Just Say Anything

I was not looking forward to this day, it was Cheyenne's last day here with me in Maryland. She had been here for two weeks or so, I still had one week left. She was leaving at around eight here and would arrive at eleven pacific standard time. We decided to make the best of the day though: watch the guys practice, hang out at the park maybe. I was anticipating her coming to me and telling me she needed to say goodbye to Alex; in other words: sex. I am the master of predicting relationships for people, besides myself, that, that tends to not work out for the best, although Zach and I are doing good.

Cheyenne was in the shower and I was typing away on the computer, working on the same story I started a year ago, it was almost finished. An IM from my sister told me that my mom and dad were going to call me later, when they got off work; I thanked her and shut down the computer. I still needed to tell my family that I have a new boyfriend, I am afraid of how they will react. Normally they are okay with me dating, but so soon after James, they might not approve, and I desperately want them to.

Jack came into my room, sighed, and flopped down on the bed.

"Can I help you Jack?"

"You're leaving soon." He huffed.

"I know, it sucks, but at least Chey will be there!"

"What are you going to do about Zach?"

I bit my lip. "I don't want to break it off…does he?"

"Not that I know of. But he likes you a lot."

"I like him a lot."

"Can't you stay here?"

"And leave Cheyenne stranded in boring-ville, Washington? She'd kill me!"

"Whatever, we're going to leave soon."

"Okay."

I thought about what Jack was asking from me and to be totally honest, I had thought about trying to stay here for senior year. My aunt and uncle would be willing to keep me here I'm sure, but I don't want to impose on them any longer than I already have. Maryland will always be home, I lived here until I was seven, that was ten years ago, and I have never adjusted to Washington. I am an east coast girl, not a west coast one. There is no way that I could leave Cheyenne though, she had stuck through everything with me, I couldn't abandon her.

"What'cha thinking about Addison?"

"Nothing much, just about staying here."

"You're going to stay here?" she sounded puzzled. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I'm not. Jack wants me too though. I do but I refuse to leave you."

"Addie," She sighed. "Look, we all know you're coming back to college over here anyways, why not just stay here for five years instead of four?"

"Like I said, I don't want to leave you."

"Leave me? Addison you're smart, you're pretty, you do so much better over here. And we both know that I don't have the grades to stay over here for college. We're going to have to go our own ways sooner or later."

"Are you saying you don't want me to go back?"

"No, no, no, Addie, I love you, you're like my sister!" She exclaimed. "But this is an opportunity for you to break out from Washington. God, we both know you hate it there!"

"Maybe you could stay to?" I said. "Come on Chey, look at what we've been through, I can't just leave you after all this."

She smiled and shook her head slightly, exiting from the room, with me trailing behind her. Always the follower, never the leader, that is me. Jack was waiting down there too, expecting us to emerge later than we had, his facial expression told of his shock. He grabbed his car keys and the three of us took of to Rian's house for Cheyenne to hear one final band practice of there's; and of course to see Alex, her boyfriend. He had enough balls to actually get her to be his girlfriend apparently, the one night stand king finally met his match and his match was what he needed to get tame. I was going to be sad when it was my turn to leave, these guys were my everything, next to Cheyenne, my parents, and little sister.

"Hey Soph," Zach said when we entered the house. He walked over to me and planted a rough kiss.

"Hey Zach."

Across the room Alex and Cheyenne were embracing and it looked as if she wanted to cry; Cheyenne wouldn't though, not over this. Brie was talking to Jack and Kara was messing with Rian's drums, much to his displeasure. I turned my attention back to Zach and looked into his beautiful eyes, they were shining bright, I was going to miss looking into them like this. The guys finally picked up the instruments, (or microphones; or kicked their girlfriend away and sat down in front of) to begin practicing for us girls. Every time they were playing I got such a rush, it amazed me that they were so talented. They were going to go places in the future.

My eyes focused in first on Zach, he walked here and there, his fingers strumming quickly. Jack, he was crazy, dancing around, and still managed to hit all the chords. Rian, a head banger, kept a quick beat, something I wish I could do. Finally, Alex, he knew how to put on a show, hand gestures, little jumps, everything; the perfect showman. Soon they ended their practice and we were all just sitting there, doing nothing. Alex grabbed Cheyenne's hand and led her out of the house, moments later I got a text:

See you later. At Alex's. I'll call you!

"So pretty much Alex and Cheyenne just went to fuck." I told them all.

"We all saw that one coming," Zach laughed.

"Guys!" Jack shouted. "Wouldn't it suck if they were outside and we could hear them?"

"Jack, sweetie," Brie said. "No more, okay, I love you, but that is really old now."

"I love you to Brie!"

"Goldfish!" I shouted. Everybody turned to give me idiosyncratic, or odd, looks. "Your name is a type of cheese…goldfish is made from cheese."

"Wow," Brie said. "I have gotten nicknames that have to do with cheese, but goldfish is a first."

"I feel special then."

"You are special Addison Sophie."

"Yeah, special ED!" Rian laughed.

"Your mom!"

The six of us burst into laughter; after that conversation came easy. When Cheyenne called, she said that she was back at the house. Jack and Kara drove everyone back to our house and Cheyenne pulled me upstairs. I had to endure listening to how great Alex was in bed. Oh, Addie, he is amazing, gentle, yet rough! God he had me screaming his name enough! I don't think he could get any bigger! At last I was able to get her to stop talking about the great sex she had had, and we went downstairs with everyone.

My phone rang before we got down and I saw that it was my parents. "Hello?" I asked, heading back upstairs.

"Addie, girl," my dad said. "How is it up there?"

"It's really good." I gushed. "I actually have something I need to tell you and mom both, is she on the line?

"Yes, yes I am. Is something wrong, honey?"

"Nothing is wrong." I bit my lip. "Far from it actually. I am just worried about how you are going to take the news."

"Addison Sophia Rae Barakat," my dad said sternly. "Tell us now."

"Well I kind of met someone up here." I told them tentatively. "His name is Zach, Zach Merrick. He is best friends with Jack."

"Are you dating this boy?" my mother asked.

"I am." I said. "I really like him and he is nothing like James was. In no aspects at all."

"Addie, do you think this is wise? I don't want to see you getting hurt."

"He's not going to hurt me daddy, and I know you are going to say that all he wants is for me to have sex with him, but dad he says that if I'm not ready then he will wait for me to be ready."

"That is good Kyle."

"I don't know Mary,"

"Mom, dad, I'm still on the phone you know."

"Sorry sweetie, well I am happy you found someone." My mom said. "It sounds as if you have something else to say, do you?"

"Well not really…"

"Addie, what is it?"

"Jack made a suggestion that I thought about but I don't want to do it because it involves leaving other people I love."

"What?" my dad asked wearily.

"To stay up here in Maryland for my senior year. With aunt Michelle and uncle Dan."

"I don't know Addison."

"I want to mom, dad, but I don't because I would be leaving you guys, Faye, and Cheyenne a year early. Both of you know that I was going to do college up here!"

"If it's what you want Ad," My dad said. "I will talk to my brother about it, but are you sure?"

"I don't know, that's the thing. I love you guys, and Cheyenne, but up here I have some many more people and you guys know that I despise Washington!"

"I'll talk to Dan about it." My dad said again. "We love you Addie."

"I love you to daddy. You too mom."

"Bye."

"Bye."

I hung up the phone and walked downstairs. They were all talking but Jack noticed that something was up and called me on it. I told them about the discussion I just had with my parents and they were all pretty happy that I might have a chance of staying up here, including Cheyenne. I would miss her so much, she is my rock. I sat down on her lap and kissed her cheek, protests came from Alex but she giggled and told him that he would have to share. Zach came over and lifted me off of her and plopped me on his laugh, giving me a big kiss on the cheek.

"Zach," I giggled. "What are you doing?"

"Stealing my girlfriend back of course!" he replied.

"But what if I said that I wanted Cheyenne, and only Cheyenne?"

"Then I would be a very sad, lonely, Zachary Steven Merrick."

"Oh we don't want that now do we?"

"No."

Once again I giggled and kissed him for extra effect. For a little while we all talked and goofed off; watched in glee four times as Brie slapped Jack for starting a sentence with "Wouldn't it suck if…". Around five the boys stayed downstairs and Brie, Kara, Cheyenne, and I went up to finish packing up her stuff. It was quiet for the first few minutes before Kara broke the ice.

"Cheyenne I am going to miss you so much!"

"Me too!" Brie shouted.

"And of course, I will," I smiled weakly. "Especially since I might not be coming back."

"I know," Cheyenne said. Her eyes started to water and soon she was crying full on. "I am going to miss you Addie!"

I cried with her, how could I even think of leaving her? There was no way that I would be able to. When we sobered up we were able to finish packing up her things in enough time so that she wouldn't miss her flight; granted, that doesn't sound like a bad idea. Jack and Kara, being the only ones with the cars at the moment, drove us all to the airport to see our friend take off. There were only two people left who needed to say goodbye to her: Alex and me. Alex went first, a moment of intimacy was needed, I let him have that first. Finished, she came over to where I had been standing.

"Hey, Addison," she said softly. "I am going to miss you."

"Likewise." I sighed.

"Whatever you choose to do, know that we're going to stay in touch. I won't give you up that easily."

"Don't I know it," I said wryly. "I know that if I even tried that you would hunt me down and hurt me."

"Damn right," She growled. "And who knows, maybe by some miracle I can come up here for college. Besides you have to go back home for holidays."

"That's right." I laughed. "But nothing is definite yet."

The look on her face was saying something different but she didn't have time to say anything more; flight 415 to Seattle, Washington, nonstop was boarding.