Home - an Adopted By Jonathan Groff Story

5: Jonathan

Lin takes out his wallet as we step onto the platform of the bus, and I take a chance to look around.

     In all of my years here, the only times I've actually wanted to be on one of these busses, it's been for the same reason: to see Iris.

    It's weird, really. I never thought I would see her again, or even have the chance to talk to her. After the show last night, Lin was quick to try and tell me all about her, before I told him that we had been prior..... friends? Acquaintances? Mutual support systems?

     See, I could easily assume she didn't have the most perfect life at home, and the person she was before and after she'd notice me in her presence seemed like two different kids. Yet, I don't think that she truly understands that she made such an impact in my life. I'd hoped to catch up with her and inform her about this had she ever walked into my life again, but by the time Lin asked security to find her, she was gone again.

     After Lin's several attempts to contact her that night and the next day, we resorted to patrolling the bus route that she had taken with Lin, and he was positive she still took. But it's been days. This has been the seventh day, to be exact. She simply hasn't been on the bus.

Or answering Lin's texts.

Or calls.

     It's been incredibly frustrating, and has quite honestly been hindering my performances. So, following today's matinee, Lin decided to take me out to a nearby café to try and get my mind of the events of the past week.

Taking a seat near the front of the bus solidified that this was the first time I've willingly ridden the bus with a reason that didn't have anything to do with Iris. Well, the reason I was going to eat with Lin may have came to be because of her, but I still felt as though I was betraying her.

But I needed this. To not think about work, even though I had to go back soon. I needed to spend some time with a good friend, who just happened to be Lin, and he understood that completely.

    Walking into the café, I finally snap back to reality as Lin looks at me expectedly, waiting for me to place my order. I do so, my mind still racing at a million miles a minute.

    I only fully come back to my senses once we've sat down and Lin goes to speak,

"Hey, I know that the entire point was to take your mind off of her but, since I've talked to her a bit more recently than you have, I have a couple things I'd like to show you." He looks at me with empathetic yet expectant eyes.

     My hands grip the coffee in my hands slightly tighter than before. Is this really a good idea? My hands are already sweating, wow. You see, I would absolutely love to see whatever he has to show me, but with the events of the past week and knowing how present she'd been with Lin the past couple months, the looming fear in the back of my mind that I may never get to see her again is begging me to not pour anymore salt in the wound.

     But when have I ever listened to what my mind had to say? My heart is screaming yes.

"Yes. I mean, yeah, sure." I quickly respond.

     Lin's gaze stays on mine as he sends me a sad smile, before quickly typing on his phone. I continue to forget that it wasn't just me that was left in the dark here, he's missing a friend as well. Who am I kidding, he probably knows her better than I ever got to.

     Lin stands from his chair and moves to the one next to me, leaning the screen of his phone towards me.

"You know how I told you she ran that program, right? Well, there aren't really any videos of her, but she showed me her YouTube channel where she has a couple videos of songs she's taught her kids and I have to say, they're pretty amazing." He chuckles. The smile on his face is so wide, anyone could see the amount of pride radiating off of him. God, this just makes the want to see her even greater.