Back to the Start

"Real Bar and Grill. Eight. Figure it out.", says my latest text. 

What! I rub my face. And the events of last night come back to me, causing me to slump back onto my bed. Rachael wouldn't take me back. She's still going on that date. But wait. Sam's text. Ok. Do I just...interrupt her date? But then she'll never forgive me. 

And I have so many texts from the other guys to. Mostly asking if I got home safe. If I was ok. Blahblahblah. I send a mass text to them saying that I'm fine and at home. And that Dirk's car is still intact. 

"Oh. And by the way, we're coming home tonight. And by that I mean we're leaving around noon. Hang in there kid." Sam's latest text. 

Hang in where? Will they help me with Rach when I get back? They actually want me to be with Rach? Seeing as I couldn't come up with anything myself, and that I didn't want to accidentally run into her today, I stayed at home watching zombie movies and answering fan things. So many of them asked if I was ok, and where I was last night. 

Finally, around seven, I hear people burst into my house, the guys' voices echoing downstairs, mixed in with my mom's welcome and Sam's higher pitch. In minutes, they're all clambering upstairs. Sam bursts into my room first. 

"She said you haven't left your room all day!", she says in an accusing tone. "How are you gonna get Rach back if you refuse to leave your room?"

"Hey!", I said, ready to defend myself. "I was driving all night to see her and then she turned me down. I was tired, so I decided to stay in today."

"Fine.", she says pursing her lips with her hands on her hips. "Then what's your plan?"

"P-p-plan?", I stutter. "What plan? I don't have a plan! I thought you guys were going to help me with that!" Kenny saves me by wrapping his arms around her waist and whispering into her ear, which calms her down. 

Walking to my bed, she plops down on it, pulling Kennedy with her. "Ok guys. Help me here. Gare is obviously still in love with Rach. And lemme tell you that Rach is still in love with him, even if she won't admit it to anyone, least of all herself. So. What do we do to make her admit it?"

Everyone starts talking at once, with the exception of John. Pat screams, "Ruin her date!" over and over. Whereas Jared is telling me to buy her flowers. Kennedy is saying to just be there for her, and let her figure it out on her own. At least...I think this is what they're saying. Sam slaps Ken in the stomach saying, "He can't just wait. He'll be waiting forever. That girl is way too stubborn for her own good." Turning to Jared and Pat, she says, "Maybe we can combine your ideas."

I gawk at her. "You want me...to ruin your best friends date? You're kidding right! She'll hate me even more for messing with her life."

All she does is roll her eyes at me. "Let's get you drunk first. Then maybe you'll have more guts."

Throughout all of this, John hasn't said a word. Suddenly, however, he stands up. "Garrett. Can I talk to you? Alone. And now."

I follow him outside the room. "What's up John?"

"I told you this earlier. To be careful. I knew something like this was going to happen. And you love Falyn. She doesn't deserve how you've treated her. And by the way, way to tell us yourself. We had to hear it for Sam. Were you planning on not telling us?"

"Oh. Wow. I actually...forgot. I was caught up in other stuff. Why don't you like Rach? You loved her just several years ago."

"Are you forgetting that she cheated on you Gary? How can you even trust her again?"

"Why are you so caught up on this John? You seem to care more about Falyn than me!"

He runs his hand through his hair frustratedly. "Never mind. I just wanted to tell you what I thought. But no one else seems to agree with me, so I didn't want to say it in there."

"Alright man. But her mindset seems to be more like yours than there's right now. And I don't know if I can change it."

"Hey man. I think I need to go do something. I'm gonna take off for a few days. Just a couple. We won't leave for another month, and we don't have any big gigs lines up. Just tell them I'll be back soon."

"Uhh...ok? Where are you going?"

"Just...something I need to take care of.", he says vaguely. "Don't worry about it." And he rushes downstairs. When the door slams, I head back into my room. 

Everyone gives me questioning glares. "What was that about?", asks Jared. 

I shrug. "Dunno. Said he had to go take care of something and that he'd be back in a few days."

"A few days?! What about practice?", asks Pat. 

Furrowing my eyebrows, "I know. But he said to not worry about it. And that we don't have anything big before tour in a month."

"I'll miss Johnny boy so much.", cries Pat. 

Sam throws a pillow at him. "Worry about this later. What do we do about Garrett's dilemma? Wait. No. I got it. 

As she explains her plan to me, I shake my head in protest. "No. No. No. Absolutely not. She will hate me forever for doing that. No."

"The poor girl couldn't hate you if she tried.", Sam says rolling her eyes. "She practically went into shock when she wasn't talking to you for a week."

"We hadn't talked in three years prior to that.", I argued back. "I'm sure she would have been fine."

"It's different Gare. You know it is.", says Sam gently. "Now let's go. We don't even have to worry about John not liking the place since he's not even here."

I can't believe they're making me do this.