Seven Days

Though she tried her hardest to keep quiet, a groan made its way through Andrea’s lips as Kennedy’s mouth continued its assault on her neck. She wasn’t entirely sure how, but all she knew was that somewhere between cheesy words and gentle kisses, she’d found herself pressed to her bunk mattress. Before he could leave clear evidence of his efforts, she’d rolled them over and pressed her lips to his. His touch left goosebumps on her skin, and her mind eventually got so focused on the here-and-now that she jumped when the door to the bus slammed shut.

“Andrea, you’ve got to go!” Garrett’s voice called from the front lounge. Kennedy gave a light chuckle as she buried her face in the crook of his neck.

“I don’t want to go.” She mumbled quietly.

“I don’t want you to either.” He answered, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist.

“No one wants you to go, but you have to. You’re gonna be late, quit making out back there!” Garrett yelled through the door, giving Andrea that familiar feeling of heat creeping over her cheeks.

“Good God, always interrupted.” Kennedy grumbled half to himself.

After they’d made their way off the bus, Pat promptly tackled Andrea to the ground. Her scraped elbows were far from her mind as she hugged him back, for she would definitely miss Pat’s hugs and childish, random acts.

“You’re gonna try and tour this summer and visit us, right?” He begged as he got up and held his hands out to help her off the ground. She let out a light laugh and allowed him to help her up before throwing her arms around his waist in another hug and nodding.

“Of course, you don’t think I can just not see you anymore, do you?” She teased.

“That’s true. We’re just too damn fine.” John spoke up, giving Andrea an elaborate wink. She shook her head at him, but couldn’t really stop herself from smiling and hugging him anyway. The way John had turned into a sort of older brother to her over the past week really blew her mind. She’d never had older siblings, but it seemed more than natural for him to be looking out for her and making fun of her on a constant basis.

“Yeah, that’s the case John Ohh. You best watch yourself.” She replied sarcastically, sticking her tongue out at him.

“Is that a threat or a promise?” He asked. She scoffed, making him laugh loudly. “I’m kidding, save it for Kennedy okay?”

“Yeah, perfect.” Rolling her eyes, she elbowed him in the stomach after he’d let go of her.

“Ahh shit, why d’you have to be like that?” He whined. She put an innocent look on her face and shrugged her shoulders.

“I love you John Ohh!” She insisted, batting her eyelashes and grinning wide.

“Yeah, sure you do. Get out of here.” John answered, waving her off and allowing Jared to say goodbye to her.

“Don’t stress too much, do well in school, and hang out with us soon, got it?” Jared told her with a laugh as he hugged her. She let out a light laugh as well and hugged him back tight.

“Yes sir, whatever you say.” She agreed, even though they all knew his first statement was pretty unlikely once school started again. After Jared released her, she turned to Garrett, but he just shook his head.

“Pfft, no. I’m coming to the airport with you guys.” He answered. Kennedy instantly threw him a look and raised an eyebrow.

“You’re doing what?”

“I’m coming with you. It was my idea to invite her here, so I’m sending her off, and stop giving me that look.” Garrett stuck his tongue out at Kennedy childishly before ushering them toward the cab waiting nearby. “Let’s go, we’re burning daylight!”

Instantly remembering about the flight she had to catch, she picked up her suitcase in one hand and took Kennedy’s hand in the other before the three of them made their way to the cab.

The ride to the airport was quiet, and not a comfortable silence. The air was thick and Andrea had no idea what words to say to make it better. Kennedy kept touching her in some way through the entire ride, whether it was an arm around her waist, hand on her knee, chin resting on her shoulder, and it both comforted and upset her. This was the real deal.

It wasn’t long until they arrived at the airport, much to all of their dismay. Baggage check-in seemed to go even faster, and soon, they were in the lobby waiting for her flight to be called. Time was not on her side, and she absolutely loathed it.

“Gare… don’t make me go back.” She sighed, wrapping her arms around his torso.

“You have to, you have school starting again in two days. Believe me, we don’t want you to go back any more than you do.” He told her, hugging her back and resting his chin on her head.

“I know. It just doesn’t seem appealing to me anymore.”

“School was once appealing to you?” He asked. She grinned and rolled her eyes, knowing she should have expected an answer such as the one she’d been given.

“Shut up, Garrett. That’s not what I meant and you know it.” She retorted.

“Hey, you shut your mouth. I don’t think security would appreciate us having to have a rumble right here.” His snappy comebacks quickly had her laughing, but they didn’t quite make the announcement of Flight 314 to San Diego any easier to stomach.

“I’m gonna miss you, you big goon.” She told him, getting a bright smile in return.

“I’m going to miss you too, you man stealer.” He replied in the same tone.

“Um, Gare?” Both turned to see Kennedy rubbing the back of his neck, an expectant look on his face.

“Oh, right. I’ll just be… over… there.” Garrett pointed off in a random direction before walking away, leaving Andrea and Kennedy to say goodbye.

“He’s such a damn… ugh, they’re all just… I can’t even express what they are.” He mused, pulling her into his arms. Andrea got on her toes and pressed her lips to his in a light kiss, hoping to cheer him up.

“It’s not their fault. Okay, maybe it is, but you can’t be mad at them.” She insisted.

“Like hell I can’t.” He gave her a joking smile and kissed her again, inevitably making it that much harder for her to leave.

“You know, I never figured it’d be this hard to leave at the end of the week.” She found herself admitting, though she should have known she’d form a friendship with at least one of them.

“Are you… are you saying you didn’t expect to like us or something?!” He feigned surprise and anger, making her laugh. “That’s not very nice, you could have kept that to yourself.”

“You’re such a whiner.” She looked over to where the line for her plane was quickly thinning and grumbled. “I should probably go now.”

“I wish you didn’t have to.” He muttered, kissing her forehead.

“You and me both. But we’ll keep in touch, right?” She had to ask; she needed reassurance more than anything at that moment.

“Of course we will. I didn’t propose to you for nothing, you goof.” He picked up her carry on bag and put it over her shoulder before giving her another kiss. “Now go, don’t miss your flight sweetheart.”

“Yes sir.” She felt her heart pounding harder at the fact that he’d called her sweetheart, and she gave him one last hug before taking a deep breath and handing the lady at the entrance her ticket. She took one last look at Kennedy, returning the sad smile he was giving her, before stepping onto the plane and back into her old life.