Young, Gay, Love

Chapter 47: Valentine's Day Pt. I

There was a time when I was okay. There was a time when I was happy. I haven't seen my friends since I've been home. I haven't been home with anyone. And somewhere along the lines I lost track of where I was in my lifetime.

I've grown numb to a lot of things, but it's been a while so I've taught myself to smile, I've taught myself to laugh. And for once everything is beginning to feel better.

It's February now and now Valentine's Day is tomorrow.

I personally hate Valentine's Day.

I've never had a Valentine and I don't plan on having one.

But somewhere in my dark, closed off heart I am a hopeless romantic. I make myself a home-made pan of fudge and put on some soppy romantic comedy. Then as I cry by myself and stuff my face with chocolaty goodness I remind myself that I'm too ugly to even consider having a boyfriend and go to sleep.

Pathetic?

I know.

"Hey Mom do we have the ingredients for fudge." I yelled as I was looking through my closet for something to wear.

Did I mention I'm not in school anymore?

You see I talked to the local school and dropped out and now I have a high school diploma because I tested out of the school I was going too.

It's really complicated, but somehow it's amounted to I'm a high school graduate, but a drop out of college.

I hate America.

"No we don't you're gonna have to go to the store." she yelled from the kitchen.

"Do you want me to come with you..." She said coming down the hallway towards my room.

"No, I should be fine." I said as confidently as I could muster.

"You sure?" She asked nervously.

"I'm sure." I said kissing her cheek. "Be back in a jiffy!"

Taking the keys from the key rack and waving goodbye I walked out the door.

Snow wasn't falling from the sky like it has for the past week. The crunching from the snow under my boots made me smile. For the first time since the past fall I was doing something by myself.

I can be independent... I said quietly to myself.

The car started up and I pulled out of our long driveway when my iPhone went off signaling I got a text.

In my head I knew I shouldn't look, but I couldn't help it. I haven't talked to anyone since the incident and I was feeling desperate for friends.

My iPhone showed me that the number was unknown, but the text read "Hey."

Really?

REALLY?

I texted back "Who is this?" and continued to drive down the blanketed road.

By the time I reached the local Meijers I received another text "You know who this is."

I texted back infuriated by this dumb prank "No I don't. I wouldn't ask if I knew who you were."

People are so dumb.

Shortly after my response as I was entering the store I received a text "Lets meet up."

I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE. I screamed in my head. But desperate me texted back "Okay where."

A store worker handed me a shopping cart and I began putting the ingredients into the shopping cart and as I was approaching the check-out I got another text saying "Across the street from the Meijer at McDonalds."

Okay. Now I was freaking out. How did he know I was at that Meijer?

Or maybe I'm over thinking this.

He didn't know. I'm just being paranoid.

"K." I responded. Whoever this was, was pissing me off. But I haven't talked to anyone, but my parents. And Shane was always gone with his friends doing whatever he does. So this will be my first friend interaction since the incident.

I exited the Meijer and went straight to my car. The trunk popped open and I put my ingredients inside. I unlocked my car and got into the driver's side and started the car. It sputtered a little bit but it started as it always does. Driving smoothly and carefully I exited the parking lot and made my way across the street to the McDonald's.

I can't believe I'm doing this. How stupid am I?

Stepping out and locking my car all in one motion I made my way inside and stood in line.

The line was pretty long and right before it got to me I felt a tug on my shoulder.

As I turned around my face went smack into someone's chest and-

"Hi Sam. Remember me?"

I looked up and I looked into the eyes of the last person I thought I would ever see again.

Merkley.