I Like The Way It Sounds

We got home from the diner early enough that the guys had a chance to shower and nap a bit before having to get to the venue downtown and sound check for their show. They were still on tour, after all.
The show went smoothly and Tim, Eric, Char and I got to stand side-stage, and Char and I were obviously dancing and singing along in support of the boys we loved so well. After the show they met with their fans and signed for anyone who wanted to meet them. I stood off to the side, watching – again. It was so nice to see the effect that the guys I’d grown up with had on perfect strangers. It was amazing watching their faces light up when they got a poster signed or a picture taken. The band wasn’t even that old and they were already making such an impact. To say I was proud would be an understatement.
Sadly, though, after the show, they had to leave again. They were headed to Boston for the show there the next day, and they had to get Halvo to Nick’s house. I hugged them all goodbye – temporarily – and promised to see them all in Arizona in a couple of weeks. That was nothing compared to the months I usually went without seeing them! It was going to be amazing.

**“Wow.” I sighed as I sealed the last box of my belongings to mail to my Aunt and Uncle’s house in Arizona. I grabbed the mailing labels off of the counter and slapped one on each box. It was funny, the New York me mailing stuff to the Phoenix, well… Tempe, me.

Although my dad and I had lived in Manhattan for almost thirteen years, Tempe was always going to be home. Finally, I was going home to stay – not just to visit like I’d done every June-August since we’d moved. It was where I’d had and lost my mother, it’s where the rest of my family is, it’s where some of my best friends are; it’s where I really feel like myself. In New York I only had my dad and Char. I was going to miss my Dad, but even if I wasn’t moving to Phoenix, I would probably be leaving him to go to college somewhere else anyway. Luckily, Char was coming to ASU with me, so I wouldn’t have to miss her!
I wouldn’t have to miss anyone anymore. Save for my Dad, who was always traveling anyway. Plus, he promised to be spending a lot of time in Arizona anyway, and I knew he wouldn’t be missing me too much as his relationship with the woman from the conference was heating up.
Leaving the boxes my front door for Dad to drop off at the UPS store, I called Nick to verify our plans for the next few days. Nick Santino was the singer in Eric’s band, A Rocket To The Moon. He and Eric were going to be driving back to Tempe from Nick’s house. It didn’t make sense to me since Eric had only JUST bummed a ride in The Maine’s van to get to Massachusetts to visit Nick, but I didn’t question it. I was going to be getting a free ride and quality time with some of the boys I see least of all. Even though Nick and I are both East Coast-ers, the Boston and New York areas weren’t close enough for regular visits, so I only ever saw him in brief, practically hour-long spans. Despite this, we were as close as I was with any of the guys from Arizona.

“Hello?” I heard a groggy voice grumble.
“Nick! You were still sleeping? It’s almost 1!” I feigned authority as I looked out the window to a sunny afternoon in the city.
“Mayb-“ “Hell yea, he was Caite-Oh! He’s so lazy and I was stuck here sitting around by myself all morning! It’s not fairrrrrr!” Eric whined into the phone that he’d stolen from his band mate.
“Poor baby Halvo!” I said with mocking sympathy as he made whimpering sounds into the cell phone receiver. I let him go on for another minute before I began questioning their travel itinerary.

After 40 hours trapped in a car with two smelly boys…

It was dark when Nick pulled up to the familiar house. Like the five year old I am at heart, I kicked the back of Eric’s’ chair impatiently urging him to move, “OUT, OUT, OUT! I’m home, bitch!” I giggled with glee as he screamed at me, trying to sound like an adult. “CAITLIN O’CALLAGHAN! Watch your language!” “Eric…” I pouted “please just get out of the car!” Hearing a crash of a screen door, I turned to see John standing in front of the house “I’ll save ya, Caits!” he started sprinting toward the car and Halvo jumped out of his way, hoping to avoid a collision with my brother, The Human Giraffe. With Eric out of the way, Johnny reached into the backseat to help me out before enveloping me in a bone-crushing hug. “I missed you, kid” he whispered in my ear. “You too, John. I’m so happy to be home!” I smiled into his shoulder. Releasing myself from my big brother-cousin’s grasp, I looked around only to find the rest of my family and friends (minus Char) waiting for me.
I saw Aunt Jenny, who’d been my only maternal figure since my mother passed away 13 years ago. SHE was practically my mother. Uncle John had his arm wrapped around her shoulders, smiling. He was a less distracted version of my father. Ross and Shane were waving from their respective bedroom windows, though they were my cousins; they were just as much my brothers as they were Johns’. I spotted my friends a tuft of ginger hair – Jared. A toothy grin – Kennedy. A mass of long brown hair – Pat. And deep, beautiful blue eyes that gave me butterflies in my stomach – Garrett.
Although we’d never discussed, I knew that something changed between us at the diner. I was still confused, but I knew I’d find out soon enough. It wasn’t something to worry about right now, though. I was home.
After taking it all in; my family in front of me, Garrett, my best friends, Garrett, my big brother and hero by my side, Garrett, and my own personal chauffeurs behind me… and Garrett. I realized why I’d moved back and I knew that I never wanted to go away again. This was going to be my best summer here yet, and at the end, I knew that I wouldn’t have to leave again.