Symphony of Sound.
Polonaise.
“Yeah, I know it’s short notice, Dad, but I kind of need to be home for Christmas. I don’t really want to spend any more time than necessary in this hellhole of a place.”
“Alright, since you can’t get the day off now, we can meet at Aunt Carolyn’s for dinner if she doesn’t mind. I can’t see why she would, we are family.”
“I’ll call Andy after I’ve packed and see if she’s home, and if not I’ll just get him to take a message to ask her.”
“I’ll see you soon, Dad. Love you.”
Zack hangs up the phone and opens his door, almost knocking Rian out with it as he swings it wide.
“Any reason why you’re lurking outside my door?”
“You’re going home for Christmas?”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“You’re going to miss my birthday! For the first time since I’ve known you!”
“You still haven’t answered my question.”
“Alright, fine. I was outside your door because, lately, whenever you’ve gone in there on your own you’ve ended up crying. And because Evan made me.”
“Oh,” Zack replies with an amused smile, tugging at the hem of his dark blue tee and blushing a little internally.
“I can’t believe you’re not going to be here, though! For Christmas and my birthday?”
“I leave on the sixteenth. I’m flying out halfway then hopefully Andy or Carolyn should be able to come and get me.”
“That’s uncool, Zee.”
“Sorry, dude. I can’t help it.” Zack says with an apologetic shrug. “I kind of feel like I need to be home this Christmas and New Year. Spend it with family, for once, you know? It’ll be a nice change too, I guess.”
Rian pouts, and Zack pushes the undying urge to kiss him as far into the back of his mind as he can.
“And besides, I need to see my mom.” Zack finished with an almost shy smile, burying his hands in the pockets of his jeans before disappearing back into his room, realizing he forgot to call his cousin about Christmas.
Rian is internally freaking out –aside from the fact that Zack rarely, if ever, goes home for season breaks, the fact that he said he’s going to see his mom makes him even more concerned.
Zack’s mother has been dead since the boy was barely a day old. He knows full well that the younger boy has always believed that he could’ve done something to prevent her death, despite not even being able to make simple noises yet.
It was a classic case of mother lost during childbirth, struggling father left to deal with a child he was less than enthusiastic about having in the first place.
But they get by, Zack and his father, and that is enough for the both of them.
Zack calls his cousin, and after having a lengthy conversation about something utterly pointless, he finally gets around to asking about Christmas. Andy promises he will, and leaves Zack to pack all his things.
“Zack’s going home for Christmas.” Rian announces with a sigh as he throws himself down onto the couch opposite the fire, next to Alex and Jack, the former of which is absorbed in some children’s TV show that’s playing on the TV screen just above the fireplace.
“Really? Why?”
“He says it’s to see his mom.” Rian says, his dark eyes showing his concern. Jack frowns, ignoring that Alex is practically yelling ‘your map is in your fucking backpack, dumb bitch!’ right in his ear.
“But, his mom’s... Dead, right?”
Rian nods in a dejected sort of way, still sad for the younger boy about the fact that he never knew his mother.
“Then, what could he mean?”
“I don’t know. That’s why I’m worried.”
“It’s really odd.” Jack says, cocking his head and elbowing Alex in the side to get him to shut up while he thinks.
“When does he leave?” Jack asks after a long silence.
“The sixteenth.” Rian sighs, his shoulders dropping as it finally starts to sink in that his best friend won’t be around for his birthday. “Christmas is going to suck this year, dude.”
Jack raises an eyebrow at that glimmer of emotion that the older boy just showed –he’s been on the lookout for any signs that Rian felt the same way towards Zack as the younger boy did towards him ever since he found out.
Nothing major so far, he’s decided, but that little glimpse of something other than completely platonic friendship has him intrigued.
“Did he say when he’s coming back?”
“After New Year, I think.”
“Wow, that does suck. At least you have Cassadee, I suppose.”
“I guess, but it’s not the same, having your girlfriend there and not your best friend.”
Jack raises an eyebrow at this statement, too.
“But it’s better than nothing, right?”
“I guess so. I’d prefer it if he stayed, though.”
Zack appears in the doorway at that moment, and the two boys both turn to look at him in shock.
“What are you looking at me like that for?” Zack asks with a frown, pushing at Alex’s shoulder until he moves up enough for him to squash onto the sofa too.
“No reason.” Rian says sheepishly, glancing around the other two boys at him.
“Yeah, right. Whatever, Rian.”
Rian frowns, glances up at the TV (which is apparently showing some brightly coloured show which has Alex enraptured) before looking sideways at the younger boy.
The day of Zack’s departure arrives faster than any of them would’ve liked, the day after the Christmas break concert (they ended up playing Defying Gravity and Bad Romance).
He’s standing at the train stop, waiting for the train to come to take him to the airport. He’s flying to Nevada, then Andy is going to come and get him and take him back to Orange County.
Rian, Jack, Alex, Evan and Kara are with him to say goodbye. Mercifully, Cassadee is busy across campus somewhere on the phone to her sister.
“Stay safe, alright? I kind of want you to come back in one piece.” Evan says with a small laugh, squeezing his shoulder gently as a goodbye.
“I’ll try.” Zack replies with a weak smile.
The train pulls into the station behind him and everyone says their goodbyes and disperses –well, everyone except for Rian.
“Look after yourself, okay?” Rian says, pulling the younger boy in for a tight hug. “And you’d better call me at least twice.”
“Alright, alright, I will.” Zack replies, his voice a soft laugh. “Oh, and Ri? I have something for you.”
He digs around in his pockets until he finds a crisp white envelope, which he hands to the older boy gingerly, as though it’s his heart in paper form.
“Don’t open it until your birthday, alright? Jack knows about it, so don’t even try it.” He finishes, smirking as the dark haired boy pouts.
“No fair.”
“Sorry, Ri.” Zack says, shrugging and turning towards the train doors. “That’s just how it is sometimes.”
And with that, Zack is on the train and gone within a minute, speeding away towards the airport.
Rian sighs heavily and looks at the envelope, slotting it into his pocket and turning, heading back through the gates towards school.
Andy is waiting for him at the airport when he lands a good few hours later.
He finds the older boy leaning up against his beat up, old, piece of crap of a car right outside the main exit of the airport. He grins, bounds over to the younger boy and engulfs him in a tight hug.
“Zee!”
“Hey, Andy.” Zack replies, wrapping his arms around the older boy.
It’s odd, how much they look alike, really, considering they’re only cousins. They have the same face shape, same almost unnaturally pale skin and cute little nose. The only real difference is that Andy has dark brown hair to Zack’s blonde, and gray eyes to Zack’s green.
“Come on, I have the new Good Charlotte record in the car. We can get it all listened to on the way there.”
“Are we going to end up as the last ones back?” Zack says with a small laugh, and Andy shakes his head, laughing gently.
“Not as far as I know. We were still waiting on Holly and John to get down from Washington when I left.” Andy replies, drumming absently on the steering wheel as they wait at the stop lights to get out of the airport parking lot.
It takes them a good few hours to get back to Carolyn’s house –during which the two of them have caught up on the time they’ve missed while Zack’s been away at school.
“And that’s why my winter thus far has been crap.” Andy says with a laugh as he clambers out of the car, slamming the door shut after him.
“You know what my winter’s been like.” Zack replies with a heavy sigh. Andy smiles weakly at him and laughs gently.
“Chin up, Zee. It’s almost Christmas.”
“Alright, since you can’t get the day off now, we can meet at Aunt Carolyn’s for dinner if she doesn’t mind. I can’t see why she would, we are family.”
“I’ll call Andy after I’ve packed and see if she’s home, and if not I’ll just get him to take a message to ask her.”
“I’ll see you soon, Dad. Love you.”
Zack hangs up the phone and opens his door, almost knocking Rian out with it as he swings it wide.
“Any reason why you’re lurking outside my door?”
“You’re going home for Christmas?”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“You’re going to miss my birthday! For the first time since I’ve known you!”
“You still haven’t answered my question.”
“Alright, fine. I was outside your door because, lately, whenever you’ve gone in there on your own you’ve ended up crying. And because Evan made me.”
“Oh,” Zack replies with an amused smile, tugging at the hem of his dark blue tee and blushing a little internally.
“I can’t believe you’re not going to be here, though! For Christmas and my birthday?”
“I leave on the sixteenth. I’m flying out halfway then hopefully Andy or Carolyn should be able to come and get me.”
“That’s uncool, Zee.”
“Sorry, dude. I can’t help it.” Zack says with an apologetic shrug. “I kind of feel like I need to be home this Christmas and New Year. Spend it with family, for once, you know? It’ll be a nice change too, I guess.”
Rian pouts, and Zack pushes the undying urge to kiss him as far into the back of his mind as he can.
“And besides, I need to see my mom.” Zack finished with an almost shy smile, burying his hands in the pockets of his jeans before disappearing back into his room, realizing he forgot to call his cousin about Christmas.
Rian is internally freaking out –aside from the fact that Zack rarely, if ever, goes home for season breaks, the fact that he said he’s going to see his mom makes him even more concerned.
Zack’s mother has been dead since the boy was barely a day old. He knows full well that the younger boy has always believed that he could’ve done something to prevent her death, despite not even being able to make simple noises yet.
It was a classic case of mother lost during childbirth, struggling father left to deal with a child he was less than enthusiastic about having in the first place.
But they get by, Zack and his father, and that is enough for the both of them.
Zack calls his cousin, and after having a lengthy conversation about something utterly pointless, he finally gets around to asking about Christmas. Andy promises he will, and leaves Zack to pack all his things.
“Zack’s going home for Christmas.” Rian announces with a sigh as he throws himself down onto the couch opposite the fire, next to Alex and Jack, the former of which is absorbed in some children’s TV show that’s playing on the TV screen just above the fireplace.
“Really? Why?”
“He says it’s to see his mom.” Rian says, his dark eyes showing his concern. Jack frowns, ignoring that Alex is practically yelling ‘your map is in your fucking backpack, dumb bitch!’ right in his ear.
“But, his mom’s... Dead, right?”
Rian nods in a dejected sort of way, still sad for the younger boy about the fact that he never knew his mother.
“Then, what could he mean?”
“I don’t know. That’s why I’m worried.”
“It’s really odd.” Jack says, cocking his head and elbowing Alex in the side to get him to shut up while he thinks.
“When does he leave?” Jack asks after a long silence.
“The sixteenth.” Rian sighs, his shoulders dropping as it finally starts to sink in that his best friend won’t be around for his birthday. “Christmas is going to suck this year, dude.”
Jack raises an eyebrow at that glimmer of emotion that the older boy just showed –he’s been on the lookout for any signs that Rian felt the same way towards Zack as the younger boy did towards him ever since he found out.
Nothing major so far, he’s decided, but that little glimpse of something other than completely platonic friendship has him intrigued.
“Did he say when he’s coming back?”
“After New Year, I think.”
“Wow, that does suck. At least you have Cassadee, I suppose.”
“I guess, but it’s not the same, having your girlfriend there and not your best friend.”
Jack raises an eyebrow at this statement, too.
“But it’s better than nothing, right?”
“I guess so. I’d prefer it if he stayed, though.”
Zack appears in the doorway at that moment, and the two boys both turn to look at him in shock.
“What are you looking at me like that for?” Zack asks with a frown, pushing at Alex’s shoulder until he moves up enough for him to squash onto the sofa too.
“No reason.” Rian says sheepishly, glancing around the other two boys at him.
“Yeah, right. Whatever, Rian.”
Rian frowns, glances up at the TV (which is apparently showing some brightly coloured show which has Alex enraptured) before looking sideways at the younger boy.
The day of Zack’s departure arrives faster than any of them would’ve liked, the day after the Christmas break concert (they ended up playing Defying Gravity and Bad Romance).
He’s standing at the train stop, waiting for the train to come to take him to the airport. He’s flying to Nevada, then Andy is going to come and get him and take him back to Orange County.
Rian, Jack, Alex, Evan and Kara are with him to say goodbye. Mercifully, Cassadee is busy across campus somewhere on the phone to her sister.
“Stay safe, alright? I kind of want you to come back in one piece.” Evan says with a small laugh, squeezing his shoulder gently as a goodbye.
“I’ll try.” Zack replies with a weak smile.
The train pulls into the station behind him and everyone says their goodbyes and disperses –well, everyone except for Rian.
“Look after yourself, okay?” Rian says, pulling the younger boy in for a tight hug. “And you’d better call me at least twice.”
“Alright, alright, I will.” Zack replies, his voice a soft laugh. “Oh, and Ri? I have something for you.”
He digs around in his pockets until he finds a crisp white envelope, which he hands to the older boy gingerly, as though it’s his heart in paper form.
“Don’t open it until your birthday, alright? Jack knows about it, so don’t even try it.” He finishes, smirking as the dark haired boy pouts.
“No fair.”
“Sorry, Ri.” Zack says, shrugging and turning towards the train doors. “That’s just how it is sometimes.”
And with that, Zack is on the train and gone within a minute, speeding away towards the airport.
Rian sighs heavily and looks at the envelope, slotting it into his pocket and turning, heading back through the gates towards school.
Andy is waiting for him at the airport when he lands a good few hours later.
He finds the older boy leaning up against his beat up, old, piece of crap of a car right outside the main exit of the airport. He grins, bounds over to the younger boy and engulfs him in a tight hug.
“Zee!”
“Hey, Andy.” Zack replies, wrapping his arms around the older boy.
It’s odd, how much they look alike, really, considering they’re only cousins. They have the same face shape, same almost unnaturally pale skin and cute little nose. The only real difference is that Andy has dark brown hair to Zack’s blonde, and gray eyes to Zack’s green.
“Come on, I have the new Good Charlotte record in the car. We can get it all listened to on the way there.”
“Are we going to end up as the last ones back?” Zack says with a small laugh, and Andy shakes his head, laughing gently.
“Not as far as I know. We were still waiting on Holly and John to get down from Washington when I left.” Andy replies, drumming absently on the steering wheel as they wait at the stop lights to get out of the airport parking lot.
It takes them a good few hours to get back to Carolyn’s house –during which the two of them have caught up on the time they’ve missed while Zack’s been away at school.
“And that’s why my winter thus far has been crap.” Andy says with a laugh as he clambers out of the car, slamming the door shut after him.
“You know what my winter’s been like.” Zack replies with a heavy sigh. Andy smiles weakly at him and laughs gently.
“Chin up, Zee. It’s almost Christmas.”