Maybe It's Not My Weekend, But It's Gonna Be My Year

Jack’s POV
Donna and I walked off of the parking lot, holding hands. We didn’t have to say anything, yet we both knew we felt the same and wanted the same. We were both quiet, but it wasn’t an awkward silence, it was a nice silence.
‘I’m sorry for making you wait’ I said after a while.
‘Don’t worry about it’ she said with her beautiful smile. ‘We still have plenty of time. I guess I was a bit early. Where are we going anyway?’
‘I have no idea, you tell me’ I replied.
‘We could go to the park?’ she suggested.
I nodded. ‘Okay, where is it?’
‘That way’ she said as she pointed at a street on our right.
We crossed the road and went into the street she pointed at. After a couple of minutes of walking we got to a park.
‘So where are we going now?’ I asked.
‘Oh, I know this really cool place at the edge of the park from where you can uhm… well, it just has a beautiful view…’ she said.
‘Well, show me’ I said with a smile.

Donna started to walk, but I pulled her back, so that we were now standing face to face. I kissed her gently. I let go of her hand and placed my hands on her hips. After a couple of minutes I stepped back.
‘Let’s go’ I said smiling.
She grabbed my hand again and led me towards a corner of the park.
‘This is always a very quiet place. I don’t know why, because it’s beautiful but no one seems to know about it’ she said.
She then led me into some bushes.
‘Are you gonna kill me here?’ I asked grinning.
She turned around.
‘Obviously’ she replied with a wink.
She turned back around and led me through the bushes.

When we got out of them on the other side, I saw what she was talking about. From this place you had a beautiful view on the lake.
‘How did you find this place?’ I asked. ‘You just randomly walked through those bushes and found it?’
‘Haha no’ she replied. ‘Me and the son of those friends we’re visiting used to play out here, a long time ago. We once found it accidentally while playing hide and seek or something. We’ve spend a lot of time here ever since.’

She sat down in the grass. I sat down next to her.
‘You’re right though, it’s beautiful here’ I said.
I put my arm around her waist and she laid her head on my shoulder.
‘I wish we could just stay here’ she whispered.
I nodded. ‘Me too’ I agreed with her.
‘Do you think we will see each other again after we leave here?’ she asked.
I could tell she was worried about never seeing me again.
‘We’ll find a way’ I said. ‘I’m sure we can make this work’.
She lifted her head from my shoulder.
‘Jack?’ she asked.
‘Hmm?’ I replied.
‘If we’re gonna make this work, I want some sort of commitment’ she said.
‘What do you mean?’ I asked her.
‘I mean that I want it to be official’ she said. ‘If we’re gonna be so far away, I want to be your girlfriend. I want to know where I stand’
‘Is that your way of asking me if I want to be with you?’ I asked grinning.
She looked at me. ‘It’s not funny!’ she said.
‘Yes it is’ I replied smiling. ‘It’s cute. You could just ask if I wanted to be with you. You know I didn’t go to college, so keep it simple please’
She looked at me.
‘Don’t make fun of me or I will slap you’ she said laughing.
‘Well, if you’re into that…’ I joked.
‘Oh yeah, totally’ she replied. ‘But I’m not supposed to ask you to be my boyfriend! That’s just wrong’
‘No, if you would propose to me, that would be wrong, but this isn’t’ I said.
‘Jerk’ she replied smiling.
‘Okay fine’ I said grinning. ‘Donna, do you wanna be my girlfriend?’
She smiled.
‘Of course’ she replied grinning.
I smiled. ‘Good’ I whispered.
I kissed her gently. After a few minutes my phone buzzed in my pocket. I kissed Donna on her forehead and then grabbed my phone out of my pocket.

Dude, where are you? We have to leave!

I looked at the clock on my phone, 15 past 12… Damn.
‘Who is it?’ Donna asked.
‘Alex’ I replied. ‘I have to go, they’re waiting for me…’
‘Oh okay’ she replied.
We got up, and walked towards the bushes.
‘Do you want me to walk you home?’ I asked her.
She shook her head. ‘No, just go back to the venue, I’ll come with you. I know my way back to the hotel’
‘Are you sure?’ I asked her.
She nodded, while we got out of the bushes. The park was more crowded now. This must look weird, us coming out of the bushes in a park, I thought. Donna didn’t seem to care though.

We soon got to the venue, where everybody was waiting for us. Well, for me really.
‘Finally!’ Matt exclaimed when he saw us. ‘All of you, get on the bus’.
The crew and Zack and Rian got on the bus. Summer and Alex however, were still standing outside with Matt. We walked up to them.
‘Ah, are you together? That’s so cute!’ Summer exclaimed.
‘Uh yeah very cute’ Alex said.
‘But we do have to leave now’ Matt said.
‘Just get on the bus and I’ll be on in a minute’ I said.
Luckily they did as I asked them to. That didn’t happen often.
‘I’m gonna miss you’ I told Donna.
‘Why is everybody spying on us through the window?’ she asked. ‘It freaks me out’
I turned around, and saw Alex, Summer, Zack, Rian, Matt, Vinny and Evan at the window.
‘Ignore them’ I said.
‘Well, I’m gonna miss you too’ she replied.
I kissed her, for the last time in a while. I heard an ‘ahhh’ coming from the bus, but ignored it.
‘I’ll call you’ I whispered as I stepped back.
‘Have fun’ she said smiling.
‘Thanks’ I replied. ‘Bye girlfriend’.
She smiled. ‘Bye boyfriend’.
‘Jack! Hurry the fuck up!’ Matt yelled.
‘I have to go’ I said.
‘I figured’ she replied.
I hugged her one last time, and then turned around and got on to the bus.

Rian’s POV
Just as we drove off of the parking lot, my phone rang. I figured it had to be Jess. I looked on the screen and indeed, it was Jess. I went into my bunk and then answered her.
‘Hey babe’ I said.
‘Hey’ she replied.
She sounded a lot happier than yesterday.
‘So everything’s okay now? How did they catch him?’
‘Well, after I called you and Jason the police, he suddenly showed up to see if I was ready to go. Jason quickly got out of the house and called the police that Chad was at my house. He then waited for them outside. Luckily Chad didn’t see the police and they got in on time to arrest him. Being the jerk he is, he immediately gave them the names of his friends so that he wouldn’t have to go to jail longer’ she explained.
‘Oh okay. How are you now?’ I asked her.
‘Better’ she replied. ‘Jason’s been staying here just to make sure nothing happens’
‘Okay good’ I said. ‘I really wished I could be with you now…’
‘Me too, but you’re living your dream babe. Enjoy that, I’ll be okay’ she said.
‘Oh really?’ I joked. ‘Because I think you were in jail now if it wasn’t for me.’
‘Too soon Rian, too soon’ she replied bitterly.
‘Okay sorry, you’re right’ I said.
‘So how’s the tour going?’ she asked.
‘It’s going great! Well, things in the band aren’t going so great though’ I said.
‘Why not? What’s going on?’ she asked.
‘Well as you know, Summer’s with Alex and…’I started.
‘What? Is Summer dating Alex? Tell her she’s a bitch for not telling me!’ she interrupted me.
‘Summer!’ I yelled.
‘Yeah?’ She asked as she walked towards my bunk.
‘Jess wants me to tell you you’re a bitch for not telling her about you and Alex’ I said.
‘Oh yeah… I forgot about that… Tell her I’m sorry and that I’ll call her later’ Summer replied.
‘Summer forgot about it’ I told Jess. ‘She’s sorry and she’ll call you later’
‘Yeah, she’d better’ Jess said. ‘But what’s going on with the guys?’
Summer walked back to the seating.
‘Well, as you know Zack is in love with Summer as well, and he’s kind of really mad at Alex and Summer, so yeah that kind of sucks… I hope they’ll make it right’ I explained.
‘Yeah they’d better. Why did Summer pick Alex?’ she asked.
‘Because she’s not in love with Zack’ I replied.
‘Hmm… she should be. He’d make a better boyfriend for her’ she said.
‘You think so? Why?’ I asked.
‘Because Zack is usually more committed when it comes to relationships and Summer could use that. I’m not saying that Alex will cheat on her, but you know, when alcohol’s involved, Alex tends to do things he shouldn’t do’ Jess said.
‘I guess… I don’t know, I’m trying to stay out of it’ I replied.
‘Yeah I guess that’s the best thing you can do… So what else is going on?’ she asked.
‘Oh yeah, Jack has a girlfriend’ I told her.
‘Really? Ah, how cute! Who?’ Jess asked.
‘You don’t know her… She isn’t famous or something, she and her band supported us the first night of the tour. Her name’s Donna. They’re actually pretty cute together. Jack really seems to like her’ I said.
‘Good. He could use somebody to love’ Jess said.
‘You say that about everybody’ I noticed.
‘Yeah well, everybody needs somebody to love. We’d all be happy then’ she said.
‘Yeah well, be the change you wanna see in the world, huh?’ I said smiling.
‘Exactly. So hey, you’re home the second week of September right?’ she asked.
‘Yeah, why?’ I replied.
‘Well, this bar in Baltimore asked us to perform there that week, and well, you probably don’t feel like coming but I’d…’ she started.
‘Of course I’m coming’ I interrupted her. ‘I wouldn’t wanna miss it’
‘Really?’ she asked enthusiastic.
‘Yeah of course! It’s been too long since I had the chance to see you perform, I won’t let this one pass. What made you think I wouldn’t want to come?’ I asked.
‘I don’t know, we kinda suck’ she said.
‘No, you don’t. You have an amazing voice and Nate, Pete and Matt are great musicians. And even if you weren’t I’d still be coming, because you’re my girlfriend’ I replied.
‘Well okay then… Look baby, I gotta go, band practice!’ she said.
‘Cool, tell the guys I said hi, okay?’ I said.
‘Will do, same for you’ she replied. ‘I love you’.
‘I love you too’ I replied, and then hung up.

Zack’s POV
Now that I was stuck with them on a bus for a couple of hours, we might as well try to solve this. Rian was in his bunk listening to music, Jack and Vinny were having a heart-to-heart and the rest of the crew members were playing some Xbox game. I sat down next to Summer and Alex.
‘Well, now that we’re stuck on this bus for a couple of hours, we might as well try to work this out’ I suggested.
‘Yeah, you’re right’ Alex said.
He just seemed happy I was talking to him again.
‘Well, I’m proud of you’ Summer said.
‘Look, you don’t wanna quit the band, and I don’t want you to quit either. You probably want me to quit, but still… I may not have showed it very much the past days, but you’re one of my best friends and I do care about you Zack, and I don’t wanna lose your over this.’ Alex said.
I looked at him.
‘Look, I care about you too, of course I do, and I don’t want you to leave the band either, but I do want you to know that you really hurt me, and that I don’t think this is how friendship is supposed to be. And it’s kind of weird that you were constantly telling me that you wanted me to be with Summer and now you’re with her…’ I replied.
‘I know, and you’re absolutely right. I still think you’d be a better boyfriend for her than I could ever be’ Alex said.
‘Hello, I’m still here’ Summer said. ‘You don’t get to chose who’s right and wrong for me’.
‘Well no, but I just know Zack is a better boyfriend. Not just for you, for anyone really. I can’t make a relationship last… I can’t commit’ I said. ‘Look Sum, I love you, but I’m never gonna be the boyfriend you deserve’.
‘Okay Alex, this is not about who’s better for Summer since she wants you. This is about how we are going to make this work’ I said.
‘Oh yeah, you’re right’ Alex replied. ‘What do you suggest?’
‘Well, I’m not gonna ask you to breakup, because that would make you feel just as bad as I feel now, and wouldn’t wish that on anyone. I would however appreciate it if you wouldn’t rub your relationship in my face, because I really don’t need to see you constantly making out.’ I said.
‘Well, yeah of course, we get that’ Summer said. Alex nodded.
‘And I don’t want to lose my best friends’ I said. ‘I know how these things work. You get together, and you’ll just forget about me…’
‘Zack, look at me’ Summer said. ‘We are not going to forget about you! You’re my best friend, and you’ll always be! I don’t want you to ever forget that or to even think that we’ll forget about you! Come here’
She hugged me. After a while she let go of me.
‘Zachary Steven Merrick, you will always be my best friend, and I love you’ she said, looking at me. ‘Just because I’m with Alex doesn’t mean our friendship can’t be the same, does it…?’
‘I guess…’ I replied.
I didn’t know if I could just be friends with her like we were before. I didn’t know if this didn’t change anything for me. It could.
‘Please… Just… Whatever you’re gonna do, remember that’ she said.
I looked at Alex.
‘I thought we were gonna have this talk’ I told him.
‘Uh yeah… I pretty much agree with Summer… Of course we’re not gonna forget about you and we won’t rub our relationship in your face’ he said.
‘Fine, we’ll just see how this works out’ I said. ‘But don’t expect me to be happy for you…’
‘We don’t’ Alex replied.

Summer’s POV
‘Thanks Zack’ I said. ‘For being the best friend I could wish for’
‘Yeah sure’ he replied.
I had a feeling he didn’t really like it when I called him my friend… Well, I loved him but he had to know that my friend was what he was.
‘I’m gonna call Jess’ I said, and I walked towards my bunk and got into it. I dialed Jess’ number. She answered really quickly.
‘I wanna hear everything!’ she exclaimed immediately.
‘Well, it’s definitely not all that romantic’ I replied. ‘Everything is actually kind of messed up’.
‘Yeah, Rian told me. So why Alex?’ she asked me.
‘Why Alex? What kind of question is that? Why are you with Rian?’ I asked confused.
‘Because I couldn’t pick Zack. No, okay, I’ll be serious. Well, I didn’t have boys waiting in line for me’ she said.
‘No, you’re with Rian because he’s perfect for you’ I said.
‘Yes, but what makes you think Alex is perfect for you?’ Jess asked.
‘A guy doesn’t have to be perfect for me, he just has to be good enough for me’ I said.
‘Sweety, you’re not picky enough, you shouldn’t settle for less than you deserve’ Jess said.
‘What’s that supposed to mean? You think Alex isn’t good enough for me?’ I asked offended.
She sighed. ‘I’m just saying that I know Alex, and he’s a great guy and I love him, but he’s just not the greatest boyfriend. Let’s face it, you and I have both seen him cheat on most of his girlfriends’.
‘Well, he grew up’ I defended him.
‘Please just be careful with him, Sum’ Jess said.
‘I will, you don’t have to worry about me’ I replied.
‘I hope you’re right’ she said.
‘So how are you dealing with this whole thing?’ I asked, after a short silence.
‘It’s okay now’ she replied. ‘With Chad behind bars… I just really wished Rian was here to tell me it’s all gonna be okay, you know…’
‘Yeah I understand. I’m sure it’s gonna be okay but you don’t wanna hear that from me’ I said. ‘I’m glad you’re okay though, I was worried about you’
‘Yeah I’m fine. By the way, I don’t know if Rian told you already, but the first week after the Gimme Summer Ya Love tour – hey your name is in it! – my band has a performance at this new bar in Baltimore and I was just wondering if you wanted to come… Rian is coming, and it would be cool if you were coming too… Unless you don’t want to’ she said.
‘Sweety, of course I’m coming! I wouldn’t miss it for the world! You’ve been to so many of my dancing competitions, it’s the least I can do!’ I replied.
‘Great!’ Jess said. ‘Hey, I gotta go, I’m going out with the guys, I’ll talk to you later okay?’ she said.
‘Sure, bye!’ I said.
‘Bye!’ she replied.
We really hung out with guys too much and with girls too less…