Listen to Your Heart

“Guys I’m getting sick of this game already!” Pat whined.

“I agree, how about we liven things up a little bit huh?” I suggested.

Everyone raised an eyebrow, “And what do you have in mind Brock?”

“Well— since we are at the lake house and it’s what 3 in the morning, let’s go skinny dipping?”

Hearing this everyone had a smirk plastered on their faces. We all got up from our positions on the ground and headed into the yard down the trail.

“Hey Annie wait up!” I turned around. Garrett was running after me trying to catch up.

I smiled. “Hey Gary, what’s up?”

“Um well I was wondering if—“He was cut off from my phone ringing.

“Sorry Gare, I gotta take this.” He nodded his head and walked off.

“Hello?”

“Hey babe” Hearing his voice made me smile.

“Declan! I miss you so much!”

“Haha, I miss you too! So how’s Arizona?”

“Great, it was good seeing everyone again and the weather is amazing!” I said walking further down the trail.

“Well aren’t you lucky, I’m snowed in right now. I feel like a prisoner!”

“Oh stop being so dramatic” I joked.

He playfully scoffed. “Pftt, I’m the drama queen, the most dramatic of them all!”

“Haha oh geez, gosh I miss you so much you don’t even know!”

“Durr, how couldn’t miss all this?” I could just imagine him checking himself out while saying this.

“So how has work been for you?”

He went on telling me about his new work schedule and how much he missed me. We went on talking for about 20 minutes while everyone else was in the water acting like a bunch of drunken morons. Rachel came running up to me grabbed me by the arms and pushed me behind the bushes.

“Um, hey babe can I call you back?” I said. She had a worried expression on her face.

“Sure thing, talk to you later. I love you”

“Yup I love you too.” I said before hitting ‘end call’

Rachel rolled her eye. “Ugh you two are too mushy gushy.”

“Pft you and Garrett aren’t?” Her face started to flush pink. “Whatever, so what’s oh so important that you couldn’t wait till I finished talking to me dear boyfriend?”

She started to rub her arm. “Well um—well you see, Garrett and I um we kinda you know—did it.”

My eyebrow furrowed together. “Um okay, what’s the problem here?”

She didn’t say anything; all she did was stared off at the ground and messed with the ending of her dress.

“Wait; hold up just a second, you’re coming to me about you and Garrett having sex. And it wouldn’t make any sense if something wasn’t wrong.” She nodded. “Which leads me to think—you’re pregnant!?!”

“Oh good god, shush!” She said cupping my mouth with her hands.

I yanked her hands off me. “Ahhh! I’m so happy for you Rach!”

I grabbed her into a tight hug. “I don’t know, how do you think he’s going to react about this?”

“He’d be ecstatic duh! You guys are going to be phenomenal parents!”

“Haha hold you horses Annie, I don’t know if I’m ready for all yet. And definitely not ready to tell him.”

I shook my head at her. “There’s nothing to be afraid of, he’s got to hold up to his responsibilities and take care of this child with you.”

“But—“

“Nope no buts young lady, go right over there and tell him you’re pregnant!” I commanded pushing her towards everyone.

“Ugh I hate you!” She groaned dragging her feet.

“Oh shut up, you love me! And I better be the god mother of this devil child of yours!” She laughed and nodded her head.

Once reaching the lake, everyone was in the water yelling drunken things at each other. I gathered everyone back onto land and got them to settle down.

“Okay everyone, Rachel’s got an announcement for all of you or shall I say a certain person.” I winked at Garrett.

He gave me a petrified look. “What’s going on here?”

“Just shut up and listen!” I gave him a good shove causing him to land on the ground with an ‘umph’

“Um okay so—I don’t know how to say it but, uh here it goes. I’m uh I’m” She started to trail off. “Pregnant”

“Wait what was the last part you said?” Halvo asked.

“Pregnant” She answered in barely a whisper.

“You’re going to have to speak up; you sound like a mouse from over here.” Raquel said.
“I’m—“

I threw my arms up into the air. “Oh my god, she’s pregnant you dumbasses! Get your hearing checked!”

“You’re what now!?!” Garrett screamed. “Oh-oh my god, I’m going to be a dad! I’m going to be a dad everyone!”

He grabbed her off her feet and started to swing her back and forth. Everyone shared their words of congratulations and toasted to the joyful news. I decided I was going to let the news sink in for everyone and take a little stroll.

I was walking down the narrow path way leading the other side of the lake when something or shall I say someone jumped out at me.

“Ahhh!” I shrieked from fright.

I saw a tall lanky outline of a person beside me but I couldn’t make out who it was.

“Shit! I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to scare you.” The voice of rough and the words were slightly slurred.

“John? Is that you?” I asked walking towards the person.

“Uh— yeah?”

I shook my head. “What are you doing hiding in the bushes scaring the shit out of me?”

“I-I didn’t know it was you, I thought it was one of the guys so I thought it’d be funny if I scared them…” He started to trail off. “Really, I’m sorry for scarring you.”

I chuckled. “Hah yeah it’s okay John you can stop apologizing.”

“Uh yeah sorr—“ He stopped himself from apologizing. “So I’m guessing you’re not mad at me anymore?”

My eye brows rose. “I’m not sure about that.”

“Can I prove to you how sorry I am?”

I gave him a skeptical look. “I don’t know depends what it is and how convincing you are.”

He smirked at my response. “Come on”

“John where are we going? John stop it!” I said tugging my hand back from him.

“Oh my god for once can you trust me and not fight about it?”

“No” I said. That’s when he picked me up from the ground and carried me to the other side of the lake.

He placed me down on a log, there waiting for us was his guitar. He started to strum his guitar than hummed to the tune.

“I'm fucked up again.
I shouldn't drive tonight,
but I keep thinking of you.
I hurt you again, I shouldn't lie tonight so the next few words are true.”

I sat there taking in all of his words.

“Never again, Never again, Never again, no.
Will I leave you high n'
Never again, Never again, Never again, no.
Never again, Never again, Never again, no.
Yeah, Never again, Never again, Never again, no
Will I leave you high n' dry
This time, I more than mean it.
I'm sorry,
I'm not what you wanted.
I'm sorry,
I'm sorry I let you down.
I could use some poor excuse,
cause the hardest thing to say,
it's the hardest thing to say in the world,
to you.”

Tears started to cascade down my face.

“Yeah, I'm sorry.
Well I'm messed up again,
Thinking about the times I was lost and you let me in,
and I'm only human,
But both you and I know the way this will end.”
“So I said..
Never again, Never again, Never again, no.
Will I leave you high n'
Never again, Never again, Never again, no.
Never again, Never again, Never again, no.
Yeah, Never again, Never again, Never again, no
Will I leave you high n' dry.
This time, I more than mean it.
I'm sorry,
I'm not what you wanted.
I'm sorry,
I'm sorry I let you down.
I could use some poor excuse,
cause the hardest thing to say,
Oh, it's the hardest thing to say in the world,"

"I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry,
I'm not what you wanted.
I'm sorry,
I'm sorry I let you down.
I could use some poor excuse,
cause the hardest thing to say,
Oh, it's the hardest thing to say in the world
is I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, yeah.”

By the time he’d finished the song I was full on bawling, I buried my face into the palms of my hands. I felt his warm arms wrap around my body pulling me into his chest.

“Did you mean it John?” I whispered.

“Yes, all of it I’m sorry for being such a jerk towards you the couple of days before you left. I’m sorry for not standing up for you about Raquel. I can go on about a lot of things I’m sorry about. But it wouldn’t change anything; I just want you to know that I’m truly sorry. And I want us to start over again, back to how I’d pick on you, push your buttons, and be able to hang out without tension or hatred in the air.”

“I do too” I muffled against his chest.

He held my chin up making me look into his green orbs.

“So what do you say, friends?”

I smiled. “Friends”

“Good” And he gave me a soft kiss on the cheek.

“Can I ask you something though?” I said still clinging onto his body.

He nodded. “When did it happen?

“What do you mean?” I shook my head.

“When did you get engaged to Raquel?”

He took a moment to think. “I don't know I guess I was pressured into it? My parents wanted me to get my relationship on track since I've got a full on career on front of me.”

"Do you love her?"

He looked a little puzzled. "I guess you could say that, why do you ask."

“I just wanted you to be happy, that’s all.” I said messing with his long fingers.

“Can I ask you something?” I looked up at him. “Are you happy?”

“I think it’s safe to say I am, mostly that I’ve got my friends back. I think my life’s almost complete” I said truthfully.

“And what would that be that’s missing?”

“I-I don’t know, something just doesn’t feel right, something or someone is missing in it, I don’t know maybe I’m just being weird.”

“Hmm I think you’re just being weird.” I slapped his chest.

“You weren’t supposed to agree you know.” I rolled my eyes.

“Yeah I know, but I did it anyways.” He smirked.

I snuggled my head deeper into his chest taking in is scent of axe and cigarettes.

“I missed you” I whispered.

“I missed you too” He whispered back, kissing the top of my head.