Stay with Me

By midnight, every guest left. Only Dave, and me were the only living creature in the house. We sat quietly on one of the sofa that was pushed on the side. We tried playing chess but we became bored because I have no idea how to play the game, we tried to watch tv but it seems inappropriate, we tried playing the piano but we figure that the neighbors might get an heart attack due to creepiness.

"Okay, this is getting awkward." I said, chuckling to myself.

"Indeed. You should get some sleep." He said, rubbing his forehead with his thumb.

"As if I can..." I almost snorted, it's creepy, imagining that a dead body is near you. But if you love that "dead body" it won't be creepy at all.

"I'll give you proper medication fo-"

"Stop being a doctor for a while Dave..." I interrupted him, his eyes full of concern but he managed to smile.

"You seriously remind me of your father." He said, I smiled and put my knees close to my chest. "He's not really fond of me being a doctor...I thought he despise me actually...but when I told him not to call me doctor everything in our relationship changed..." He added, I smiled at the thought that my dad is being immature infront of a underage doctor.

"We're not really a fan of anything to do with hospitals" I said, closing my eyes to imagine things.

"I figured... For the last year I know your father, I am sure on one thing, he really really loves you" he said, smiling at me.

"I've been a jerk." I replied, knowing that my dad did loved me.

"Yeah, I figured..."

"You figured a lot of things have you?" I replied. He chuckled and shook his head.

"Not at all, just a couple of things..." He said, ruffling his neat hair. "I know this is completely inappropriate, rude and just plain stupid but...after all these..." He said, pointing at everything, nothing in particular, just around the room. "I would like to figure tons of things about you...I mean if you'll let me..." He said, I watched his face turn to red and his eyes divert to mine and his hands.

"That was stupid..." I said, lifting up the tension with a chuckle. And he chuckled with me.

"Yeah, I'm sorry..."

"No, don't be. I owe you a lot, you know, for taking care of my ol' man when I vanished..." I replied smiling at him. "Let's have some coffee sometimes" I replied giving him a warm smile that he returned.

"Wonderfu-" he was interrupted when we both heard the doorbell rang, we both jumped and laughed.

"Who the hell would visit? It's 4 am" I exclaimed, as I walked towards the hallway, Dave following me. I look at the peephole and shriek before opening the door.

A group of guys were standing on my doorway, i hugged my cousin not saying anything, just hugging, and some crying. Jared's hugs are the best, they will really make you feel special, and it'll really make you feel better. After what seem to be forever I pulled out of his hug and pulled him inside the house, the others following us. Dave gave us a confuse look.

"Dave, this is Jared, he's my cousin, Jar, this is Dave, a friend slash doctor" I introduce the both of them. Just then I managed to look at the faces around me, everybody was there, I hugged John first and then Kennedy, Pat, Tim, Gary, Matt, and standing on a distant I saw him. I froze, my whole body froze. His blue eyes on me, his facial hair growing, and his messy hair stand out. I almost forgot how he looks like, I forgot how I missed him.

"Nike, I guess I'll go now" Dave said breaking the silence. I snapped out of my trance to look at him.

"You don't have to..." I murmured, too weak to say anything.

"I need to, my patients are waiting for me and your friends are already here." He said hugging me.

"Thanks." I told him before he left for the door. I look at the boys standing on my living room and rolled my eyes when I saw Jared giving me his 'gotcha look'

"He's just a friend Jar, don't waste it." I said, hugging him again, he welcomed me into his arms.

"He seems nice..."

"I would appreciate if he's not here Jar..." I whispered, low enough for anyone to hear. He knows what I am talking about.

"He's been very persistent, trust me. Besides, we're from tour..." He explained, low enough for anyone to hear. I looked at the boys who was looking at my father.

"You look like your dad...jeez Nike." I heard John said, I pulled out of Jared's hug and went near him, ignoring the fact that Garrett is standing near him. My whole existence sink.

"Weird isn't it?" I said, looking at his green eyes. He chuckled and nodded.

"You can use all the room upstairs, no one's occupying any of them." I said to no one in particular. Tim, Matt, Gary went straight upstairs and said good night. The rest stayed, including him of course.

"I'm sorry if I pulled everyone off tour, I was just asking for Jared..." I said as we all sit on the floor of the living room, Garrett on the other hand was still on his same spot. -ber months have entered and it's freezing in manhattan.

"And that's unfair, we want to be with you." Pat said hugging me. I chuckled and hugged him back. He rested his head on my shoulder and I figured he's starting to get sleepy.

"I bet you're all really sleepy..." I said, they all chuckled before nodding.

"As much as I want to stay up with you I can't sweetheart, I might pass out or something" Kennedy said, I nodded and ruffled his hair.

"Go upstairs, share a room with someone, sorry we only got 4..." I said pointing at the stairs. He nodded and went up, Pat following him. Jared and John stared at me for a second before someone talked.

"You're really coping up?" John said, as if it's impossible.

"A month of silence means a month of reflection JohnO" I replied, nodding at him. He chuckled.

"True. I'm so glad to see you like your old self" he said hugging me.

"How's tour been treating you?" I asked them my usual question.

"I was kind of waiting for that question..." Jared said, staring at the piano's current state. Papers were above it and the cover of the keyboard is off.

"You've been playing?" He asked, everyone, including Garrett looked at the piano. I felt my cheeks burn when I nodded.

"That Dave guy really helped you went through a lot eh?" Jared said, I felt my cheeks burn hotter and I narrowed my eyes on him.

"I'll go to sleep." John said kissing my forehead before going upstairs.

"I told you he's just a friend Jared." I said, aware that Garrett is in a hearing shot. I helped myself too Jared, can you believe it? I actually made it through a month of heartbreak and grieving in one piece.

"He likes you tho..." He said, yawning.

"Come on, how did you know that? You saw the guy for like..5 minutes!" I said, frustrated. Jared laughed and rolled his eyes.

"I'm not stupid, he won't stay here with you if he's not a bit interested. Besides, you said he's a doctor right? Then, he shouldn't be leaving his patients for something not important right?" He said, my eyes narrowed and I scold at him. He's kind of right. God dammit he is.

"well, progress report, there is nothing spicy between us. Just friends, he's dad's doctor..." I explained, as if defending myself is essential.

"Since when did you start being friends with doctors in particular? And how is she 12?" He said, yawning.

"Shut up he's 27...I think..." I replied, giving him a weird look."I think you need to sleep Jared, go use my room." I said looking away. He chuckled and kissed my forehead.

"Can I use Percy's room instead?" He said, I look at him with a confuse look.

"It's not the healthiest place to sleep Jar, I bet there's a snake up there. Don't do it." I warned him.

"Don't exaggerate. Jeez." He said passing by Garrett to go up the stairs. I stared at him, and he stared back. I want to hit him with something, but the nearest thing to me is a pillow and hitting him with a pillow won't be enough, I need a crowbar.

I watch him move quietly next to me, and that's when the lump from my stomach went to my chest and I feel like I can't breath. My everything hurts and I wrapped my arms around my knees and rested my forehead on top of it. Not letting myself see him.

"You shouldn't have come." I snapped, my voice was drained. I can't look at him, my head stayed glued on my knees as I heard him sigh.

"I'm sorry for-"

"I don't like being pitied." I interrupted him, his voice so near, so soft, like a whisper.

"I know you're mad at me, and I deserve every single hate you give me, but I just can't go home by myself and not know if you're alright." He said, I want to hug him. But I want to hurt him. I want to tell him I hate him but I know that I can't.

"I don't think this is the right time to talk about our problems Ga-Garrett." I said, looking at him. His eyes were full of pain and it pains me too. My eyes were filled with tears as I feel heart aches. His blue eyes were glossy as his fingers wipe the tears from my eyes.

"Go away!" I snapped, he flinched and nodded once before going upstairs. I waited for the tears to dry before I look at my father from afar.

"Yep, he's the asshole that broke my heart. You can haunt him now or something" I told him, before standing up to go to the piano. I picked up the copy of a song by debussy about his lost maiden. I studied it before playing, playing for me, my father and Garrett.

&&

I woke up when a pair of hands shake my body.

"What time is it?" I asked, not opening my eyes, I fell asleep on the couch.

"It's 9, figured you want to have breakfast" Jared said, I look at him and he's wearing a black shirt, I think my father's immediate relatives will arrive today..

"Oh shit." I said, running for the stairs.

"Jared, make sure everything looks decent, people will be here later." I shouted as I went straight to my bedroom. Someone is sleeping on my bed, and I tiptoed to the bathroom not to wake him up. I did my things, I am so glad that Jared and my friends are here when my father's immediate family arrive. We're not really close and it'll all be awkward. After my shower, I went to my room and tiptoed around the bed to my closet to get a black pencil skirt and a shirt before noticing the guy sleeping on my bed. His familiar hair was all around the air and his angelic face always been my weakness.

"I hate you." I murmured before going back to the bathroom to get dressed. Having Garrett here made everything worst, confusing and just plain unfair, as if losing my father isn't painful enough.

I arranged my hair in a bun and put on some light make up. I look at myself in the mirror before drinking my meds. God, I am so ugly, I always don't look right. I look inappropriate, like going to a party. I wore a oversized cardigan and look again in the mirror. I look like I'm going to the mall, not a funeral.

"Ugh why do I have to be so paleeeeee!" I shouted at the mirror, frustrated. "Fat arms, fat legs, fat everything!" I can feel like crying, my dad just died, my ex boyfriend who's a complete asshole is here, and I just don't look right.

"Why do you have to have those freckles too, oh god. Is this some kind of a curse? Why do you hate me so much!" I said to no one in particular, I look in the mirror. "I hate you so much" I said to myself, almost spatting it.

"Don't hate yourself please..." His voice made me dizzy.

"None of your business" I snapped at him.

"My business, I care for you Nike.." He said, voice dry from sleep.

"Care my ass Garrett. Let's not kid ourselves. I am fugly, to no good, unambitious girl. I'm not even good in bed." I snapped, wanting to throw the tub to him.

"What are you talking about? You're not everything you just said Nike, stop being so...insecure!" He said, arguing. Garrett's temper is one thing that I hate about him too.

"Excuse me, but earth to Garrett, you made me like this. The moment you slept with that Wendy character you made me feel everything I just said!" I snapped back, fighting back the tears. Garrett froze and his eyes were on mine, his pool became glossy.

"I am really really sorry for what I did Nike, forgive me. I did one mistake." He asked, I look at him.

"One mistake... Well, I never thought that one mistake can hurt this bad. Garrett I can only forgive but I don't think that I can forget. It's my father's funeral, I need to go downstairs." I said leaving him hanging. I just said true words, I still love him but I'll be lying if I told myself that I can forget what he did to me. It's a permanent scar that won't vanish.

"You okay?" Tim greeted me with a hug when I entered the kitchen.

"Yeah, I just uhm saw Garrett..." I replied honestly, he nodded before leading me to the dining table where everybody gathered.

"Where did you sleep last night?" I asked Jared, he told me that he sleep at Percy's room with John. I wonder how they fit there, the bed was made for a 10 year old.

The boys made breakfast, bacons, eggs, juice, coffee, we just talked and catch up on everything.

"Where's Garrett?" Gary asked no one in particular, hearing his voice made me want to puke, that's when the doorbell rang. I run to get it and saw my father's relatives, my aunt and uncle and their kids, who like everybody in my father side look bratty.

"Hi." I said observing them.

"Hi dear, you must be Nike...what an odd name... Well, I'm your Aunt Myrtle, this is my husband Peter and our daughters Lyka, Tracy and Mandy" the lady with the same eyes as me said, I welcome them in.

"Uhm...my friends from Arizona is here, I hope you don-"

"Not at all, we'll be staying at a hotel, my kids can't stand staying with a corpse...oh my dear brother!" She said looking at my father's body. My cousins, nowhere to be found, probably in the kitchen flirting with my friends, at least that's something they can get entertainment from.

"I'll leave you if you-"

"Play some music for us dear, my brother loved the piano so much...when will we put the body on the grave?" She asked, interrupting me again.

"Tomorrow, I'll cremate his bod-"

"Oh that's a good idea, do you mind sharing us some of the ash?" She asked.

"Sure, I mean it's not li-"

"Go on dear, play the piano for your Aunt Myrtle and Uncle Phil" she said interrupting me again. Now I just realized why my dad never introduce us to them, they are such pain the ass, but then again they are my father's family which makes me in no position to say no to their request.

"Oh dad..." I mumbled as I played the nearest piece I have found. Playing it as lousy as I could. After almost an hour of playing Jared sat next to me.

"Your cousins are flirting with everyone, I wish I didn't say we're not related at all because Mandy is hot!" He said, I snorted and stopped playing when I realized my aunt and uncle are on the kitchen.

"You know, I still hate Garrett but I think you need to talk"

"Jared, it's not the right time!" I snapped hitting him with papers.

"I'm sorry, I just have to tell you, I mean you almost look normal whenever he's not around and to be honest you both look sick whenever he's around. Well, Garrett had never been better..." He said, I can feel that he feels bad too.

"Oh come on don't tell-"

"He's my friend too Nike, my best friend."

"I know but plea-"

"What I'm saying is you just need to talk to each other as soon as po-"

"CAN EVERYONE STOP INTERUPPTING ME?! I HAVE HAD ENOUGH." I snapped, standing up and grabbing a coat before going out.