Caught in the Middle

The boys were quiet over the next few weeks, writing and demoing their new album. I'd made it a habit to catch up with Tessa at least twice a week, allowing her to moan to me about Jared rarely being home and tell me what was happening with Rachel and John.

"They haven't spoken in about a week now, John took her to Halvo's last Saturday and caught her doing a bong so he left without saying goodbye. He's been ignoring her ever since, and you and I both know exactly what she's doing now," Tessa rolled her eyes, referring to Rachel's hookups with Halvo.

"He needs to know about that before it gets too late and he proposes to her or something," I said, sipping my coffee. Tessa shook her head.

"He won't propose. He won't do anything until he knows Rachel's quit weed for good and based on the events of the last few weeks, I doubt their relationship will even last much longer."

I bit back my smile. My plan was working how I wanted it to. I took a smug sip of my coffee, but nearly spat it out when I saw two people entering the coffee shop.

Rachel sauntered in, hand in hand with John who had dark circles around his red eyes. He'd been wearing himself down with writing this album and Rachel being a bitch wasn't helping him any. He looked like he could definitely use a coffee or three.

Rachel spotted us, her mouth turning down into a grimace as she saw me, but a sickly sweet smile gracing her features as Tessa caught her eye. She dragged John over to our table to talk to us, even though it was painfully obvious that all he wanted was to get coffee and go.

"Hey Tessa, how are you?" Rachel faked sweet, completely ignoring me.

"I'm good, how about you guys? You look like you're dying for a coffee, John," Tessa said, giving him a warm smile. He attempted a half smile.

"Yeah, I'm gonna go order while you girls catch up," John said, giving Tessa a thankful look. Rachel turned back to us with a sour look on her face.

"Tessa, do you mind if I have a little chat to Jessy? In private?" she sneered. Tessa looked at me as I shrugged my shoulders.

"I'll go get us another coffee," she said, standing up and walking towards the counter. Rachel took Tessa's seat, glaring at me with her baby blue eyes.

"Listen Jessy, I know what you're trying to do and it's not gonna work. John doesn't want you. He never has, and he never will. Stop trying to get between us, I love him and he loves me. To be honest, your little games are pathetic. Don't think I didn't see you and Garrett sneaking out of the steakhouse that night," she narrowed her eyes as I searched my brain to come up with a good excuse. I had nothing, then suddenly inspiration hit me.

"Did it ever occur to you that Garrett and I might be dating?" I snapped back. Her eyes widened slightly, looking taken aback.

"Oh really? Well if that's so you don't mind if we ask Garrett and you on a double date with us on the weekend?" she said sweetly as John rejoined her.

"Wait what? You and Garrett?" he asked, sounding surprised. I nodded.

"Yeah, does it bother you or anything?" I asked.

"I just thought he would have told us already," John said.

"Well, we kind of wanted to keep it quiet for a bit, y'know, wait until you guys were finished with the album and make sure that it's what we both want. We don't really want to rush into anything," I explained, putting a fake smile on. John's eyes clouded over with something I couldn't quite recognise. Jealousy?

Tessa came back to our table with coffees for the both of us and John tugged on Rachel's hand. "Come on, let's leave Jessy and Tessa to their coffee date."

Rachel plastered her fake smile on again as she directed her gaze to Tessa. "It was great to see you again Tess! Don't forget our double date with Garrett on Saturday, Jessy!"

Once they had left the shop, Tessa looked back at me with wide eyes. "Is there something you're not telling me about Jessy? Or rather, someone?"

* * * * *

"So we're dating now."

Garrett looked up from his video game in confusion as I burst into his house after my coffee date, thankful that neither of his parents were home. He looked slightly disappointed.

"Oh, well that's great. It's what you wanted wasn't it?"

I shook my head. "I'm not talking about John. I'm talking about you."

Garrett looked back at me, dropping the controller in his hands as a blush spread up to his cheeks. "Wait, what?"

I sighed as I told him about the run in with Rachel at the cafe and how I'd made up the excuse of Garrett and I dating. He just looked at me the entire time, barely breathing.

"So, if anyone asks, we're dating now okay? But it's okay, it's just a cover to keep Rachel off my back, we're not actually dating," I explained.

"Wait, what does this "dating" entail?" Garrett asked, putting "dating" in air quotes.

"It's pretty much just when we're in public around the others. If we're spying on John and Rachel we just say we're on a date and we act as if we're together when we're at parties. Nothing complicated."

Garrett sighed. "Uh, yeah, I guess I could do that. But what if stuff gets in the way, you know? Like, feelings and stuff?"

I frowned. "I don't get it, what do you mean by feelings?"

"Like, y'know, feelings, like," Garrett sighed, "Forget it. It was a stupid question."

"Okay. Well, we have a double date with John and Rachel on Saturday night. I guess John will tell you where and when, you'll come pick me up right?" I asked.

"Oh, uh, yeah of course," he stuttered out.

"Okay, well I need to go home, have fun with the questions John's gonna shoot at you next time you see him," I smirked, standing up to leave.

"Sounds pleasant," he grunted, picking up his game controller again, ending the conversation.

"Bye, boyfriend," I joked, turning on my heel and walking out as I heard Garrett stumbling over his words in reply.

* * * * *

Throughout the week I received messages from Kennedy, Jared and Pat, all asking if my 'relationship' with Garrett was true. I fed them all the same lie, that Garrett and I wanted to keep it on the lowdown until the album was finished. Tessa would call me for gossip everyday and I'd constantly tell her that I hadn't seen him for the same reason she barely saw her own boyfriend.

I was finishing up my hair on Saturday night when Garrett showed up for our double date, looking sharp in a pair of dark jeans, button up shirt and his adorably dorky glasses. I could hear him talking downstairs with my father, occasionally laughing at something he was saying. I slipped on my heels and grabbed my purse, heading downstairs to see him laughing at whatever my father was saying, his smile wide and blue eyes shining.

He looked in my direction and his eyes widened slightly, however he didn't get a word out before my father could butt in.

"I would have thought you'd scared him off after the first time," my dad joked. I just rolled my eyes. "Have a good night kids."

"That's it? No curfew? Wow, Garrett must have really made an impression on you," I smirked, looking over at Garrett.

"Hey, he brought you back home by curfew last time, can't say John ever did that," dad pointed out.

"Good point. I'll see you later dad, tell mom I'm out," I said, opening the door and dragging Garrett out before my father could reply.

"You really buttered him up didn't you? I don't remember the last time I went out without a curfew," I told Garrett as we got in his car.

"Well, this is the first time I've really met a girl's parents when I've taken her on a date, your dad kinda scared me the first time," Garrett admitted.

I was silent for a moment. "How many girls have you taken on dates Garrett?" I asked him curiously. I looked over at him to find his cheeks flaring up as he stumbled over his words.

"Uh, you, you're the first actually," he said, biting his lip. I looked over at him, thinking how cute he looked when he was all shy and flustered.

"Are you serious? You're in a band, how are girls not flocking to you?" I asked incredulously.

"Well, I've been with girls before, I just haven't taken them on dates," Garrett said, the blush still staining his cheeks. I opened my mouth in surprise.

"Damn Garrett, you ladies man," I joked, giving him a light punch to the arm.

"Hey! Not while I'm driving," he held up a hand in defence.

I chuckled, then changed topic as I realised we were nearly at the restaurant.

"Okay, we need a plan for tonight. You're going to hold my hand as soon as we get out of the car until we sit down, then when we're seated you should put your arm around me until our food comes. This needs to be as convincing as possible," I said seriously. Garrett began to look nervous again.

"Right. So, we just act like we've been dating a few weeks?"

I nodded. "Yep. We don't need to get into anything too heavy. Rachel will probably try and be as touchy-feely with John as possible and he'll probably be the same, but don't let that put you off. We're going slow," I reassured him and he looked a little more confident.

"Okay. Hold hand, arm around you, go slow. Got it."

Garrett parked the car and I caught the sight of Rachel and John waiting by the entrance for us. I began to grow nervous myself as I thought of all the ways this could possibly go wrong.

I went to open my door, but Garrett stopped me. "If I'm going to do this, let me do it properly." He exited the car and walked around the front, opening my door for me and taking my hand. I noticed Rachel and John watching as I swung my legs out of the door and got out gracefully, Garrett shutting my door behind me before taking my hand again.

"I know that John isn't as chivalrous with Rachel, that'll give her something to talk about," he smirked as we walked hand in hand to the restaurant, our shoulders bumping against each other's every so often.

As we reached Rachel, she plastered a fake smile on her face, while John couldn't take his eyes off Garrett and I's conjoined hands.

"So glad you guys could make it, who would have thought you guys would have ended up together?" she gushed over-enthusiastically. I reached for the door to the restaurant, but Garrett took the handle before I could.

"After you," he said with a smirk, gesturing for me to walk ahead of him. I heard Rachel whine to John in a low voice as she walked through the door with him.

"Why don't you open doors for me? When have you ever done that?" she hissed. I smiled to myself. Now Rachel had another reason to be jealous of me.

We sat at a booth and I nudged Garrett's arm subtly, hinting for him to put it around me. He looked unsure of himself, deciding whether to put it around my shoulder or my waist. He looped his arm around my shoulder awkwardly, resting it there for a moment until it felt a little too unnatural. I quickly tapped out a message on my phone, telling him to move it down to my waist and he complied, letting his arm drop comfortably until his hand rested on my side. I scooted in closer to him, leaning against his side now. I looked up across the table and nearly burst out laughing at the sight in front of me.

John was focusing intently on his menu as if it were the most interesting thing in the world and Rachel wasn't even looking at her menu and instead was glaring at John.

"Are you ready to order?" our waitress asked as she appeared by our side. I had been paying so much attention to Garrett, Rachel and John that I hadn't even looked at my menu. John ordered first, having spent so much time memorising the menu, Rachel typically ordered the garden salad and I flipped through the menu frantically, trying to find something that sounded good.

"I'll have the fettuccine carbonara, thanks," Garrett ordered, thankful that he had ordered something I liked.

"I'll have the same, thank you," I smiled, handing my menu off to the waitress. We ordered drinks and she left, leaving us in our awkward silence once again.

"So how did you guys get together? I'm dying to know," Rachel, smirked, exaggerating her words.

Garrett tightened his grip on my waist, looking down at me with a smile before spinning our lie. "The morning after the party at Halvo's she came around to check up on me and we ended up talking for a while about how we both felt about each other and I took her on a date and asked her out."

I was surprised with the authenticity of Garrett's story, as John remembered the night we had to take Garrett home.

"Oh yeah, I remember that now. I thought you seemed pretty close after that," he mused. Garrett and I had only really become close after that because he was helping me plan on breaking up John and Rachel, but I'd take that excuse.

Our waitress arrived with our drinks, John and Garrett talking about the band until our meals arrived. Rachel looked pissed off not only due to the fact that the boys were talking about the band, but also because John still hadn't touched her while Garrett's arm was still wrapped around me.

Dinner was semi-awkward as Rachel stabbed at her salad, John ate his meal quietly and Garrett and I both discussed our pasta. It almost felt as if Garrett and I were the real couple at the table and Rachel and John were pretending to date.

We finished our meals and Garrett paid for both of ours, while Rachel was left to pay for her own and John paid for his. I could practically see the steam coming out of Rachel's ears as we left the restaurant.

"Rachel, do you wanna go wait in the car? I just need to talk to Jessy alone for a moment," John said as we left. Rachel rolled her eyes and snatched the keys from his hand, stomping off towards his pickup. Garrett took this as a sign to leave and he squeezed my hand before heading towards his car.

I turned back to John, who waited until Garrett was out of earshot before starting the conversation. "I don't like this. Whatever is between you and Garrett, I don't like it."

I was slightly startled. "Okay, that's cool. You don't have to like it."

"When I say I don't like it, I mean that I don't think it should go on anymore. Jessy, this could seriously harm the band," John argued.

"Well I think that your relationship with Rachel could seriously harm the band too but I'm not telling you what to do am I? Whatever happens between Garrett and I stays between us and shouldn't affect you or the band at all." I crossed my arms, not liking where this conversation was going.

"Jessy, I've known you for so long and I don't want you to get hurt by this," John said, exasperated.

"If you really knew me you'd know that it's too late for you to try and prevent that." I ended the conversation by stomping off towards Garrett's car and flinging myself into the seat, slamming the door shut as Garrett just looked at me.

"Are you okay?"

"Is there a bar or something around here that we could go to? I need to get drunk."