You Had Me At Hello

October 8th – Midday.

“What happened then?” Lainey questions me, and I look over to her, sighing loudly, it was like she just wanted the details of my trip and that was it, she’d always been like this though, only ever interested in the gossip.
“Matt is perfect” I mutter to Lainey, keeping my eyes from her ones and she smirks at me, before her lips twitch down in annoyance as she looks me over.

“What aren’t you telling me?” Lainey questions me, her blue eyes splitting as she stares at me, attempting to connect our eyes and my brown orbs wonder to the TV away from her gaze.
“Nothing” I mutter softly, keeping my eyes glued to the TV and focusing on the show flashing at us.

“Maria West tell me what the fuck happened now” Lainey commands me, her tone was aggressive and I instantly start crack under the pressure, sighing softly and sinking lower into the couch.
“It’s nothing really” I tell her softly, my voice small and she narrows her eyes at me, silently pressuring me further, making me cave.

“Brian, Gena, Johnny and Lacey didn’t like me” I tell her softly, and Lainey stares at me questionably, she never seemed to give a shit what people thought of her, I was jealous.
“Well you didn’t go there for them to like you, you went there to be with Matt” Lainey tells me, and I nod my head, Lainey may not have been the most reliable kind of friend, but she was my best friend and she always usually made me feel better.

“I know I did, but Matt and Brian argued about me” I tell her softly biting my lip as I look in to her blue eyes, and her head tilts in question.
“What do you mean they argued? Like words or fists” She questions me softly, seeming to take a different approach then her usual aggressive one, sliding close to me and leaning her body towards me.
“Fist fight from what I saw of Matt” I tell her softly and she sighs, shaking her head in almost disgust and annoyance.

“Seriously? Wow, why didn’t they like you?” Lainey questions me, it felt good to be able to tell someone, knowing I wouldn’t have to worry about them blabbing it, and I sigh softly, running my fingers through my hair.
“They thought I was using Matt” I tell Lainey, rolling my eyes as I chuckle to myself and she chokes out a laugh, snorting loudly, finding the amusement in that just like I had started too.
“Oh my god, seriously? What wankers, I bet the girls were bitchy too, they look it” Lainey says in a nasty voice, , while rolling her eyes as she sticks her hand in the bowl of popcorn, scooping a handful out, this was the one of the things I disliked about Lainey, how nasty she could get

“You can’t judge someone” I mutter to her, diverting my eyes to the TV and Lainey snorts again, rather unattractively.
“From that tone, they were judging you, what did they all say to you so I can knock them out” She questions me, and I look over to her, rolling my eyes, she would probably never do it anyway, but I felt the need to keep her happy.
“Why would I tell you what they said if you plan to knock them out?” I ask her and she grins at me, she was enjoying this, I could tell by the way her eyes would light up.
“You need someone to defend you” Lainey tells me and I roll my eyes at her, she’d never do it publically, she never had, Lainey was too selfish for that.
“I need to grow a bloody backbone” I tell her, it was true, I’d spent so long not defending myself, and she shakes her head, rolling her eyes almost mockingly as if I wasn't capable to do so.

“No, people need to stop being cunts” Lainey mutters, and from her tone I knew she was truly annoyed at the fact someone had made me upset, and silence creeps upon as Greg appears in the doorway, Zach standing in front of him as they walk in, Greg’s hand on Zach’s shoulder as he leads him into the room.
“We have an ear wigger on our hands” Greg jokes loudly, his green eyes looking down to my baby brother, and my brown eyes connect with Zach’s glistening blue ones, seeing guilt flash through them like lightening.
I roll my eyes, smiling at Zach, immediately forgiving him for listening to my conversation, I could never stay mad at him.
“As long as he doesn’t go blabbing my secrets I’m okay with that for now” I tell him jokingly, my tone holding light scolding towards my brother.

Zach smiles at me apologetically, his eyes swirling with emotion as I pat the place beside me softly, and he quickly comes to sit beside me while Greg flops beside Lainey, curling into her slightly causing Lainey to look down at him, her face pulled in a frown.
I look over to her, watching as she bites her lip while Greg places his head on her stomach, closing his eyes while I wrap my arm around Zach’s shoulder.

Not seconds later, Brian appears my chirping phone in his hand, before he looks over to Lainey and Greg.
“Greg, get up. We have an interview” Brian says, sending Lainey a small smile as she smiles at him thankfully before he chucks my phone to me, and I let it fall in my lap.
Greg falls to the floor, muttering under his breath as I look down to the screen, my eyes furrowing together.
“What’s up?” Lainey questions me, her eyes trained on Greg as he exits the back lounge, glancing back at Lainey quickly.

“It’s an unknown number” I mutter to her, and Zach’s face leans towards the screen, his own eyebrows scrunching up.
“Answer it” Lainey says, shrugging her shoulders and I roll my eyes at her while Zach shakes his head to me, sending Lainey a deep glare, he never really liked her, but then neither did Jake.
“What if it’s a crazy fan or some shit” Zach questions me as I raise the phone up to my ear, pressing the green button as I shrug my shoulders, ‘YOLO’ and all that shit.

“Hello?” My voice holds uncertainty as I close my eyes briefly, leaning my head back onto the soft cushions.
“Maria?” And unfamiliar voice questions and I scrunch my eyebrows together, looking straight ahead as I open them, staring at the brightly decorated lounge door.
“Yes, may I ask who’s calling please?” I question politely, my brows furrowing delicately while Lainey and Zach stare at me, and I hear the person on the opposite end sigh softly.
“Maria, it’s Gena” The soft voice says to me, and my eyes widen in shock, I was not expecting that one.

“Oh”
“Please don’t hang up” She says quickly, and my eyes widen further, I hadn’t even thought of doing that, “I know I was a bitch, and there’s no excuse, I shouldn’t have done it, but I’m so sorry. You didn’t deserve any of what I threw at you. You’re not fat, or ugly or anything else. I was just being a fucking bitch and I’m so sorry-”
“Gena, it’s okay, I forgive you” I tell her softly, cutting her off quickly, listening to someone apologise to me for a silly thing that she obviously regretted was not on my list of things to do today, plus I’d already forgiven her, I didn’t want the apology. Lainey snaps her head around to me, her eyes widening as she mouths at me to put it on loud speaker and I quickly shake my head to Lainey, moving my eyes down to my legs and keeping them focused there.

“You shouldn’t” She tells me as Zach puts his ear beside my phone, listening in on my conversation and my hand slaps him away softly as she breathes deeply again, “I shouldn’t have said any of those things to you, none of us should have said those things too you. We should have welcomed you with warm arms, you were scared and we made it worse. I’m so sorry” Gena says, and I hear her sniffle slightly, she was obviously upset by what she’d done.
“Oh, it’s err- it’s fine Gena” I say softly and I hear another sniffle from her side, she was starting to make me feel guilty, which I shouldn’t be.

“It’s not though, we were so rude to you and you just took it. I’m so sorry. And Brian, what Brian said, please don’t take it to heart, Matt does want you. Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I mean I made you cry. I’m such a bitch” Gena rushes out, and Zach freezes up beside me, pulling himself away from the phone and storming out of the small lounge area, anger radiating from his body.

Brian Haner was one of his heroes, so to just hear what she said, I was sure he’d gladly go and rip most of his stuff up concerning him now, and I didn’t want him to be disappointed in Brian, Zach adored him.

“Gena, I appreciate you calling and apologising, but I have to go now” I tell her, my voice showing how awkward I currently felt as I bite my lip, wanting to chase after Zach.

“Oh” She exclaims, understanding seeping into her tone, “I totally understand, I mean you’re probably really busy. Erm, have a good day and I’ll hopefully see you soon!” She exclaims to me, and I sigh softly as I run my fingers through my hair again.
“You too Gena, bye” I say back, not waiting for her to reply before I hang up on the woman, placing my phone in my pocket, raising my eyes to meet Lainey’s slitted blue ones, she looked angry.

“They made you cry?” She questions me, and I groan loudly, standing from the sofa, I so did not want to talk about this right now.
“Lainey, please” I say softly and an angrier look crosses her face, she was going to get dramatic, I could tell.
“WHAT THE FUCK” She shouts, standing up and pacing across the room, her stance angrier than Zach’s had been, “Those low life wankers made you cry?!” She practically screams, and I almost growl lowly, this is not what I wanted.
“LAINEY!” I exclaim loudly, and my best friend pauses, turning to me with her eyes wide and her mouth hanging down slightly, I’d never reacted like this before.
“I can sort my own problems out, stop treating me like I’m four” I tell her strictly, and her eyes remain wide as she stares at me, shock on her face as she remains paused, before a smile starts creeping up onto her face.

“I think Matt’s doing you good” Lainey murmurs to me, a small smirk coming onto her face and I roll my eyes at her, I was getting better before Matt came along, he was just helping me along.

“I’m treating myself good” I reply, sighing as I start walking to the bunk area, Lainey following behind me as my eyes drift over the bunks, they were all empty, but you could tell who’s was who’s just from how they were all decorated, Damien had a toy unicorn on his pillow as well as a couple pictures, mine had a batman blanket that Jacob bought for me when we were fourteen, the back wall covered in pictures from when we were four to know, me still at twenty two. Greg’s was simpler, the only thing noticeable in his bunk was a blanket, made by Nana, the few pictures he had, one of him and Sophia, the family and him and all of his best friends, Brian’s was a lot like Greg’s except his had a handmade pillow from Nana and one single picture of the family before Jake died, the same one Greg had hung up.
Sebastian's bunk was a perfect mixture of him and Gracie, silk sheets that were obviously Grace’s with Seb’s blanket folded neatly at the top, everything in perfect order, photo’s covering the back wall, just like mine.
Zach’s was simple, a skateboard and Mickey Mouse sheets, and Brendon’s was almost bare except a few photos and the blanket mum had bought him when he first moved in with us.

“Yeah, but I haven’t heard you speak like that since we were like fifteen!” Lainey exclaims from behind me as we walk through the small kitchenette, it was clean, Sebastian had probably scrubbed it clean after seeing the mess Damien had left for him last night, his OCD not being able to handle the mess, my eyes find Zach speaking to Brendon, sat on the new leather couches.
“I’m growing my backbone back” I mutter to Lainey, before collapsing in between Zach and Brendon, wrapping my arms around them as Lainey rolls her eyes at me before going to the front of the bus in an almost stroppy manner and shutting the door behind her.

“What’s up with her?” Brendon questions me softly, looking up from a piece of paper in his hands and I shake my head, sending him a large smile.
“I’m assuming she’s on a constant period at the moment” I joke, and Brendon snorts out a laugh, his blue eyes shining as he smirks at me, nodding his head before his eyes flicker back to his piece of paper.

“Or someone over stepped a mark” Zach mutters, not loud enough for Brendon to hear and I look down to my little brother, before I rest my head against his, in a motherly way.
“Find the good in people” I whisper to Zach, his blue eyes the exact same shade as Brendon’s becoming clear, the anger leaving them as he wraps his arms around my waist while I wrap my arms around his shoulders, kissing his temple lightly.

“I love you Ria” He murmurs to me, closing his eyes as he yawns softly, he looked tired as he shuffles himself to spread across the couch, and Brendon peeped over to us, a fond smile on his face as he watches us.
“I love you too Zee” I whisper down to him as I run my fingers through his black hair, my eyes staring down at his face as it becomes peaceful, he was the carbon copy of Jacob, and I knew that if Jake was still here, he would have acted the same way.