Finally, after all of those months of waiting for the right time, it is spring, the absolute best time to go to the zoo with your best friend. All of the flowers are in bloom and the air is fresh after the long winter; it's gorgeous. Logan promised that for my birthday that we would take a trip to the Cincinnati Zoo. Too bad my birthday was in early January and there were eighteen inches of snow on the ground. Saturday, May 3rd was supposed to be a good day, but it turned out to be something even better.
Logan knocked at the door at around 7. Every time he comes over, my father grills him about "the future" and what it holds for him. Well, this morning was no exception. After forty-five grueling minutes of what we have come to call "the parent parley," we get on the road for the two-hour car trip. Even though I'm seventeen, the Cincinnati Zoo is still my absolute favorite place in the entire world. That is where Logan and I met. Our county's schools took all of their third graders to the zoo to learn about the animals. We were by the giraffe exhibit when my class left without me. His teacher, Mrs. Baker, told me to stay with her class and assigned Logan as my buddy until lunch. After that day, we were attached at the hip. We even joined band together in sixth grade and decided it was our thing. Our moms had to pry us apart to get us home.
Pulling into the parking lot that Saturday was insanity. There were lines a quarter-mile long just to get into the parking lot and even longer lines to get tickets. Luckily, for us, we bought our tickets ahead of time. Logan grabbed my hand and took us through the advanced line. This isn't the first time we've held hands, but it was the first time that was fluttering in my stomach. That was the first good part of the day.
As it turns out, we were one of the first groups in the menagerie. It didn't look very crowded at all. Until we got separated, then it looked somewhat similar to China. I looked everywhere that he could have possibly gone, and my hip kept buzzing. The security station was crossing my mind, but my phone was in my back pocket the entire time. He went to the bathroom, not really thinking about his decision. It could have started raining, but my face was the only thing that was wet. As soon as our eyes met, my body flew into his arms and was bawling my eyes out. Logan took the lead us to the one place that he knew cheer anyone up, the jungle trails. Chimpanzees and orangutans were chattering in the midst of the trees. In his arms, there was nothing that couldn't be conquered. We started talking about the new incoming freshman and how they would affect our marching band. Almost nothing that could possibly ruin the moment; the almost part would include seeing the most horrid person on earth, Drake Johnson, the only boy who has the title of ex-boyfriend of Alexandria Bennett.
Drake Johnson is the one person on earth that could kick puppies and find enjoyment from it. He wasn't always like that, the thorn in Logan's side. He used sweet, loving, and was a percussionist, but then he went to clown camp and everything changed. He would start yelling and accusing Logan of stealing his girlfriend. After he broke my entire being, Logan went ballistic and we broke up. The next day, he had a new girlfriend and I had a broken arm and my best friend back. That was the worst part because clarinet requires two arms, last time I checked. First chair was given to George Rogers until I was healed. George was another story to tell.
We haven't seen Drake since that summer and didn't really care what had happened to him. As far as everyone who knew what really happened was concerned, he deserved however long a stay in jail as he got. My arm had a warm, tingly sensation; Logan's hand had brushed my arm to stop the shaking. Anytime Drake was brought up, these tremors would start and Logan was the only one who could stop them. Drake leered in our direction, so my feet started running. My feet took off to the safest place at the zoo. That was the place where Logan and I met, Giraffe Ridge.
From the ridge, everything looks so effortless; there's a natural order to everything. The events that are happening in my life just disappear whenever the ridge comes into view. It's like kindergarten where you can be whoever you dream of being. He's been my best friend since we were nine and have taken plenty of zoo trips together. It only took him twenty minutes; he took his time and knew I would want to cry. Logan walked over and just held me while my tears subsided. He guided me to the bathrooms and waited at our spot. Little did he know lurking around the corner was enemy number one; Drake had been tailing us since we left him at the primates' exhibits.
Driving me into the wall, Drake ambushed and started kissing me. The only thing running through my head was, "Logan help." Without thinking, my hand contacted Drake's face. He flung me to the ground and was kicking my ribs. There were at least two broken ribs already. Startled by the noise, Logan rushed over and grabbed Drake, breaking his nose. Apparently, one of the other visitors had called security. There was a massive security guard pulling Logan to his feet and handcuffing him. Logan kept yelling my name and the security guard tried to shut him up. Rushing over to the guard who had my best friend handcuffed, I quickly tried to explain the situation without crying from pain. The next thing I know is I'm waking up here, in a hospital bed.
Supposedly, after your ribs get kicked in, you're supposed to go to a doctor. Not only were four of my ribs broken, but there was internal bleeding and a concussion to go along with that. According to the doctor who came to check on my vitals, Logan had never left the chair in room 422 and my parents were in the cafeteria. Sure enough, my best friend was sleeping in the chair holding my hand. I peered around the room trying to make sense of what has happened in the past twenty-four hours. We took a trip to the zoo; my ex-boyfriend was stalking us and then he landed me in the hospital. On top of all of that, Logan never finished declaring his big news. My tremors appeared out of nowhere. Logan quickly arose and started petting my hair, comforting me. He held me until the shaking subsided and handed me a slim, rectangular box. The most gorgeous charm bracelet was lying in the velvety interior. Logan had put a giraffe charm, a clarinet, and a stack of pancakes on the most amazing present I've ever received. His face looked expectant and nervous, like he was waiting for something.
"Alexandria Bennett, will you go out with me?" I thought it was the intravenous drip talking, but the doctor told me that it was only antibiotics. His facial expression dropped like someone has just told a small child that Santa isn't real.
"Logan Smith, you had better believe that I would be absolutely thrilled to go out with you." His expression lit up like Charlie in the chocolate factory. "As long as you help me put this on after I get my I.V. taken out. And you know, if you want to, you can kiss me."
"I so want to," he breathed. Too bad, that exact moment was when my parents barged in and killed the moment.