Sooner or Later

Kenzie really didn’t know why she was so easily influenced by the boys she hung out with, but she was and she was now dealing with the consequences. She had to go to work, but she’d woken up late and slightly hungover, but what else was new. She decided to throw her hair up in a bun and to push her bangs back with a hairband, which was also very useful seeing as it covered most of her hair, hiding the fact that she hadn’t had time to wash it. Luckily, she did have time to stop by the coffee shop for a pick me up before her sift. She placed her ordered and waited impatiently for her name to be called.

“Kenzie? Hi!” The girl looked up from her phone as she heard the familiar high pitched voice. It was Shannon.

“Hi,” she faked a smile. Kenzie was still feeling a little bitter towards the blonde.

“How are you? John said you hadn’t felt well the other night when we went out; I hope you’re okay.”

“Fine, thanks,” she muttered, sighing as she glanced at the time on her phone. She really didn’t have time for this; she needed to get to work.

“Good I’m glad. I really hope we do something like that again soon. I had so much fun, the guys are really great.”

“Yeah, they really are…”

“Speaking of them, I just wanted to say, you and Garrett are adorable together.” Kenzie’s head shot up, staring at the girl behind the counter. Was John spreading rumours about this now?

“What?”

“You and Garrett; I think you guys make a great couple,” she repeated.

“Oh, we’re not a couple,” Kenzie corrected her, but the girl wouldn’t have it. Instead, she smiled at her knowingly.

“John said the same thing, but you don’t have to deny it to me Kenzie; I can see right through your act.”

“Our act?” This girl was absolutely delusional.

“Yes! You both clearly want to keep it a secret from the others because you’re afraid something might go wrong or that they won’t approve of the relationship! I mean, the guys are like brothers to you and are pretty protective clearly, I doubt that it would change even if it was one of them that you started. Heck, maybe it would be worse since they know the guy!” Kenzie stared long and hard at Shannon, not quite understanding the words coming out of her mouth. It was as though she was speaking a different language. Why wasn’t she listening to a word she was saying?!

“You don’t have to worry though, John didn’t believe me when I brought it up and I can keep it a secret until the two of you are ready to announce it,” she winked. “You’ll have to speak to Garrett though, he’s really the reason I found out. He couldn’t keep his eyes; or his hands off of you that night,” she interrupted the brunette as she tried to protest and to correct her.

“Hey Kenzie,” the shorter girl jumped as she felt fingers press into her lower back and heard Garrett’s voice in her ear. Great, just great; way to make matters worse. Shannon was smirking at them as she handed Kenz her order.

“I’d love to stay and talk, but I have to get to work,” she said, stepping away from Garrett, whose touch seemed to be burning through her skin.

“I’ll swing by later!” he called as she left the shop. She was scared to leave him alone with the other girl, horrified at the things she would say to him, but she really didn’t have time to do damage control, she needed to get to work.

Later that afternoon, just as promised, Garrett strolled into the shop. It had been a pretty quiet day and Kenzie’s colleagues were currently doing inventory in the back while she watched over the front of the store. She’d actually been trying to place a record on one of the higher display shelves and failing miserably considering her size. Garrett had plucked the vinyl from her fingers and had set it into place for her. She spun around to find herself in very close proximity with the boy.

“Hello girlfriend,” he murmured, waggling his eyebrows at her.

“Oh my god!” she exclaimed, spinning on her heals and storming away from him. “She told you too!”

“Yeah, she said I needed to be more subtle…. I think it’s actually kind of funny that she would think that you and I of all people were dating,” he laughed as he followed her over to the checkout counter where she perched herself on her stool. “People usually think that’s you and John.”

“Yeah, well she’s the one that’s dating him, so she probably has to find some other excuse as to why I was around, right?” she rolled her eyes as she started flipping through her magazine.

“Are you that repulsed by the idea of dating me?” he asked, leaning on the counter in front of her. “You don’t think that it could be a possibility? The great Kenzie Wright wouldn’t be caught dead dating Garrett Nicklesen?”

“No, it’s just…I just… Well the thing is,” fuck, she was really putting her foot in her mouth here. “I don’t know Gary, it’d just be weird; don’t you think? I mean we’ve been friends for so long…We’re just friends….”

“Alright, alright, I’m friend zoned I get it,” he laughed, rolling his eyes. The girl started to get suspicious though, maybe he was bothered by all of this. What if he actually liked her? She couldn’t imagine how horrible it would be to get shot down like that.

“Garrett you don’t like me…Do you?” she asked tentatively.

“What? Oh, no, I just think this is funny!” he exclaimed and she let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding. “I mean, I don’t see it either. We’re friends, but we’re not that close. Either that girl’s head is stuck in the clouds or she’s really threatened by your relationship with John.”

She hummed in response. She couldn’t see what the girl could be threatened about. Things were purely platonic with her and John. Just friends; like her and Garrett. Kenzie was the one that could potentially be losing her best friend. She was the one who should be worried. “Alright, well I gotta head out. I’ll call you later baby, love you,” he called, blowing her a kiss. Oh, he was enjoying this way too much and was going to give too many people the wrong idea.

The next day Kenzie headed over to the newly established 8123 studios. She’d promised the boys and Tim that she would help set up the new place with them. Decorate; stock the warehouse with merch, stuff like that. She’d thrown on a pair of old overall shorts and a Maine t-shirt they had sold the summer she toured with them and high tailed it over to the studio. However, when she got there, she felt, underdressed. Shannon was there, surprise, surprise, dressed in a skirt, sandals and a tight fitting top. Kenzie glanced down at her outfit; she could easily pass off of a guy with her baggy clothes, that is if you hid her long hair.

“Hey there,” Garrett greeted her, grinning. He gave her a hug that lingered a little too much to her liking. He kept his hand on her arm while they spoke too.

“What are you doing?” she hissed, glancing around to see if anyone was looking their way.

“Just fooling around,” he chuckled, moving his hand. “She’s eating this up.” Kenzie rolled her eyes and stepped away from him and get to work.

“Come on Kenz! It’s like when the fans ship two of us guys together!” he argued, following her to make his point. “We do everything to make it seem true. It keeps them happy and it’s a pretty good laugh! Plus, in this case, it gives the girl a boost of confidence.”

Kenzie really didn’t want to hear it. The more confidence this girl had, the more chances there were that she would lose John to her. She pushed the thought from her brain. No, that wasn’t going to happen. She wouldn’t let it. The door opened and she thought nothing of it, figuring it was just the guys bringing some more stuff inside, until she heard a familiar nickname.

“Bean!” Her head snapped around to notice a certain Eric Halvorsen standing in the doorway.

“Shorty!” she squealed back before rushing to him, bounding into his arms for a tight hug. She had grown up with John, which meant she had grown up with Halvo too. Being a girl, she’d grown quicker than the boys had, although she hadn’t gained that much height, and had thus adopted the nickname ‘bean sprout’. In return, she used ‘shorty’ to antagonize poor Eric. Even when he his puberty and easily shot up right past her five foot two height, their terms of endearment never differed. “I’ve missed you! How’s the album coming?”

“Pretty good,” he grinned, glancing around the room. “Who’s the new girl?” he asked.

“John’s friend.”

“Oh? And do we like her? How long has she been around?” he was glancing at her and John from across the room, trying to get a read from them, trying to figure out in which way he could help his friend. Either to get laid or to get the relationship. Eric was always and forever would be John’s best wingman.

“Her name is Shannon and yes we like her. She’s been around for a couple of weeks,” Kenzie sighed.

“But you don’t like her because….?”

“Because it’s weird, she thinks Garrett and I are secretly dating.”

“Hence the death glares I’m getting right now; got it. Well, I have to go attend to that, let’s get together soon; you, me and John, alright?” She agreed and he put on a grin before walking towards the couple. “Hey! You must be Shannon; it’s great to finally meet you. John has told me all about you.”

Kenzie got back to work and also back to thinking. Maybe Eric had the right idea here. She was being incredibly selfish by wanting to keep John to herself and by being scared that he would replace her. He’d told her straight up that nothing would come between him and she trusted him. She should stop putting her needs in front of everyone else’s. If Shannon was what John wanted, Shannon was what John would get. However, as Garrett had put it, that wouldn’t happen if Shannon was threatened by Kenzie and to prevent that, Kenz would have to be dating someone else. Someone else being Garrett, apparently. She supposed she could play along with his little game and pretend to be dating him in secret. No one else would have to know but her, Garrett, Eric and Shannon. Kenzie groaned; she couldn’t believe that she was actually going to give into this stupid little game, but it was for John. And she would do anything for John, especially if it made him happy. That’s what best friends are for. With a sigh she made her way over to Garrett and tried not to cringe as she placed her hand on his lower back. He’d been leaning down, searching for something in one of the boxes. He stood up straight when her fingers come in contact with his body. Kenzie glanced towards John, trying to find the courage to give into this. He was laughing at something Halvo had said, his arm around Shannon. A small smile played on the tall blonde’s lips as she caught Kenzie’s gaze. She winked at her before turning back to her conversation with Eric and John. Kenzie did the same; turning back to Garrett.

“I’ll do it,” was all she said, making her friend grin from ear to ear. He really did find the weirdest things amusing, didn’t he?