Meet You Halfway

Todd Anderson

   "Todd~.....Todd…TODD!"

   "Calm down! Just give me a second!" I heard a thump and a few curses from behind the door before it opened. "It's rude to keep a lady waiting, Mr. Anderson." I slipped past him into the room with a smile. "Sorry. I had all my textbooks scattered around and wanted them picked up before you came in."

   "Hun, you know I'm not bothered by some schoolwork. We're in a school after all." I plopped down on his bed to have it protest with a few creaks. He mumbled about the mess under his breath as he continued to put his books away. I sat up, crossing my legs and resting my elbows on my knees. "What's got you so uptight, Anderson? Take a breather. Sit down." I patted the spot next to me, beckoning him over.

   He shoved another textbook into his desk before making his way to the bed and sitting down. I wrapped my arms around his torso and pulled him closer so that his back was resting against my chest. I kept one arm around him and brought the other up so I could rake my fingers through his hair. "Talk to me. What's on your mind?" This was a ritual of ours. Not a super frequent one, but every so often we would take a moment. He would speak, and I would listen. Or we'd just sit and breathe.

   "We graduate in a few weeks. And I just, well, I'm not too sure I'm ready." He fiddled with my fingers as he spoke. "Everyone seems to have a plan, and I've got nothing. I have options and all that, but that's just the problem. Options." I shifted behind him slightly so that I was more comfortable. "Well, do you know what you want your future to look like?" 

   He scoffed lightly. "My dad wants me to be a lawyer or a doctor." I shook my head. "No, what do you want your future to look like? Not him." Todd laced his fingers with mine in thought. "I don't know. There's not really anything I'm good at." A smile crept onto my face. "I hate to break it to you, Anderson. But that's absolute bull. You're good at plenty."

   Todd rolled his eyes, scoffing again. "Oh yeah? Like what?" I brought my other arm down wrapping it around him. "Well, you're a good friend, you're good at soccer, you're a poet. And if none of those get you anywhere, you can always be a ladies man like our dear friend, Charlie." We both broke out in laughter.

   "I'd rather not." "Yeah. Stray far from that. I'm pretty sure he likes grannies too." Todd snorted. "You think he's got a thing for grannies?" 

   "Oh yeah. Definitely." We broke out in laughter once again. Once we regained our composure, he pulled away and turned to face me. "You really think I'm a poet?" I nodded. "Yeah. You should really share your writing more. You've got a gift." A big goofy grin spread on his face. "You think so?" I nodded again more dramatically. "Yup. Like I just said."

   "Hmm." I leaned forward, resting my chin in my palms. "You've got to tell me what 'Hmm' means." He matched the position I was in, facing me. "'Hmm' means I think I'll try writing." My eyes screwed up as I smiled. "You're gonna rock the world's shit." His smile grew even more. "What are you going to do?" I shrugged. "I want to go to university. Haven't figured it all out yet, but I'm excited. I'll really miss the boy band though."

   "The boy band??" Todd snorted. "The Dead Poets. It's a boy band. Neil is the lead singer, Knox is drums, Charlie is obviously saxophone, you are guitar, and Meeks and Pitts are the backup singers." 

   "Then what are you?" A grin pulled my lips apart. "I'm your manager." "So you're our boss?" I nodded. "Yup." He folded his hands together. "Sad the band will break up."

   "We've all got solo careers now. But is this really the analogy we're going to use from now on?" Todd pulled his knees to his chest. "I think we have to now. You brought it up."

   The past year went by in a flash. So much happened in what felt like a second. I was happy to have made such wonderful friends and memories, but I was sad they were coming to an end. I snapped out of my thoughts when the warmth of Todd's hand enveloped mine. "Are you okay?" I think most of all I was going to miss him. "Yeah. It's just a lot to be leaving behind."

   "We don't  have to leave it all behind. We'll all stay in touch, mostly. I make no promises about Charlie. He'll be out living life with his hot grannies." I gagged. "Oh, don't pair those two words ever again." We both laughed, imagining Charlie hitting on grandmas. It really was hilarious.

   Once our giggle fest had subsided, I pulled Todd in for a tight hug. "What's this for?" He returned the gesture. "I want to remember this. I want to remember everything. I want to remember you." He pulled away, taking my face gently in his hands. "If you keep acting like it's all over it will be, Y/n." I couldn't stop the tears that I had been holding in for days. "But it is. You'll leave. Everyone will leave." He wiped my tears away with the sleeve of his shirt. "I'll make you a promise. We'll all graduate. We'll do what we have to. But I promise that I'll be with you, okay?" He stuck his pinky out, ready to seal the promise. "But we'll all have separate plans and lives." He shook his head. "I'll stay. I can write anywhere and I'd rather do it with you near anyways. So…" He shook his pinky, offering it again. I wiped away the new tears that coated my face. "You'll stay?" I hooked my pinky with his. "I promise, I'll stay." I nodded and we both kissed our thumbs, sealing the deal.

   This time, he pulled me in for a hug. Sure, all my friends were great. But Todd was something else. My best friend maybe. Though that label didn't feel quite right. "I think I'd go crazy without you." I sniffled into his shoulder. In response he hugged my tighter before pulling away and locking eyes with mine. "I'd travel to the ends of the earth for you. You know that, right?" If I didn't know that before, I know it now. He cupped my face in his hands. It was a sweet gesture. I could see a question in his eyes. They studied my face, looking for an answer. I knew the question without hearing it.

   I leaned forward, answering with the warmth of my lips. He tensed at first, unsure, before finding calm in the moment. His hands pulled me closer with a sweet tenderness that caused me to smile against his lips. In that moment, it was just us. Where we were going to stay.

Author's note: 

This ending hit hard. I kind of just spilled out my emotions about all of my senior friends graduating. Todd's a sweetheart♡. Will love him forever.