One Way Trip to a Dead End

Chapter 6

What I wish could last longer, abruptly ends after a second or two. John moves away from me and gets up as if he suddenly is in a hurry.

'What's wrong?" I ask

"No, no nothing, I just-" he pauses and tries to come to terms with himself about something. "No, I barely know you but I don't know what drove me to hug you."

"Oh, you have a girlfriend?"

"No, it's not that," he looks down shyly and then takes a seat next to me again.

"We only met today, and I already feel so much for you," that moment I was about to blush even more until he epic-ly ruined the moment. "I feel really sorry for you and what's happening."

"Oh yeah," I say kind of disappointingly looking down. I felt like saying 'I don't need your pity' now but I know I can't.

"Hey, don't become sad because I reminded you about that again. Okay, I am sorry, let's change the conversation," he suggests. "You do know that its not only pity I feel for you."

I grin, a little more satisfied.

"So where in America do you come from?" He asks introducing the new topic.

"Chicago."

"Really? That's nice. I have cousins who come from there," he explains pretty satisfied.

"Really? Where in Chicago?" I ask.

"Well, I don't contact them very much anymore, it hasn't been going good with them."

"Oh, in what way? I mean, if it is a private thing you don't have to tell me."

"No, it's okay. Look April, they're young. Maybe about our age, but the way they hangout there in Chicago is pretty dangerous."

"Oh." I say, not exactly knowing what else to say.

For a while there was an awkward silence.

"Hey can I have your number?" he suddenly asks me.

"Sure, of course," I say, because I definitely want to keep contact with him. I search for a paper or pencil in my vest and I find a folded paper and John hands me a pencil. I scratch my number down on the white surface. Since when did I hoard paper in my pockets? I hand him the paper.

"So," he says. I expected something more like 'Catch you later' or something but the fact he chooses to stay with me, is so... Sweet.

Behind the trees, the sky glows with a pink colour, as the burning orange sun sets behind the horizon the trees are blocking. It is definitely a very romantic setting at the moment.

"Want to stroll through the park now?"

"Oh..of... c-course," I stutter. I think I am turning red again.

First we walked side by side, towards a pink lake, reflected upon by the sky. It is a beautiful sight. We don't say much, but I still feel better than before.

"You don't mind if I open up the topic about your parents again, right?" He asks, and suddenly I feel a warm hand against mine, fingers slipping through the gaps between mine.

"Ehm, sure, I don't mind." Honestly, my mind just went blank. 

"Maybe I can get my cousins to find out something," he suggests. Really? He would do that for me. My heart skips a beat. "Would you know if and why they may possibly have left back to Chicago?"

"Maybe someone in my family fell sick. Or.. I remember at the airport that my mom randomly got emotional but later told me that -" I stop dead in my tracks. What I just said explains a lot. It must have a connection. They both saw this coming, both my parents. It can't be a last minute thing that they left me. They must've planned to leave me here. But why?

Just that moment, John's phone rings. After he holds a short conversation with, I am assuming his father, he tells me he has to leave. "I can't miss dinner. I am so sorry I have to leave you. Please keep calm, April, you'll make it okay? Stay strong." He engulfs me with one last hug, and I suddenly sense a light peck on my head. Did he just kiss the surface of my hair? If I am not blushing, there must be something wrong with me. By now, somewhere inside of me I am fangirling over John Watts.

"Thanks so much for helping me feel better, John."

"No problem love," he says reminding me of Harry Styles. I am not much of a One Direction fan, but the way British people say this, is so flattering.

"I will."

~~~~~~~~~~

Dinner is silent. Aunt Julie sits opposite me staring at her bowl of soup she made me and herself. What else would I expect than this awkwardness? But I know I can't keep the silence.

"Aunt Julie -" I start off but she interrupts.

"Did you not learn anything from the letter?"

"Letter?"

"I told you to go to your room to read the letter your mom gave you."

"No, you didn't," but that's when I remember it. Aunt Julie had sent me upstairs to read the letter in my bedroom, but I fell asleep. "John!" I suddenly exclaim

"Sorry, what?" she asks baffled.

"John, John he has the letter," I say in a panicky voice. I put my number on that piece of paper. How am I so stupid?

"You gave the letter to a stranger? April! How can you even do that? Is it the guy from the supermarket? Do you actually have any idea what was in that letter?" She asks, bombarding me with these types of questions.

Before I know it, I am sitting by the lake again, that used to be pink, where I was strolling with John an hour or two ago. The sky is dark but the few stars that illuminate the earth, along with the street posts standing by the trails in the park allow me and other people outside to see the path before them. Many of those other people probably have a figurative path of destiny clearly lit before them. When it comes to mine, God knows what's at stake for me.

I had stormed off again, leaving Aunt Julie in the house to worry about me again. But I can't handle it. I just needed to come back here, to the place where everything was still right a few hours ago.

Why didn't I ask for his number too? Hopefully he calls me soon, maybe we can meet up here again. That would be romantic - but no, it's not about romance April, you have to focus on finding your parents, not helplessly falling in love. I sigh deeply.

"It's getting late madam, shouldn't you return home?" A British police officer asks me from behind. Shiver run up my spine and I had hoped that was John's voice.

I slowly turn around to make eye contact with him, and then turn back to the lake. "Alright," I say. "Thank you sir," I also utter, as I get up to walk away, even though I am not sure for what I'm thankful.

"Have a goodnight young lady, and reach home safely."

~

I watch the stars move with me as I walk back towards Aunt Julie's grounf floor appartment.

Oh what a mess I am.