Shooting Stars and Satellites

With it being the boys’ first day back home, it was decided that a party would be appropriate to throw. However, mine and Kennedy’s parents would be coming home from work at about seven, eliminating the chance of having the party at our house; we were thankful, because no party, meant no mess to clean up afterwards. After conversing, Pat decided to call Tim up, being that he was the only one who actually owned a house, and convinced him to let us throw one there. Although, it didn’t take much convincing; Tim was always up for a good party.

“Alaska!” Roxie called from my room.

I poked my head out of the bathroom door, and saw her standing in the doorway of my room. “Yeah?”

She held up my phone. “It’s been vibrating for like two minutes.”

I laughed and walked over to her, taking my phone.” Oh, thanks. It’s probably Gavin.” I scrolled through my missed calls, and saw that they were, in fact, from Gavin.

She smiled. “Is he coming to the party?”

I shook my head. “No, he’s actually in Flagstaff today.”

“Oh, okay. Maybe it’s a good thing …”

I looked at her, arching my brows. “Why do you say that?”

She shrugged. “Kenny’s kind of under the impression that he’s not too good for you.” She bit down on her bottom lip, and I could tell she felt bad for dishing out my brother’s gossip.

I rolled my eyes and laughed. “Kenny’s my brother; he’s never going to like any guy I date.”

She chuckled. “You’re probably right. Anyways, wanna ride with me to Tim’s?”

“Aren’t you riding with Kenny?” I asked.

“I gotta stop at the gas station first,” she said, widening her brown eyes a bit.

I nodded my head, catching onto her hint. “Alright; give me like five minutes?”

“Sounds good. I’ll go tell Kenny you’ll be riding with me.” She began walking downstairs, and I took this time to call Gavin back.

“Hey, babe,” he answered.

Instantly, a smile formed on my face. “How’s everything going?”

“It went good. Got shit done fast and quick. What’re you up to?”

I twirled a strand of my hair around my finger. “Just getting ready to head to a party.”

“A party?” he asked.

I laughed. “Yes, a party."

“Who’re you going with?”

“My brother and the band. Oh, and Kenny’s girlfriend, Roxie,” I told him.

“Sounds like fun. You think they would mind if I came?”

I felt my eyes grow wide. “You’re back in Tempe?”

He laughed. “I’ll be there in another hour or so. I couldn’t stay away from you, ‘Laska.”

I couldn’t help but to smile wider. “I love you, Gavin Michael Krompe.”

He chuckled. “And I love you, Alaska Annabelle Brock. Now, about that party …”

I laughed. “Right; I don’t think they’d mind. It’s going to be at Tim’s house. You've picked me up from there a few times … Do you remember where it’s at?”

“Yeah, I think so. If not, I’ll call you.”

I nodded my head, although he couldn’t see. “Alright. I’ll see you later, then.”

“Later, ‘Laska.”

I smiled. “Later, Gav.” I hung up and walked downstairs, holding onto the railing, so I wouldn’t trip over my brown high-heeled boots. I only saw Roxie in the living room. “Where’re the boys?”

“They left, like, three minutes ago? I told Kenny you were having some ‘feminine problems’.”

I laughed. “Oh, wow. Great cover up.”

She laughed and stood up from the couch. “Thanks. You ready to go?”

I nodded my head. “Yeah. Whose car are we taking?”

She held up my brother’s car keys. “Kenny’s. He made me swear I wouldn’t crash Reba,” she said, rolling her eyes.

I had to laugh. ‘Reba’ was Kennedy’s 1992 black Ford Thunderbird. “I think if you crashed it, you’d be doing him a favor.”

“My thoughts exactly!” she said with a laugh.

I made sure to lock the door as we left. Once we were situated in the car, The Kook’s, ’She Moves In Her Own Way’, playing, I looked at Roxie. “How do you think Kenny would react if Gavin showed up to the party?”

She glanced at me for a second, before turning her attention back to the road. “I honestly don’t know. I don’t think he’d be pissed or anything, but like I said, I really don’t know.”

I sighed and pulled on the hem of my white babydoll dress. “He’s coming.”

She turned the volume of the radio down. “What do you mean he’s coming?”

“I mean, he’ll be coming to the party later on.”

She was quiet for a minute. “I think you should call Kenny,” she said, while pulling into a Speedway.

“Why?”

“Because at least it’ll give him a warning, rather than Gavin just showing up, and Kenny not knowing at all; that may piss him off more than anything else.”

I bit down on my bottom lip. “I don’t know. I think I’d rather just wait it out.”

She laughed softly and pulled the keys from the ignition. “If you say so, ‘Laska. Now,” she looked at me, “American Spirit Menthols?”

I nodded my head. “You know it.”

_________________________________________________________

By the time we pulled up to Tim’s, it was only around eight-thirty, but the party seemed to be off to a good start. Cars were already beginning to line up the streets, and luckily for us, the boys saved us a space in the driveway. Once Roxie parked, we both got out, and walked into the white house. We instantly spotted Tim and the guys by the stereo system, and walked over to them. Kennedy immediately snaked an arm around Roxie’s waist, and she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“Took you guys long enough,” he said.

I rolled my eyes. “We left almost right after you did, Ken.”

“Uh huh, sure.”

I laughed and a second later, a skinny arm was holding a red cup in front of me. I turned around and saw John with a smirk on his face. “What’s this?”

“I believe it’s called a drink, Alaka,” Tim teased.

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t know if I should trust you," I told John.

He laughed and shrugged. “If you don’t drink it, I will.”

I laughed and grabbed the cup from his hand. “I think I’ll take my chances. Thanks, John.”

“No problem,” he said, taking a sip of his own drink.

I held the cup to my nose, inhaling the scent of coke and rum. “Nice choice.”

He smirked. “I figured you would like it.”

I took a large gulp, and glanced around the house. It was filling rather quickly, and apart from a few people, I didn’t recognize any of the faces. I held the cup to my chest, and listened as the guys, and Roxie, engaged in a conversation. I would have participated as well, but my mind was on Gavin.

______________________________________________________

As time progressed, and the alcohol began taking effect in my system, the more I felt my nerves relax. At this point, I had lost track of the group. I wandered into the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of Budweiser. As I took a sip, John walked into the kitchen, and stood in front of me, leaning on the island.

“Having fun?” he asked.

I shrugged, bringing the beer to my side. “A little.”

“A little? Alaska, you’re at a party. A little fun is not accepted.”

I smiled. “Are you having fun?”

He shrugged. “For the most part, yeah.”

“I’m surprised a girl hasn’t thrown herself all over you, yet.”

He smirked. “Actually, that’s occurred quite a few times already.”

I rolled my eyes. “Figures. Wanna join me outside?”

“Are we going to find another Shamu?”

I laughed at the memory. “I actually don’t have anything on me, so, unfortunately, no.”

He smiled. “Let’s go, Baby Brock.”

I slapped his stomach playfully. “Don’t call me that.”

I was the baby of the family, considering that Kennedy was the only sibling I had, and he was older. All it took was Pat calling me Baby Brock one day when I was thirteen, for the nickname to take on a life of its own.

As John and I stepped outside, I inhaled the fresh air, and let out a comfortable sigh.

“Something wrong?” John asked.

I looked at him and shook my head. “No, why?”

“Just making sure.”

I smiled and looked up at the dark sky, which was currently blanketed with stars. I took another sip of my beer, feeling John’s stare on me. “What is it, O’Callaghan?”

He laughed. “Nothing.”

I looked at him. “Now, now, don’t lie.”

“I’m not lying.” I eyed him and he smiled. “I was just observing how beautiful you look tonight.”

I laughed and rolled my eyes. “Thank you, but I’m taken, John.”

He gasped. “Do you think I’m hitting on you, Baby Brock?”

“I don't know. You tell me.”

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, my phone began vibrating in my hands. I looked down and saw it was Gavin. “Hello?”

“Babe, I’m out front. Come meet me?”

I looked at John for a moment, before answering. “Yeah, sure. I’ll be there in a minute.” I hung up and John gave me a probing look. “Gavin’s here.”

He arched his brows. “What happened to Flagstaff?”

I shrugged. “He finished his business early, and decided he wanted to hang out with me tonight.”

John pursed his lips together. “You know Kenny isn’t going to like this, right?”

“Kenny is going to have to like it. Gavin’s my boyfriend, and he’s not going anywhere, anytime soon,” I told him.

He shrugged and took a sip of his beer. “Whatever. I hope you tell Kenny that same line when he sees Gavin here.” With that, he took off inside the house.

I let out an aggravated sigh, before walking through the house, and out to the front yard. I saw Gavin leaning against his car, a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, and his right hand scratching the back of his neck. I couldn’t help but to feel my heart flutter as his brown eyes caught sight of me. I ran straight into his arms, and he laughed.

“There’s that beautiful face I’ve been dying to see all day.”

I blushed and kissed his lips. “I missed you.”

He smiled and let his hands rest on my hips. “I missed you, too, love.” He gave me another kiss on the lips, before looking towards the house. “How’s the party going?”

I shrugged. “It’s okay, but I was waiting for you to come.”

He smirked and pulled a plastic zip-lock bag from the pocket of his jacket. “Waiting for this?” He took a puff of his cigarette, and I laughed, hitting his shoulder.

“No, that’s not what I was waiting for. But, since you have some, it couldn’t hurt to smoke some, could it?”

He smiled and with one flick of his finger, his cigarette flew to the ground. “Get in, my little pot head.” He opened the door to his car, and I stuck my tongue out at him, walking over to the passenger side door.

Once I was seated, Gavin began to roll the weed into a joint, and although I knew Kennedy would probably be livid with me when I bumped into him later on in the night, I didn’t really care. Gavin was here, and he was all I needed.