Life Isn't All That Bad

I wanted to focus on band practice, but with the looks that John kept giving me, I simply couldn't. I tried focusing on everything but him, but I could still feel his eyes watching me the whole time. My cheeks had to be a billion shades of red.

After they finished practice, we all headed to John's kitchen to eat all the food Jared and Kennedy had gotten earlier.

I picked at my slice of pizza, not really hungry anymore. The butterflies in my stomach had left, but they'd taken my appetite with them.

John, who had so casually taken the seat next to me, nudged me. "So, have you heard that we're playing a show on Saturday?"

Saturday- which was now only two days away. "Yeah, Garrett mentioned that the other day," I said with a slight shrug.

I didn't want to talk to John. he knew exactly how to make me nervous. I wanted one of the others guys to save me from this conversation, but they didn't seem to notice how uncomfortable I was.

"I think that you should come see us play. We could ever hang out backstage as well," John offered, that infamous smirk on his lips.

"Mister O'Callaghan, are you asking me on a date?" I scoffed, saying it louder than I had intened to. The others stopped with their conversation, turning to look at us.

"Well, Miss Neil, that depends if you want it to be a date," he said, and I just wanted to slap that damn smirk off of his face.

I let out a soft hum, as if I was actually considering ever going on a date with him. The room was practically silent, all waiting for my answer.

"I'll go," I announced finally. John's smirk grew. "But John, you're gonna need to find a new date, because there is no way in hell I'm going with you."

His smirk fell, and I could hear the guys' holding back their laughter. "You just got rejected!" A voice yelled from the doorway. It was a boy who seemed to be about my age, maybe younger.

John threw a piece of candy at him. "Get out of here, Ross!"

"I live in this house too, you know! I'm allowed to use the kitchen," Ross snapped. Soon, him and John were arguing loudly, practically yelling at each other from across the room.

Garrett reached over and grabbed my hand. "Let's get out of here before this gets even worse," he said quietly. I just nodded. He turned to Pat. "Come on, bro, let's go."

Pat looked at him, then down at our linked hands. "Nah man, you go. I'll get a ride with Jared."

Garrett gave him a look I couldn't decipher, then gripped tighter on my hand as he led me towards the kitchen door. I wanted to pull my hand from his, but something inside me told me to keep holding on. Maybe it was the butterflies who had returned to my stomach.

"Where are you guys going?" John had temporarily stopped arguing with his brother to acknowledge us leaving. He glared down at our hands. I went to pull away from Garrett, but he just gripped even tighter.

"Beau isn't feeling good, so I'm taking her home," Garrett answered automatically. I was amazed that he could lie so easily on the spot. My lies always ended up a stuttered, obvious mess.

John gave me a look of disapproval, not really believing Garrett's lie. "But I'll see you at the show, right?" He didn't sound flirty and cocky. For once, his tone was almost pleading.

I just stared down at the floor, giving him a slight nod. I gave everyone a quick wave goodbye before pulling my hand from Garrett;s and hurrying out the door. He followed close behind me.

The car ride was awkwardly silent. Finally, he broke the silence. "Are you okay?"

Those three words were the last thing I needed to hear. "No, I am not okay! All John does is embarrass me and make me look like a dumbass! And then he has the fucking nerve to ask me out, in front of all you guys? That was even more embarrassing! So no, Garrett, I am not okay!" I yelled at him, my voice practically echoing throughout the small yellow car. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, and I felt bad for yelling at him for something that wasn't his fault.

"I'm sorry about John," Garrett said quietly. "I know he can be a douche, and he has no right to embarrass you, but that's just how he is. Nothing can change that."

"I shouldn't have snapped at you, though. I'm sorry. It's not your fault," I said. "It's just... I knew people like John. They were the reason I didn't have friends. And if he's anything like the guys from New York, there's only one thing he's after."

Garrett just shrugged, and we both fell silent again. My phone began to buzz wildly in my pocket, and I pull it out, only to see "Danny the Sexy Beast" calling me. I was tempted to ignore the call, but I knew he'd keep calling until I answered.

"Hey boo, can I call you back in a little while?"

He let out a groan. "But Beau, I'm bored!" He whined, dragging out the 'o' in bored.

"Danny, I don't care that you're bored. I'll call you back later!" He started to complain again, so I simply hung up the phone on him.

"Who was that?" Garrett questioned, and it almost sounded like he was jealous.

"Oh, Danny? He's was my bestest friend back in New York. He lived in the apartment across from me," I explained. Garrett just nodded, and I wondered why it even mattered who he was.

Again, the conversation died out as his yellow car pulled onto our street. He pulled up in front of his house, quickly getting out of the car and hurrying around to opened the door for me. He held my hand as we crossed the street and headed up to my front door.

When we got there, I shifted awkwardly. "So um, I guess I'll talked to you later?"

Garrett looked like he wanted to say something, but bit his lip instead. He gave me a weak nod, before he started to leave.

"Wait, Gare?" I called after him. It was the first time I'd used something other than his full name. He looked back at me, and I quickly walked over to him, wrapping my arms around his thin waist. He seemed surprised, knowing how uncomfortable hugs made me feel. "Thanks, for, you know, being my friend and all."

He wrapped his arms around my shoulders, pressing a light kiss against my forehead. He didn't say anything, but he didn't need to. Because even though my cheeks were burning, and the butterflies in my stomach were going wild, I still felt comfortable. And he finally knew that.