Stay with Me

A week before Christmas, the Arizona airport is filled with locals and tourist trying to spend their holidays with their loved ones. Of course I'm one of those "locals" already, 3 days earlier, I have sent all of the furnitures that I can't let go of from the old house to my new one in Arizona. Even my dad's ashes was sent to my new home, it won't stay there though, because I wanted to lay him down next to Percy and mom, and I will do that. I asked Jared to stay with me but he declined. I also got to everyone to believe that I wasn't due til Christmas. So, here I am, in the airport, with a box full of gifts, not to mention my luggage without a car. So I didn't really think this through, so I can take the cab, but I don't really know where.

Alas. My phone rang and I answered it enthusiastically. Too enthusiastic, for that matter.

"Well, someone woke up in the good side of the bed." Lacy said. Thank gods it was Lacy.

"Lacy! Hey where are you?" I asked, trying not to sound so desperate.

"Uhh at home. I was just calling because Jared asked me to give him Vader, I think they're settling her down to the dog house you made them build, it was awesome!" She said, relief flushed through my veins. I have missed my Vader too much, I hope she likes the dog house I designed for her, I mean, it's not like she's gonna stay there or something.

"Oh okay, so you're not with any of the boys right now?" I asked, she chuckled.

"No, silly! I'm on my way to the bakery in a while too, we got a lot of o-"

"I'm at the airport." I blurted out, okay, don't get me wrong but if she started talking about the bakery, she won't stop.

"What. What airport." She asked.

"Like, Arizona airport, I arrived 10 mi--"

"Oh. My. God." She screamed. Too much of the I miss you too, I'm glad you're back.

"Well, don't tell anyone! It's a secret! But can you like uhh...."

"Of course! I'll be there in a jiffy!"

Of course waiting for Lacy, wasn't that excruciating, I was so excited and the mere fact that I am once again in Arizona made me happy. Like, really happy. It's like the pocket of sunshine on a rainy day.

&&

When Lacy helped me with my box full of gifts and my luggage (after her scream and hugs which, by the way, earned weird stares from the random crowd) we decided that we should make sure that the boys are in one place.

"I'll take a video of it. You have no idea how excited are they to see you again."

"Aren't they clingy?" I joked. We both laughed, and continued with our plan. Lacy dialed Jared's number and put it on speakers.

"Hey babe, what's up?" Jared asked.

"Nothing, do you guys have any plan today?" She asked, I grinned so wide, I made Joker proud.

"We were planning to like grill over at John's but that's like 5 hours from now, I'm like chilling over at Nike's" He said. I mouthed Vader to Lacy and she understood.

"Who's gonna look after Vader then?"

"Well, Garrett took her for a while and left her over at his place. So I guess that's it. Will I see you there?" He asked. Lacy looked at me and I nodded.

"Of course, see you." She said, hanging up. I smiled.

"So I guess he's at my place so the apartment is free?" I asked. She nodded and we head to the apartment.

My old room was almost empty now. Except for my bed and some clothes Jared didn't even packed for the new house. I don't mind tho', I understand, seeing your cousin's underpants isn't that attractive. The living room was still the same, new pictures hang sideways to the old ones. New memories with people I treasure.

"We missed you too much, Arizona without you is like....uhm a summer time without wind. It's just too hot, and tiring and just different without you." Lacy said.

"Well, that's reassuring. I thought I was the only one feeling really smug in New York." I smirked.

"Oh shut up, you have a hot doctor following your every foot step." She joked, I just rolled my eyes and waited for my cue.

****

Jared texted Lacy at around 6 pm, I am guessing they grilled the food BEFORE calling Lacy, so she won't get bored. Well she weren't bored, I'm telling you. She messed with my hair and face the whole time, she rolled my hair into curls and made me wore my beanie, apparently I'm having a "bad hair day" and she put make up on me. I just rolled my eyes on her. It's not that cold in AZ compared to NY so I had to replace my coat with this lazy jacket I found in my old closet.

"I'm not even dress for make-up Lace, don't you think it's kind of....over kill?" I asked, when she turned a sharp left on John's street.

"You look perfect, the make up isn't barely there!" She complained. Oh it's there alright.

Here we go, I can see John's house now. Lacy stopped in the driveway and looked at me with a smile.

"So I guess I'll go first and act surprise when you magically appeared out of nowhere." She said, I laughed and hugged her. "Thanks." I replied watching her dance on the lawn to the backyard. I counted one to thirty, before I went down, slowly made my way to the front yard, to the front door, and back to the back door. I counted another thirty seconds before I opened it.

12 people were sitting at the wooden benches, munching their burgers. 5 of them are my boys, Trey and Tim was there too, Halvo, Lacy, Joel, Alex and Sean Silverman.

"Oh hey Nike!" Joel greeted me, which made everyone look at my directions.

"What the hell are you doing here oh my god?!" John asked, standing first to hug me.

"Wow, John I feel so welcomed." I joked, hugging back. I felt another body hugging us too. I'm sure it's Pat. "Hey Pattycakes." I said.

"You surprising bitch!" He shouted which earned a laugh from everyone.

"I miss you too." I replied, then it was Kennedy's turn to hug me. He was quiet and was just smiling.

"Welcome back!" He said.

"Well, at last someone did welcome me back." I joked, my cousin, lift me up into a hug and we both laughed. "What the hell Jar, I know that you missed me too much but let us not show everyone your soft side shall we?" I joked. He rolled his eyes and put me down. Pinching my cheeks. That leaves one person who didn't hug me. He was just staring at me, and smiling.

"Well?" I asked. He chuckled and stood up, and hugged me. "Atta boy." I whispered, hugging him.

"Is this real life?" He asked, earning a laugh from me.

"It is lover boy." Halvo joked. I rolled my eyes and waved over the others.

"You don't look half as bad as you were before." Trey said, I laughed and nodded.

"I'll take that as a compliment." I said. Garrett, let go of the hug and drag me to sit next to him on the table. Lacy smirked at me.

"I can't believe you're here. Like permanently." Garrett said, we all laughed because it seems like it didn't sunk in on him.

"Just eat your dinner, Nickelsen." I ordered.

&&

Since I was expected to arrive two days before Christmas, the interior designer and her team haven't finished everything about the house yet, so I have to stay over at Jared for 4 days.

"I'm sorry, it seems like I have bothered you too much already." I told him on the drive home. Garrett was still holding on to my hand, joining me at the back seat.

"Shut up, Nike. I'm kind of sad we won't be room mates anymore." He said.

"Aw, you can still move in with me if you want you know." I offered again, but he refused. I look over at Garrett and he was looking at me. I smiled and rested my head on his shoulders.

"I won't let go of you now." He whispered, kissing my forehead.

"I know. I can't feel my hand now." I joked. He kissed it and put an arm around me.

"I love you so much, you have no idea how happy I am" he said.

"For all we know he's trying not to cry Nike." Jared said. I hit him at the back of his neck and he just laughed.

"Stay with me through the night will you?" I asked him. He smiled and nodded.

"Not just through the night, Nike. I'd stay with you forever."