Grayson County

One

We hadn't seen each other in years.
       I parked my car in the street, excited yet also so nervous to see him. As I walked across the street I realized how sweaty my palms were, I quickly whipped out my pocket sized lotion bottle, from my purse, and put some on. I walked up his driveway hoping that he wouldn't see me. Nearing the door I decided to pull out my phone so I could record his reaction, then I opened the camera app and hit the record button as I rang the doorbell.

The doorbell rang.
       I couldn't figure out why though, I hadn't ordered any packages recently and all of my friends and family were out of town on vacations. When I really thought about it I realized it was probably the neighborhood kids playing the classic, ding-dong-ditch. I decided to give in on their antics for some reason and opened the door.

The door opened.

It was her.
       I couldn't believe it, after 5 years of not seeing her she was just there. She was standing outside my house! I felt a smile come on and tears streamed down my face. "Shit" I wiped the tears off of my face, "Where are my manners? Come on in, I mean that is if you'd like." She started to giggle and I couldn't tell if she was laughing at my stupidity or the fact that I was crying. "Sorry that the house is a mess, I didn't expect any guests." she giggled again, "it's fine, my place is messier." We both laughed, like we actually laughed together, I couldn't believe it. She looked around my place studying every nook and cranny, I didn't realize I was staring at her until she broke the silence. "Is there something wrong? Is my hair a mess? Or is it my shirt? Is it wrinkled? That's what it is, it's my shirt." this time it was me who giggled, "no it's not your shirt it's your presence, i didn't expect you." she smiled a little "oh that's good. At least it's not that there's something wrong with me." "Why would you ever say that? You're perfect the way you are, well I mean nobody is perfect but they're all perfect in their own ways." she shook her head smiling, "you're such a goofball." I smiled and then asked the question that i should have asked earlier, "wait why are you here anyways? I mean I don't mind but I'm just wondering."

Why was I there?
       "I..." He asked me the question that I wasn't too sure about myself, "I wanted to surprise you, after all we just graduated high school." he looked a bit puzzled when he asked, "So let me get this straight, you flew here from Louisiana just to see me?" I bit my lower lip, "correction, I drove." "You drove here! Isn't that like a 13 hour drive?" I pulled out my phone and showed him my route, "yeah 13 hours if I were driving to the area of west virginia and kentucky. It took me almost 20 hours to get here." "Holy shit you must have really wanted to see me then!" We both laughed at his comment. "Did you just get here today?" "No, I got here at around 2 last night, I stayed at the hotel a couple blocks away. I don't have anything planned for today so is there anything that do you want to do?"

What did I want to do?
       No one has ever really asked me what I wanted to do in years. She put me on the spot and I couldn't think of anything to do. Think Jacob, think. I drew a lot of blanks and I tried so hard to remember what Veronica liked to do. Bowling. "That's it!" "What?" Veronica looked genuinely confused. "What's it?" "Oh I, uh..." somehow I had just realized her slight country-like accent, which indeed caught me off guard. "I just remembered the good ol' times when we went bowling for hours and ate so much junk food, not to mention all of the money we would also waste at the arcade." the confusion on her face melted into a big goofy grin "So that's what took you so long on deciding to do huh? Well I mean if that's what you want to do, so be it." laughter, again. "Ok then that's settled. I'll drive sense you already drove yesterday." "Ok but you should probably change first, it looks like you haven't changed your clothes in days!" I looked down at myself and she was right;  my favorite white t-shirt was all dingy and wrinkled, my pants had dried mud and grass stains on them from mowing the lawn, and my socks had random holes of all shapes and sizes on them. I really was a mess, how hadn't I noticed this before? I looked back up at Veronica and shrugged, "I guess you're right. I'll change real quick, I'll be back in 5!" I said as I walked up stairs. "Ok!" she shouted. As soon as I reached my room I shut and locked my door behind me, I quickly tore off my shirt and tossed it in the direction of my dirty laundry, then I did the same maneuver with my jeans and my socks. I rummaged through my shirt drawer and found an AC/DC shirt, I slipped it on and then found a pair of shorts lying at the end of my bed. I grabbed those and put them on, almost falling to the floor. I could hear Veronica shouting from downstairs, "Everything good up there? It sounded like you just ate shit." I laughed, "yeah i just dropped my shoes!" There's no way in hell that I would tell her that I almost fell, what would happen next? Would she think I'm just a big loser and leave me then and there? Snap out of it Jacob! She drove here to see you! Right, I couldn't be thinking like that."ok, just checking!" I grabbed a pair of socks from the floor and slid them on with a pair of well worn out Nikes from god knows when. I rushed into the bathroom and quickly brushed my hair, I really could have pulled off as a homeless guy before I changed. Right as i just about left my room a cologne bottle caught my eye. Eh, who's it gonna hurt? I sprayed a little on and rushed down the stairs.