You're My Backbone

John paced the room back and forth at a quick speed. he ran his hands along his face and rubbed his eyes before sighing loudly. Garrett, Kennedy, and I watched him intently while sitting on the couch peering up at him. Halvo and Pat sat on the floor giving him an odd-like look.

Garrett had taken us back to his house. As much as I liked being here and hanging out with the guys, I couldn't help but think about how I lied to my mother. I didn't know what I was to tell her when she saw John and I walking across the street later when we decide to come back home. I tried to shake the thought, but it remained locked in my mind.

John was still frustrated about the news how my father was to visit, whenever he was coming. He continued to shake his head and talk to himself- a trait he possessed whenever he was stressed out.

"Dude, uh, is everything alright?" Halvo asked from the floor.

Kennedy, Garrett, and I all shot the boy a look. At first, I felt bad for I really wasn't familiar with Eric. My face softened, but then I noticed the two boys next to me making the same look.

"What's it look like Halvo?" John snapped and walked to the other side of the room. He shook his head aggressively then walked back to Eric. "Sorry, I didn't mean t-"

Halvo held up a hand. "Don't worry about it bro."

John nodded his head quickly and continued to pace the room. Garrett leaned over to me and whispered, "Is he going to tell us or....?" Garrett's hot breath landed on my collar bone. It sent chills down my spin. I swallowed a lump in my throat and tried my best to not shudder. I sucked in a quiet breath before answering.

"He will, eventually. Just give him a minute or two to warm up. He's basically practicing his speech right now." I whispered back to him.

Garrett nodded his head understanding the situation. Sure enough, about a minute later, John composed himself enough to stop pacing. He stood in front of the couch and sucked in a breath.

"I cannot believe her. How could she do this to us? To you?" John's eyes were wide and on me.

I felt four pairs of eyes land on me. John continued blabbering away though, as if this didn't phase him.

He began to pace once again, ranting and shaking his head. "I'm sorry guys, I just, I just need to vent, you know?" He asked the boys.

They all nodded their head in agreement. "Uh, John, I'd hate to push you and all, but we have no idea what you're talking about." Pat finally confessed what the guys' minds were all wondering.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. I'll tell you." John said confidently and continued on to tell them the news of how our father was to visit us sometime soon.

I was surprised about how open John was with these, well, almost strangers. We had only known them for two weeks now and John was connecting with them on a level that shocked me. He was pouring his heart and soul out to these guys. John and his friends never shared any personal issues or feelings back in Colorado-not that I expected them too. John had many problems with my father for various reasons too, but he never had anyone to open up to. I had seen his friends, and, well, they were jerks. They didn't care and whenever he tried to bring up a serious topic they would shut him out.

I may have not been involved in much of John's personal life, but I had witnessed it before my eyes. I knew how horrible and cruel his previous friends were and deep down, I really hope that he knew this too. His friends now, well, it's this huge, great, step for John. It amazes me how he managed to get such great friends. I thought he would go back to his old ways.

Not that John was ever bad or anything-he was a great kid. It was just that he surrounded himself with people who weren't so great.

"Do you have some issues with your dad or something?" Kennedy asked, still confused as was the rest of the guys.

John sighed. "You have no idea. He's sick, cruel, and overall just a complete asshole. He cheated, cheated, on our mom and she still wants him back," John scoffed and rolled his eyes. " He was horrible to June because-" John quickly stopped himself and his eyes shot over to me.

I caught my breath when he said my name, and when his words stopped short I released that long, overdue air.

"Sorry June. I didn't mean to." He quickly said, his eyes full of sorrow.

I nodded my head. "It's fine." I swallowed hard and my face was heating up as I felt the stares of Halvo, Pat, Garrett, and Kennedy on me.

John continued his rant about our father, not including the fact about what my father had said to me, or did.

"You wanna stay here for the night John? You know, to cool off?" Garrett asked.

John shrugged and his eyes connected with mine. "Would you be okay with that?" He asked me.

Yet again, I was embarrassed. I nodded my head limply. "Uh, yeah. Of course I'll be fine." I thought of arriving at home with my mother waiting patiently at the window. She would notice no car had dropped me off.

I needed to come up with some sort of an excuse.

"You can stay too June, if you want." Garrett offered.

I almost scoffed, but I held it back. The idea was ridiculous, and for me, completely irrational and out of the blue. My mother would never allow me to stay at a boy's house even if John was supervising and present.

And, I would be completely nervous, uncomfortable, and overall, beyond awkward.

"No, it's fine. "

The boys in the room continued on in conversation since John's rant was now over. Garrett looked over at me. "You sure?" His steady eyes shot straight through me. I noticed how they were studying my face and I wondered if he thought I was lying. It was as if he knew how much I was hurting on the inside. How I really would love to stay, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

I could lie....... I thought, but then erased the thought. His blue eyes were still on me. He could see right through me, I was convinced now. He knew how much I wanted to be apart of my brother's life and how much I enjoyed hanging out with his new friends, although they scared me deeply. Especially him. He knew how nervous I was around him.

He knew that something happened in my past that went wrong. Something had triggered this awkward, uncomfortable person I am. He knew that my mother and I were on a rocky relationship since we had moved here. He knew that Shane bothered me and I hated his cocky attitude, but I would forever love the boy because he's my brother.

He knew that I wanted to break through this anti-social human being that I am.

I nodded my head awkwardly with an unsteady beat. "I, uh, I'm sure."

He smiled weakly and nodded his head. "If you change your mind don't be afraid to ask. You're always welcomed here."

I was struck by his words. I was always welcomed here? I barely knew him! How could I be welcomed as a stranger in this unfamiliar home?

"Why?" My eyes widened when I noticed the single word that had spilled out of my mouth.

Halvo, John, Pat, and Kennedy made their way upstair in what I assumed was in search for food. Garrett sat next to me in place. He waited for the boys to get upstairs before turning back to me. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"I just," I sighed heavily. I needed to get this out now or it would never happen. "Let's be honest, we don't know each other that well. I've only been her for two weeks and I've really only known you for about a week and a half. The only logical reason to why you would offer me to spend the night is just because I'm John's sister."

John's sister; that's all that I ever was, and that's all that I'll ever be.

Garrett shook his head wildly, which made me chuckle softly. He placed his hand on my knee. His hand burned through my black skinny jeans. It took me a good ten seconds to remove my eyes from it. "You're my friend too June. Sure, John's my friend, but you being his sister means nothing to me. I would have been your friend anyway."

I could feel my whole face and eyes light up. I bit my lip to hold back a wide smile. Instead of saying the typical "thank you" I decided to express what I really felt.

"You have no idea what that means to me." My face turned red after speaking. Why must I embarrass myself so much?

I expected Garrett to laugh, but he didn't. His hand on my knee tightened and he offered me a smile. We sat there for what seemed like hours, but must have only been a minute of two. "I really like being your friend, you know." Garrett confessed, interrupting the silence.

I smiled. "I like being your friend too."

"What time is it?" Pat yawned and stretched out his arms.

We were currently in the Garrett's basement. Several hours has passed by now. We had watched about two movies-both comedies which I was grateful for (no horror movies).

Kennedy pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Twelve oh seven."

I knew I should be getting home. My mother was probably freaking out. John was on the floor already sleeping. His legs were spread out in different directions. Halvo eyed his curiously then looked up at me. "Does he always do that when he sleeps?"

I nodded my head. "Yeah, well, only when he falls asleep when he doesn't plan to. If he goes to bed in his bed he puts a pillow over his head covering his eyes. And he stays in place the whole night."

"You're kidding me!" Halvo laughed.

I shook my head. "Nope, not at all."

I was sitting on the couch along with Garrett. My heart rate picked up when he placed an arm around my shoulder. Never in my life had I been this close to a boy that wasn't related to me. Sad, I know, but it was true.

Garrett's head rested on my shoulder. He was dozing off slowly and I laughed softly to myself. I watched as Halvo, Kennedy, and Pat found a place to settle into a sleeping spot on the floor like John.

I started to get up saying, "I better get going."

Suddenly, Garrett's hand lightly held my arm and pulled me back to down. He snuggled in loser to me. "Nooo." He groaned.

"Gare," My eyes widened when I noticed I had cut his name short. I smiled when I saw a faint smile on his lips. I guess he liked the name.

"Don't leave. I don't want you too." He mumbled. He the proceeded to stretch his legs out on the couch. He made me move to in front of him. He pulled me down in front of him to lie. He rested an arm along my hip. I stared at in in shock. I felt my breathing become heavier and uneven. Oh god, oh god, oh god.

I quickly pulled out my phone. I texted my mother telling her that the friends that were ''girls'' were too tired to drive me home. I said that I would be spending the night at their house and returning in the morning.

I shut off the phone and slid it into my pocket. Almost instinctively, I moved in closer to Garrett, getting comfortable. His arm tightened around me and I felt his cheek on the side of my neck. Suddenly, it raised and he whispered, "You're staying right?"

"Yeah." I whispered back.

I could practically see the smile in his voice. "Good."