WAITING FOR HIM

The Beginning

Pat. Pat. Pat.

The rain drops poured down from the sky and struck my window as if harmonizing to their own rhythm.

It's as if the sky is crying.

The comforting sound of the steady pulse of the raindrops on my window did nothing to conceal the striking resemblance of the sky's tears to my own.

He's moving. Halfway across the world, my thoughts drifted once again to my best friend. The thought brought a fresh wave of tears to my eyes and I laid my head against my pillow as I lay in my bed, covered in my blanket.

As I sobbed, my mind traveled back in time to that fateful afternoon, when the news had greeted me.

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I had come home from a school to find Jayden with my mom at the kitchen table. They both looked up from a piece of paper lying in front of them on the table, and I couldn't help but notice a flicker of sadness pass through Jayden's face, before he replaced it with a big grin.

"Ah, what a sight for sore eyes!", he teased as I went over to wrap my arms around my mom, before turning to Jayden with a big smile.

"I should be the one saying that! You wouldn't believe what Jake did today. He was kicking my chair in the middle of our biology test, and I turned around to ask him to stop, and Ms.Morris gave us both detention!", I huffed, angry as the memory of this morning came flooding back.

Jayden and my mom looked at each other and started laughing.

"Honey, you know you're not supposed to speak in the middle of an exam!" she exclaimed, laughter still crinkling in her eyes, as she stood up from the table and went to grab a tray of cookies from the pantry.

"But Mom! He was kicking my chair! And breaking my focus. It was annoying", I replied indignantly.

"That's why you should have put you hand up and told Ms.Morris," Jayden smirked. "Because for all she knows, you turned around to cheat off his paper". He picked up the piece of paper that was lying on the table and glanced at my mom, who smiled encouragingly at him. She picked up a container of cookies and turned to me.

"Honey, I'm just going next door to Ms.Hatty's to drop off some cookies and see how she's doing now. She has a lot of recovering to do from that knee surgery", she kissed me on the cheek and gave Jayden a hug before heading out of the kitchen.

I turned back to Jayden and crossed my arms over my chest. "Pft. As if I'd need to cheat. And even if I did, why would I cheat off someone who has a pea for a brain?" I set my backpack down and looked up to find Jayden fiddling with the paper he now held in his hands.

He shrugged. "I'm just saying how it must have looked like to an observer. No need to get defensive, Ells", he ruffled my hair and gestured for me to sit down. "And there's something I need to tell you."

I sat down across from him, grabbing a cookie off the tray my mom had set on the table, and raised my eyes back up to him expectantly.

He cleared his throat and stared back at me. "Ells, I was given admission into-"

"Jay!! Congratulations!!", I yelled, interrupting him and grinning madly, scrambling up from my seat to give him a hug.

"Into Cambridge Ells.", he finished. I froze mid hug and reeled back to look up at him.

"What?", I whispered, dumbstruck.

"Toronto was my first choice, but my dad urged me to try for Cambridge as well, and you know how it's been in the family tradition to go there. To be honest I didn't think I'd get in, but somehow..", he didn't finish his sentence, and instead glanced down at the sheet of paper in his hands. "But I know we promised when we were younger to go to the same college, so I want to decline."

"Jay...", I tried to calm my rapidly beating heart, and mustered a smile. A true friend wouldn't let such an amazing opportunity slip by. "No, you must accept it. It's only for four years! And you'll be back." I stepped into his arms and willed myself not to cry. " I'm so happy for you Jay. Congratulations."

"Ells..", he placed his hands on my shoulders and looked into my eyes. "You should apply there too! You'll be graduating in two years, and then we can both be going to the same school." He smiled encouragingly at me.

I smiled softly at him in reply. "I'll try Jay. But I've always kind of wanted to go to UT; mom and dad met there, so it's kind of been a special place for me."

"Then it's fine. We'll both go to the schools that we've always wanted to go to. And in four years, I'll be back before you know it." He slung his arm around my shoulders and held the acceptance letter out in front of us.

I looked up at him and tried to grin. "Promise?"

"Promise."

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As the memory faded and I sat up on my bed, wiping away my tears and determined to stop crying. I headed to my full length mirror and a girl with black hair and reddened grey eyes stared back at him.

He'll be back. In four years. And then you can tell him, I told my reflection.

It had all seemed so easy. Standing in front of the same mirror, picking the outfit I would wear to the annual summer party we held in our backyard. Walking up to Jayden. And praying the several rehearsals I had held in my bathroom would be of assistance.

I like you.

It had dawned on me on my 16th birthday, four months before Jayden had told me of his acceptance to Cambridge.

I had stepped out into the garden and I was greeted with a smiling Jayden holding my present in his hands. A strange shyness had emerged within me, as I took in his pressed collared shirt, tucked into his black trousers. His hair gelled back, and his hazel eyes gazing down at me.

Then he was wrapping the silver bracelet around my arm and taking me into his arms and whispering "Happy Birthday Ells".

And suddenly, it was then I realized it. I liked Jayden. More than just a friend. I had always liked Jayden. From when I was 5, and he helped me up when I had scraped my knee, to when I was 14 and he had held me and comforted me when I had been stood up by Tommy Bruster on our first date. Our two year age gap hadn't had any effect on our friendship

I didn't want anyone else. I wanted Jayden. A boy who had been my best friend and had always been there for me when I needed him the most. And I was going to tell him.

Jayden. I want to be more than just friends.

Then he got accepted to Cambridge.

Elena. Stop crying, I demanded to my reflection. You can tell him when he comes back from England. He'll still be your same Jayden.

I moved over to my desk and opened up my laptop. Sure enough, I had an unread email waiting for me. Hurriedly I clicked on the icon and the message popped up.

Ells!

I just got to my dorm, and haven't even unpacked my stuff. But, wanted to send my best friend a hi. It's awesome here Ells, the university itself looks like a large medieval castle. Classes start tomorrow, so I have to get all my textbooks and walk around campus so I know where all my classes are. Anyways, I'll send you a more detailed message tonight, but wanted to check in with you first. There is one thing I don't like about here though Ells.

You're not here.

Can't wait to hear from you,

Jay

I smiled to myself as I imagined him exploring the university, being the adventurous guy he is.

I grinned to myself as I started typing a response.

Just four years. And then I can tell him.

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How was it?!! Any thoughts on Elena and Jayden?? Please spare a few moments to leave some feedback, I really appreciate it!

Thanks lovelies! I will try to update soon :)