Come Back to me:Short Story (4 page)

“Jayse? What’s wrong?”

Everyone at the table was now watching him. I think they were expecting a break down about Alicia not being here for his big day but none of them including me, was prepared for his news.

“There’s something I want to announce. I don’t think I can put it off anymore. After Ali- after the accident I done a lot of thinking and I decided...I’m enlisting.”

His mother’s fork clanged against the table. “What? I didn’t know you were thinking of enlisting? I thought you would be going to college in the fall.”

Jayse stood to his full height. “College was the original plan but things have changed. … and actually I’m not just thinking about it. I’ve already done it. I signed up. I leave in a month for training.

I was numb. All the possibilities I’d hoped for us crashed and burned. I didn’t say a word….couldn’t really. I turned completely in my seat and started filling my plate. It was either keep busy or have a total sob fest at our graduation dinner.

“AnaLee?” I felt Jayse’s hand on my shoulder. Of course my eyes welled at his touch, my thoughts turning to how much I’m going to miss his hands, his lips …everything, when he left. I only had one more month with him.

“How long did you enlist for son?” Jayse’s father asked.

Jayse met his father’s eyes. “Four years.” 

After another moment of silence Mrs.Broadson  said. “Well let’s eat. Don’t want all this food to get cold. Jayse, we will discuss this later.”

Everyone chatted fairly easy throughout dinner especially while avoiding talk of Jayse's new plans to  join the army; I, on the other hand, ate my food silently, never looking any further than my sweet tea sitting in front of me. When my mother brought up college possibilities I couldn’t take it anymore. None the colleges I applied for would matter now. Jayse wouldn’t be there with me. I did the only thing I could think, I excused myself from the table, walked out the front door calmly shutting it behind me …then ran as fast as my feet would carry me.

Chapter Twelve: Jayse

I heard the front door shut and waited a moment before also excusing myself. Thinking I would find Ana on the porch swing where we spent so many nights just enjoying the quiet. I didn’t. I looked around, searching.

“AnaLee”

My gaze finally caught a figure moving swiftly through the dark toward the tree line.

“Ana!” I yelled then took off running after her.

I knew where she was going. After ridding Ana of those bullying boys, she took me to her secret spot she’d go when she had a hard day...It wasn’t much  really and anyone could find it but up into middle school we liked to pretend it was our hideout. We hadn’t been there is a couple years  but I imagined it looked the same if not a little overgrown. A big rock sat in the grass by the edge of a small stream. We use to sit there for hours throwing rocks, watching the water splash up while we talked about our day at school.

I ran as fast as my feet would carry me up the slim trail without busting my ass . I slowed when I heard sobbing.

AnaLee was collapsed on the ground, knees beneath her. Her face hidden behind her slender hands, her body shook with each cry that poured from her perfect lips. I hung my head a moment knowing that I was the reason she was upset. I should have told her sooner but I didn’t know how to break it to her. I had enlisted three days after the accident. Not just for my sister but for everyone that lost their lives that day. I didn’t want to leave Ana, but it was something I felt I had to do.

Without thinking further I made my way toward her, sitting behind her. My legs touching the side of each of her thighs, positioning her between me I wrapped  my arms around her shaking shoulders. Pulling her hair back , I kissed the side of her neck. She shivered suddenly, either from her cries or my touch I didn’t know.

“An? I’m so sorry. I should have told you .”

She leaned back into me and her warmth felt so good. I ran my hands down to her  waist,pulling her closer to me.

“I don’t want to leave you.” I whispered.

She turned, adjusting herself to where she was straddling me. I tried not to focus on the fact she was wearing a dress. A dress, I had memorized where every stitch was by the time we made it to the school earlier. She looked so gorgeous, as she did everyday, but in that dress…my thoughts ran wild.

“Then why are you?” She demanded. “Four years, Jayse? Four damn years!”

I brushed her hair back. “ I’ll get to come home every now and then .Please try to understand,  I have to do this. I feel like this is what I was made to do, fight for the families that lost loved ones and for my sister as she fought for me, so many uncountable times." I shook my head." I owe that to her.”

AnaLee scoffed. “ I’m pretty sure if Alicia was here right now she would kick your ass for doing something so stupid. She wouldn’t want you getting yourself killed!”

“ I ‘m not going to get myself killed, An.”

“ God, don’t say that ! You don’t know what’s going to happen. What if-what if you never come back? Do you know how miserable I’d be? How miserable your family would be ?"

AnaLee scooted off my lap and stood. “ I can’t do it, Jayse. I can’t wait around for a phone call to tell me you’re dead or hurt. I just can’t.”

I stood now in a panic. “Wait, are you breaking up with me ? “ I grabbed her shoulders.

Her face scrunched like she was going to start crying again. “ I don’t know. I just- I need some time to let this soak in.”

“AnaLee. Please.” I ran my hand down her cheek but she brushed it away.

“I’m sorry,Jayse but I better get home. It’s been a long day and I’m just…” Her eyes filled again, a few tears fell before she could wipe them away.” I’m just really tired.”

She turned and left. My heart dropped with every step she took without looking back.

Chapter Thirteen: AnaLee

My mother didn’t question my splotchy face and runny mascara when I stepped  in our living room. She just opened her arms which I was thankful for. I wanted to be held …just not by Jayse at the moment. I was so angry but more than anything, heartbroken.

My mother didn’t complain when I had another sobbing fit in her lap. She just brushed my hair away from face and made soothing noises. I’m sure she enjoyed cuddling her baby girl again.

“Honey try to look at it differently. Had you been in his shoes and lost the closest person to you ,what would you want to do ?  How would you feel?”

I didn’t answer. I’d probably feel just like Jayse did.

Understanding my silence she smiled. “I know you’re scared. I would be too, but what would scare you more? Him doing something he believes he’s being called to do or keeping him here where he could one day resent you for taking that calling away from him. A man can only take so much before his sanity suffers.”

Mom looks away and I know then that she’s thinking about my father. He left us when I was a toddler. I wasn’t planned and they were both young. He had a free ride to collage but turned it down to stay with my mother. In those few years together, he blamed her every day for missing out on the life her could've had. He couldn’t handle it and eventually packed up and left. I knew my mother still loved him even though she was angry. She still hadn’t been with another man.

I nodded showing I understood. She patted my hand, standing from the couch. “Think about it sweetheart before you make any decisions.” She kissed my forehead and I closed my eyes, already missing her comfort. “ Now this old lady has to get to bed . I’m pulling a double tomorrow.”

I sat on the couch staring for another hour. In that hour I came to a conclusion. Rushing out the door, I made my way over to Jayse’s. All the lights were out but one on the second floor. Knowing his parents were already asleep; I walked around to the back of the house. Jayse had shown me a way to sneak in years ago. I would wait until my mother went to sleep (if she was even there) and sneak over to play whatever new game he got that month. I grabbed the old ladder out from under the shed and leaned it against the house. I took each step slowly and eased onto the bottom story roof. Jayse’s windows sat a few feet away. I tip toed across the shingles not wanting to alert anyone of my presence, then crouched down to knock on his window. I hesitated a moment when my stomach gave a sudden flutter. What if he didn’t want to talk to me?

Oh well.He would just have to. We had a month. I didn’t want to waste any more of it.

I lightly tapped on the window again. Footsteps made their way over to the window. The curtain pulled back showing a bare chested Jayse, wearing basketball shorts. He raised the window and we sat looking at each other a moment before he spoke.

“ I was hoping you’d come. If not, I was coming to you.”

I smiled slightly then climbed for the first time, in my boyfriend’s bedroom window .

Chapter Fourteen: Jayse

I couldn’t form words for the joy I felt when I saw her big blue eyes looking back at me on the other side of my window. I’d paced my room for what seemed like hours waiting for her. I had made a deal with myself,if she showed I would stay. If not? Well, I was still staying. As bad as I wanted to go, I loved AnaLee more.

I started to tell her as much when she put her lips to mine pressing her body firmly against me. She had done that on occasion but this felt different. It was like the air around us filled with a charge when she kissed me.

She broke away with my face in her hands, holding my gaze. “Go.”  She said.

“What?” I replied not understanding.

“Go. If it’s something you feel you need to do then go,but you better video chat, write , call , text, whatever you can do while half a world away . Most of all-"Her voice dropped to a whisper."- come back to me. Cause I’ll be right here waiting.” Then she kissed me again before I could speak.

She ran her fingers through my hair while letting her tongue slip a little into my mouth. I pulled her hard against me at the feel of her inside my mouth. Ana started  leading us to the bed , I let her until she tried pulling me down with her. She bounced on the mattress in an upright position while I still stood looking down at her.

“Something wrong?” AnaLee asked eyebrows scrunched.

“What are you doing, An?”

She nervously bit her lip. “Loving  you.”

I grabbed her hand that rested on my stomach. “You don’t have to do it like this. I know you love me. I don’t want you to feel rushed into this because I’m leaving. I can wait foryou just like you can for me.”

Leaning forward, Ana lightly pressed her lips to several spots on my stomach. My eyes closed at how good it felt, then shook my head. I crouched down to where our eyes were level, taking her hands.

“An-“She stopped me by pressing her fingers to my lips.

“Do you know how many times I’ve dreamed about being yours? More so now that we are together, but even before. So many times I hoped it would be you who would be my first. I know I won’t be your first, but just being yours at all would make me happy. I want to be close to you. I’m willing to give you what you want for the next four years. Tonight..can you do that for me?”

I knew how hard it was for her to voice those feelings by how many times she bit her lip in between words. It was one of the many things I loved about her.

I shook my head. “You are already mine, An. With or without going further, but why would you think that you wouldn’t be my first?”  I asked while running my hand up her arm.

“Well. I just thought …with Stacy..”

My hand came to rest of the side of her neck. There was a little sparkle to her eyes. I kissed the corner of her mouth then made sure she was looking at me while I spoke.

“AnaLee, I’ve never went that far with anyone. You
would
be my first.”

“You haven’t?” Ana whispered.