I Won't See You Tonight

"Nervous much?" Zacky asked with a laugh on our walk to the beach.

"Is it that obvious?"

"A little."

"I just don't like meeting new people."

"It won't be that bad. You already know most of everybody." He shrugged.

"I know, I just get so fidgety."

"Then just don't pay any attention to them."

"That would be rude." I shook my head.

"Then as soon as we get there, meet everybody all at once, and get it over with."

"That's probably gonna be the plan."

"Alright, wanna talk about somethin' else then?"

"Sure."

"What happened today at lunch?" He asked. I didn't feel as pressured. Or as afraid. Not with Zacky.

"I plead the fifth." But that doesn't mean that I'm going to tell him. I just wouldn't freak out about not being able to tell him.

"Ah, i see. So, we have a little mystery girl on our hands?" He said and I shrugged in response.

"That's cool, I like that." I couldn't stop the butterflies from fluttering around inside me. I felt my cheeks start to warm, I had to change the subject. But wouldn't that just make it even more obvious?

'Make what obvious, Emelyne?' I asked myself.

I glanced over at Zacky.

He was looking ahead. There was no telling what was going through his mind, I wanted so badly to know.

"What ya thinking about?" I blurted.

"Just wondering where we're headed tonight. It's been a while since everyone has been together."

"You guys have a pretty big group."

"Yeah, but we're like a family. I love these guys. I would do anything in the world for them, and I know they would do the same for me." He said and I simply nodded, not really having a response to that.

"Soon, I'm sure you'll really become part of the group, and you'll know exactly what I mean."

"I already do Zack." I said softly, remembering the friends that I had left back home.

The friends that had meant the world to me. The friends I had had since I was in grade one.

"I don't want to be pushy, none of us do. We're just curious, and we want to get to know you better. We're glad you came here, and are happy to be your friends, we just wanna know your story."

"I know. I just can't tell it yet."

"Whenever you're ready I guess." He shrugged and we stepped onto the sandy beach.

There were several people out. The sun had just set, the night was young.

We walked over to the docks and I recognized a few people. We joined up with them, I immediately noted the few who I didn't know. There were two guys and two girls.

The first guy was standing next to Brian. He looked very similar to him, brothers, I guessed. he had a spiked Mohawk and a ring through the center of his lip. He was very skinny, less built than Brian but more Than Jimmy. He wasn't tall but he was taller than Johnny. I guesstimated that he was Brian's older brother.

The next guy stood out a bit more. He hardly looked like he would be hanging with Matt and the others. He had on blue jeans and a white t-shirt. His dirty blond hair went a little past his eyes and was swept to the side. Even from a distance I could see that his eyes were a brilliant blue gray color. He was the same height as Zacky and around the same build.
Of the two girls, I immediately noticed one first. Not because she was pretty, and she was, but because as soon as we showed up her face lit up with a grin and her arms went around Zacky.

She was taller than me, and skinnier. Her brown hair was a few shades lighter than mine, and it was filled with thick ringlets that went a few inches past her shoulders. More than anything I could see confidence radiating through her. She knew what she wanted and she would do whatever it would take to get it.

"Zackster! I missed you." She said as she released him.

"Holy hell, Tess! I haven't seen you in forever." He smiled back to her. It felt like someone had wrapped a rope around my heart and suddenly gave it a quick, hard, tug.

"Yeah, my parents wouldn't let me leave the house. They especially wouldn't let me leave with Jimmy. They're being extra ridiculous lately." Jimmy? The rope loosened.

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah, but what can ya do." She said with a shrug. "So who's this?" She asked with a smile.

"This is Emelyne, she just moved here from Alaska, and we kinda adopted her into our group."

"Oh, well hi, Emelyne. I'm Tessa, Jimmy's little sister." She looked me and I seen her eyes. They were the most beautiful shade of brown. It was a honey-roasted coffee color. If this girl was after Zacky, there was no way I could compete.

"Hi." was all I could manage to get out.

"Have you met everybody yet?" She asked me. I was glad she wasn't talking to me through Zacky, but part of me wished she did.

"Almost."

"She hasn't met Rian, Brent, or Gena." Zacky put in.

"Oh, shall we go make with the introductions then?" She asked. Zacky looked at me and I shrugged.

"Then let's do it to it!" She said as she hooked arms with Zacky and me. I think I might like this girl, I could see a lot of Jimmy in her, she seemed fun.

"Hey Ri!" She sang out as we walked over to the more preppier looking guy.

"Hey Tess, Zack..." He nodded to each with a smile and his eyes landed on me.

"Ri, this is Emelyne. She just moved here from Alaska and our public-school friends have adopted her. Isn't that awesome?" Tessa said, her smile never fading.

"Yeah, that's cool. I'm Rian, I go to St. Peter's with Tessa and Gena."

"St. Peter's?"

"It's a catholic private school." Zacky explained.

"Oh."

"Stuck up parents." Rian explained with a shrug.

"Hey guys." The other girl that I didn't know said as she stepped into what was forming of a circle that we had created.

She had platinum blond hair cut to right above her shoulders, and icey blue eyes.

"Zacky..."

"Hello, Gena." Zacky nodded at her, his smile gone.

Everyone watched her. I kept my eyes on Zacky.

And so did she.