Paper Airplane [s.m]

Twenty-Five

Maybe I should text Shawn.

It's been a month. A month of support group meetings where I say 'fine' and nothing else. A month of staring at my phone hoping he'll text me. A month of no parties because my Aunt is being a good parental figure.

He left in the beginning of November.

It's December 2nd.

I wanted to spend Christmas with Shawn in Rockefeller Center. I wanted to ice skate for the first time with him. He won't even be in New York. I frown and look down to my feet.

It's a Sunday. I'm sitting on my bed. I don't know what I'm doing today but sitting on my bed and crying wasn't my plan. I stand and walk to the kitchen. I want food.

I open the fridge and look at all the food. My Aunt has only healthy food in here. I need to buy some Oreos or IceCream. I close the fridge with nothing in my hands. My Aunt is standing in front of me.

I scream and fall to the floor. She can't just stand there without announcing herself. That's just creepy. I put my hand over my heart and close my eyes. She just raises her eyebrows at me.

"You scared me." I mumble and stand up.

"I can tell." She puts her mug of coffee on the counter.

"It's 6am, what are you doing up." She asks.

"I couldn't sleep." I say looking around, everywhere but her eyes. 

"How was support group on Friday?" She asks. I don't talk to her often.

"It was fine." I answer looking at the clock on the microwave. She nods and leaves the kitchen.

I can't get back to sleep so I get dressed and leave the house. I walk down the street with my hands in my pockets. Everybody outside at 6am are dressed in suits and business clothes. I'm the only teenager in ripped skinny jeans and a Nike hoodie. I take a seat inside a coffee shop and stare out the window.

"Is this seat taken?" I hear a voice say.

"No." I say, still staring out the window.

I finally turn my head and see Aaron sitting across from me. I smile at him and look out the window again.

"My dads fine." He blurts out.

"Huh?"

"I was worried that my mom was keeping something from me about my dad. But he's fine." He smiles.

"That's great." I smile at him.

"Have you heard from your dad?" He asks.

"I haven't talked to my dad in over a year." I say.

"Oh I'm sorry." He frowns.

"But he sent me a card for my 18th birthday." I add.

"When did you turn 18?"

"In September."

"Cool." He mumbles and looks out the window.

"What are you doing here at 6am?"

"I was walking with my brother, he has work." Aaron says.

"Oh okay. I just couldn't sleep." I say. He was going to ask me what I'm doing here so I figured I'd just say it.

We sit in silence for a while before he has to leave. We say our goodbyes and I leave a few minutes after him. It's about 8am when I arrive back at my apartment. It's so early, why won't the time go faster?

I sit in my room and do nothing until noon. This is the longest day I've ever had. I groan and lean back on my bed.

"Roni, come here." Daisy calls from the living room, I assume.

I shuffle into the living room and lean against the wall.

"This one? Or this one?" She asks showing me her laptop screen.

There's two pictures of dresses on the screen. I'm guessing she's dress shopping for the winter formal on December 15th.

"Oh that one." I point to the short navy blue dress. It's tight on the top and flares out at the waist. It's more plain than the jewel-covered, floor length gown. I like the plain dresses better normally.

"Okay I thought so too." She says and takes her laptop away. I plop down on the couch next to her and throw my legs over her lap.

"Did you get asked?"

"Yeah my boyfriend asked me." She smiles.

"Your boyfriend?" I didn't even know she had a boyfriend.

"Yeah." She says like I should know. Maybe I have been kind of distant since Shawn left. Or maybe since I moved here.

There is a knock on the door and I'm confused. I'm not expecting anyone. Daisy looks at me, waiting for my to get the door.

"Your closer." I shrug.

"You are literally laying on top of me." She says with an eye roll.

I groan and stand up. I shuffle to the door and open it wide.

My eyes widen. My jaw drops and my mouth suddenly becomes very dry. I try to speak but I don't have the words.

Suddenly, he grabs my face and his lips are on mine. I put my hands around his neck and lean into him.

"Okay." Daisy sighs and leaves the room.

He continues to kiss me but I let him into the apartment. He kicks the door closed and leans against it.

I finally pull away for air and he smiles at me.

"I think I'm in love with you too." Shawn says and pecks my lips.