Two souls wanting to make a mark on the universe and not to be forgotten.
'Forget Me Not' is a novelette of self-discovery, heartbreak, and an unforgettable journey that the characters nor the readers will ever forget.
*I originally pulled this d...
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I sit awkwardly next to Felix, looking around nervously. Applebees on a Friday night isn't ideal to a fairly shy guy. Though, here we are. It's not like I can turn down Felix or her family.
"Oooh, the margaritas look good tonight," Felix says, grinning to herself.
"Do we have to play this game every time we go to Applebees?" her aunt asks.
"But this time I'm actually twenty one!" She folds a page over to the burger section. "Remember that time when the I was sixteen and the waiter did actually bring me alcohol?"
Her aunt just shakes her head, looking down at her menu.
"Hmm maybe I'll get the seafood dish-"
"I'll will throw you out," her aunt threatens, pointing the steak knife at Felix for emphasis.
"You wouldn't throw your guest out, would ya?"
I blush when they remembered my presence.
"Caleb can stay. Well, unless he also orders seafood."
I raise my hands in surrender. "I'm a burger guy here. Seafood is disgusting." Actually it isn't and I probably would've ordered shrimp if this scene hadn't gone down.
Our waiter comes up then, asking each of us for our orders. Felix and Colton order the exact same thing, which I guess is common when they both go out.
"How long are you planning to stay in Michigan?" Eric asks Felix.
She takes a sip of her soda. "Probably only a day or two after the block party."
"Where are you going next?"
Felix shrugs, playing with her straw. "I was thinking maybe India. Caleb signed up for urban photography."
"I'll take whatever as well," I am quick to tell her. "I didn't sign a contract or anything for urban life."
She chuckles at me. "What, are you afraid of India?"
"Pssft. Of course not." Yes. I haven't even left the state until now. Imagine going to a whole different country.
Colton makes chicken noises to me. Heat floats to my cheeks in embarrassment. It's not my fault my family isn't adventurous. That's why I agreed to Felicity's proposal.
We leave shortly after our food arrives. Even though the ice is broken, I still feel an awkward tension in the air that I can't seem to shake off. Is it me?
The next morning is the Detroit block party. Even though where Rachelle and Eric live is considered Detroit Metro, the actual Detroit is forty-five minutes away. Which, of course, leaves a forty-five minute gap of awkwardness.
I'm nudged in the shoulder. "Lighten up, Caleb. You aren't being led to your death."
Actually, I might be. People aren't my strong suit. I'd rather jump into a swollen river than go into Walmart on a Friday night.
"Yeah, sure," I reply to Felix.
Finally, we pull into a gated parking lot. I hop out first, leaving the door open for Felix to get out. Colton is already standing outside the entrance. I notice that it requires a keycode to get in, as well as a cage across the window.
Eric puts in the code, shielding it from eyes such as mine. We follow him down the hallway, which is full of rusting green lockers and misspelled posters made by students most likely. I notice a bucket half full of water and bright yellow "caution" signs knocked all over the floor.
"Felicity! You're here!" a petite woman with dark brown hair yells, running to hug Felix.
"Hey, Sister Genta." She awkwardly hugs her back with the camera bag in the way.
The woman spots me. "Oh, did you come to help as well?"
"He's my apprentice," she says before I can speak.
"Well, let's get set up, shall we?"
We cross the gym floors to the recess yard. About two hundred people are hurriedly setting up chairs, tents, and tables.
"I need the men to carry all the water over under that tent," Sister Genta directs. I look over to the wall of water bottle packages. There has to be at least fifty altogether. Not wanting to waste time, I grab one and carry it over to the tent. It goes faster than I had originally thought with all the helpers.
People begin to file in about an hour later, after the inflatable jungle gyms had been blown up. I stick close to Felix; not for my safety but for hers. I didn't trust the people coming in.
"When I was seventeen, I had been a volunteer," she began, walking along the fence with me. "I face painted about five hundred people with two other girls."
"Was it fun?" I asked her. It didn't seem like a good time to me.
"It really was. I painted so many Captain America shields that day that I can still probably do it with my eyes closed." She giggled but I could feel that she was giggling for another lifetime, not where we were in the present. Her face slowly morphs into one of sorrow. "That was also my last summer in church."
"Why?" I blurt out before punishing myself internally. It might be a touchy subject.
"I began to travel since I graduated college at the same time as when I graduated high school through a program. It's a bit hard to keep going to a church faithfully if you aren't in a place for more than a week." She lets out a hot breath, looking up towards the clouds. "Truthfully, I didn't want to go back." Nothing more is said after this, and I don't push her for more details. I couldn't.
