" I have to go, Alex." My heart drops and my throat burns, I hate saying goodbye. "I love you, beautiful. I'll be home before you know it". Oh yeah, no time, I think to myself, 16 months and 18 days. "I love you too." He smiles and before I can smile back he's gone. I close my laptop and sigh. It's been 12 days since I watched him walk away in the airport but distance has a thing for making time drag on.
I walk downstairs and Renee asks me how Brooklyn is, I love how she cares now but could care less 12 days ago. I say he's fine as I grab my denim jacket from the coat closest and slip it over my shoulders. "Where are you going?" "Out with Lynzee." She agrees to let me leave even though I was going to leave anyways, but she grabs my arm as I go to walk out the door. "Alexia?" Yes?" She asks me if I'm feeling alright and I nod. "I haven't seen you eat a real meal in a while." I plead that I'm fine and she let's go of my arm, leaving us to head in seperare directions.
"What about this one?" Lynzee spins in a pale pink gown, it looks like glitter threw up on it but she loves it, and I won't deny that she looks gorgeous. "Are you lying to me?" I just stare at her and she smiles at me. "You look flawless, Lynzee, and no matter what you wear you know Johnathan is going to think you're beautiful anyways." She gives me a whole speech on how it's home coming and she wants to feel special and how it's a night you'll never forget and blah blah blah. I stop her, "Lynzee, buy the dress." She jumps up and down and gives me a hug, "now for yours!"
"Lynzee I'm not going." She gives me a sad look and I look at the ground, I know her all to well, that's the look she gives when she wants to get her way. "But you're my best friend, you have to come" "I'm sorry Lynzee, I just don't want to go." I invision myself in a beautiful red dress and Brooklyn in a suit with a matching tie, distance sucks.
I look up and Lynzee is pouting at me, I mock her and she laughs at me for how stupid I look. "You look the exact same!" Before we know it we're making faces in the dressing room mirror, laughing so hard we can barely breathe. "Everything okay in there?" Says a most likely very confused worker. "Yupp, ring me up" Lynzee says swinging open the door in a half laugh. I shake my head and follow her out.
We sit down at a small table for two at our usual spot at our favourite café, placing our shopping bags on the ground against the window. The waitress comes over and I order a regular old coffee and Lynzee orders a new fancy latte, along side two red velvet cupcakes. We start rambling about random stuff which leads to American Horror Story, typical. The waitress comes over with our order and chimes in on our Evan Peters gawking but she's interrupted by new customers.
Lynzee and I talk some more and I go to take another sip of my coffee but stop before I can reach the cup to my mouth.
"Lynzee, what day is it?" "Wednesday, it's the 17th, why?" I stare at her in complete shock.
She waves a hand in front of my face, "Earth to Alex?"
"I'm three weeks late."
YOU ARE READING
When He's Gone
Teen FictionWhen her boyfriend gets sent to Afghanistan, Alexia struggles to get through her everyday life without him there. She's then suddenly taken by surprise when she's told news that will change her life forever.
