Right Behind You
Chapter
17
{Light a Way
by He is We}
"MEG!!"
I hear my mom shout my name from downstairs. "Get up, we
need to go to church!" Lovely way to wake up on a Sunday,
don't you think? Thanks, Mom.
"Okay!..." Rolling out of bed, I get
dressed and head downstairs for some breakfast. Damion and I had
gotten home around 10, and gone right to bed - I had at
least.
When we got home from church, I picked up a pebble
on my way inside, and threw it at Damion's window. I sat
there for a few minutes before shouting, "Hey! You
there?" A few pebbles and many more calls later, I call his
cell phone. There's no answer.
I decide to call Amy, to tell her what's going
on. "Hey babe. What's up?"
"Damion's..." Not home? I didn't
know that. Mad at me? I didn't know that either. "I
don't know but I'm not able to get ahold of him at
all."
"Well I'm not sure where he is. Hang on,
let me ask Jason." Of course they were together. That's
so cute. I waited, and she came back a second later. "He
said the last time he heard from him was last night, right after
you guys got home."
"Okay, thanks Amy."
"Anytime. Let me know when you find
him."
"Alright, I will. See ya." I hung up
before I started crying. Maybe Damion was mad at me. Not that I
had any idea why he would be. I had a great time last night, and
I thought he had, too.
I walk over to the window and sit in the small
wooden chair I had set up there. When I looked out the window, I
notice something. There's a note taped to the window. I'm
not quite sure if it was there before, and I didn't notice
it, or if it just appeared. It's written in his handwriting,
but more shaky than usual.
There's only one sentence. "Read it.
I'm sorry." My first thought, of course,
is Read what?! But then I realize he means the
note he had given me on the first day of school.
I run over to my nightstand and grab it from the box
it was in. I unfold it and then look away, my hands shaking
madly. I can't do it. I finally break down and look. The
letter is written in navy blue and forest green pen, and it looks
like he took the time to write everything down just right,
because the handwriting is so much better than it usually
is.
Dear Maggie,
From the moment I saw you run into Jason (yes, I saw that), I
wanted to know your name. So I found it out. And I have to say...
I felt drawn to you.
You make me think of a quote: When I saw you, I was afraid to meet you. When I
met you, I was afraid to talk to you. When I talked to you, I was
afraid to like you. When I liked you, I was afraid to love you.
Now that I love you, I'm afraid to lose
you. Except for me, all
of that happened in one day.
So I want you to do something for me. But first, I have a
confession to make. I have never been a happy person. Ask anyone.
I cut, I cry, I'm never very open with people. But with you,
I'm not like that. And I didn't want you to know
that I ever had been that person.
I build walls to see who will care enough to take them
down. And
you did. I thank you for that. However, old habits die hard. In
this case, the habit is suicide. I have tried many times before.
I almost did shortly before you read this. Not because of you, so
please (PLEASE) don't ever think that.
Now for what I would like you to do for me. Don't try to call
or text me. I always turn my phone off when I need to relax. Just
go to Seven Bridges trail - a.k.a. Grant Park in Cudahy. I know
it's far, but it's where I go. You'll find me on the
beach.
So if you could, please join me. I'll be seeing you soon if
you choose to.
Love, Damion
P.S: Bring the note from the front
of this. I need to show you something.
I'm in shock. And worried, and panicked. I bury
my head in my hands, only to discover that my face is soaked. I
had been sobbing. But there was no time for that. I grabbed my
shoes, ran downstairs, and begged my mom for ten minutes to drive
me to Seven Bridges, telling her I would explain in the car.
Good choice, Damion, I thought as I got into
the car. I had been there a couple times with my family when we
lived in Milwaukee. It was, quite honestly, the most beautiful
place I had ever been. It was a good place to think, especially
now when the leaves were falling.
As we make the hour drive up to Cudahy, I tell my
mom everything the note says, and she falls silent. And still,
all I can think is, I'm coming, Damion. You're
gonna be okay. You have to be.
Note: Wow. That was really long. But worth it. More today, I
think. Yes, Seven Bridges is also real. This
park is rumored to be haunted, but maybe it's the ghosts that
help you think while you're there. Whatever it is, it makes
it feel like home there. Comment feedback! <3 ya guys!
