Short Story

It all started with a knock on the front door.
That one simple knock on that one Tuesday evening changed everything. I was in the living room on the phone with David, the absolute love of my life, when that knock happened. ‘Knock, knock’ was the sound that rebounded off the front door.
David has been gone for a whole entire month now, he’s somewhere off with his family in the middle of Switzerland. I don’t know what there really is to do there during the summer but I guess family bonding time is needed and necessary at times. I just really want to see him after all this time. To make everything even worse he won't even tell me when he's getting back. I question his ways at times but if he did tell me, I would be thinking and counting down the day until I get to see him again, it's not like I don't do it everyday already.
I had checked all the flights coming in from Switzerland. The last one arrived last night and David obviously wasn't on that one since he's calling me from halfway around the globe at this very minute. Speaking of which, I should probably get back to the phone call.
"Hi, Christel? Are you still there? Hello?" I heard someone call through the phone.
"Ummm, oh yea. Sorry I got lost in my thoughts." I managed to stutter out.
"What were you thinking about that could quite possibly be more important than me?" David responded quite cockily, this kid is full of himself. I guess Switzerland gave him a big head, even though he already had one to begin with.
I immediately replied with a "nothing" but he saw right through my lie.
"If you say so," was the response I received. I did say so, so that backfired on him.
"Hey so that Independence Day Father Daughter dance is coming up and I'm wondering if you will finally be going?" David asked.
Why does everyone always ask me this exact question every single year? Each time someone asks me that question, a bunch of different questions pop into my head that I want to ask. Why do you care? If I never go, why do you think it would be different this year? Who do you expect me to go with?
That last question is just a pain every time I think about it. Only the few people that are really close to me and hold my trust know what happened with my dad. I love my dad with all my heart. He was my best friend and companion through everything that I went through. I couldn't imagine life without him, I never even thought about life without him. I was able to talk to him about anything that went on in my life.
Then dumb Presidents and their diplomacy or whatever they do decided it would be in the United States of America’s best interest to send our troops all the way across the Atlantic to help corral people. Unfortunately my dad happened to be one of them. The sadness and loneliness that I faced through those times. That all changed one day when someone knocked on the door. It was a uniformed official... Right when I saw him I knew my life had changed. The military never send people over unless your loved one has died while in combat.
"Hi Mrs. Wheeler," I was greeted with.
"It's Miss, I'm his daughter," I said while still trying to keep myself composed.
"I'm sorry Miss. I came today bearing sad news. Colonel Wheeler has become MIA."
From the second I heard that I started to cry. I just cried and cried for days into weeks. I had lost my best friend, there was an incomplete hole in my heart that just couldn't be replaced by anything.
My mom moved on fairly quickly. One year later she married some rude business man from Prague named Bob. It's an understatement to say I hate Bob. I know it's mean but I honestly feel that way. I don't know whether it's because he's taking my mom away from me or my dad. The two of them are always traveling together to foreign, exotic places forgetting all about me. They come back home once in a while unannounced and too busy with each other for me. I just hope I get to see my mom's face again and actually get to have a conversation with her. If only she would come back as well even if it is with Bob.
Only one person knows where my dad actually is and that's Cameron. I haven't talked to him in quite some time. We broke up two years ago when his family moved to Santa Barbara. He was the closest friend I had. He helped me through everything that had happened with my dad and everyone else. To make things cliché, he was my first love. It broke my heart when he told me that he had to leave. We stayed in contact for a while but then things happened and we just drifted away. I miss him especially when bad things happen and I just want everything to just end and be over. He always knows the right thing to say and how to make me feel better. He was just a really easy person to talk to.
David is a really nice person but I guess like people say, you never really forget your first love. David had offered me more than I can ever ask of him. I might not be the same towards him and he doesn't deserve that. He deserves so much better than I can ever do.
I returned back to reality but didn't hear anything on the phone. I guess life thinking took up too much time and I wasn’t responding to him. I’ll just call him back later and explain what had happened. Suddenly something else interrupted my thoughts again. ‘Knock, knock’.
I slowly walked to the door wondering who would be visiting me since everyone else is on vacation. There is a no soliciting sign on my front door as well. I looked through the peephole and didn't see anyone. Must have been another ding dong ditch prank, typical people these days.
I opened the door to see if I can catch the pranksters and saw a guy hurriedly walking down the driveway. He didn't seem like a person to be going around and pranking people. Very poised posture, wearing dress shirt and khakis.
"Hey! Hey!"
Then he turned around and there was his face... It was him.