Why Don't We date already? | oneshots

R E C K L E S S

if you've been keeping up recently (or if you have a brain), you would know that kepotts21 and I are best friends and I was on vacation the past month (which is why I basically disappeared).

but I digress. I wrote a chapter for her book, Reckless, a) because I was bored on the plane, b) because she hasn't updated the goddamn book in forever (ilysm katie but I WANNA KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IVE WAITED FOR YEARS), and c) because that's what you do for BFFs (and also because I love her, and she's awesome and amazing as if the paragraphs we left on each other's feeds don't cover that fact).

we came up with this plot twist ages ago, so I wrote about it lmao.

soooooo dedicated to kepotts21for sticking by my not-so-inspiring self for what seems like ages. we probably wouldn't be friends if she never wrote Reckless or Endless, so im glad she did (go read it if you haven't already, which you probably have tbh).

oh yeah, I screwed up some of the details, but the effect is kinda the same (unless plot twist: her dad comes back from the war alive and healthy) but yeah. enjoy.

*****

Addilyn pulled into the Arlington National Cemetery parking lot.

If anything, she couldn't've settled for less. She had perpetually asked her uncle and aunt to have her father interred in the greatest military cemetery instead of LA or the base in which he had served at. After all his years of service, he deserved that.

"Now, Mr. Quackington," she addressed the duckling, half of his body protruding rom the half-eaten box of Cheez-its situated on the passenger seat, "do you want to see-- your grandfather?"

Mr. Quackington must've noticed the quiver in his voice as he quacked reassuringly, as if to say, Go. I'll be fine here.

"Are you sure?"

Addilyn could've sworn Mr. Quackington rolled his eyes. She grinned. "Okay. Just quack if you need anything, alright?"

Mr. Quackington didn't hear her, as his head was already inside the box. Addilyn meditated for a few moments before taking the key out of the ignition. Leaving the windows slightly open for her duck, she jumped down from her Yukon, grabbing the roses and candles she had bought earlier.

She barely noticed where her feet took her as her head clouded over with thoughts. She wondered whether Corbyn had found another girl to sweep off her feet and date. She wondered how many times Aurora bit Jack in the past week she had been gone. She wondered whether Corbyn still had the stuffed pufferfish Addilyn had gotten him, as a testament to their first date. She wondered how Zach and Carmen, Daniel and Adrian were doing. She wondered how Corbyn had taken her leaving him, and whether or not he missed her and wanted her back.

She had switched her phone to airplane mode a while ago to stop the constant buzzing, ringing, and dinging, a painful reminder of what she left behind.

Charles Rivera.....

Scott Rodowsky.....

Louis Rodowsky....

Kaleb Rogers.

She knelt before her father's grave, placing the roses in front of the tombstone. She traced her father's name lightly with her fingertips, mouthing the words and feeling tears prick the corners of her eyes. She lit the two white, thin, tall candles, placing them on either side of the tombstone carefully. She set the roses in front of the tombstone, viewing her offering to her father's spirit.