Stay with Me

"Shut up Vader" Vader's barks woke me from my slumber. I had my body on my bed, and my head rested on my pillow, I look at the clock to check what time it is and groaned when a big image of number 6 in my clock. I groaned and rolled in my bed. Garrett and I spend the whole day having a star wars marathon, and the last time I checked he went to bed with me, to sleep of course. I managed to sit up and look at Vader who now stopped barking to look at me. Sometimes I'm having the urge to bark back, she's just so noisy.

"Where's your daddy?" I asked the puppy as if she's gonna answer, she look at the door once and I sigh, standing up and opening the door, Vader ran outside as I peeked at the living room. I guess Garrett went home for tonight, and Vader wants to follow him. I went to the kitchen to cook breakfast for Jared,Vader and I, ignoring the fact that I might burn the kitchen due to sleepiness. I cooked everything I found in the kitchen, giving myself a mental note to go shop for grocery. I fried bacon, hotdogs, egg, ham, opened corned beef, bread, pancakes, made coffee and juice. Making the breakfast available for many people. I fished my phone and texted Garrett, although I know he'll still be sleeping.

TO: GARRETT
I cooked breakfast, do you want to stop by? Miss you already.

After 5 minutes of waiting, I decided that he must be sleeping and I went to knock on Jared's room. Knocking, basically just waking him up.

"Jared!!!!JAAAAAAAAARRRRREEEED!" I kept on shouting until he opened his door, looking pissed.

"What do you want Nike? It's 8 am."

"It's 8am? Wow, I've been cooking for 2 hours....hey, I cooked breakfast" I said giving him a smile, Jared groaned and went out of his room, dropping his body in the sofa.

"Jared, come on, I made coffee... I made breaaaaakfast!!!" I said again, dragging his hand.

"Go annoy Garrett or something." He replied, not moving an inch.

"He went home, Jar. Come on eat with me. Call Lacy if you must" I said tugging him again.

"Lacy would be sleeping."

"Lie. You just don't want to stand up." I said, tagging him.

"Fine, fine." He said, deciding to stand up, I ran to the kitchen and gave Vader a bowl of her food.

"Oh wow, what's up with you?" Jared said as he slumped in one of the seats putting food in his plate.

"I was bored, eat up." I said, taking a big bite of the hotdog I cooked.

Jared and I ate quietly, we spent the whole morning eating the breakfast I made, I kept on waiting for Garrett's text but I didn't receive any, thinking that maybe he's just asleep, 2 days ago, we celebrated our relationship with his family and they accepted me with open arms.

"So how are you and Garrett?" He said after burping. I chuckled and shrug.

"We're good as before." I said, happy with my confident tone. Jared just gave me a smirk before the doorbell rang.

"I'll get that" I said as Vader followed me into the front door, I look at the clock and wrinkled my nose as soon as I saw that it's 9:00, I'm a pig, I've been eating for an hour. I opened the door to find Garrett standing in the doorway, his usual messy hair is now neat and he's wearing a coat over his tidy shirt and jeans that was folded to show his boots. My eyes were eyeing his outfit when he cleared his throat.

"Whoah there cowboy, where are you going?" I asked as I let him in, Vader as expected was trying to harass him.

"Where are WE going." He clarified as we both heard Jared whistled, announcing his arrival.

"What's with the coat?" Jared asked, sitting next to me. Garrett's face went red and he bit his lower lip.

"Well, we're going out..." He said, scratching the back of his head, I chuckled and nodded as I drag him into my room and closed the door behind us.

"You pick what should I wear, dress me you afficionado you" I said opening my closet for him. He snorted once before looking at it. He spent a long time staring at my clothes before he picked a dark blue altered top, cropped leather jacket and dark pants, he went to my shoe closet and brought out a native american inspired sandals. After laying down the choices he made, he looked at me with a large smile.

"So, you'll wear these?" He asked, eyes on my pajamas.

"Of course." I said as I grab the clothes and went to the corner of my room. "Don't peek!" I said as I face my back to him and change my clothes. As I wore the clothes he had layed down, I kept on thinking what's with all this formality.

"Okay, so how do I look?" I asked him as I faced him, his eyes were covered by his hands which I find cute.

"Perfect" he said, going up to me to give me a kiss, our lips lingered each other for a while until his pocket vibrated.

"I hate when that happened." I said, chuckling as I went to the mirror and apply some light make-up. Fix my brown hair, making it wavy and getting my black raybans.

"Who was that?" I asked him when he put down the phone.

"It's my uhm mom, she just thought I forgot something...so uhm are you ready to go?" He asked, standing up. I nodded and he went for the door. Jared waving us good bye before we left the apartment.

We made our way to Garrett's yellow car and blasting some the Beatles song, every stop light the next car would look at us like we're some sort of alien as we sing the lyrics, and the guitar part outloud. Garrett kept our destination a surprise, changing the topic whenever I ask where are we going. After a 30 minute drive, Garrett pulled at someone's driveway.

"Who's house is this?" I asked as he lead me to the front door.

"Grandma's" He said opening the door, a cold air passed through us, the floor was wooden and family pictures hang on the hall way.

"Why is it cold here..... Why are we here exactly?" I asked, reminding myself that Grandma Nickelsen passed away even before I went to Arizona, Garrett on the other hand ignored my question and lead me to the living room where all the furnitures matches one another, the fire place was lit, making the lovely place homey. I looked at Garrett and he was looking back at me.

"I just thought you miss some cold, turn the air conditioning in a maximum level, and I figured we could have lunch by the fireplace" he said, scratching the back of his head, I chuckled and lunged to hug him, I didn't even know he listens to my rants on how hot Arizona can be.

"And in the night, we can camp outside... I'll bring you back just in time for your girl day with Lacy" he whispered, sending chills on my spine. He led me to the fireplace and I was reminded of New York, when we were cold and we would just sit by the fire place and talk about the butler's bald head or even dad's bad taste in clothing. I rested my head on Garrett's shoulder as he turned on the TV so we could watch re-runs of CSI:NY. Well thank you TV, for rekindling New York with me.

"I don't think that really happens in real life..." I muttered as we both watch the impressive computer system of the NYPD

"It will... Soon...." Garrett said, brushing his hand on my cheeks. The afternoon went well, after the CSI:NY we watched some How I Met Your Mother and some re runs of Gossip Girl. Again, New York shows, I don't know what's Garrett's intention, for me to miss New York so much or what. We ate pizza by the fire place and tried putting marshmallow by the fire. It tasted funny. When the moon showed up, Garrett dragged me to the backyard, ignoring my plead to finish the adventure time episode. There, in the middle of the yard, stands a tent. Lights glowing inside it, all around it and 2 chairs just beside it. Garrett went over the tent and invited me afterwards.

"So what do you think?" He asked me as we both entered the tent, the inside was as comfy as it looks, there is a think comforter on the floor, two pillows and blankets. The ceiling of the tent was filled with christmas light, acting as the only light source available.

"Wow." That was all I managed to choke out as Garrett let out a cackle and scratch the back of his head, I hugged him as we ended up laying down, my head rested on his chest.

"You're amazing..." I muttered, drawing the outline of his tattoos with my hand when he took off his coat.

"I know" he muttered as we both laugh. I closed my eyes and dozed off, remembering how fun this day was. Garrett's arms were around me when he called my name.

"We'll be touring again next month." He whispered, my eyes fluttered wide and I looked at him, usually they stay for the summer, we're suppose to have the next 2 months together.

"Well, the band was invited to go to a tour and we thought it'll be a good opportunity for the band, I mean, fans are asking for us." He said, looking at my eyes, I let out a sigh of defeat and look at the christmas lights above.

"It'll be domestic..." He added, trying to assure that he'll ba back. I looked at him and rested my head again on his chest.

"I'll see you when I see you then." I said as we hugged each other tighter.

&&

Lacy picked me up at around 2 pm, just an hour before Garrett dropped me off the apartment, I managed to change my clothes and underwear for something more comfortable and ran towards her car. Jared giving me apologetic smiles when I came home, telling me that Garrett wants to tell me himself the news so he kept his mouth shut.

"How was your morning sun shine?" Lacy asked as she started the ignition.

"Sad." I replied casually, looking outside the window, Lacy turned on the radio and kept the ride quiet. Just a few moments of silence, she pulled through a spa called 'Amistad'. The lady behind the counter lead us to a big room full of naked girls. Some are in the big pool, while others were in the sauna, jacuzzi and the showers. Lacy and I wasted no time and joined the party, started on the warm pool, that relaxes my muscles.

"The first time is the hardest" Lacy said as we settled our naked body on the hot water. I looked at her and I know she's talking about the tour.

"I've been bestfriends with Garrett for 2 years now and I always feel sad about him and Jar leaving but this one feels so much more you know..." I said, playing with my toes as I sit in one of the stairs.

"Well maybe because you have something more now, something special."
"I figured. How do you cope up with all the longings when Jared is away?" I asked, keeping my eyes on my toes.

"You mean the sex? Frustrations and all?" She said, my eyes went wide as I felt my cheeks hotter than the water we're on.

"I wasn't talking about sex! And we haven't done it yet" I replied, keeping the last of my sentence a whisper. Lacy laughed and bit her lower lip.

"Oh, well Jared calls everyday, and we skype whenever he can." She replied, still giggling. Maybe about my sex life or the lack of it.

"Cheer up Nike, I know you can survive this one. You'll have to be busy with something. How about this... You'll be back at the bakery and be off when the boys out of tour" she offered, I looked at her and smiled. Offering me to work again, despite my absences is a nice thing to do, let alone giving me a break everytime the boys are out of tour. I wanted to give her a hug but it'll be too weird since a.) We're both naked b.) I think the girls across us are lesbians and are trying to see some action c.) We're naked.

"You know, you're the palest here" she said as we relaxed in the hot water. My eyes searched the place and she was right.

The day with Lacy went well. After the massage, we went out for dinner. Lacy even asked me if I want to go to a tanning salon but I refuse the offer, I have watch too many films that involved a tanning machine and dying. For example, the final destination with roller coasters, the two girls burned to death, it's not really the ideal way to die. Lacy, spent the night on Jared's room, god knows what the heck they're doing. I, on the other hand fished my phone from my purse and dialed Garrett's number. It rang thrice.

"Hey babe, how was the spa?" He asked, boys laughing at the background. 'Are you talking to Nike? HEY NIKE!!!' I heard Pat said, earning a cackle for me.

"It was relaxing. We should do that together or something." I replied, resting my head on Vader's tummy. "How was your day?" I added, yawning.

"Hang out with the boys. They want to see you so bad" he said, as I heard Pat shouted in approval.

"We need to have a barbeque or something soon" I said yawning again, as I heard Garrett chuckling.

"Of course, how about this sunday?" He said, earning 'yeah' 'that would work' 'I'll get the booze' from the boys.

"Perfect. Reason to stay out of church." I said, burying my head on my pillow as Vader occupied the space next to me.

"Bad christian"

"Look who's talking..." I said, yawning again. Garrett chuckled one more time.

"I think you need some sleep" he said.

"I think so too. Good night Gary" I replied, closing my eyes.

"Night Nike. Sweet dreams."