You Are More Loved Than You Know
Chapter 7: Come To Me
“KEVIN!” This is the fourth time my name was called in a ten minute period. I get out of my comfortable position on my bunk and join my “mature” friends and siblings in the back room. I saw everyone except for Steph and my dad sitting in front of a flyer for Six Flags: Great America.
“Are we going there?” My mom smiled at me and soon we were all cheering. I was concerned about Steph, but I knew she was with my dad, so nothing is really wrong, she would talk to me later about it, right? Ellie gave me a strange look and Joe decided it was time to get off the bus.
“So, we should go on Superman first.”
“Um, can we stay on the ground for a little while?”
“Ellie, are you scared?”
“No, I’m just wanting to stay on land.” Joe started smirking and Ellie smacked him.
“C’mon Ellie! We’ll be right next to you.” Ellie looked at Ashley and nodded. Frankie and Nick cheered. They ran after Joe to the already formed line. I looked around and still saw no sign of Stephanie and I was getting worried.
“You guys know where Steph is?”
“She’s with your dad. I don’t know why. They were on the phone when we got off the bus. I’m sure she’ll be here soon.” Ellie’s words seemed to give me a false confidence as we continued moving in the line. The closer we got, the more I thought there was something wrong.
“Do I have to go on? I mean, it’s high.”
“Ellie, don’t be a scardy cat.”
“Ellie, I am actually not wanting to go on either. We’ll hang out together.” Ellie and I left the line and I started pacing.
“Ellie, what’s going on?”
“I’m afraid of-“
“NOT WITH YOU!” She looked at me and laughed.
“I am so sorry Ellie, I didn’t mean to-“
“Relax Kevin. It’s okay. I can’t tell you what is going on, but she’s fine. It’s something that she does every year and when this day is over with, she will tell you, and if she doesn’t, I will make her.”
“I can’t help feeling that something is wrong.”
“Well, the thing that’s going on isn’t good and Ash and I don’t like it that she does this, but Steph’s stubborn. Kevin, she’s fine.”
“*sigh* Ok, but I am still worried. Now on to a different subject; your fear of heights.”
“Oh no, I like talking about you.”
“Nice try. Now, we are going on that ride.”
“Kevin, we can’t budge people!”
“Ellie, I am a Jonas Brother. I can do whatever I want!” I grabbed her hand and ran to the ride, joining everyone else. Ellie never stopped screaming. I think I went deaf afterwards.
“That was so much fun!”
“We told you.”
“Shut up Ash.”
“Now, girls, let’s behave. Don’t make me get all mother hen on you.” We all turned around to see Steph standing there, smiling at us.
“Well, let’s hit the water part! It’s hot out here!” She grabbed my hand and we ran to the first water slide in the park. Her smile just made me feel so much better. After that, the day just went by like a breeze.
“You can come to me...yeah.”
“Kev, what are you doing?”
“Steph, sit down. I wrote a song for you. Here it goes:
Under the silver stars,
Right where he broke your heart.
Girl you know, I'd give you everything.
I wanna hold your hand,
And say the words he never said.
I'll make you promises you can believe.
Let me be the one,
Telling you it's alright
Sharing the smiles and tears you cry.
Let me be the one,
Loving you when you're weak.
For all of the strength you need,
You can come to me.
When you're down and you feel so lonely
Turn around, you can come to me
When you're down baby, i will be the only
Come to me
You can just be yourself,
'Cause I don't want nobody else.
All of your secrets are safe with me.
For the kind of love you can trust,
For more than just a crush,
Baby, won't you just come to me?
Let me be the one,
Telling you it's alright
Sharing the smiles and tears you cry.
Let me be the one,
Loving you when you're weak.
For all of the strength you need,
You can come to me.
When I got you in my arms
Say it's where you wanna be (where you wanna be, yeah)
'Cause girl I'm down on my knees
Promising my heart oh, my heart
Let me be the one,
Telling you it's alright
Sharing the smiles and tears you cry.
Let me be the one,
Loving you when you're weak.
For all of the strength you need,
You can come to me.” Steph’s eyes filled up with tears and she kissed my cheek.
“Kev, I need to tell you something. The reason I was gone today was, well, my mom is buried here. My dad killed her about 4 years ago and today he was offered parole, but was denied. That’s why I was gone. If you want to break up with me now, you can.”
“Steph, I don’t want to do that! Why didn’t you tell me? I am right here by your side no matter what.”
“I didn’t want you to feel worse.”
“Steph, you made me a better man. You saved me, but you have to let someone save you.” She started to cry and I held her, knowing that she was finally letting go.
“Are we going there?” My mom smiled at me and soon we were all cheering. I was concerned about Steph, but I knew she was with my dad, so nothing is really wrong, she would talk to me later about it, right? Ellie gave me a strange look and Joe decided it was time to get off the bus.
“So, we should go on Superman first.”
“Um, can we stay on the ground for a little while?”
“Ellie, are you scared?”
“No, I’m just wanting to stay on land.” Joe started smirking and Ellie smacked him.
“C’mon Ellie! We’ll be right next to you.” Ellie looked at Ashley and nodded. Frankie and Nick cheered. They ran after Joe to the already formed line. I looked around and still saw no sign of Stephanie and I was getting worried.
“You guys know where Steph is?”
“She’s with your dad. I don’t know why. They were on the phone when we got off the bus. I’m sure she’ll be here soon.” Ellie’s words seemed to give me a false confidence as we continued moving in the line. The closer we got, the more I thought there was something wrong.
“Do I have to go on? I mean, it’s high.”
“Ellie, don’t be a scardy cat.”
“Ellie, I am actually not wanting to go on either. We’ll hang out together.” Ellie and I left the line and I started pacing.
“Ellie, what’s going on?”
“I’m afraid of-“
“NOT WITH YOU!” She looked at me and laughed.
“I am so sorry Ellie, I didn’t mean to-“
“Relax Kevin. It’s okay. I can’t tell you what is going on, but she’s fine. It’s something that she does every year and when this day is over with, she will tell you, and if she doesn’t, I will make her.”
“I can’t help feeling that something is wrong.”
“Well, the thing that’s going on isn’t good and Ash and I don’t like it that she does this, but Steph’s stubborn. Kevin, she’s fine.”
“*sigh* Ok, but I am still worried. Now on to a different subject; your fear of heights.”
“Oh no, I like talking about you.”
“Nice try. Now, we are going on that ride.”
“Kevin, we can’t budge people!”
“Ellie, I am a Jonas Brother. I can do whatever I want!” I grabbed her hand and ran to the ride, joining everyone else. Ellie never stopped screaming. I think I went deaf afterwards.
“That was so much fun!”
“We told you.”
“Shut up Ash.”
“Now, girls, let’s behave. Don’t make me get all mother hen on you.” We all turned around to see Steph standing there, smiling at us.
“Well, let’s hit the water part! It’s hot out here!” She grabbed my hand and we ran to the first water slide in the park. Her smile just made me feel so much better. After that, the day just went by like a breeze.
“You can come to me...yeah.”
“Kev, what are you doing?”
“Steph, sit down. I wrote a song for you. Here it goes:
Under the silver stars,
Right where he broke your heart.
Girl you know, I'd give you everything.
I wanna hold your hand,
And say the words he never said.
I'll make you promises you can believe.
Let me be the one,
Telling you it's alright
Sharing the smiles and tears you cry.
Let me be the one,
Loving you when you're weak.
For all of the strength you need,
You can come to me.
When you're down and you feel so lonely
Turn around, you can come to me
When you're down baby, i will be the only
Come to me
You can just be yourself,
'Cause I don't want nobody else.
All of your secrets are safe with me.
For the kind of love you can trust,
For more than just a crush,
Baby, won't you just come to me?
Let me be the one,
Telling you it's alright
Sharing the smiles and tears you cry.
Let me be the one,
Loving you when you're weak.
For all of the strength you need,
You can come to me.
When I got you in my arms
Say it's where you wanna be (where you wanna be, yeah)
'Cause girl I'm down on my knees
Promising my heart oh, my heart
Let me be the one,
Telling you it's alright
Sharing the smiles and tears you cry.
Let me be the one,
Loving you when you're weak.
For all of the strength you need,
You can come to me.” Steph’s eyes filled up with tears and she kissed my cheek.
“Kev, I need to tell you something. The reason I was gone today was, well, my mom is buried here. My dad killed her about 4 years ago and today he was offered parole, but was denied. That’s why I was gone. If you want to break up with me now, you can.”
“Steph, I don’t want to do that! Why didn’t you tell me? I am right here by your side no matter what.”
“I didn’t want you to feel worse.”
“Steph, you made me a better man. You saved me, but you have to let someone save you.” She started to cry and I held her, knowing that she was finally letting go.