Get On Your Knees

I Knew This Was A Bad Idea

I piled my many suitcases into the trunk of my Dodge Journey, and my gut was telling me to call my boss and say that I couldn't do it. But I knew if I did, I'd get fired for cancelling last-minute. It was difficult to fit this many suitcases into one car, but I needed everything. I'd be on this tour for a year, and for what? Some "chance of a lifetime"? To meet a bunch of arrogant rock stars? No. It was for some ongoing article about what tour life was really like- and I was the guinea pig. I would be on tour with Asking Alexandria, interviewing them, and sending in a report of what that month of the tour had been like, which would be published in the magazine. Someone remind me why I did this? Would a shitload of money be worth a year of loneliness? I guess I'd find out. I turned the ignition to my car, but all I heard was "put put put BANG put BANG! Coouuuugh!" I noticed the "empty" light was flashing on the dash.

"Son of a bitch." I said, Red Foreman style. That was the way my father always said it. I whipped out my iPhone and called a cab. While I was waiting I was very occupied to get the suitcases OUT of the trunk. My muscles ached as I dragged them over to the cab. I plopped down into the back seat, leaving the driver to stuff all my crap in the trunk. It didn't take very long, I guess he was used to it

"Where to, Miss?" The driver said. I guess he was from New Jersey, he had the accent. Or was it New York? I could never keep them straight.

"Airport, thank you." I say politely. I always try to be polite, just a thing about me. The cab rumbled away from my beloved house. How much I hated being away, and how much I hated the thought of my 19 year old brother living there instead of me. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I whipped it out as if it were telling me i had won 10 grand, but no, just a text from David, letting me know the band's plane was late, and I'd sign the contract at the airport, then hop aboard the plane to London, where the Europe tour would kick off. Once that tour ended they would tour the States on 10 Years In The Black with a few other bands. I would only be on the Europe tour (thank God), I wouldn't want to spend that long with nowhere to call home. I stared out the window of the cab, watching my familiar street go by, seeing a gathering of my neighbors at the end of the way. I leaned forward to see what all the fuss was about, and the held a large banner saying "Good Luck On Tour!" and they all waved. I asked the driver to stop, and as I rolled down my window, the Fletcher boys ran up, Gabriel handed me a card he made, Mitchell handed me a red carnation.

"Thank you so much! I'll miss you two troublemakers." I say with a grin. The giggled and ran back to their mother. Then the lady who lives next door, Mrs. McClure slowly waked up and handed me a Walmart bag, with many items inside, including luxury body wash, a fancy loufa, a new drawing book, and the teddy bear I always left at her house when I was small.

"Oh, Wayne would be so proud of you. I never would've guessed the little girl who would fall off the tree in our backyard would get so far so fast." She gushed. I almost thought I saw tears welling up behind her glasses.

"I'll miss you, do me a favor and make sure my bonehead brother doesn't wreck my house?" I say with a small giggle.

"Of course, but we all have one more thing." Mrs. McClure said, and Anthony, my best friend, who lived right across the street from me walked up to the window, with a small, black, velvety looking box. I stepped out of the car, and he looked down shyly as he held it out to me. I opened it slowly, and there lay a beautiful charmed bracelet. A piano charm, a star charm, a cross charm, a bass clef charm, and a simple, flat, circular charm with an inscription. I ever so gently lifted it out of the box, as if it were made of glass, and read what was engraved.

"To my favorite little kitten, who I know can do anything she works for, love Anthony"

I couldn't help but blush, and I threw my arms around him, and he hugged back, gently stroking my hair.

"I love you." He whispered ever so gently in my ear.

"Anthony," I said "I'd been dying to say that to you for so long, and I do love you back, but- this really isn't good timing. But I swear I will be yours when I come back." I saw Anthony's head drop and nod slightly. I gently kissed his cheek, and hurriedly stepped back into the cab. Didn't want anyone to see me cry. I knew this was a bad idea.