Don't Forget About Us

He was gone. And he wasn’t coming back – not like he could, anyways.

It just hurt to know that my Grandpa, the one who had aided my mom and I after my dad had passed away on that fateful day 3 years ago, was freaking dead.

It hurt to know I’d never hear his voice again – to know I’d never hug him, or be able to ask him for advice. He would never say, “Hey kiddo, it’s okay, you know that, right? We’ll all be okay in the end.”

But you know what? It’s not okay. Not now – not that he left without saying goodbye. And I know that it’s not his fault he was old, and his heart was fragile, but it hurts…so much.

And then, of course, there was Jerel. Jerel Travis Snow – my best friend since about ever. He swore he’d always be there for me – what a promise that was.

The past two years he’s been living the freaking dream while I’ve been practically waiting by the phone for him to call. But nothing – zilch, nada, none.

What hurts the most? He promised – he swore that we’d still stay in contact, no matter what it took. But he broke that promise – he broke us. All these years I’ve gone through so much without him. Been through it all without somebody to lean on.

And when Grandpa took his place, I thought everything would be okay again. But now this. I guess what they say is true. Life really can be a bitch.

The part that majorly just sucks though, is the fact that I fell in love with Jerel. Classic, huh? Falling in love with your best friend. And I was even going to tell him – had everything planned out, and all. I’m a sucker for romance, I guess. But then he left. Gone.

”Hey Shae. I’m glad you could come,” Jerel said to me as I approached him in the park.

“Yeah, sure. What’s up?” I asked, not noticing the worry in his voice.

There was an intense, hesitant silence.

“I’m leaving…On tour, with the band.”

Now, it’s not like I was super surprised or anything. Jerel and his brothers had real talent, that’s one thing I was sure about. I just didn’t want him to leave my side. In fact, it was that very night I was planning to tell him that I loved him – but then he told me.

I hesitated before responding.

“…When?” I managed to choke out, biting my lip to try and stop the tears that were soon to come. I didn’t want another person I loved leaving me. Especially after dad…

“Tonight, actually. I’m so sorry I couldn’t tell you earlier…” Jerel said softly, taking a couple steps toward me. “I just didn’t want you to get mad…”

“Mad? Jerel, how could I be mad when I lo-“ I stopped mid-sentence. I had almost said it. But he didn’t hear.

“I’m sorry, Shae, but I have to go. I’ll call, text, e-mail, everything,” he whispered while he embraced me. I limply patted his back, not knowing that it would be the last time I hugged him – the last time I saw him in the flesh – for the next 2 years. “You’re my best friend forever, ‘till the end of time, you know that right? You know I love you. Bye!” he called, jogging away.

And sure, he said love. But I was 100% sure that he meant it in the friend way.

And besides, just like that, he was gone. And he didn’t know how much I loved him

He didn’t call. No texts, no e-mails – nothing. He forgot. Completely. Probably brushed off our 14-year-old friendship like it was nothing. He probably went on tour, meeting a bunch of different girls, oblivious to the fact that the whole time the girl that loved him for him, before he became a huge rock star, was right next to him the whole time. But he just didn’t know.

Why would he want me anyways? He can have almost anyone he freaking wants…

[&&&]

After the funeral, I went to the very park where Jerel had told me he was going.

I cried for what seemed like hours. I cried for just about everything – every sad feeling I’d ever felt just came spilling.

I sat there, on the swing, swaying lightly, until I felt a pair of arms wrap around me.

Immediately, I stood up, thinking it was some sort of stalker or something.

But it was him. Jerel. Jerel Travis Snow – in the flesh.

“N-Jerel?” I stuttered, my breathe getting caught in my throat.

It was so unreal – and suddenly all the feelings I ever had for him came rushing back to me. But no anger; just love.

“I came immediately when I heard,” he breathed, edging closer to me.

I swear, I thought it was some sort of dream – that I had to be hallucinating, or something. It just couldn’t be him. Jerel forgot about everything, every single thing we had. Or did he?

“B-But, y-you forgot,” I choked out. “About us. A-About everything.”

Jerel scoffed. “Forget? Shae…”

I looked away – I knew that this was the part where in movies, Jerel would take me in his arms and tell me he loved me, and I would confess my undying love for him as well, and we would share a passionate kiss and lose ourselves in the moment…

He stepped in front of me, our bodies dangerously close. He lifted my chin up with his finger and made me look into those gorgeous brown eyes of his. Jerel was just so…perfect. His brown ringlets fell perfectly into his face, and his lips looked so soft and faultless, I wanted nothing more for our lips to collide.

I still loved him. After everything. I loved that boy more than anything.

“Shaelynn Faith Williams, I never forgot. I loved you way too much for such a thing to happen. I still do. Shae, I remember when we were younger, you gave me butterflies whenever I saw you. Your smile lit up a room – you were the reason I got up in the morning, because I knew that I was the luckiest guy in the world to have you as my best friend. And you still, somehow, make my insides do gymnastics, and your smile is still the same award-winning smile that I knew and loved when we were kids.”

I knew that something just had to go wrong – it would all be some sort of cruel joke, and he would break out in laughter anytime soon, saying he was just joking, and I would be heartbroken, again.

“You never called,” I said stubbornly.

“Because I didn’t know what to do – I knew that if I did contact you, I would just die inside, because I couldn’t stand to be away from you. It just wouldn’t be the same,” he murmured, our lips drawing closer to each others.

All was silent as a tear escaped my eye, and all that was heard was the soft rustling of the autumn leaves.

“You know what, Jerel Travis Snow? I love you too. With all my heart. Always have, always will – no matter what. I love you more than you could ever know.”

Jerel smiled, gently placing his right hand on my cheek and wiping away the tear with his thumb. “Oh, I think I have an idea,” he breathed, finally placing his soft lips on mine.

It was classic and romantic – everything I thought it would be. I heard the bells go off in my head, and I swear I saw fireworks as Jerel wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer towards him. I smiled into the kiss, running my hands through his gorgeous curls.

“And just so you know, I never forgot about you. Ever,” he said once we pulled away.

“Good. Cause I didn’t either,” I murmured, burying my head in his chest and inhaling his sweet scent, while he hugged me. “Jerel?”

“Yeah, babydoll?”

I smiled at the sound of that. Babydoll.

“Promise you’ll love me forever, and never let me go, okay? Promise me that I’ll always be yours, no matter what.”

“I promise,” he said, kissing me on the top of my head.

And that was a promise he kept.