Kiss Me Goodbye

Home Alone 5 (Day 11)

Wednesday, July 5

When I wake up today, it's already a quarter past eleven. Even though the light's streaming through the window, I just grumpily turn to the other side, wrapping the comforter around me.

A bitter taste is in my throat as I recall my meeting with Luke's stepdad yesterday. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to redeem myself before I leave.

And speaking of leaving, I'm really not quite sure what to do. All I know is that I love Luke much more than I have ever loved any other boy. But what will happen to us once we're separated? My date of departure looms so near, but I can't seem to bring this subject up with him.

A bird flies lazily out my window, and I watch it disappear into the horizon.

Would he want a long-distance relationship? But no, that would never work.

Maybe I could move here, that way I could kill two birds with one stone- I wouldn't have to deal with Leon and I'd be with Luke. However, I doubt Mom would ever agree. Her business is too deeply rooted in Michigan for me to ask her to pick everything up and move out west. Besides, she has something else to keep her in our quaint little town- her "friend" from a few nights before.

I push the thought out of my head before I can start feeling too sick. Without even realizing it, I have picked up my phone and dialed Luke's number.

He answers after a few rings, and the first thing I hear is what sounds like a hundred chainsaws.

"Hey, babe!" he shouts loudly over the cacophony. "Hold on, lemme get out of here!" After a few seconds, the noise fades away. "Sorry 'bout that, Alli," he says. "What's up?"

I frown. Even though the loud noise is gone, I can still hear many people chattering behind him. "Where are you?" I ask. "I was gonna ask if you wanted to hang out."

"Er..." he replies. I can almost see him in my mind's eye, holding his phone to his ear with one hand and scratching his head with his other. "I'm sorry, I can't! I'm at rehearsal, and I didn't want to tell you 'cause I know how much you hate this stuff."

"What stuff?" I say, geniunely confused.

"You know, music and bands and all. It's crazy here."

"Oh," I sigh. "You're at rehearsal for your gig?"

"Mmhm," he replies.

"Is it for the whole day?"

"Yeah, Alli, I'm so sorry for not telling you before. Tell you what- how about we go to Six Flags tomorrow?"

"Don't sweat it," I laugh. "I'll just find something else to do today. Have fun! And I'd love to!"

*

I glance over at the clock again. Time seems to be taking forever to pass, and for once, I feel bored and restless without my book. Already, I'm missing Luke, which makes it hard for me to concentrate.

If it's this hard being apart from him for a day, how am I going to stand it when I leave?

I groan and chuck my book to the side, not even bothering to care as it thunks on the ground, folding the pages. Something flutters out of it: it seems to be some sort of postcard. I must have put it in as a bookmark a long time ago.

I fight with myself for a few seconds before succumbing to my urge to call him. Before I know it, his number's already typed in and the phone's ringing.

Although I knew he probably wouldn't be there, I can't help but feel disappointed when it goes straight to voicemail. I debate whether or not to leave a message, and I hang up without leaving him one. I don't want to come off as too clingy.