I Would Follow You Anywhere
Part II
I ran down the block to Adam’s house on the Monday after my thirteenth birthday.
I went up to the door and rang the bell, happy that they were back home.
There was no answer. I waited for a few more minutes, glancing around impatiently. Their car wasn’t in the driveway like it usually was.
“Are you waiting for Adam?” I turned to see someone sitting on the porch next door. I recognized it as their elderly neighbor, Mrs. Martin. I nodded at her. “Dear, the Siskas moved away.” I frowned in confusion.
“No, they only went away for the weekend,” I corrected. She smiled sympathetically.
“Sorry, dear. They’ve moved,” she said again.
“What?” I asked, hoping I misheard. I felt my heart drop into my stomach.
“They had to move right away. Mr. Siska had a job offer…” I stopped listening.
He said he would be back Monday. He said they were only going to be gone for the weekend. I vaguely tuned back in.
“They didn’t even get a chance to put the house up for sale…” she was saying. I couldn’t listen anymore.
I turned and ran the block home.
“Lily?” I heard my mom call from the kitchen, after I slammed the front door shut.
I ignored her and ran up the stairs to my bedroom. I threw myself onto my bed and buried my face in my pillow to soak up the tears.
My best friend had abandoned me.
He had also lied to me, I later realized.
And I didn’t know if I’d ever see him again. I lifted my head.
I saw the Smashing Pumpkins cd he gave me on Friday sitting on my dresser.
In my anger and misery, I snatched it up and threw it as hard as I could into the garbage can. It gave a satisfying crack as it hit the bottom.
***********************************************************
“So who was at the door?” Dana pestered.
“Nobody,” I replied flatly, hoping she was getting the picture I didn’t want to talk about it. She sighed impatiently.
“There was obviously somebody, because otherwise you wouldn’t be this upset.”
“I meant it was a nobody,” I revised. “And I’m not upset.” She didn’t reply but raised her eyebrows to indicate that she would find out eventually, but wouldn’t bother me about it right now. I sighed in relief.
I heard the front door opening.
“Angela’s home,” I stated obviously. She sighed and got off my bed, where we had been sitting.
“You shouldn’t hold things in, you know. It’s bad for you,” she advised. “Like grudges. You’re amazing at holding grudges,” she pointed out, before leaving.
I rolled my eyes at her.
Why did that suddenly make me think of Adam?
I went up to the door and rang the bell, happy that they were back home.
There was no answer. I waited for a few more minutes, glancing around impatiently. Their car wasn’t in the driveway like it usually was.
“Are you waiting for Adam?” I turned to see someone sitting on the porch next door. I recognized it as their elderly neighbor, Mrs. Martin. I nodded at her. “Dear, the Siskas moved away.” I frowned in confusion.
“No, they only went away for the weekend,” I corrected. She smiled sympathetically.
“Sorry, dear. They’ve moved,” she said again.
“What?” I asked, hoping I misheard. I felt my heart drop into my stomach.
“They had to move right away. Mr. Siska had a job offer…” I stopped listening.
He said he would be back Monday. He said they were only going to be gone for the weekend. I vaguely tuned back in.
“They didn’t even get a chance to put the house up for sale…” she was saying. I couldn’t listen anymore.
I turned and ran the block home.
“Lily?” I heard my mom call from the kitchen, after I slammed the front door shut.
I ignored her and ran up the stairs to my bedroom. I threw myself onto my bed and buried my face in my pillow to soak up the tears.
My best friend had abandoned me.
He had also lied to me, I later realized.
And I didn’t know if I’d ever see him again. I lifted my head.
I saw the Smashing Pumpkins cd he gave me on Friday sitting on my dresser.
In my anger and misery, I snatched it up and threw it as hard as I could into the garbage can. It gave a satisfying crack as it hit the bottom.
***********************************************************
“So who was at the door?” Dana pestered.
“Nobody,” I replied flatly, hoping she was getting the picture I didn’t want to talk about it. She sighed impatiently.
“There was obviously somebody, because otherwise you wouldn’t be this upset.”
“I meant it was a nobody,” I revised. “And I’m not upset.” She didn’t reply but raised her eyebrows to indicate that she would find out eventually, but wouldn’t bother me about it right now. I sighed in relief.
I heard the front door opening.
“Angela’s home,” I stated obviously. She sighed and got off my bed, where we had been sitting.
“You shouldn’t hold things in, you know. It’s bad for you,” she advised. “Like grudges. You’re amazing at holding grudges,” she pointed out, before leaving.
I rolled my eyes at her.
Why did that suddenly make me think of Adam?