Chapter 10
I stared in awe as Dylan walked down the isle. I couldn’t help that I had tears in my eyes when I saw him. When he left, we had just finished seventh grade, he was just hitting puberty. Now he was, to put it simply, perfect.
His dark blond hair was cut in a longer style, but not in a “you need to get a haircut way.” If it was possible, his eyes looked even greener than before he left. He smiled at me with no hint of shyness like when I’d first met him. In fact, his eyes were glowing.
For one moment, I forget what was going on and just remembered on of my best friends was standing there. I ran over to him and I leaped into his arms; I just couldn’t help myself. “I take that as you’re glad to see me.” He said in a voice than was much deeper than it had been, but still familiar.
“I am. Not that I’m not glad to see you, but why are you here?” I asked. We were still in a hugging position so he pulled me back without letting go of me. His green eyes smiled warmly at me and I looked into them with a deep sincerity. He smiled at me and I felt my heart speed up.
“Don’t you remember our deal?” He whispered, causing chills to run down my spine. It took me a moment to realize he’d asked me a question, but when he did, I remembered so long ago. Of course, I didn’t remember all that good things; it never happened that way. Instead I remembered why I tried to forget about my old friend…
“Come on Dylan! What do you want to tell me?” It was the last day of school in our seventh grade year. I was walking down the hall holding Dylan’s hand; we had been doing that since second grade, and no matter how much we got teased for it, I loved to hold his hand.
“Can we sit down?” Dylan said and I was starting to get worried, but it was normal at the same time. Dylan was sometimes so serious over nothing. Every time he’d go all “this is really bad”, it turned out to be nothing. That meant I shouldn’t have worried, but my heart speeding up seemed to disagree.
We sat down on a bench outside our school. Dylan looked away from me. “Kendra, I’m leaving.” Oh, so that’s what this was about. He was going away probably for the whole summer, and then he would be back. The thought left bump in my throat.
“So you’re going to be gone the whole summer; I’ll be sad but we can call each other everyday.” I said hoping that it was true, knowing that it wasn’t at all. He shook his head and that was all I needed.
“You can’t move away! You can’t!” I said starting to cry. He put his arms around me like he’d been doing since we were kids.
“Please don’t cry, Kenny. Oh, don’t make this so hard.” He said and he looked like he was about to cry. I pulled myself together long enough to look at him. “It won’t be forever; only three years. But it is in the rainforest…no cell service or computers.” I looked at him. “But I promise you that I will be there for your sixteenth birthday.”
“What is this, some bad romantic comedy? You’re my best friend; I don’t want you to go! And no cell services it really stupid! ”
He looked away, “I know.” We sat a while longer.
I knew I was angry and needed to calm down. After all, I needed to make the time with him last; I didn’t know when I’d see him again. Then to complete our corny out of the movies moment, I added. “I’ll never forget you, Dylan.”
“I’ll never forget you either, Kenny.” He said holding me again in a hug. When he let go, I knew I was in for more bad news. “I need to go now Kendra.” He said and I knew it was bad when he said Kendra instead of Kenny.
“Now, TODAY,” I said through a sob. He nodded, which didn’t help the trying not to cry.
“I didn’t want you to have a bad last few days, so I didn’t tell you.” He said. “I hope you will forgive me. I also want you to come with me to watch me go. Sophie and Lacey are already there.” Sophie, Lacey, Dylan and I were all close friends. It hurt a little that he’d told them before me, but I knew that their reactions would have been easier than mine.
“Of course, Dilly,” I said using his childhood nickname I rarely used anymore. I took his hand and we walked silently to his house.
Sophie and Lacey were standing there with tears in their eyes. When they saw us, they ran over..
“Dylan, I can’t believe you’re leaving us!” Sophie said crying.
“Who will be the insightful boy in our group now?” Lacey said also crying.
“I’ll miss you guys so much.” Dylan said to all of us and I could see he was defiantly trying not to cry.
“Love you forever!” Sophie and Lacey said.
“You too you guys. I mean, who will be the perfect one now?” He knew his joke was lame but it made us all smile. “Sophie, Lacey, do you mind, I need to talk to Kendra alone?” They nodded and I looked back at him.
“You are my best friend. I have known you almost my whole life. You have been so much more than a friend to me, and…” He was obviously considering what to say. “I love you.” I looked at him. What did he mean by I love you? The same thing Lacey and Sophie said or something more. I was about to ask when…
“Honey, we have to go.” Mrs. Ames called to us. Dylan, smiling ran over to them; holding my hand.
“Ready son,” Mr. Ames called out putting his hand on Dylan’s shoulder.
“Yeah, I’ve said my goodbyes.” Dylan said, looking at me. I was about to say I need to talk to him but his father beat me to it.
“Will you help me load the last of the boxes?” He asked and Dylan nodded. While they packed up I waited to ask Dylan.
The chance never came.
“Ok that’s done, bye Kenny. I’ll miss you so much.” He said and kissed me on the cheek. I nodded, trying to get the words out. But I was crying so hard, I couldn’t breathe, much less ask a question. Soon he was in the car, and I barely said, “Goodbye,” before he was already gone.
He waved until his van turned a corner and was gone.
I stared silently and waited for a moment before crying some more and turning back twords my home.
He would call, and then I could ask him. I knew he would; we were best friends. That had to count for something.
At least, that’s what I thought. Apparently I was wrong because I never got a call or letter or anything from him in three years. I missed him like crazy and had sulked for the summer.
This year I had gotten over it. Finally I was over how he kept me waiting; gotten over how he left me waiting. It was like an old scar; still there as a constant reminder, but not hurting anymore. It had healed as much as it ever would and I was okay with that.
Now I remembered it all, and that previous pain began to come back.
I looked up at him, no longer very excited to see him. “No, I didn’t forget. How could I?” I said and he smiled. Too soon, I thought. “I also remember what you said after that.” That wasn’t the answer he must have been expecting.
How could he be so stupid? I had spent months thinking non-stop about what he said and he couldn’t even remember.
“I’ll give you a hint. I love you too.” I said and did something I thought I would never do. I slapped that pretty face as hard as I could. I could literally hear the force of my hand on his cheek.
That ought to teach him to mess with this girl.