Fuel to the Fire

People stared at me, even glared as they bumped into me while I made my way through the crowded airport. I was crying and I didn’t care, because Garrett made me feel like shit. I simply couldn’t stop thinking of what he said to me; does he really think I’m worse than Rachael? I knew everything he went through because of her and I don’t think something could be worse than that, but apparently, Garrett doesn’t think the same.

It hurt me to hear that, not because I’m being compared to his ex girlfriend, but because I cared about him, not only as his girlfriend, but as his best friend too. I was there in one of the hardest moments of his life, and seeing how fucked up he was, I couldn’t imagine how he was feeling now.

After many minutes trying to avoid this, I met the boys in the hall where they were waiting for our flight. Garrett saw me coming; he gazed at me for a second, before bring his attention back to his phone. Pat looked at me startled as I sat next to him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked as I rested my face on his shoulder. I just shook my head. John sighed and turned to Garrett.

“What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything” Garrett said, shrugging. Extremely cocky. Pat gave him a disapproving look as John brought his attention back to me.

“When did you become such a… girl?”

I looked at him confused, wiping the tears from under my eyes.

“If there’s one thing in you I always admired was your courage; you would do anything just to prove you’re right. Now you just let people hurt you and cry. You’re not that girl I thought you were, Leigh.”

He was right; I knew that. I had changed, and it was all because of Garrett. I thought about that, feeling their eyes on me. Everyone but Garrett was looking at me. It was kinda embarrassing.

“Do you want me to call Lauren?” Pat asked.

“Maybe later” I whispered and wiped a tear from under my eye.

The flight was okay; I luckily didn’t sit next to Garrett or John. I had nothing against him, but being near John right now wasn’t the best choice. I sat between Kennedy and Pat, and I hoped that Kennedy would make me laugh at least once. In the end, we fell asleep listening to Jimmy Eat World and didn’t do anything.

Landing in Boston, I heard something that, for sure, was the highlight of my day: Boys Like Girls wanted to see us. They were one of my favorite bands and knowing they were so close to my brother’s band just made me love them even more. Too bad I didn’t know all of them. See, when they came to Phoenix, I only met John and he melted my heart with his 1000 dollars smile. Seriously, I love him. Hopefully, this time I’ll meet Paul, Bryan and Martin this time.

I felt a lot better after I called Lauren and Abbey. I reassured them and told Tim everything was fine. In the next day, we – or the band, whatever – had some interviews and a whole evening free. I had never been to Boston and I couldn’t help but feel excited.

“Who are you and what did you do to that girl from yesterday?” Kennedy asked as we drove back to the hotel.

Everyone was busy; I could hear John on the phone with Halvo, Pat talking to Max and Jared, and Garrett had his earplugs on. Kennedy was behind the steering wheel and I was in the front with him, making fun of the drivers.

“I’m feeling better” I said, smiling a little. “I came to the conclusion that I don’t need to worry about that. Shit happens, walk away.”

“That’s cool Leigh, but you know that sooner or later you’ll have to talk to him, don’t you?”

I sighed, pursing my lips. From the viewer mirror, I looked at Garrett. He was staring between Kennedy and I, and when I gazed at him, he looked away and pressed play on his Ipod.

“Yeah, I know. But right now, I just wanna enjoy the moment. How’s Gabi, by the way?”

Kennedy smiled at my attempt to change our topic.

“College is driving her insane, that’s what she said, but she’s fine.”

I giggled.

“That’s why I don’t wanna go to college.”

“Me too.”

“But you don’t need college, you play in a rock band. That’s rad.”

Kennedy chuckled.

“But what if one day we break up? What am I going to do?”

“Oh no, you don’t say that” I said, pointing a finger at him “if The Maine ever break up, I will freak out.”

Kennedy smiled, shaking his head.

I was excited. No. Beyond excited. I couldn’t wait to meet Boys Like Girls and kept bugging Pat and John until they told me when we were gonna meet them. John said after our concert on Thursday. Oh, and I almost died when they said Martin was in LA – with Ashley, fuck yeah. I made him call Paul to make sure he was in Boston, otherwise, I would have sat in the middle of the street where we were standing and bowled for hours.

“You almost died when you discovered he’s dating Ashley Tisdale” Pat said, when I complained about the whole LA situation.

“Yeah, because I love her. But he’s her boyfriend, he can visit her whenever he wants to. I can’t meet him whenever I want to” I replied and pouted. Jared laughed.

“Why are you laughing, Teddy Bear?” he stopped and shook his head. I smiled. “But Pat, I ship them since Boys Like Girls released Love Drunk. They’re cute. Even cuter than you and Lauren, Jared and Tessa, an-“

“You and Garrett?” John cut me off. I ignored him and Garrett sighed.