Tuesday.
The most random day of the week, in Joe Walker's opinion. It wasn't a weekend. It wasn't the first day of the week or the last day, like Monday and Friday were, and it wasn't the halfway marker to salvation, like Wednesday. Even Thursday was less pointless than Tuesday, marking the last day of the work week because, let's be honest, does anyone put in effort on Fridays?
This Tuesday however, showed a little more promise to Joe, because this Tuesday he was going to lunch with his best friend, Lauren. It was a fairly regular occurrence; the frequency was not what made the occurrence special, but the person; the tiny firecracker that Joe Walker considered to be the best thing that has ever happened to him.
Sure, winning his Baseball tournament in 4th grade was great, and graduating high school and college were extraordinary accomplishments, but life itself just seemed to get the slightest bit brighter since she has been in it.
Standing up from the cluttered table in the Lang brothers' home office, Joe excused himself; "Well, I'm off to lunch, guys. Be back later!" he stretched his arms above his head and arched his back.
"Tell Lauren we say hey!" Matt spoke, not looking up from the half-written script in front of him, but not denying himself a teasing smile.
Knowing full well they were just looking for a reaction, Joe responded with a simple, "Okay, I will" he heard Nick laugh and his voice faded "One day, one day soon... "As he exited the apartment.
A wall of June humidity hit him as he stepped out of the front door. The air itself smelled wet and the trees lining the street were hissing with cicadas. He heard children laughing from across the street as they weaved their way in and around a sprinkler, turning the corner on to Ashlyn, Joe felt a violent buzzing from his back pocket alerting him o a new text message, pulling it out he read:
Don't be late, or I will have to eat without you! ;)
He chuckled a bit to himself and responded:
I won't be… I know that threat is all too real!
Slipping the black device back into its denim home, Joe crossed a small alley and turned around the last corner. He had just reached the front door of the small restaurant when he heard an excited voice, "Wox!" only one person called him that on a regular basis. Turning to his right he saw Lauren, wearing her favorite flower-print dress, her brown hair flew out behind her as she ran the last couple of feet to him, launching herself, in a way only Lauren could, and wrapping her slender arms around his neck. Returning the embrace by wrapping his own around her tiny waist: picking her up slightly, he held her close.
"Hey, Lo" he said softly. Taking the moment to breathe in her scent; vanilla and coconut, the same it's been since college.
Returning her feet to the dirty cement, the two friends pulled apart. They hadn't seen each other since the day after Apocalyptour ended, and even that was a brief return of some clothes that had been mixed up.
"I've missed you." she stated simply, he looked down to see that her chocolate eyes were brighter than he had seen them in a very long time, the wind toyed with the ends of her straightened hair, and he smiled down to her,
"I have missed you too." He placed one hand on the small of her back, and placed a kiss on top of her head as he guided her through the front door.
Settling in the worn out booth, the pair gave their friendly waiter their orders, before taking up some light conversation.
"Your hair is growing back, I see." she started.
"Yea," he ran his fingers through the soft, light brown tresses, "I can't decide if I want to cut it again or not."
She slurped merrily on her lemonade and gave him a none-committal shrug, "I like it both ways" she finished.
He gave a small laugh, "Thanks, Lo… So how have you been? Has that guy Brandon still been bugging you?" Brandon was a guy that had met Lauren about a month before Apocalyptour. He was nice enough, but he was creepy. He had taken to touching her hair, and he would text and/or call her every day asking for a date.
"I don't know, I have tried telling him that I am really busy, and he hasn't called me for two days now, hopefully he gets it." She sighed, swirling around the ice in her, now drained, cup.
"You might just have to tell him about your boyfriend…"
"I don't have a boyfriend." She looked up at him, speaking slowly as if he were a small child.
"I know, tell him you have one anyway! You are an actress, if you didn't know…" He smirked.
The two continued with their friendly conversation, finally the waiter brought the check, and with it came his phone number… for Lauren.
"Um, excuse me?" Joe called the man back over.
"Yes?" He smiled confidently at Lauren before turning his attention back to the man that called him over in the first place.
"As flattered as I am, I am really not interested." Joe said, acting as though the 7 digits were meant for him
The waiter looked a little flushed before stammering out, "That was, uh, I meant to give it to, uh, her." He gestured to the petite brunette who looked miserable."Okay, well she isn't interested either." He said bluntly, handing the man the extra slip of paper: his face serious and his tone cold.
"Walker!" She cried out, her eyes widened and she looked embarrassed.
"Well you aren't… are you?" He asked calmly enough, but his insides were churning and he was praying she would say no.
"Well… No, I'm not." She turned to their waiter, "I am really sorry." She gave him an apologetic smile. After the man exited, looking defeated and embarrassed, Lauren gave Joe a cold glare. Saying nothing the two paid the bill and left the small building.
"Lo, talk to me…" He felt bad; she was obviously upset about what had just happened.
"What was that all about, Joe!" She exploded at him, her hands moving wildly, her eyes spitting fire. She never called him Joe. A man that was passing by turned to stare, Joe gave him a look, and he hurried away.
"I'm sorry, I just…"
"You what!" She demanded, "This isn't the first time this has happened, Joe, and you know it."
He looked down at his feet, playing with the loose gravel under his shoes.
Her tone was soft now, "Do you know how long it has been since I have gone on a date? A long time. And why is it that every time a guy shows any interest in me, you have to go and scare him off?"
He opened his mouth to retort, but she held up her hand to silence him, "And yes, I know Joey has done that, and even Julia has turned them away, but they had reasons. Those guys were jerks or trouble. You are just shooting down every man that looks my way!" Her eyes were beginning to fill with tears and were pleading with him for an answer.
There was a deafening silence. Neither knowing what to say, finally Lauren spoke up again, her voice quivering the slightest bit.
"I have spent the past six years of my life waiting for you to notice me, waiting for you to realize that even though I am not what you might have always wanted, I think, I am what you need. Six years, Wox. But that hasn't happened, and I see now, that it never will." She sniffed, and wiped a stray tear with the back of her hand. Avoiding his gaze, it was her turn to look down at her feet.
"I need to start moving on. I need to start looking for someone who can love me half as much as I love you." She swallowed hard, and closed her eyes, trying to make the tears stop, trying to at least look stronger than she felt.
"Lauren-" He took a step towards her.
"I better go." She said quietly, turning on her heels she began walking down the street, the same way she came.
Joe stood in the middle of the sidewalk in a complete daze. Her words echoing inside his head, blocking out all thoughts or actions; "I am what you need….moving on…. I love you." He stood staring at her retreating form; it suddenly hit him all at once.
"Lo… Lauren!" He shouted, but it was too late, she had already turned the corner and was probably cutting across the park by now. Joe began sprinting, knocking over a lady on the phone; he didn't even turn around to apologize. Turning the corner he ran down to the park's entrance, and he saw her. She wasn't walking home, like he expected her to be. Instead he saw her tiny frame sitting dejectedly on a swing. He took a deep breath and started towards her.
She wasn't crying anymore, though salty tears still fogged her vision, her hands held on to each chain of the swing, her toes barely brushing the ground below her. Stupid. She thought to herself, you are so stupid.
A familiar pair of converse invaded her line of sight, "Lo?" he spoke softly, letting her know he wasn't upset.
"Yea?" She asked, flinching at how weak her voice sounded. She felt his finger hook under her pointed chin and tilt her head up, their eyes instantly finding each others.
"You didn't let me finish." He said, his hand moving to hold the swing in place.
"I knew what you were going to say." She shrugged, their eyes stayed locked.
He smiled at her, it was a warm smile, not cruel or apologetic, but warm and calming, "Well, for once in your life, you are wrong." He bent down and put both hands on the swing, right where the chains connected. Pushing the swing back, he brought Lauren up to eye level with him, Joe smirked, "Because I wasn't going to say anything yet. First I was going to do this…"
And he kissed her.
He kissed her right there on the swing set. And it was better than either of them imagined. She was like summer rain; fresh, warm, and it made him feel alive. They pulled apart, sparks dancing on their lips.
"And then I was going to say that I love you too."
She smiled, the brightest smile he has ever seen (including all of Tyler Brunsman's).
"Swing with me." She told him. And he did. The two sat swinging for hours, he ignored all the Lang's calls, and she ignored all of Julia's.
"So…What are we? She asked, just as the sun was about to sink below the horizon.
"We are best friends," she nodded, "we are in love with each other," she nodded again, "and I would like to say you are mine." He turned to see if she approved.
She pondered a moment, only to keep him in suspense, "Okay… But only if I can say the same thing about you."
Walker smiled, "Deal." Holding out his pinky she locked it with her own.
Keeping their little fingers locked, the new couple hopped of the swing set and set off towards Lauren's apartment.
Joe looked over to Lauren's beautiful face. Feeling him stop she turned back to look at him, "Wha-"
His lips cut her off. Stretching up on to her toes, she reciprocated.
He pulled away with a smile, and she release a small giggle, and then tugged on his hand, nudging him back towards home, "Come on, Wox."
Glancing down at their entwined fingers, Walker thought back on the day's events.
Perhaps Tuesday's weren't so bad after all.