Love or Lust

Over the next two weeks, Hazel found herself hanging out with the guys from The Maine and Halvo even more. It was easy enough getting along with them. Hazel learnt over the past couple of days she’d spent with them, that Kennedy was the sweet, sensitive one, Pat was the youngest and the craziest, Jared was the most responsible one and Halvo was literally the boy version of her.

And then there was John.

He was an arrogant womaniser who wanted so desperately to get into Hazel’s pants. But two could play at that game. Despite all his attempts to ‘woo’ her, she would shut him down each time but continued to tease him, only making him want her even more. He was much like her in a way. The type of person that loved being in the lime light and famous for their reputation. In the words of Halvo there was ‘a crazy amount of sexual tension’ between them. She found this hard to believe, they’d only known each other for just over two weeks.

It was a quite Saturday afternoon, Hazel perched herself on the front steps of the porch, soaking up the sunlight and letting the cool breeze have its way with her hair as she read over the final chapters of the book she was currently reading, getting lost in its words and plot.

“So, Loner, I take it you don’t have any plans then?” Hazel looked up to see the silhouette of Garrett, his arms folded across his chest, and dark sunglasses covering his face. It must be an Arizona thing. He wore a slight smirk, no doubt proud of his childish insult.

Normally Hazel would play along and act slightly offended by the nickname, instead she responded with “I do in fact have plans, and you are currently interrupting them”
“Oh yeah? What are you doing?”

Hazel shifted her position slightly and held up her book so he could see the cover.

“What? Reading some crappy book”

Before she could retort, he went on, “How about I be your knight in shining armour for the afternoon and take you out on an adventure? For old times’ sake”

“An adventure?” Hazel questioned, “What kind of adventure?”

Garrett unfolded his arms and grinned again, “You’ll see.”

“Oh no Nickelsen that’s not how it works” she exclaimed, “You can’t just say ‘You’ll see’. You have to tell me!”

“The only way you’ll find out is by coming with me.” He stated, “You’re choice.”

And with that, he started to slowly walk away, twirling his car keys around his pointer finger. Hazel immediately weighed the options. It was either stay where she was now, in her comfortable position with her book she desperately wanted to finish or go with Garrett on his stupid adventure, for what he said to be old times’ sake.

“Hey, wait up!” she called after him as, quickly placing her book on the windowsill, before running after him to catch up.

“I knew you’d cave.” He laughed, nudging her with his elbow.

“Just so you know, I hate surprises.” Hazel replied, crossing her arms in slight defeat.

As she followed Garrett across the short distance that separated their houses, she stopped once they had reached the Nickelsen driveway. There, basking in its vintage and very run down glory, was Garrett’s pride and joy as he’d already told her many times.

“Why do you still drive this junk around town?”

“This is not junk DeLancey” the shock from her remark evident in his tone “it is a 1960’s Mercedes sedan, a gift for my 18th birthday from my parents”

“Well I hope the next present is a paint job” Hazel began, chuckling slightly at how defensive he was of a car, “because this bright yellow is killing my mood”

With a frown on his face, he walked over to the driver’s side and unlocked it. “Just get in the car Hazel or you can walk”.

Sitting in the passenger’s seat, Hazel stared out the window at the surroundings as they wisped past them while Garrett drove through town, her memory trying to focus on where she was. After spending so many years away from the place, Hazel had forgotten how beautiful the landscapes of Arizona were. With music still blaring and Garrett’s rambling making up the background noise, they eventually turned into the driveway of a two storey brick house Hazel did not recognise.

Garrett put the car into park, and turned off the engine. He gave her one glance before unbuckling his seatbelt and getting out of the car. Hazel hesitated for a moment before following his actions.

“This is your idea of an adventure?” She said, closing the door softly behind her, “I’d hate to see where you take girls on a first date”

He laughed and shook his head “You’re hilarious, now come on they are waiting for us”

They?

Without even knocking, Garrett swung the door open waiting patiently, with the door open. Hazel walked up onto the path and stopped in front of the door.

“After you” he insisted. She walked in and took off her sunglasses.

Hazel was met with a short hallway that opened up into a large living area, the kitchen and dining both just adjacent to that. She balance her sunglasses on top of her head as her eyes adjusted in the darkness of the room. Presitine navy carpeting, white wash walls covered in family photographs and the lighting from a sky light was what she could take in before Garrett took her by the hand, dragging her away.

“This way” he lead her away from the living area, directing her to an open door, stairs connecting the top floor to the obvious basement where the sounds of laughter, conversations and the strumming of a guitar could be heard. The old wooden stairs creaked underneath their weight as they took each step one at a time, before stepping into the light of an already filled room.

“Hey!” Garrett called once they’d reached the bottom of the stairs “We’re here!”

“God, finally!” A familiar voice called back, “Typical Garrett style, being late as usual. We’ve been here for age’s man!”

Hazel looked past Garrett’s shoulder and noticed Pat sitting at his drum kit, while the rest of The Maine were gathered around in front with their instruments, or in John’s case, a microphone. The room was set up with the drum kit at the back, then three microphones positioned about three feet apart just in front of that. In the corner a few acoustic guitars stood, amps were positioned around the room for each member to plug in their instrument and cords ran like snakes around everyone’s feet.

Garrett had taken her to what appeared to be band practice.

Oh this should be fun.