Part Three

Wait

Chapter Nine

He ran away from me. I ran after him but I couldn't reach him. He just got faster. I ran until I couldn't run anymore. “Michael! I yelled. He disappeared.

“Come John. Come for me,” He yelled somewhere ahead.

I was out of breath and I was sweating. I began to cough and doubled over. From behind somebody grabbed me.

“Got ya,” the person said.

“No!” I screamed.

“John! Wake up. Wake up.” I woke to see Mel standing before me. She looked worried. “John how long have you been having nightmares?”

“I haven't. This one seemed so real. I was chasing Michael but he got away from me. Then somebody grabbed me from behind and said gotcha.”

Mel sat next to me. “I looked at your book. Why did you stop at the part where Charlie hit you?”

“I had to take a break. It's exhausting. All the information needs to be processed in my mind.”

“Like Craig?”

“Yeah, Like Craig.” I wanted to see him. I needed to apologize to him. I always pushed him away. He used to call every day but I never answered the phone. Maybe he was just trying to be there for me. “I want to see him.”

“Well john that is going take a lot from you.”

“He's mad at me isn't he?”

“No well let's just say he's a little disappointed with you.”

“I was such a jerk to him. I guess I'd be mad also.”

“No honey he's not mad. When you had your accident. He was at the hospital for days until they let him see you. When he saw that you didn't remember him his heart broke. He went away for a while. He called you every day and sent you letters but you never answered them. When he got back he just wasn't the same you see. He was like a totally different person. He wouldn't talk to any of us. Meghan had to literally break down his door to get him to speak.”

“I did this.”

“Honey trust me he doesn't blame you. He understands. He just needs to believe your there for him too.”

I was overwhelmed. Every day something new. A new tidbit of information threw my whole life out of whack. Hearing about Craig made me feel guilty. I knew deep down I had done this.

“Do you think they like Italian food? It's the only thing I know how to make well.”

“They?” I asked.

“Yeah Meghan is bringing her boyfriend. You know you introduced them.”

“Who is her boyfriend?” I asked.

“His name is Aaron.”

“And how do I know him?” I asked as she smiled.

“I need to go to the store for some stuff you don't have. Like food. Do you know where the closest market is?” she asked completely avoiding my question. She did that quite often.

“You don't have to leave just order it from the store they deliver.”

“God you are lazy. I never asked you to come with me just where the store was.”

“It's two blocks south. Just ask Randy to point you in that direction.”

“Wow what a gentleman.”

“I just don't feel like going out.”

“It's OK John. I was just teasing ya.”

After Mel left I began to think about the dream again. It felt so real. Somehow I knew that voice. “Gotcha,” It said over and over in my mind. Why did I know that voice.

The phone rang knocking me out of my thoughts. I walked over to it.

“Hello.” No one answered. I just heard hard breathing on the other side. “Who is this?” Again no one answered. This happened at least once a week.

I Hung up and dialed my parents number. The phone rang three times before my father answered.

“Hello.”

“Hi dad it's john.”

“Hey I just saw you on TV Mom taped it. You were great.”

“Thanks dad. Um I have a question to ask you,” I said hoping he could give me that answer.

“Go ahead John.”

“Do you know Craig's phone number?” He was quiet for a while.

“John are you sure you are ready for that?”

“What do you mean?”
“Well he's been through a lot. I think that maybe you should wait. Listen I know that's the last thing you want to hear but trust me son. You do good to wait.”

My father was somebody I could always trust. I knew that whatever he said was right. “OK dad. I guess you are right.”

“You know we are always here for you. Remember that.”

“I know dad thanks,” I said. I wanted to talk to Craig more than anything.

“Hey hows your new book coming along?”

“To tell you the truth I haven't written in a while,” I said to him.

“Oh well that's OK. I think you have a lot on your plate right now. Just ride it out and then go back and things will pour out of your mind.”

“Thanks dad.”

“Your welcome. Hey do you want to talk to mom?”

“No that's Wok I'll call tomorrow I have to fix up the place a little.”

“Wok john I'll see ya,” he said before hung up. The phone rang again.

“Hello.”

“Hi john,” said a cold voice on the other line.

“Who is this?”

“Don't you know?”

“Why would I know who this is,” I answered nervously. It was scaring me. I had heard from another author that they had been stalked by a fan.

“You said you started to read the book. I saw you on TV. You said that.”

“Who is this?”

“Oh don't act like you don't know me John! I know you know me. Be careful I might just come back and get you again. You ruined my life twice John. It won't happen again.”

“Helene?”

“Oh now you know me.”

“You are crazy!” I yelled.

“Yeah that's what they say,” She answered back.

“Helene you need help. Don't call here anymore.”

“John I am close. Just a matter of time before,” She never finished. Mel had disconnected my phone. I didn't even hear her come in.

“She cant do anything john. Don't worry about her.”

“I wonder how she got my number.”
“She must have found it on the Internet,” She said handing me a grocery bag. “I mean she's known to be very informed.”

“That's scary.”

“Hey why don't you go read and I'll fix up dinner.” I walked away with a chilling thought. “What if she really can get to me?”

Chapter Ten

You know, you are never really sure what you are capable of until you are tested. I thought about that when I saw him on the ground asking me to stop. When he hit me everything I had been holding inside concentrated and exploded. He only hit me once before I went at it. punch after punch until he went down. When he asked me to stop I got angrier. Every time I hit him I tasted revenge.

"John stop please," he yelled.

"No!" I yelled before I kicked him.

"You want to fucking hit me."

"John, please stop I'm sorry," He said trying to move away. There were a few students watching and I could see the principal heading our way with a security guard.

"Fuck you!" I yelled louder this time before I kicked him again. I walked away and headed out of the school.

I was angry. I wanted to kill him. I was angry with myself. I had never been that angry in my life. I got into my car and drove to the cliff. My cell phone was ringing but I didn't answer it. Right when I arrived at the cliff my cell rang again it was Megan but I didn't want to talk to her. I walked up to it and stood at the ledge. This place was my sanity.

"Hey," Craig said from behind me.

I turned towards him and broke down in his arms. "I cant take it anymore. I cant take it." He just held me tighter and let me cry.

"I know John, It's OK I'm here."

The next day at school I was escorted to the principals office. I saw Charlie sitting outside of his office. He had a black eye and several cuts on his face along with a split lip. He looked like shit. He scowled at me.

"What, you want more?"

"Fuck you john." He yelled back before the security guard pulled me into the principals office.

The principal was mad and I could tell from his face his anger was directed directly at me. "John I do not know what to do with you. What did you promise me?"

I just stared at his face.

"You promised me that you wouldn't fight at school again. I cant have that in my school John. I have to suspend you. I wouldn't have done it because it was provoked but you left the school and that's an automatic suspension. John I really thought you were better than that. I am disappointed."

To hear my boyfriends father say that about me hurt. I guess I let my pain get the better of me.

"Now leave and don't come back till next week."

I glared at Charlie as I left his office. I hated him. I visualized my hands strangling him by the neck."

I spent the next week at my house. My parents had decided that I couldn't leave the house. Craig wasn't allowed to come over considering he was also suspended. Megan brought my homework to me everyday after school.

My father brought me outside one afternoon after dinner. He wanted to talk. I was nervous because my father never did this.

"John don't tell your mother but I am proud of you. I thought that just because you were gay you couldn't defend yourself. I was afraid you would be hurt. When your school called me to tell me you had been in a fight I was afraid. I was ready to go bust some heads, but when I heard what you did I was ready to cheer. I'm glad that you are a man and I am glad that you are my son."

"Aw dad your going to make me cry."

"Well, maybe three quarters of a man," He said then laughed as he hugged me.

"Hey."

"Your my boy and from what I hear Craig can also throw a mean punch. I guess I really don't have to worry about you," he said and then we walked back in. I loved my parents and things like what my father just said made me feel like one of the luckiest guys on earth.

My mother just smiled at me when she saw me getting along with my father like she knew I was lucky to have them. My parents were great weren't they? I wondered how they got so cool.

On the second day of my suspension Mel came to my door. She nervously waited until I opened the door. “Oh john,” she said reaching for me but stopped when she realized she didn't have that privilege anymore.

"What do you want Mel?"

"I came to talk."

I really didn't want to talk to her but something told me that I should.

"Why? Mel we aren't friends anymore and I don't think we can," I stopped when I saw Michael outside. Sitting on the hood of his car crying."

"What happened?"

"I was suspended," she said uncomfortably.

"Why?"

"I tried to kill Helene."

I smiled at the thought of Mel trying to choke Helene. As much as I hated them I had to admit that they did try to be my friends again. "Come in Mel," I looked back to Michael and motioned him to come in.

"So why did you try to kill Helene?"

"She told Charlie about you and that guy."

My face turned red. Helene had gone too far. "His name is Craig."

"We just wanted to know if you were OK," Michael added.

"I'm OK. I can fend for myself."

"John we wanted to apologize. We want things to be the way they were."

"I accept your apology but I don't think I," I stopped when I saw Michael about to cry again and Mel looked like she was about to break. I started to cry and through my tears I squeezed out, "I miss you, I really do but I cant."

Mel walked out the door. Michael just stood there looking at me. "You can't do this john. Mel is lost. She blames herself for what you went through. She cries herself to sleep at night because she knows what you have to deal with."

"Michael I can't. If I do I lose," I said a little surprised at the honesty.

"If you do you gain friends. You gain friends that would stand by you. Friends that you will never lose again. We need you John. She needs you."

To tell you the truth I needed them. They were real friends but the fact that they betrayed me for selfish reasons still rung in my mind. Would I had done the same thing if I was forced to do it? I probably would have but the fact that they tried to make things right spoke for the type of friends they are.

"Wait here a moment," I said as I headed out of my house. I ran down the street where I saw Mel walking. "Mel wait up," I yelled but she just kept on walking. I ran up until I caught up to her.

"Mel I'm sorry."

She looked up at me for a long time. "John I am poor. I'm poor. Helene told everyone because I wouldn't help her break you and Craig up."

"It's OK Mel It's OK," I said hugging her.

"No John It's not OK. You don't understand. I have nothing I don't even have a house. Helene made sure of that. They kicked us out and my mother left town with some guy and left me here alone."

I wanted to go and kill Helene. "Mel you can stay with me. Does Michael know?"

"No, he doesn't. I couldn't bring myself to tell him. He doesn't know anything."

"You know Mel you have to let him in."

She nodded and we walked back hand in hand. "He really likes you. I can see it in his eyes and I know you like him back."

I knew the way they looked at each other. It was the same look I gave Craig.

She smiled "I like him John, I think I'm in love with him but with everything that's been going on I just couldn't do anything."

"It's OK now Mel lets go tell Michael."

My parents were furious at the situation and had notified the cops about Mel's mother. They set her up in one of the guest rooms and welcomed her with open arms like she was their daughter. They are awesome.

My relationship with Craig couldn't be better. Deep inside I felt that without him I was not complete. I needed to do one more thing to make it right.

I opened the door to his office. He was on the phone but he motioned me to sit. I waited patiently and nervously for him to finish.

"So john what can I do for you," he said coldly while reading the papers he picked up from the desk.

"I need to speak with you about some things."

He stopped reading and looked at me. "Go ahead."

"I want to apologize for breaking that promise. I need to feel that me and you are OK sir and not just because you are my principal but I want to think of you as a friend and as family. You see you brought Craig back into my life and I want to thank you for that."

He walked around to me and hugged me. "John we are OK. I already think of you as family. Craig never smiled before you guys got together. He was afraid of being himself because of what that school taught him. John I'm glad you're in his life because when you are with him he is himself. He needs you John."

"I know sir." He smiled at me and I smiled back it felt good. We were square and it made my relationship with Craig valid.

Craig and I spent several afternoons at the cliff just enjoying the waves hit the rocks. He would still count the time in-between wave crashes.

"Do you think we'll last for ever?" Craig asked me.

"I don't know I just hope the time we do spend together we enjoy."

He seemed to take what I said to heart and we sat in silence as the sun set. The drive home was also silent and we kissed as we reached my house.

"Someday we'll be old and I hope we'll still be together. I hope You love me as much as I love you."

"You know I love you. Someday that might change but at this moment that isn't likely," I said. He nodded and then he kissed me again. I smiled as he drove away. Life was perfect. Little did I know at that time Helene was brewing her most vicious plot.

Michael and Mel got closer and would see each other more and more as the weeks flew by. Craig and I were Inseparable again. Megan was like a pillar of strength between all of us. Mel and her also got close.

The school situation was getting tougher for all of us. The dream team now had their hands full tormenting us all except Eddie. He seemed to hold back when they all yelled at us. They even started on Meghan. Michael seemed to take it the hardest and not just about himself. Every time they would taunt Mel about being poor he got angry. I would try to call him down but it was of no use. Eventually he broke.

He would skip school or just avoid everybody and that took a toll on all of us. Mel didn't know what to do. He would go out of his way to avoid her the most. we would go days without talking. Mel always came home crying. I tried to confront him about it but he said he was fine.

It came to the point where we just didn't see him anywhere but in school. I wondered if Helene had something to do with him being like this. I saw him sitting alone by a tree at lunch.

"Michael." I called out as I approached him.