A Wonderful Surprise

`Rachael? What are you doing here?` Garrett shockingly asked.

`Can't you at least give me a hug first? I missed you so much!` Told this girl named Rachael as she open her arms and took a step to give Garrett a warm hug. Garrett pulled her to his embrace, he actually had to admit that he also missed this girl so much. Last time they met each other was on their graduation day which was some years ago.

`So... how have you been?` Garrett asked as he let Rachael sit in front of him.

`Great. College life was kinda hard at first but well, everything's just fine. What about you? I heard your band's getting bigger now.` Rachael chuckled as she saw Garrett's wide grin. She knew how happy was Garrett when they started talking about his band.

`Pretty good. We're going to have a new album soon and I just can't wait for tours!` He happily exclaimed. `What makes you come back to Tempe? Are you on holiday?`

`Yep,` Rachael nodded. `My mom called that she wouldn't make it to go to Massachusetts for a visit so it's my turn to visit back my hometown.` She grinned.

`I see,` Garrett said. He ordered another cup of coffee as his conversation with Rachael continued. They talked about almost everything: their high school, their friends, their family, their life now and how they wanted their future to be.

Once they stopped talking to find a new topic, Rachael realized that they had been talking for hours and now was her time to go. She had to go because she'd have a dinner with her big family. So that's the time to say good bye to Garrett.

`Would you please tell me if you're going to hang with Pat and the others? I really want to meet them,` Asked Rachael as she mentioned how much she missed her friends in Tempe.

`Sure. We're actually going to watch some movies at Mary's house tomorrow. Wanna join?` Garrett offered as Rachael excitedly nodded. She then said good bye to Garrett and left him soon.

Garrett got his eyes directed to his ex-girlfriend until he couldn't see her again from the shop's door. He sat back and took his coffee's last sip as he prepared himself to go home.

***

`Rachael! Long time no see!!`

Mary looked up from her magazine as she heard someone yelled so loud from the front door. She didn't really bother it, though, so she just kept her earphone on and made herself busy again with an article she was reading.

`Mary, Mary! Look who's coming!` Pat now yelled happily as he ran to backyard and made Mary threw her earphone off. Now she's wondering who made Pat really happy and there she saw her old friend walking with a wide smile to her.

`Rachael? Hey!` Mary greeted as Rachael hugged her so tight as each of them telling how long they've not met and how they missed each other.

`I'm on holiday now and Garrett said I may come here to meet all of you guys,` explained Rachael to Pat and Mary. `May I join your movie night?`

`Sure!` Pat exclaimed and pulled Rachael's hand. `Let's go to the living room to meet the others and I'll show you what movies we'll watch tonight!`

Rachael waved to Mary and followed Patrick to the living room. She passed Garrett who was leaning on the wall and smiling to Rachael once their eyes met each other. Garrett then glanced to the other girl who was standing with her arms crossed and gave 'that' look to the boy.

`Huh?` Garrett stared at Mary. `I met her yesterday in the coffee shop and I brought her here because she said she missed everyone. Is that fine?` Garrett explained before Mary even asking how could Rachael be in her house.

`Sure,` Mary nodded. `But, please, no cuddling, no kissing or any other thing you'd do when making out.` She grinned.

`What?!` Garrett glared. `We're not going back to that kind of thing, Mary. And why you don't let me but Kayla and John?` He protested.

`Because he's my cousin and she's my best friend. Now what are you and Rachael?` Mary asked back as she remembered how once or twice Mary and Rachael had a fight because of Garrett—Rachael used to be so jealous over Mary because she's so close to her boyfriend. It was really long time ago when they were still a high school kid.

Garrett rolled his eyes and asked `Where's your boyfriend?`

`What boyfriend?` Mary groggily asked back. Her cheeks tinted pink and as Garrett realized that, he annoyingly rolled his eyes and mention the Santino boy's name. Mary made a simple smile as she explained, `Nick? Oh, he and Eric will come late. They said they're going to meet Justin first.`

Just as Mary finished her sentence, her front door bell rang and that made Pat run away to her front door, greeting whoever was coming that time. Pat greeted Eric Halvorsen and Nick Santino loudly as he told them they're going to start the movie right away.

Nick met Mary when she was on her way to the living room with Garrett. He carefully put his arm on Mary's shoulder, pulling her closer to him as they walked together, leaving Garrett who was rolling his eyes—pretty jealous to see that new couple.

`Sit here beside me,` Garrett told Rachael as he patted the couch beside him and offered Rachael some candies. Not long after that, as the movie started, he put his arms on the back of sofa, really near to Rachael's back.

Mary sat beside Garrett as Nick followed her to sit on her right. Even if that couch actually would contain five people, Nick kept his body close to Mary and laid his head to hers. He's somehow tried to make Garrett jealous to him and also to get Mary's attention.

But, it might not really worked. Mary didn't pay attention to Nick Santino at all. She just let Nick do whatever he wanted—laying his head on her shoulder, put his arm around her waist, or else—but Mary didn't really care. She was busy watching—not only the movie on the screen, but secretly also Garrett and his ex.

Mary just couldn't keep her eyes away from them. She felt not right—and something must be actually wrong there.