What it's Worth

New Beginnings

Owen:

She was gone. That was it. I was all over.

I drove home right after she left, I couldn't find the strength to stay and talk with her parents.

I stayed up in my room all day, looking through old pictures and crying to pass the time. I didn't eat anything. How could I?

That night I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking of Jane. Was she safe? Did she make it okay? Was her roommate nice? Were guys already chasing her down? If that were the case I might actually die.

At 2 in the morning I realized that trying to sleep here was no use. I got up and grabbed my keys.

In 5 short minutes I was back at Jane's house. I parked further down the block to stay unnoticed and ran over to their backyard.

I ran to Jane's window and lightly slid it open. She always left it unlocked in case of nights like this. But this time I'd be by myself.

As quietly as ever, I pulled myself through the window and stepped inside.

I was immediately surrounded by the soothing sent of her room. I took a deep breath. I was calming down.

My home, my room, never felt like this. Jane's house has always been where I felt the safest. This house was my home.

I laid down on her bed as my eye lids got heavier and heavier. But soon my phone started to buzz and I picked it up to see who was calling.

Jane's face appeared on my phone and I jumped up to answer it.

"Jane?"

"Owen! Hey! What's up?"

"Oh nothing really."

"Oh no. Wait did I wake you up? I'm so sorry! I just was really homesick and wanted to talk to you."

"No no I wasn't sleeping. I couldn't sleep either."

"Okay," she chuckled "I'm not the only one then."

"No you're not. How's the college? Did you meet your roommate yet?"

"That's the sad thing, I actually don't have a roommate." She said, I could here the disappointment in her voice. That was something she was really looking forward to. Roommates were like automatic friends. And now she didn't have one.

"Aw are you serious?" I asked, already disappointed for her. "Did you meet anyone that you might be friends with?"

"Yeah it's okay. I was super disappointed but then I met this really nice guy who has a room across from mine. He helped me bring my stuff in too." A really nice guy? As in boy? As in guys were already trying to get with her?

"Oh wow. That's interesting. Remember what I said about no boyfriends! I need to meet them first to see if their good enough for you." I teased. But inside, I was 100% serious. No one was laying a hand on Jane without my permission.

"Ah! So over protective! Don't worry! I'll be fine Owen. I promise." Her words weren't very reassuring. "So you said you can't sleep?" She asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine. I might just be stressed about classes tomorrow." Even I could here the lie in my voice. There was no doubt she had missed that as well.

"Don't lie to me. I may be 7 hours away, but that doesn't mean you can start hiding things from me." She said. And her words broke me.

"Okay I really missed you. And I couldn't fall asleep. So I may or may not be in your room right now sleeping on your bed." I heard her laughter erupt from the other end of the phone. I felt much more relaxed already. And my eyelids got heavier and heavier with the melodic sound of her voice.