Put Your Heart Where Your Mouth Is

"Is she dead?" Someone whispered.

I groaned, still half-asleep.

"Poke her."

"Pat," John whispered, "Put the stick down!"

"Kennedy told me to." He muttered, sitting cross-legged in front of me. "Is she sleeping?"

"Are you an idiot?" Garrett asked, turning to Pat. He snapped the stick in half, and threw it into the bushes.

"Dick." Pat said, crossing his arms tightly acrossed his chest. He sat there for a few minutes, just glaring at Garrett. "I don't like you."

"Don't wake her up." John said, not able to move because I was leaning on him.

"Too late." I sighed, sitting upright. I glanced around. "What the hell did you do last night?"

The chairs were turned over, and splayed out across the entire yard. The cups were all emptied, and stacked up into what looked like a fort. Kennedy, Jared, and Matt were covered in...war paint? Not to mention the fact that Wren was sleeping in a tree.

"We had fun." Pat sighed, "And you fell asleep."

"Every party needs a pooper." Jared said.

Garrett and Pat giggled. "You said pooper." Their voices were identical.

I rolled my eyes, and moved closer to John to press my lips to his. He smiled into the kiss, and moved his hands down to my waist--

"Oooh." Pat said, bouncing up and down where he sat.

"Shut up." Garrett growled, standing up, and trudging back to the van. "That's disgusting."

"My friends are retarded." John said quietly.

"Agreed." I sighed, and sat back on my knees. I glanced over at Pat with a knowing smile. "Are you going to do that every single time?"

Pat gave me a sheepish grin. "Yes."

"Start cleaning up, guys, it's almost noon." Matt said, shifting so he could pull the garbage can a little bit closer. Like that would make a bunch of boys any more efficient about picking up trash? No. They were too busy playing 'basketball' with it.

"Two points! HUHHH!" Jared said, adding a bicep flex--which caused him to pull a muscle.

"Twenty bucks says I make it from here." John said, standing about fifty feet away.

I shook my head. "There's no way. I'll bet fifty."

"Excuse me, ye of little faith." He laughed. "Check this out."

He gave his best jump shot, and the crushed up pop can was soaring in slow motion towards the open garbage bag. It had everybody's attention. I heard people commenting before I saw the thing go into the can. John smirked. "Well, you don't owe me cash."

I bit my lip. "Scared to ask, but a deal's a deal."

"Such a team player, Andy." he said, sliding his arms around me.

"Oh, don't get into that again." My brother shouted, wrinkling his nose. I gave him the finger, and found myself kissing John. Again. Maybe too much of a good thing is actually good for you. Maybe having to stand on my toes to reach him was going to end up making me taller. At 5'4, I really could use the height...

I felt my phone vibrating. And I knew exactly who would be texting me--from California, where their tour had taken them.

From: Alex

Hey (: We really miss the East Coast..but I really miss you. Hope you're having fun with that moody older brother of yours.

<3

I stared at my phone, wanting to throw it as far away from me as I possibly could--which ended up about being three feet. John raised an eyebrow at me. "Impressive arm, Andy."

I slapped a hand to my forehead, "Damn it." I muttered, bending over to pick up my phone.

"Did it bite you or something?" Jared asked, still oblivious. John's face said he knew what was happening.

He frowned. "I think we forgot to tell Alex."

"I'm thinking the exact same thing."