Love Always, From Mayberry

Chapter fifty six

June 2010
I had thought once the school year ended that somehow adjusting to not being Steven's girlfriend would be easier. I'd never had a boyfriend before Steven so therefore I'd never been anyone's ex girlfriend. I had no idea how to feel or how to act. Would we still be friends? Would I seem crazy if I tried to reach out? I remember any advice on the subject was always never call first. Never act like you're sad. Pretend you've moved even if you haven't. Fake it until you make it.

I spent a lot of that summer with Callie and Dan. My dad stayed locked in his room most of the time and would occasionally come out and yell at me demanding to know why I wasn't at work and not allow me to leave. On those days, I ran up and down our driveway which was actually a pretty good distance then I just stayed in my room and cried. It was quite pathetic actually but the weight loss from the exercise became addictive. The more weight I lost, the more likely to get Steven back was the idea I made up in my head.

"Whitney if that damn goth girl calls this house one more damn time I'm going to explode." I hear my dad drunkenly roar from his room.

I hadn't realized Callie had been calling my cell phone too. It was just one of those days where I didn't want to do anything or talk to anyone. Dad hadn't said anything about me not being able to go anywhere but I had seen pictures on MySpace of Steven and the other Callie. I don't know if they were together or anything but still just seeing it made me want to crawl in a hole. I couldn't remember the last time I'd eaten. When I did eat, it would make me so nauseous I would throw up. I really didn't want to talk to anyone. As crazy as it sounded I just wanted to lay in the bed and rot in peace but I knew if I didn't call Callie back she would keep calling and she didn't deserve to be cussed out by my dad.

She picked up on the first ring.

"Hey, Dan and me will be at your house in a few. We're having a Dan, Whitney and Callie day." I knew Callie was worried about me and I appreciated it but I really didn't want to go but I knew I couldn't keep acting like this. If I was this depressed over my first boyfriend breaking up with me how would I make it through life? The world was still turning.

"Dad, Dan's coming to pick me up. We're going to go eat or something." I intentionally left Callie out of it knowing Dad might not let me go. I'll never understand why Dad was so judgmental of Callie but he liked Dan for whatever reason, I think he was hoping I'd become interested in Dan and forget Steven and Dan played football which was an automatic in with Dad.

Dad didn't yell anything back so I assumed he heard me and wasn't in protest.

Callie was already in the back seat, I smiled to myself. Callie always put other people before herself. She remembered everything about everybody.

"Hey Whit, you look great." Dan smiled. I tried to half ignore the compliment for Callie's sake.

"There is a food truck festival downtown we thought we'd go to. Most people from school go." Callie went on to talk more about the festival as I laid my head against Dan's passenger window with a fake smile and making sure to occasionally nod my head or use a filler word to make the illusion I was even remotely listening. I just hoped Steven wasn't there. Or worse there with a girl. Food and Steven were two things I didn't want to be around but it sounded like the food part was unavoidable.

The first people I seen was Jody and Andrea. How was it so hot outside, everyone sweating and Jody looked flawless. Probably because Jody didn't have that much makeup on, if any. She really was just so beautiful. Andrea was beside of her texting on her phone but immediately stopped to embrace Callie and I.

"Mom and Dad are both staying home so Drew can come out from wherever he is." Jody smiled knowingly at her brother as she grabbed her phone to text whom I surmised to be Drew. A few minutes later Drew appeared with two funnel cakes, one for himself and one for Jody. I still couldn't understand how they were making this relationship work having to dodge Jody's parents all the time. Drew must really love her to deal with all that racist nonsense from her parents.

I looked around recognizing many people from school, it was a crowded event with a lot of tourists also.

"Hey, you." I recognize the voice before turning around. Presley had became not so much as an annoyance as he once was. His company had became comforting, even, and at work his conversation was a nice distraction to pass the time. I still couldn't find myself physically attracted to him. In the sun, his appearance was even worse. His already pale skin was reddened and acne covered with such a clash with his jet black hair. His eyes were the most dreadful yellow color.

Everyone remembered Presley from prom. Presleys surprise arrival was an opportunity for me to give Dan and Callie some time alone. I still hoped Dan would fall for her, eventually.

Presley and I never had much issue with conversation. Regardless of my physical un attraction to him, conversation was always easy with him. He was very attentive and seemed to hang on my every word.

A well kept German shepherd came walking up to me, I instantly went to rub its head and noticed Presley didn't seem to want to. He almost looked uncomfortable and relieved when the dog went on its way with its owner.

"You really shouldn't pet strange dogs like that. Dogs are unpredictable."  He said with his yellow eyes dropping down to look at me.

"I love animals. If a fury, soft thing of cuteness takes me out that's just how I go." I smiled but Presley didn't seem amused. Weird, I'd never known anyone that didn't care for animals before. Especially dogs.

Presley asked me a lot of questions about my life but never seemed to talk about himself much. He seemed to study my every answer to his questions carefully.

"Two funnel cakes, please." Presley took it upon himself to order us each a funnel cake. I wasn't hungry but it had been a day or so since I'd eaten so I willingly took it and thanked him. We sat on the side of the sidewalk. I'd forgotten how delicious a funnel cake was. It had been a long time since I'd had one.

"You deserved a treat. I know you've been so down since your ex boyfriend situation but you're so young. You've got your whole life ahead of you. No need worrying over a relationship at our age." There was some truth in what he was saying, I know but he didn't feel the emotions I felt. He had no idea how much my heart ached.

"Whit you've got powder all over your lips." Presley raises his hand to my lips to wipe the powder off and gently traces my bottom lip with his finger before leaning in and slowly meeting his lips with mine. At first I wasn't sure what to do. He pulled me closer to try to deepen the kiss and any second I was expecting to feel his tongue in my mouth but he pulled away slightly before leaning back in to lightly kiss me again. I look at him not sure of what to say. Presley grabs my hand kissing it.

"It's ok. You don't have to say anything. I've been wanting to kiss you since the moment I saw you." He blushes slightly, or at least I think he was blushing. His skin was always so red anyway it was hard to tell.

"Um, thank you." I realize that probably wasn't the appropriate response but I wasn't sure what else to come up with. To my surprise he didn't seem offended.