My first one-shot, for my friend Anne, who’s helped me out a bunch.
Never Gone
“Hey Annie, it’s Kevin, just calling to see what’s up, we haven’t spoken in ages, call me back, please. Thanks.”
The cell phone told Anne the message was over, but the shock it had given her kept her from pressing end. She sat on her bed staring at nothing in particular. Kevin had called her. Kevin who hadn’t spoken to her in years had called her, and he wanted to talk? Why now? She looked at the phone, the backlight had turned off but his number still stood out on the screen.
The last time the two had seen each other, everything had ended up in a big fight.
“You promised, Kev!” Anne said, boiling with frustration.
“Look, I’ve dreamed of this… forever. We finally have a chance now, can’t you see that!”
Anne wiped a stray tear from her faced and looked away. It was impossible to look at him right now. “Next thing you know, you’re going to be moving to LA,” she whispered, more to herself.
“You know I’ll always come back here.”
“So you are?!” She stood up, no longer caring to hide the tears.
Kevin shook his head, “That’s not what I meant!”
“It’s what you said; you said it like… like you’re never going to come back for good!”
“Annie, don’t do this.”
“Just go on your stupid tour, with your stupid brothers –“ she paused, backtracking, “I mean, GOD KEVIN, it’s like I don’t matter any more!”
“You’re being selfish!”
“So, what if I am?!”
“Don’t do that.”
“Just go!” she said, turning around to walk away, but he grabbed her shoulder.
“I don’t want to leave like this, Anne.”
“Well, I don’t care, Kevin.” She shook off his hand and walked away, her mind completely impaired by the idea that she might never see him again.
Anne had tried to forget that, but every so often the guilt she had felt that day would come running back to her. He was famous now, probably changed, and she was still the same selfish Anne who had let him go that day. She glanced at the phone again. She knew she had to do it, if not for herself, then at least for him.
The phone rang and she sat in the silence of her empty house, her family had gone out to eat and she had chosen to stay behind. There was a noise on the other end and Kevin’s voice broke through the din in the background.
“Hello? Anne?” he answered, “Guys, shut up!” he yelled at whoever was making the noise.
Anne kept quiet, she had no idea what to say, or even how to begin. She knew she wanted to apologize for the bad ending.
“Annie, you there?”
“Yeah,” her voice was so quiet she almost whispered.
“Hey…” he began. All of the sudden there was silence, it sounded as if Kevin had gone into another room, “I’m glad you called me back.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?” he asked, in surprise.
“For everything. For it all ending the way it did… I’m sorry, you were right, I was selfish.”
It was Kevin’s turn to be silent.
“I just, didn’t want you to leave, it hurt a lot.”
“You don’t have to apologize.”
“No, I do. It’s been bothering me since you left.”
“That long?”
Anne nodded, then realizing she was on the phone, spoke “mhm.”
“God, I miss you.”
“As if. You’ve got girls lining up for you now!” She smiled.
‘They’re not you. But hey, listen, the reason I called, I’m back in New Jersey, just for a few days. I wanted to see you.”
Anne was speechless.
“Can I come over? Today maybe? You do still live in the same house, right?”
“Yeah.” Was all she could say.
“Is 3:30 okay?”
“It’s fine.”
“I’ll see you then.”
The phone clicked and he was gone, just like that. He’d be back though, in person. This, Anne thought, was better than she had felt since his leaving. She looked at the clock and jumped in shock. There was only an hour to get ready!
Clean up, a shower, four outfit changes, and a sandwich later, her doorbell rang. It’s him, she thought, making her way to the door.
Her hands trembled as she opened it. He had changed, but for the better. He had grown out his hair, skinny jeans and a bandana were his new trendsetters, and she didn’t fail to notice the muscles on his arms. Still, it was what hadn’t changed that kept her staring. His eyes, his eyes were what she had fallen for when they first met, and what she was falling for now.
He hugged her, strong and warm, and they stood there. She didn’t know how long and she didn’t care.
“I missed you,” she whispered, looking up at him.
“I missed you, too.”
The moment seemed to pause as they stared at each other. Before she knew it, he had pressed his lips gently onto hers, she wound her arms around his neck, he around her waist. She had missed this particular activity even more. He smiled against her lips, as if thinking the same thing. They broke apart and looked at each other again.
He had never really left, she thought, then spoke aloud, “I don’t know what I was so angry about…”
