Permanently Yours

I kept my bad hand clutched to my chest as I flipped some grilled cheese in a frying pan. Sam and Ben were still out from last night, but I woke up early because I needed some pain meds for my hand. I was still so pissed that I left my phone behind on that band’s bus.

I heard Ben’s phone alarm go off and then turn off just as quickly, so I knew he was awake. “You’re up early,” Ben yawned, strolling into the kitchen shirtless as usual. Seeing Ben shirtless didn’t bother me, like seeing Kennedy shirtless did…and that was the good kind of bothered, I think.

“It hurts,” I sighed, looking down at my hand. Ben rubbed his bloodshot eyes before making some coffee. “Is Sam up yet?”

“No, but go ahead and make a bunch of grilled cheese sandwiches.”

I smiled and did as I was told when Ben’s phone rang…and it was playing my ringtone. We both frowned and looked at each other before Ben pulled his phone out of the pocket of his sweat pants. “It's your name,” Ben muttered, showing me the phone.

I bit my lip, but went ahead and grabbed it. “Hello?”

“Drunk girl?” Kennedy half laughed. “You kind of left your…”

“Phone, yes, I know,” I sighed, face palming before I realized how much that actually hurt my hand.

“Whose number is this? I just figured I should call it since it left like, twenty some odd missed calls last night…is this your boyfriend or something?” Kennedy asked, and maybe I imagined it because I wanted to hear it, but…he sounded bummed out about it.

“Can I meet you somewhere and can I have my phone back?” I asked, ignoring his question. Ben, my boyfriend? Don’t make me laugh!

“Oh, um, sure…where do you want to…”

“Do you know the In-N-Out that’s, like, three blocks away from the venue you guys played at last night?”

“Ha, we’re actually there now!”

“I’ll see you in a few.” I hung up and handed Ben the phone, taking the frying pan off the element. “I’m going to get my phone back,” I informed him, grabbing my jacket and slipping into it before leaving our apartment. I just walked on down there. It took me a good half hour, which gave me time to think… What would I do if I saw Garrett there?

Would he recognize me? Would I recognize him?

Would he hate me as much as I hated him?

No…I never hated him. I hated the way our parents treated me because of him. Garrett technically had nothing to do with it. It wasn’t his fault, really. It was just easy to blame him for everything.

I pulled my hoodie over my head, adjusting the sleeves of my leather jacket before shoving my hands in my pockets. If I saw Garrett today, it would be the first time I’ve seen him in over… three years? In other words, a really fucking long amount of time. I was only risking seeing Garrett again to see Kennedy get my phone.

No wonder the name Kennedy was so familiar. Kennedy was that Kennedy, my the Arizona Kennedy. I had a lot of good memories with that guy… I was just not appreciating how I had involuntarily decided to be attracted to him all of a sudden. I quietly walked up to Kennedy’s table. He was with Pat and they were drinking some soda. Pat smiled when he saw me, but I held my finger to my lips to show that he should be quiet before covering Kennedy’s eyes with my hands. “Hey!” he complained, putting his drink down. “Who is this?” he asked, feeling my hands, then my wrists, then my arms…

“Guess who,” I chuckled. Kennedy was prying my hands off his eyes when hands suddenly covered my eyes as well. I let go of him, startled and puzzled as to who this could be.

“Guess who,” a familiar masculine voice half-sang into my ear. I licked my lips nervously before taking his hands off my eyes and turning around.

He looked so different – redder hair, nose ring, Ray Bans…and still the same. “G-Garrett?”