We were both 19, and had no plans, other then just living life. I rememember that first day of fall vividly. We were at the park again, this time with our friends. Everyone was laughing and carrying on accept for Andy and Jason, his best friend. They were both sitting under a tree talking. "Whats with them?" Charlene asked me, nodding in their direction. "I don't know. Andy's been acting real serious lately." I told her. "So has Jason. I've known those two for years, and something is up with them." She said. "Yeah." I answered. I hadn't known any of them for that long. These were all Andy's friends that I met after highschool. "Well, whatever it is, they'll eventually tell us." Jarrod said, startling us both. "Were you listening?" Charlene asked, slapping his arm. He just laughed. "Come on, it's more fun with the rest or the group." Jarrod said. I looked back at Andy and Jason, sighed, and then followed Jarrod and Charlene back to everyone gathered in the grass. It was a Sunday, and for most of them College was starting up again the next day. All I had going on the next day was work. It was the same for Andy, Jason, and this guy Seth. I layed back in the grass and listened to everyone talk about school, how excited they were. I closed my eyes, and felt the warm sun beat down on my face. I knew the weather would start to change soon, and I wanted to enjoy every last bit of the warm weather. Something tickled my foot, and I opened one eye to make sure I didn't have a bug on me. Turned out it was just a long blade of grass. I closed my eye and started day dreaming. Mostly of Andy. He was the first real nice guy I had ever met, and I always fet lucky to be with him. When I was in highschool everything seemed to revolve around Track, and school. And living up to my parents strict expectations. I met Andy and his friends after graduation at a party. Andy and I hit it off at once, and he tought me there were other things in life. My parents hated him, but I didn't care. I didn't see much of them anymore anyway. I laughed when I thought of how I brought him over to meet my parents for the first time. His hair was a little long, and he had on jeans, a white t-shirt, and this green button up sweater. My dad said he looked like a bum, and my mom wouldn't say two words to him. My little brother loved him though. He was only 14, but had been forced to play football his whole life. He was intrigued by Andy. A guy that had never been on a sports team, and new a lot about literature, music, and life. "MACY!" Someone shouted. I jumped and opened my eyes. "We're heading out to the skate park. You coming?" Jarred asked. "Uh, sure I guess. Where are Andy and Jason?" I asked. "Uh, they said they'd meet us there." He said. "Oh. He didn't say goodbye?" I asked, sitting up. Jarrod shook his head. I just shrugged and let him help me up. I rode over with Jarrod, Charlene, and Seth. A few other people went over in another car, but I didn't really know them. Honestly, I don't even really remember them now. We got to the skate park and I sat down with Charlene while the guys grabbed their skate boards and roller blades. They were all on the course in no time skating. After a while I looked at my watch and started wondering if Andy and Jason were even going to show up. It was 5:00. "They'll be here." Charlene said, and I smiled at her. As if on cue, I felt someone tug my hair. I looked up and Andy was behind me. I smiled at him, and he sat down next to me, and put his arm around me. "I'll round everyone up." Jason said. "Round everyone up? For what?" Charlene asked. "You'll see." Andy said, staring off into space. Charlene and I exchanged confused looks. She had been friends with Jason and Andy since they were all kids, and this was the first time she was out of the loop with the two of them. "I want you to know I love you." Andy whispered in my ear. I turned and looked at him, worried for the first time. He squeezed my hand when all their other friends walked up to us, and joined us in the bleachers. "Okay, spill it. We know somethings up with you two." Jarrod said, crossing his arms. He didn't bother to sit down. Jason and Andy looked at each other, then they both stood up. Jason looked at Andy, and Andy took a deep breath. "I guess there isn't any other way to do this, but just to say it." He said. He looked nervous. "Jason and I have joined the Army." He said. "WHAT?" I shouted, standing up. "What the hell is wrong with you! You know you are fucking going right into combat!" Jarrod said. No one else said anything. Charlene was crying. "Why didn't you guys talk to us?" She asked, standing up too. "Char-" Jason said. She slapped his face, then ran off. Jarred just looked at Andy and Jason and shook his head. Then he ran off after Charlene. I walked over to another set up bleachers trying no to cry. Andy walked up behind me, and wrapped his arms around me. I pushed them off, and turned to face him. I was crying now. I couldn't hold it in anymore. "How could you not tell me?" I demanded. "I didn't want you to freak out. It's something I need to do." He said. "Why? I need you here." I said. "I just do. I'm not doing anything with my life. And here is a chance to fight for something. To fight for people who can't fight for themselves." He said. I started to cry harder, and he hugged me. I could smell his cologne, and already missed him. "I leave tomorrow morning for the MEPS station, to be sworn in." He said. "Okay." I told him. "Then it is only two weeks before I'm off to boot camp." He said. "Okay." I said again. "Macey." He said, and I looked up at him. I felt naked and vulnerable with those tears in my eyes, and running down my face. "I might not come back." He said. My heart jumped. "And I can't leave you here, knowing that is a possibility. I can't leave you here just waiting for me, and have the possiblility that I might not come back." He said. I knew what he was going to say next, and just froze. I stopped crying, and just stood there, staring at him. "I can't ask you to wait for me, and put your life on hold. This is something I have to do though. I want you to find someone else, and forget I'm over there." He said. I slapped his face, and he looked complety shocked. "Don't break up with me." I said. "I just did." He told me. I wanted to scream a thousand things at him, but I couldn't. I wanted to tell him to fuck off, and that he was a jerk, but I couldn't. I loved him. I just took off running. Jarrod was getting in his car with Charlene. I opened the back door and climbed in. They both looked confused. "What is it?" Charlene asked. I didn't say anything. I couldn't. Jarrod drove me to my place, and I ran inside, almost knocking over my roomate Elizabeth. "Honey? What is it?" She yelled after me. I just slammed my bedroom door, turned up my stereo, and layed down on the floor under my blanket, crying. Nothing was ever the same after that. Nothing.
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We were both 19, and had no plans, other then just living life. I rememember that first day of fall vividly. We were at the park again, this time with our friends. Everyone was laughing and carrying on accept for Andy and Jason, his best friend. They were both sitting under a tree talking.
"Whats with them?" Charlene asked me, nodding in their direction.
"I don't know. Andy's been acting real serious lately." I told her.
"So has Jason. I've known those two for years, and something is up with them." She said.
"Yeah." I answered. I hadn't known any of them for that long. These were all Andy's friends that I met after highschool.
"Well, whatever it is, they'll eventually tell us." Jarrod said, startling us both.
"Were you listening?" Charlene asked, slapping his arm. He just laughed.
"Come on, it's more fun with the rest or the group." Jarrod said. I looked back at Andy and Jason, sighed, and then followed Jarrod and Charlene back to everyone gathered in the grass. It was a Sunday, and for most of them College was starting up again the next day. All I had going on the next day was work. It was the same for Andy, Jason, and this guy Seth. I layed back in the grass and listened to everyone talk about school, how excited they were. I closed my eyes, and felt the warm sun beat down on my face. I knew the weather would start to change soon, and I wanted to enjoy every last bit of the warm weather. Something tickled my foot, and I opened one eye to make sure I didn't have a bug on me. Turned out it was just a long blade of grass. I closed my eye and started day dreaming. Mostly of Andy. He was the first real nice guy I had ever met, and I always fet lucky to be with him. When I was in highschool everything seemed to revolve around Track, and school. And living up to my parents strict expectations. I met Andy and his friends after graduation at a party. Andy and I hit it off at once, and he tought me there were other things in life. My parents hated him, but I didn't care. I didn't see much of them anymore anyway. I laughed when I thought of how I brought him over to meet my parents for the first time. His hair was a little long, and he had on jeans, a white t-shirt, and this green button up sweater. My dad said he looked like a bum, and my mom wouldn't say two words to him. My little brother loved him though. He was only 14, but had been forced to play football his whole life. He was intrigued by Andy. A guy that had never been on a sports team, and new a lot about literature, music, and life.
"MACY!" Someone shouted. I jumped and opened my eyes.
"We're heading out to the skate park. You coming?" Jarred asked.
"Uh, sure I guess. Where are Andy and Jason?" I asked.
"Uh, they said they'd meet us there." He said.
"Oh. He didn't say goodbye?" I asked, sitting up. Jarrod shook his head. I just shrugged and let him help me up. I rode over with Jarrod, Charlene, and Seth. A few other people went over in another car, but I didn't really know them. Honestly, I don't even really remember them now. We got to the skate park and I sat down with Charlene while the guys grabbed their skate boards and roller blades. They were all on the course in no time skating. After a while I looked at my watch and started wondering if Andy and Jason were even going to show up. It was 5:00.
"They'll be here." Charlene said, and I smiled at her. As if on cue, I felt someone tug my hair. I looked up and Andy was behind me. I smiled at him, and he sat down next to me, and put his arm around me.
"I'll round everyone up." Jason said.
"Round everyone up? For what?" Charlene asked.
"You'll see." Andy said, staring off into space. Charlene and I exchanged confused looks. She had been friends with Jason and Andy since they were all kids, and this was the first time she was out of the loop with the two of them.
"I want you to know I love you." Andy whispered in my ear. I turned and looked at him, worried for the first time. He squeezed my hand when all their other friends walked up to us, and joined us in the bleachers.
"Okay, spill it. We know somethings up with you two." Jarrod said, crossing his arms. He didn't bother to sit down. Jason and Andy looked at each other, then they both stood up. Jason looked at Andy, and Andy took a deep breath.
"I guess there isn't any other way to do this, but just to say it." He said. He looked nervous.
"Jason and I have joined the Army." He said.
"WHAT?" I shouted, standing up.
"What the hell is wrong with you! You know you are fucking going right into combat!" Jarrod said.
No one else said anything. Charlene was crying.
"Why didn't you guys talk to us?" She asked, standing up too.
"Char-" Jason said. She slapped his face, then ran off. Jarred just looked at Andy and Jason and shook his head. Then he ran off after Charlene. I walked over to another set up bleachers trying no to cry. Andy walked up behind me, and wrapped his arms around me. I pushed them off, and turned to face him. I was crying now. I couldn't hold it in anymore.
"How could you not tell me?" I demanded.
"I didn't want you to freak out. It's something I need to do." He said.
"Why? I need you here." I said.
"I just do. I'm not doing anything with my life. And here is a chance to fight for something. To fight for people who can't fight for themselves." He said. I started to cry harder, and he hugged me. I could smell his cologne, and already missed him.
"I leave tomorrow morning for the MEPS station, to be sworn in." He said.
"Okay." I told him.
"Then it is only two weeks before I'm off to boot camp." He said.
"Okay." I said again.
"Macey." He said, and I looked up at him. I felt naked and vulnerable with those tears in my eyes, and running down my face.
"I might not come back." He said. My heart jumped.
"And I can't leave you here, knowing that is a possibility. I can't leave you here just waiting for me, and have the possiblility that I might not come back." He said. I knew what he was going to say next, and just froze. I stopped crying, and just stood there, staring at him.
"I can't ask you to wait for me, and put your life on hold. This is something I have to do though. I want you to find someone else, and forget I'm over there." He said. I slapped his face, and he looked complety shocked.
"Don't break up with me." I said.
"I just did." He told me. I wanted to scream a thousand things at him, but I couldn't. I wanted to tell him to fuck off, and that he was a jerk, but I couldn't. I loved him. I just took off running. Jarrod was getting in his car with Charlene. I opened the back door and climbed in. They both looked confused.
"What is it?" Charlene asked. I didn't say anything. I couldn't. Jarrod drove me to my place, and I ran inside, almost knocking over my roomate Elizabeth.
"Honey? What is it?" She yelled after me. I just slammed my bedroom door, turned up my stereo, and layed down on the floor under my blanket, crying.
Nothing was ever the same after that. Nothing.
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