Voicemails to Will

six; of Johns

We were walking, along that same worn path you liked. The path that weaved across the playground, and around the swing set.

A voice called my name, and we both turned around.

Someone wrapped their arms around me, and I initially thought of you, but the woodsy scent was missing.

I pulled away and spotted green eyes, nothing like your homey, bright sea blue ones.

"Eleanor?" the boy repeated, arms on my shoulders.

It took a few moments, but I was soon able to recognize, "John!"

His breaths were ragged in my arms, and it was a comforting piece of home.

Will's eyes skipped from me to John, and with his throat clearing, I introduced the two.

"Will, this is my friend from Connecticut, John; and John, this is Will, my friend," I gestured between them, hoping Will wouldn't ask about my voice cracking.

"Nice to meet you," John said to you, taking your hand and shaking it twice for good measure.

As I stood there, in between a possibly and an ex-boyfriend, a lapse of silence squeezed its way in between us, and it became hellishly awkward.

"So, uh," I began, looking to you, confident, social butterfly you to say something, "John lived across the street from me, and we used to go to the lake every Saturday morning."

"Oh, really?" You asked back, your tone becoming less friendly, less welcoming, and all around less Will.

"Yeah," John replied, beaming under the scorching sun.

For the next ten or possibly fifteen minutes, John reminisced aloud on and on about absolutely anything and everything we did together.

I tried getting you into the conversation with links like, "oh, Will likes that too," or, "Will and I were meaning to do that, right, Will?", but John did all that he could to keep you out of it.

You finally decided it was enough when John and I sat on a bench, a two person swing bench. "I'm- I'll be in the car, Eleanor."

Within a few minutes, after an exceedingly long goodbye, I ran to the car, the sound of your, "Eleanor," with no r's rolled, and no emotion added, running through my mind.

"Will," I called as I knocked on the windshield.

You rolled it down with such passiveness that I swore you felt anything but like for me. "What?" You retorted coldly. "Did John leave you?"

"No," I answered, feeling awfully attacked. "What the hell are you saying Will?"

You got so upset that I didn't quite understand anything. "Just rip the bandaid off, Eleanor. If you don't like me, please just say so," you cried in your heartbreakingly tragic voice.

"Will," I breathed as I cupped your face and brought it to mine. You kissed tenderly, softly, just as you were.

With a laugh, you pulled away, and said, "had I known jealous and emotionally distraught me would've gotten you to kiss me, I would've done it a long time ago."

"Of course I like you, Will," I answered with my hand intertwined in yours.

"You're wonderful," he breathed, r's rolled, and u's stretched out into eternity. What I wouldn't give to hear your voice once more.