Goodbye Jason

"You are leaving?" I heard Damon's voice coming from my right side, I placed the gloves on their respective racks and started gathering all other instruments to arrange them on their usual spots.

"Yup, tomorrow morning." I answered

"Why suddenly?" He inquired stooping down to pick some of the weight lifters.

"Well, you said yourself I should make decisions for my own good. So I made one, for myself as mom wanted." I told him shrugging.

"So you are saying that I, Damon Williams, changed your mind, huh?" He said pointing at me with a grin on his face.

I nodded slowly. "Yes, something like that."

I switched off all the lights and started to move out to the hallway, when Damon suddenly said that,

"Oh yeah, Dad asked for you." I placed my palm on my forehead, recalling what he had asked for me.

"Shi**, I completely forget that. " I told him in an urgent voice and started running to his office. I knocked at the door.

"Come in," he said. I opened the door and saw him standing near the office table with some envelope in his hand.

"I was just waiting for you." He said smiling.

"I'm so sorry, I'm late I almost forgot that you were waiting for me here." I apologized.

"Don't worry, I completed some of pending works while waiting for you." He gave me the envelope. I took it looking at him confused.

"That's your salary I had promised to give you. And I have added something as a bonus for you as well." He clarified. I looked at him with grateful eyes.

"Thank you so much," I sincerely thanked him.

"You found some job? Or got any plans what you are going to do?" He asked me again.

"Uhh, still not. But I think I will look for it when I reach there." I said looking down at my shoes. "Don't worry, I know you will pull through it. But if you don't, tell me I'll transfer some more money for you." He saw me opening my mouth to complain so he immediately added, "Of course, you can pay me back later. " with a finality in his tone.

"I will let you know," I told him.

"You can go rest now, you are going tomorrow early so you must need to be vigilant." He advised me.

I nodded my head and responded,

" Alright, I'll take my leave now." He gave me a pat and then I turned to leave the room.

I saw Damon standing just around the corner thinking deeply.

"Heyy?" I said trying to bring him back from his thoughts.

"Oh yeah, let's go?" He asked standing up properly.

I nodded and we both started going out of the gym I did not lock the gym as James was still there working.

"What are you thinking?" I saw Damon continuously fazing out.

"Nothing, you just said you will have to look for some job." He said walking ahead.

"Yeah, so?" I gazed at him.

"You said you used to fight, right?" He again asked. Not knowing where was he going now. I again nodded my head.

"I have few friends in Boston. They own a fighting arena. And I think you can try there for the time being." He explained.

I tried thinking of any better option. But right now it was the only one option that I had so I agreed.

"Okay, let me know about the location I'll check it when I reach there."

He gave me a small smile and said,

"I'll call him tomorrow and let you know about it."

I suddenly felt my stomach making weird twist and turns and in seconds I heard growling coming out of it.

Damon chuckled and asked me, "you did not have lunch again?" Embarrassed from the whole scene I looked down.

"I-uh, I was looking for someone and I kinda forgot." I explained playing with the strands of my shirt.

Damon shook his head at me and took hold of my hand and started moving towards a small cafe.

We both entered a homy cafe after 5 minutes of walk and Damon motioned me to go sit on some table while he ordered something for us.

I continued looking at blue walls of the cafe. The walls were covered with wallpapers and few pictures here and there.

But nobody seemed to be interested in them anyway.

The cafe was almost full with couples.

Some were busy eating their faces or some were busy bickering. I sighed at the immaturity of people. But then again not everyone is alike.

"Here," Damon placed a cola on table for me and started sipping his on Sprite he had bought.

"Thanks," I said taking sip from it.

He waved his hand nonchalantly.

"So, when are you going to leave?" He asked out of nowhere.

"The classes start after tomorrow. So I need to reach there before it." He nodded signaling me to continue.

"I am leaving tomorrow at 7, so that I might be able to get hold of dorm room and my schedule."

"You got your all the paper's already?" He asked, at the same time a waitress in her mid-twenties came with our order.

"Here," she said placing spaghetti in front of me. I gave her a small smile and she turned to place his order in front of him.

I could see Damon looking at her, but well who would not she had a perfect body and blond waves, with pouty lips and warm brown eyes.

"You should just ask her out." I suggested eating my spaghetti.

Damon shook his head, "Nahh," and started eating his own food.

"Why?" With mouth full of food I asked him, messy? I know.

"She is taken," he told me as a matter of fact.

I looked at him quizzically not understanding how would he know. Reading my mind. He told me.

"She has a ring on her finger," in a duh tone.

"Oh," It took me a moment to realize she indeed had a ring. I again started eating my food.

When I was done, I paid for our meal as he had paid last time and it was going to be our last meal here together.

I reached the dorm room after walking for 10 minutes.

I placed all my belongings on bed and moved to take a shower.

I was done having a calming shower after half an hour. I took out a warm sweater with flowers on it and a skinny denim jeans to pair with it. I placed them on a nearby stand to change into them in morning, as I had to leave early in morning and I did not want to be late for that.

I lay on my bed with my phone in my hand. I looked at its screen trying to think should I leave a message for Jason or I should not.

I kept on staring at it.

I could suddenly hear his voice in my mind,

"Wait for me, you will be the first person I look for when I come back."

I closed my eyes. And pressed call once more.

"Please, pick up. Please." I kept on praying internally.

"Hello it's Jason,

But if you are calling me," I again heard the same response so I hung it up.

I opened the messages and typed one for him.

"Hey Jason,

I could not get hold of you. I tried calling you hundred of times.

Anyways I hope you did great. I know you will.

Can you give me a reply as soon as you read it ? I'm leaving for Harvard today. I wanted to wait for you, I did. But I can not anymore. I hope you will look for me or call me when this reaches you." I typed and sent it without thinking twice.

I kept on staring at the phone wallpaper. That I had set to a picture of mom and me in the hospital. It was her picture that I took when she was beaming with happiness when I had shown her my acceptance letter.

"I'm going mom," I told her with a single tear moving down my cheek.

I woke up early in the morning, because of my alarm. I woke up with a chapped face as usual. I rubbed my eyes trying to open them. I checked my phone for any message or reply from Jason. But I had none.

I grabbed all my belongings and an apple with me and moved out of the door. I walked out of the building to see Damon leaning against the car hood waiting for me .

"You are here for me?" I asked bringing his attention to me.

"Yup," he said making a popping sound.

"It's your last day here, I have to see you off." He took suitcase from me and placed it in the car.

I nodded and sat down in the passenger seat.

"We will be at bus station in 5 to 10 minutes." He informed me.

"Thank you," I mumbled under my breath and started eating my apple again .

I saw the bus loading the passenger so I walked hastily towards it and placed my baggage in it.

"Take care, and tell me when you reach there. Dad's order." Damon told me.

"Alright I will." I said. He suddenly wrapped me in a hug. It was not tingly as it was with Jason. I did not get butterflies in my abdomen. But it was warm and cozy. I hugged him back.

"Tell me if you have any problem, I'll be there." He told me once again as I pulled back.

I have him a genuine smile and said.

"I will, don't worry." I saw the bus about to move so I hurried to it and waved him one last time.

"Goodbye," I said with a smile.

"Goodbye Jason, Goodbye Sommerville." I mumbled one last time before moving to my seat.