Each Days A Number

Tension filled the air and it didn't help that the six of them were stuck in the van on a nearly five hour drive. Last night, Dessie took it upon herself to sleep in the van instead of the hotel room the five boys shared. They were still upset and giving her the cold shoulder but were unaware of making her feel smaller than an ant.

Neither one of the boys wanted to sit in the front seat next to Dessie, making Kenny, Jared, and Pat somewhat crowded in the back of the van. All of the boys were listening to music under their headphones just as a way to not talk to her. But Dessie was a little okay with it; she honestly felt like she deserved the cold shoulder because she did lie to them and completely understood that they were upset.

"Fuck," she heard one of the mutter and looked in the rear view mirror to see Garrett with a frustrated look as he tapped his iPod vigorously. When it failed to turn on from lack of battery power, he pulled out the ear buds and stared out the window.

"Want to use mine?" Dessie asked him but didn't receive and answer. "Garrett, can we talk about it, please?" she sighed.

"I have nothing to say to you," he mumbled angrily, his lips forming a hard line.

She sighed heavily as they neared Ontario, slowing down as they entered traffic. Dessie closed her eyes tightly, trying to refrain from yelling at Garrett because she knew he had something to say. There was a lot to talk about, and this time around, she wasn't going to wait forever to bring it up.

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Staying outside for the entire show, Dessie waited for Garrett to walk out of the venue. Regardless of whether or not he still didn't want to talk to her, she was going to make him listen. Dessie wasn't ready to have their relationship end, and even though they never actually broke up, it felt like they already had and she hated that feeling.

The venue door creaked open and Dessie's head shot up to see who it was; to her luck, it was only an employee throwing out the trash and as he walked back towards the door, he nodded at her which she graciously flashed him a dirty look for checking her out. In disgust, she switched her foot, propping her left leg on the building and picking at her nails when the door opened again.

"Garrett," she said as he walked out the door; he looked at her but kept walking. Dessie pushed herself off the wall and hurried to catch him. "Garrett!" she called out again, grabbing his wrist to make him stop walking.

"What!" he yelled, snatching his arm out from her grip.

"I think we need to talk," she told him softly, hoping her calm voice would calm him down.

"What could we possibly talk about, baby? What? Tell me!" his voice was still slightly raised.

"Me leaving, why I waited to tell you," she began to whisper and slowly brought her hand to his cheek, "us?"

Garrett felt himself lean into her touch and he couldn't help himself from wrapping his arms around her waist. He hugged her tightly as she held him back, rocking from side to side. Even if it had only been a day, the couple missed being in each other's arms and felt happy to be where they felt they belonged.

"I think I overreacted," Garrett admitted, placing a light kiss on her neck before resting his head on her shoulder.

"You didn't, Gary, I completely understand," Dessie reassured. "It was my fault. I should have told you sooner; I really wanted to but, I, I was scared."

He pulled back just enough to look her in her brown eyes. "Scared of what, Dessie?"

"I was, or still am, scared to leave you," she whispered, placing her hand back on his cheek. "I don't want to lose you Garrett, and I'm just afraid that me going on this tour is going to tear us apart."

"Hey, come here," he kissed the top of her head, pulling her back into his body. "We'll be okay as long as you don't find a European boy who's better than me," he joked to lighten the mood and to make her smile.

Dessie giggle and reached up to kiss his lips. "No one's better than you, Garrett."

He leaned down to kiss her for a moment. "We're going to be okay, Des; we'll make it through, don't worry."

"I won't," she sighed.

"I'm going to miss you," Garrett confessed, continuing to rock back and forth. "Like crazy."

"I'm going to miss you, too," Dessie closed her eyes, wanting to memorize the feeling of him holding her.

If she was going to be away from him for a mere two months, she wanted to remember everything, everything about him.