Page 122 of Salute, To Bravery
It felt like only fifteen minutes had passed when I heard someone yelling at Ophelia to get back to work. I looked at my watch and saw that it had been an hour.
“Okay. May I wrap this up?” Ophelia asked, her voice quieter, almost fearful.
“Yes,” the stern voice said on the other side of the phone. That was when I heard the slamming of a door.
“Sorry, but I have a quick question. I know that this is going to be hard on both of us, but will you be my girlfriend?”
My jaw hit the floor, and a smile inches across my stoic face. “Yes!”
“Well, I have to go now. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”
“Okay,” I said, much more merrily than before.
Ophelia sounded a lot lighter and more cheerful when the phone call ended than beforehand. I put my phone back on the wireless charger, and a smile wouldn’t come off of my face. Bursting at the seams with happiness seemed the only way to express my emotions. Anticipation filled me as I looked for Luna’s contact and called her.
“Hi,” I said, almost yelling. “Sorry, I’m just excited.”
“Why?”
“Well, you’ll never guess who just asked me to be their girlfriend?”
“Ophelia?” she asked excitedly.
“Yes! I’m so excited. I was kind of mad because she hadn’t talked to me for a week, but that’s kind of what you need to expect with the Air Force. The hours over there in Japan are crazy, so I don’t blame her, you know. I’m just a little sad that she didn’t tell me about it when we talked. Oh. My. God. How the conversation flowed, it was perfect.”
“I’m happy for you. I told you that you guys were soulmates.”
“Maybe,” I said.
Chapter Eight.
Violet
My phone rang as I walked out of my door.
I had another group therapy session today, and I was as nervous as I was last time. However, it felt deeper and heavier, I don’t know if that was because I missed Ophelia so much it made my stomach ache or because I was nervous about the group. I had no idea what the group would say about Ophelia and me. I knew most would be protective and supportive, but I didn’t know about Dorthy.
I answered the phone and was relieved to hear my father’s voice.
“Hey, I have to go to Japan for Air Force business, but I’ll be back before you know it.” His voice was sincere. “I love you, and I will always protect you.”
“That was weird to say.” I laugh. “I love you too, Dad,” I said to him, and he hung up the phone.
I got into my car and drowned my fears with my playlist. As I drove, I belted my heart trying to forget all my worries. I couldn’t wait to see everyone again, even though it’d only been two weeks since we last met. A part of me was still worried about what theythought of me and how they perceived me. They all seemed so tight, and I felt like I was intruding even though I knew I wasn’t.
I got to the building and went inside. My anxiety sank into my skin, causing chills to fill the space between hairs. I couldn’t stop or control it. I was being controlled by it, and that was the scariest thing of all.
I walked down the pale hallway and went into the room. Instantly, everyone looked at me, smiled, and went back to talking before the therapy session started. Anxiety rang in my ears. My hand shook, along with my foot, as I took a seat.
“Hey,” Leanne said. “Are you okay? You seem anxious.”
I took a deep breath. “I’m f-fine.” My voice shook.
“Tell me what’s wrong,” she insisted, her voice sincere.
I stayed silent for a moment, arguing with myself if I should tell her. Tears started to swell in my eyes. Leanne hugged me as she saw the tears roll down my face.
“I don’t belong here; someone else deserves this more than me,” I whispered into her shoulder.
