I judged him. I took everything that happened and assumed he was behind it, instead of believing in the person that I’d gotten to know. I made a horrible mistake and it’s one I’m not sure I can ever take back.
For all the acceptance and understanding that I crave, I sure didn’t extend it to the one person that deserved it most. The world can’t be expected to change and adapt to anything it perceives as different, if we don’t first do it ourselves.
How many times has that been drilled into me, not only by my mom, but my teachers too? One easy lesson and somehow I’d completely forgotten it, in favor of being just like everyone else.
Realizing all of this though, it doesn’t make the hurt I feel at being ignored any easier.
“You need to come with me.”
“Excuse me?” I ask, as Eric grabs me by the sleeve, attempting to drag me a completely different way than the one I actually need to go.
“Ms. T wants to see us in the gym.” He answers, as if it’s something I should have known.
“Why?”
“I don’t even know.”
Now I know something’s going on. If Ms. Taylor actually wanted to see us, she would have given Eric a reason and he’s got an even better memory then me. There’s no way he wouldn’t remember what it is. I call bullshit on his ‘I don’t know’.
“Try again, Eric.”
“Would you just trust me and come?” he whines before shooting his best sad eyes at me. “It’s supposed to be a surprise. She’s been putting it together for awhile or something, but god, don’t tell her I said that. She’ll kill me.”
That’s another thing he’s good at. Being over dramatic. This explanation makes more sense though, so removing his hand off my shirt, I motion for him to move and follow along behind the moment he does.
The entire time I’m walking, I try and figure out exactly what kind of surprise my teacher could be putting together for me. My birthday is in the spring, so it can’t have anything to do with that and there’s really nothing else that jumps out. I think about asking Eric, knowing that if I ask enough of the right questions, he’ll break and tell me, but with the hurry he seems to be in to get me there, I’m not so sure I want to stop him.
I’m not big on surprises. There are just too many variables to consider and usually even just thinking about it is enough for me to shut down. Ms. T knows this better than anyone, so why she’s doing this doesn’t make sense to me.
As we finally round the corner and the gym comes into view, I see her standing outside the door, her face wearing the same welcoming smile she has every day when I walk into her class. Seeing her this way settles the worries that have been building the entire way here.
“Alright, well here you go. I’m out of here. I gotta catch the bus.”
The minute he mentions the bus, it hits me. That’s my only way home. If I’m not out there to catch it, same as Eric, then I’m going to be stranded here for the hour or more it’ll take until my mom gets off work.
“Wait!” I call out. “How am I supposed to get home?”
“Don’t worry about that. Something tells me, you’ll get home just fine.” Ms. Taylor answers easily.
Okay, now I’m confused and the only person that I could get answers from is completely out of sight. I could ask her what she means, but before I can open my mouth, she motions for me to go in.
“Isabelle, I know how you feel about surprises, but go in. I promise you, it’s not going to be as bad as you’re imagining.”
She has no idea the scenario’s I’ve got running in my head right now. I can see the accidents, the tears and me falling completely apart so easily, it’s like it’s happening in real time even though I’m standing here, completely safe and dry.
Have I mentioned I really hate surprises?
“Go on, dear.”
Closing my eyes, taking a few deep breaths to calm the heartbeat that’s threatening to beat itself to death inside my chest, I move forward slowly, until I’m all the way through the door and standing a few steps inside the gym.
It’s when I open my eyes that I see it and more than that, I see the person standing in the middle of it.
Kayden is standing in the middle of the gym, dressed, not in the clothes I saw him wearing earlier, but in a suit and as my eyes lock completely on his, he does the one thing that up until now he’s never done.
He takes my breath away.
Kayden
There was this moment while I stood here waiting that I actually thought Eric ditched me and she wouldn’t show up. In fact, the longer it took waiting for Ms. Taylor to open the door to signal she was here, I worked myself up so much, I’m pretty sure I’ve got grey mixed with the blonde in my hair. That’s how much I’m relying on this to work out right.