Well Fuck

Part 17: Holy Shit!

There's a silence that hushes the room. I look over at Angus and he has a certain look on his face that puzzles me.
I stand up and hesitantly walk over to Liz holding the magazine.

"Read this!"

I carefully take the magazine out of her hand making sure not to loose the page.
First I see pictures of my art college, including one that shows the beautiful Cherry Blossom tree outside of it. Then, I see the small article following them. It's titled: The Art of Oakland, California.
I keep reading.

         This wouldn't be the first time I've come to this lesser known city of California. It's beauty is no stranger to me. From the blossoming nature to the clean-cut architecture of the homes, Oakland is quite the destination to reside. However, the nature and the architecture are not the only works of art people are admiring in this wonderful city. Burton's Fine Art Academy has been rated number one in the art field in Northern California and nominated as one of the top in the country! 
I had the honor of taking another adventure to California to see this impressive school. Posing as as a student, I signed up to partake in a music class at BFAA. I took it for the last three months of the year. The school itself is beautiful, including its architecture and surrounding nature. Not only was the class enriching, but the amount of talent in the students at BFAA is simply outstanding!
I think it's safe to say that this art college is quite the utopia.

            There were numerous opportunities for me to gather more enlightening details about this school and the class I had taken. However, my attention was focused on another beautiful piece of art that Oakland had created.
An incredible woman named Juno.
A ginger with the most radiant strawberry hair and warm hazel eyes. A face that no one could ever forget. Her talent is breath-taking and so is her personality!
I will say that, doing what I do, I see and meet a lot of people. I have never met anyone remotely close to her.
The first day I was there, her car froze in the parking lot of the school. I offered her a ride home on my bike. I could tell she was hesitant about me at first, but she accepted. As soon as I felt her wrap her arms around me and lay her head on my back to duck the freezing wind, my heart skipped a beat.
She ended up leaving her bag in my bike's compartment, so I stuck a scrap piece of paper with my number on it and drove it back to her apartment.
Before I knew it, we were at the local arcade having a blast with laser tag. No one has ever made me laugh as much as she has. But I wasn't paying attention to my laugh, I was admiring how euphonious her's was!
After the BFAA graduation, I invited her to the formal dance they had in honor of the students. She was stunning; amongst the others, she was an absolute angel!
As we danced with the jazz embracing each other, the rest of the world melted away. It was just us. I fell in love.

        The next morning I got a call about the due date of this article being pushed forward. My heart sank because I knew I had to tell her that I was leaving.
As soon as I did, she had the look of utter most betrayal on her face. A look that still haunts me today. Before I could catch her, she was in a taxi and gone.

         Since then, I've never felt quite the same. My ride to Detroit was not as enjoyable as it had always felt. In fact, nothing has been quite as enjoyable as they were before. She had added a new color to my life that I was not aware existed.
A color I know no one could ever quite replicate.

I have always had the best of fun writing for Traveler's Magazine, being able to explore the U.S. on my Harley and write about it, it has been quite an experience. On the other hand, I now know the risk of this profession. Being that I constantly travel, I would never be able to have anything permanent.
That said, I regret to inform my readers that this will be the last article I write. I want to thank you all for reading for these last great couple of years!

Juno, if you end up reading this, I just want you to know that I love you! I don't think there is any way I could make this up to you, but maybe this could be a start.

"Keep adventure within!"
                  
                                                                        -Biker Dex

I am so enveloped into the article that I don't even notice that everyone is gathered around including Will and Maverick. Tears are streaming down my face and onto my shirt as Angus has his hands on my shoulders reading the rest of the article along with me.
I look up from the Traveler's Magazine only to stare at the floor in front of me between Will and Maverick. Angus' voice startles me.

"Wow!"

Will chimes in:

"What is it?"

I absent mindedly hand him the magazine and push passed them. They crowd around to read it. Angus and Liz come to my side to snap me out of my trance. Liz grabs my hand in both of hers.

"Are you ok, love?"

I'm still staring at the floor and the tears still flowing.

"I-I don't know."

"Those things he said, my god, that was-"

Angus motions her to stop talking and puts his hands on my shoulders again. I move out from under his hands.

"I-um- I'm gonna go."

"You want us to take you?"

"No, that's ok, I'll take a cab."

"You sure?"

I nod in response and search for my bag.
Without my noticing, Angus snatches the magazine away from Will and Maverick and sticks it in my bag.
He taps my shoulder and hands me the bag. He pulls me into a sympathetic hug.

"Thanks for comin', June bug! It means the world, really. Let me know if you need me for anything."

I look up at him and nod with tears in my eyes.

"Bye guys!"

A chorus of soft byes come from the four of them as I step out the back door of the theater to flag down a cab.