the ever-growing baby in Mindy’s stomach– definitely okay with him.

We resurfaced and swam over to the shallow end by Mindy. She had on a cute flower patterned top with white bottoms while Leah wore a plain red top with matching bottoms. Both of them had their hair tied up, but Leah’s was more of a mess on top of her head.

Mindy got out before us to eat and I dried myself off the best I could before changing into my underwear and shorts. Chrissie and Jared served hot dogs and hamburgers and someone else brought a bowl of pasta salad among other food. There was also dessert, but I didn’t know what it was. Nate sat in the chair beside me while Gabby set down his plate and went to sit somewhere else. I cut up his hot dog for him, swallowing the chewed up noodle in my mouth. When it was completely cut into bite-sized pieces, I looked around for Adam. I didn’t see him anywhere in the backyard and I even checked under the table.

About two minutes later, he was sitting on my feet and I followed my eyes up the leash to see John holding it with a smile and his plate in hand. I took the leash from him and put it in my lap while he pulled out the chair next to me. Everyone was talking around us, Leah chatting with the always-talkative Nate and I continued to eat what was on my plate in front of me.

It really was a beautiful day and I was sad to see it go as the sun set. The table was cleared of all the paper plates and Adam was now sleeping in my lap. It was around nine or so and Nate and Gabby left an hour ago since he was tired. Leah also brought Mindy home since she was tired too and Leah just went to her house afterwards. Now I was stuck hitching a ride from the guy that was holding my hand. They were clasped between our chairs and he was laughing as Kennedy joked around with him from across the table. Talking about how tired everyone was kind of tired me out too. I wish I could curl up like Adam and sleep in someone’s lap. I could, but I wasn’t as cute as Adam when he did it.

My eyes were glued to my hand as it ran softly down his back repeatedly. John shaking my other one slightly had me look up and I almost cheered when he asked if I wanted to leave. I gathered Adam into my arms and stood from the chair, saying goodnight to everyone there. Chrissie and Jared thanked me for coming over and I hugged them before John and I walked outside to his car.

Adam tried so hard not to wake up and he did a good job of it until John parked in my driveway and turned his car off so it wouldn’t just idly sit here. He smiled over at me and nodded when I thanked him for driving me home. Without actually doing it myself, I used the sleepy puppy in my lap. I lifted his paws up and turned him toward John with a smile. “Sleepover, Johno. Feed me treats and play with me.” I made him clap and laughed as I looked up at John for an answer.

He chuckled, “I certainly can’t pass up that opportunity.”

I took off his leash and set Adam down in his bed before changing in the bathroom and finding a shirtless and posing John already under my covers. He smiled at me and pulled back the blankets to invite me in. I shut the door and climbed up onto the bed. We looked at each other for a few minutes and I didn’t do it just so he’d apologize. I wasn’t even thinking of apologies until he spoke.

“I’m sorry for freaking out about the kiss, Andy.”

I sighed, disliking that he brought it up. “Sorry for freaking out about you not talking to me.”

“Your reason’s better.” He smiled at me to lighten the mood. He sat up then and took both of my hands in his, rubbing the backs of them.

“You know I didn’t want to kiss him, right?” He nodded delicately and glanced back down at our hands. “I like you, John.” I said quietly as I looked back at them too. “Craig doesn’t make me feel the way you do and he never did since the day I woke up. It sucked letting him go because we were engaged and all and he probably hasn’t gotten over that yet.”

“You never told me that before.”

“I didn’t really think it’d be something to share with someone that I met in a parking lot.” I looked up at him to see him smile and I mirrored his face.

“It’s my turn to say that I like you too, right?” He asked humorously. I beamed and nodded at him before letting his hands go and getting under the covers. My body was slightly under his while he propped his head up with his hand and I faintly closed my eyes when he brushed my hair. He kissed my forehead softly, touching my waist under the sheet and talking quietly. “As cheesy as it sounds, will you finally be my girlfriend?”

A shit-eating grin came on my face and I laughed a little. “I like cheesy.” He smiled and I pulled him down to kiss him, feeling the pressure on me as he stuck his arm out to turn off the light. It was a beautiful day.