Lost | A Connor McDonough Fan Fiction

Chapter 13

"So Claire, do you want to hang out later? We could go for some Chinese or something," Lindsay said as we waltzed out of school on Friday.

"Actually, I was thinking about staying in tonight. This entire week has been too long and I'm excited to sleep it off," I told her.

"Oh, okay. Text me later if you change your mind," she said with a smile as she walked off to go find someone else who wanted to eat endless amounts of wontons and dumplings with her.

I smiled and waved good-bye to her and speed-walked to my car so no one else could attempt to make plans with me. I try to come off as an outgoing and friendly person but honestly I am one of the biggest introverts in the world. I hate public speaking... it doesn't even have to be that public. I don't even like ordering food on my own. 

I reached my car without anyone else approaching me and I hopped into it, turned up my radio and drove home. I was prepared to change into sweatpants and a t-shirt and play on my computer all night until I became bored or too tired. I was so happy that it was Friday, I mean really. It has been the longest week of my life, or at least that's how it seemed.

When I arrived home I felt the need to collapse onto my bed and to never have a reason to get up. So I did just that. I jumped onto my bed with Charles coming up behind me, nuzzling in the crook of my legs.

I laid there in a daze for what seemed like only a few minutes when in reality it was two and half hours, being woken by the sound of my phone buzzing.

How many times do I have to tell them that I'm not going out tonig- my thought was cut off by the name I saw on the screen. The name that I had only seen online. The name that popped up in old conversations. The name that I hadn't said in the longest time. It was his name. 

I was dumbfounded by what I saw. I was confused, surprised. I was every emotion I could ever imagine in one moment in time. Nothing could ever describe what I felt in that moment.

tonight we're playing a show in orlando and i really want you to come, the text said.

I was completely unsure of how to respond. I honestly thought the message wasn't for me, so I just put my phone down, haunted by what he said. I can't believe he's in the same town as me right now. I guess I became used to the idea of not seeing him everyday, and although it hurt, it did make it somewhat easier to bear; knowing that I wouldn't see him for awhile. When I looked over at his house I never saw him or his brothers or his parents- occasionally the dogwalker- but that's it.

I ignored my phone and continued to sit on my bed, petting Charles for comfort. My phone buzzed with another text from Connor, and this time I knew he meant to text me. It's almost as if he could read my mind for his next one said, i know you saw my text, claire.

This time, my hands debated on writing back to him, but then I realized that either way I had nothing to say, and even if I did, I would never know how to phrase it.

Buzz. 

I looked down in my hands and I saw one last text.

you dont need to come but i would love to talk to you if you did, he wrote. please just put it into consideration. the show starts at eight but you dont need to get there until about eight twenty-ish. thats the part of the show that i want you to see.

I sat, pondering. Should I go? 

I sighed and stood up to pace around, which I usually do when I'm frustrated or stressed. I pulled my hair up into a ponytail, still contemplating what to do.

I checked the time.

I stopped myself from pacing anymore once I drew a conclusion from all of my thoughts. I know what I'm doing.