Because Of You

Time To Live

             When we were in middle school people used to joke that we were too close, and that we would have to date. We didn't. We both established that we were only going to be friends, and that is how we wanted it. We were better as friends. That is how it has always been. When I woke up that morning, he was gone. I got up and brushed my teeth and put on a pullover. I walked out of the room and went over to the breakfast area. He was sitting with his friends and I went to go sit at a table by myself. I got a bagel and cream cheese and sat across the room. I was reading the only book I brought and tapping my foot. The music in the background was subtle but nice. My whole class was here and I was still sitting by myself. I didn't care though. I was fully content all by myself. The table shifted and I fell out of my chair when I looked up and saw Drew sitting there.

"Wow. I knew I had bed head but um..."

"Oh. It's not you... I just wasn't expecting you to be sitting there." I said, still a little startled. "Why aren't you sitting with your friends?"

"I saw you sitting alone and felt bad." He said with his kind eyes looking deep into mine.

"Well now I feel bad for making you move away from your friends. Maybe you should go back." I said now feeling guilty for making him move.

"I didn't move because I felt bad for you, I moved because I felt bad that I wasn't sitting with my best friend."

"But you..."

"No! I will not abandon you again. I am going to get you out of your shell and into the real world." He interrupted.

My head sank at that last part. I didn't want to go out into the world. I lived in side my paradigm, and I liked it.

"I don't think that I want to get out into real world and live my life." I sank back into my book.

"Nope. I will show you that I made a mistake leaving you behind two years ago."

I did not want to argue with him right now. To be honest I agreed with him, and if anyone was going to show me the world I wanted it to be him. So I responded in the simplest way possible.

"Okay."

I looked out the window in the breakfast place. It was sunny and most likely about 80 degrees. I ran into the room and dug through my bag. I saw my shirts and pants, but not my bathing suit. "hmm..." I thought. I knew that I had packed it so I couldn't figure out where it was. A few moments later Drew came in.

"Looking for this." He reached into the bathroom and pulled out my bathing suit. "I knew that I was going to introduce you to the world today, so I took it and hung in up for you to make it easier."

"Thanks... I guess." I said semi-confused but mostly appreciative.

He tossed it to me and I replaced his spot in the bathroom and changed. When I left the bathroom, he was not in the room. I walked into the hallway. He was not there, so I took it that he was already at the pool. I tried to navigate the hallways by following the signs, but it was confusing. After about five minutes of being confused, Drew came up and got me.

"Where were you? I have been waiting."

"I know but I couldn't figure out how to get there." I explained.

"Let me show you."

"Okay." I agreed, "Let's go."

We walked down a long hallway past many rooms before turning left and heading out into a crowded pool deck.