Ready When You Are

“Are you sure they won’t mind?”

“Nah,” Pat shook his head, closing the car door, “they like showing off. ‘Specially John and Kenny.”

I laughed as Pat opened his front door for me and we walked in. He led through his house and to a backroom lined with guitars as a gray dog chased us. Pat picked it up in his arms and gave it a kiss on the head. Pat was probably one of the more adorable human beings I had met in my entire life.

Inside the room, there were guitars and amps set up around the floor. John was fiddling with his acoustic guitar on a stool in the middle of the room.

“Kenley! Hey there lovely!” He greeted me.

Jared shot me a cute wave from the floor and Pat sat down at his drum kit.

“So Kenley is gonna sit it on the practice today, and she’ll tells us if we suck. Right Kenley?” Pat said, laughing a little.

I nodded awkwardly. “Uh, sure. I mean I’m sure you guys are great.”

Jared shook his head. “No, John actually sucks.”

“Love you too, babe.” John shot him a glance and laughed. They all seemed so close, like a family.

Garrett wasn’t anywhere I could see and neither was Kenny. I wondered if maybe Garrett was upset about this morning or I had done something wrong.

My question was soon answered.

“Hey guys,” Garrett said as he walked in the room, “so Trey might stop by and-“ he paused, “Oh hey Kenley what are you doing here?”

He walked over to the couch I was sitting on and sat down as he tuned his base, smiling at me.

“Pat kidnapped her.” Jared joked.

“Did not!” Pat shot up. “I saw her on my way back from the store and thought she might want to come. I was being a good friend!”

I laughed and caught Garrett looking at me, so I smiled up at him.

“Long time no see.” I said softly to him.

He smiled. “I think my family is in love with you. My mom asked when you were coming over next.”

Jared and John coughed in unison at the end of the room but Garrett rolled his eyes and ignored them, peering back over at me.

“Well if you offer up a Jedi: Academy duel or anything involving zombies, it might be sooner than you think.”

I was a little taken back by how forward I was being. I had never once in my life been so obvious that I wanted to do something with another person. And with a guy, none the less.

“Hey, lovebirds over there,” John shot over to us, bringing red to my cheeks, “either of you know where Brock is at?”

I let out a little cough remembering where I had saw them last night and Garrett and I exchanged a glance, trying to muffle our laughter.

“I dunno bro, he seemed a little busy at the party.” Garrett laughed. “Lee and I saw him and Em…” His voice trailed off and John let out a whistle.

Jared laughed a little and looked at the ground. Garrett gave me another smile as he got up with his bass and moved over to talk to Pat. I bit my lip eagerly as the door creaked open.

“Kenny!” John yelled out.

Kennedy waved over to him sloppily and rubbed his eyes. You could tell at a first glance that Kennedy had had a long night. He walked over to the mini fridge in the corner to grab water but stopped to look at me.

“Oh, hey Kenley.” He said, pointing at me. “Why are you here?”

I smiled awkwardly. “Pat saved me.”

“Yes, I saved her. Not kidnapped, Jared.”

Jared looked at me and we laughed. Kennedy looked into the distance and nodded to himself. He was terribly hung over. I noticed a little hickie on the side of his nick and felt my eyes bulge as I looked at the ground.

“Hey buddy,” John patted him on the back. “How’s ol’ Emerson doin’?”

Kennedy rolled his eyes and shot John a strict glance. Obviously whatever happened, it wasn’t exactly something he wanted to talk about. I sat back on the couch awkwardly and Kennedy picked up his guitar.

I turned to the door as Tim walked in.

“Alrighty boys!” He smiled, “Let’s get to it. We’ve got a show next week in Cali, and we need a setlist asap.”

John snapped his fingers and approached the mic, winking at me as he sucked in some air and began to sing. His voice was raspy and crisp, it sounded beautiful. And Jared looked so natural on guitar, as if his fingers flowed between strings. Kennedy sung back up with John and played guitar, and he looked so focused. Pat spent his time slamming on his drums and flicking his long black hair out of his face, but he was very, very passionate. Then there was Garrett, who probably moved around the most in the bunch. He looked so happy and carefree. You could really see his true personality.

I smiled to myself as John sang. I had no idea how talented my new friends were.

“Trust in us for all that you’ve got to say,

Take a look inside my heart,

Oh let’s get carried away.”

Tim sat next to me and watched the boys carefully, looking over at me every so often to judge my facial expressions. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get the smile off my face. They just looked so fresh and so happy. I couldn’t help but be proud to call them my friends.

When they finished, John let out long huffs of air and looked over at me.

“Whatcha think?” He asked.

I let out a bright smile. “Fantastic, really. You guys are just so… good. I mean it.”

Garrett shot me a rock-on symbol and a smile. They went right into the next song and I started to tap my foot a little, Tim still checking to make sure I was enjoying myself.

When the finished their practice, they all sat around the couch. Garrett took a seat next to me and Pat sat on my other side. Both of them were sweaty, but it was too late to try and get away from them now.

“You’re wet.” I whispered to Garrett.

He sniffed his shirt and nodded. “I smell too.”

I laughed and looked up at Tim, who was laughing to himself with his arms folded.

“So get the setlist finished, and then we should be good for the show. I talked to Em about subbing for Vito on merch-”

Kennedy let out a little groan and looked at the ground.

“Problem?” Tim asked.

Kennedy let out a motion that combined shaking his head and nodding. “Why Em? Why can’t Kenley do it?”

“Em always does it, Ken. And she’s already coming. So is Olivia so-” Tim explained.

John piped up, looking at Garrett with a devious smile. “Maybe Kenley should come, too. Ya know, keep Em’s bitching in check and maybe help her with merch.”

Garrett’s eyes shot to the ground and he played with his jeans nervously.

Tim shrugged and looked over at me. “It’s up to you, Kenley. I’m fine with that if the rest of the guys are.”

All the guys nodded in unison besides Garrett, who was still fiddling with his jeans.

I bit my lip. “I guess I could-”

“Great!” John shouted. “Be here this Thursday at noon.”

I nodded and checked my watch. It was already three in the afternoon, and Brendan was probably in a hissy. Then I remembered and my heart sank. How would I explain to him that I was going on a road trip with the exact group of people he didn’t want me to be with? I would either have to tell the truth and hope for the best, or lie.

“Well I should go.” I said. “Thanks for letting me stay.”

I got up to a chorus of “no!” and “stay!” But all I could do was smile and wave as I walked out the door. “Bye boys.” I said as I closed it.

Well, I guess I was walking home seeing as I didn’t have a car. I sighed and began the mile or so walk. All of a sudden, a heard breathing behind me.

“Lee! Let me drive you home.”

I turned to see Garrett fiddling with the keys by his bright yellow car. I went over to him and laughed.

“It’s ok, Gare. I can walk.”

“Well I can drive.” Garrett said, smiling his adorable smile as I surrendered and slid into the passenger seat of his car.

Garrett started the engine and turned down Pat’s driveway, nervously tapping the wheel of his car.

“Are you excited for the show?” Garrett asked. I paused, not sure of how to respond. Garrett didn’t exactly seem excited about the fact that I was going.

“Well, yeah,” I bit my lip, “I just feel like I’m intruding. You’re van is kinda small-”

Garrett shook his head quickly. “No, no, you don’t even take up that much space. Not that you’re too small I mean you’re a normal sized person but space isn’t a problem. You should be excited cause shows are so fun-”

I laughed and cut Garrett’s ramble off. “Gare, it’s fine. I know, I am very excited. I just want to make sure all the guys are ok with it-”

“NO they’re fine, they all like you a lot. I was hoping you would come.”

His answer satisfied me and I nodded. Garrett pulled up to the front of my apartment and I got out.

“Bye Gare.” I said through the window.

I turned to walk through entrance.

“WAIT!” Garrett yelled as he leaned out the passenger window facing me. “Do you want me to pick you up? Before Pat’s on Thursday, I mean.”

I nodded and let out a smile. “That’d be sweet. Thanks Garrett.”

I turned to walk in again.

“WAIT!” He yelled again as I turned around and smiled, faking annoyance, “I’ll only drive you under one condition.”

“And what would that be?”

Garrett leaned further out the window towards me. “You have to sit with me on the bus. ‘Cause Pat always tries to and his hair gets in my face and Jared smells and John is too tall and Kenny always sits with Em-”

I laughed and cut him off again. “I’d be honored Gare.”

Garrett slid back in his car looking like he had just won a gold medal. For the last time, I turned and went into my apartment complex.

I was hoping to hear one last “WAIT!” from a bright yellow sedan.

Instead, I heard my cell phone vibrate and the ding of an elevator beckoning me home. Even though, it hardly felt like a home.

It felt as if my home was moving somewhere else.