Just Say Anything

The day had come, the day that I was supposed to leave Maryland and head back to Washington. Tears sprung in my eyes at the mere thought of leaving here behind. My flight wasn't until later tonight, at eight, same time as Cheyenne's had been. Aunt Michelle and uncle Dan graciously allowed me to go and spend time with Jack, Alex, Rian, Brie, Kara, and Zach rather than stay with "stuffy old them". I would go see most of them in a little bit, but for now, I was with Alex, on the cliff.

"I really don't want to leave Alex." I whispered.

"I don't want you to either Addie," He said. "But if you have to you have to. Maybe the next time you'll see us it'll be on your TV."

"All Time Low is going to be huge." I smiled. "I promise."

A little while later the two of us were in his van driving back into town to see everybody. It wasn't even noon yet, Alex had came over at eight thirty in the morning to get me, knowing I would already be up. Now, it being eleven thirty, we decided it would be best for us to get back, knowing everyone else would want to spend time with me too. Unsurprsingly, they were all sitting in the lawn of my aunt and uncle's house, chatting with each other. Zach came running up to me the moment I stepped out of the car and embraced me in a tight hug.

"Hello to you too Zach."

"I can't believe you're leaving so soon." He whispered.

"I know, I don't want to Zach, but I have to."

"Stay here, with me." He pleaded.

"I wish I could Zach. But remember, I love you."

"I love you too Soph."

Rian, Kara, and Brie, feeling left out pulled Zach away and attached themselves to me. Back in Washington, when I left for here, I had two friends do this to me; Cheyenne and Lewis. And Lewis was only kind of there for me through this all, and now that I have heard what he has done, I need to give him more credit. Anyways, Maryland has given me things I yearned for back there, now I was being torn away from them. They all said the same thing in different words, "I miss you." I was going to miss them all so much, they were some of the best things I have. Leaving them might even beat out how sad I felt leaving behind my parents, Faye, and Cheyenne back in June.

"God, girl," Brie said. "You are making Kara and I even less of a minority now!"

"Awe, I'm sorry Brie." I told her. Hugging her again. "I'll visit!"

"You better!" She exclaimed. "Oh, and when and if these losers go on tour, we're kidnapping you to come with us."

"Sounds like a plan." I giggled.

"You're leaving me with her!" Kara shrieked. "How will I survive?"

"How did you survive before Kar?"

"By fucking Rian."

There was a chorus of "ew's" and Rian laughing in delight. The seven of us sat there in the front yard, not saying one word, just cherishing this moment. I sighed leaning back into Zach's chest, he wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head softly. Even though it was the middle of August and at least eight two degrees, I shivered slightly, Zach hugged me closer to him. Days like this made everything seem perfect, giving me more reasons to never want to leave. Sadly my parents had never gotten back to me on whether or not I would be able to stay here, knowing them that means I am back home tonight.

"Come on," Jack said. "We got to make this last day fun for Addie! This day can't be spent moping."

"Jack's right for once." I said. "Let's do something."

"Or someone." Zach muttered so just I could hear him.

I kissed him lightly and smirked, "Maybe later doll."

It took everyone else a moment to catch on to what he had to have said to make me say that, within that time span their reactions were all different, and at different timing; Brie, dude!; Rian, gross man!; Alex, laughs; Kara, oh wow; and Jack, that's my cousin dude! I laughed myself and stood up pulling Zach up with me. They all followed my lead and got up off the ground, starting to walk towards the park. Zach and I trailed just a few steps behind them, holding hands, enjoying this last day we had together for such a long time. Brie turned around to make sure we were coming with them, not ditching, and smirked at us. Alex had whispered something to her just moments before and I wanted to know what was going on.

"Hey Alex," I called. "Secrets don't make friends."

"I've got all the friends I need Addie." He said. "The best friends."

"Secrets don't keep secrets either!" he gasped at what I had said.

"Are you saying you don't want to be my friend anymore?"

"Exactly, I hate you Alex."

"You love me Addie, don't deny it."

"You are mistaken Alex." Zach laughed. "Addie loves me."

Alex happened to be walking backwards so that he could face me and nobody had took charge to tell him he was going to walk into a wall. He did and groaned in pain as we all laughed at his unfortunteness; if looks could kill all of us would be dead on the ground. Brie took my hand and dragged me to a merry-go-round, Kara also was dragged along.

"Jack, Rian, and Alex get your asses over and onto this thing!" she screamed.

"What about me Brie?" Zack yelled.

"You have to spin us, duh!" she called back. "You're the muscles."

Zach sighed but obliged to spin us around anyways; he got us going fast before he hopped on himself. I'm sure it would be a sight to see, seven, just shy of being legal adults, sitting down on a merry-go-round that was actually spinning, laughing like no other. It was the times this that I was going to miss the most, the people back home would take one look at a scene like this, scoff, and walk away, spreading rumors about you for the next several months. Even after the toy had come to a stop we sat, or laid, there giggling; an elderly man walked by us stopping to smile at us.

"Excuse me," I said. "Sir, can you take a picture of us please? I'm supposed to be heading back home today…"

"Certainly young lady." He said, taking the camera from me.

I went back to the merry-go-round and Zach wrapped his arm around me. The man handed me my camera back seconds later and I thanked him. This would be a picture for every scrapbook, or myspace, for years to come: I was leaning against Zach with his arm wrapped around me, both of us grinning like the Cheshire Cat from Alice In Wonderland; On the other side of me was Alex, his laugh was captivated perfectly; Then came Jack and Brie, she was giggling and he was kissing her cheek; Finally Rian and Kara, both leaning in towards each other, their fingers intertwined. I showed it to everybody and they all agreed, it was the perfect picture.

Over the last couple of months I had captured every moment that was worth while in a picture, to preserve for as long as I shall live. Things like that were the things that let me remember what happened in the aspects of my life as I have grown up. Not many people do that anymore; they're all too self absorbed in taking pictures of themselves. Time was passing by us quickly, there wasn't enough of it for this day that we so desperately wanted to have. It is always like this, isn't it? When you want the day to go by slow it goes by too fast; but when you want it to go quicker it ticks by slow as a snail in the mud.

"This sucks." I sighed.

Everyone murmured their agreement as my phone rang. Aunt Michelle. "Hey aunt M, what's up?"

"Addison, dear, I think that you guys should be coming home soon."

"Okay, aunt M," I sighed. "We'll be there soon."

"We have to go back?" Jack questioned.

"Yeah, unfortunately." I broke down into tears and Jack hugged me before Zach could.

"It'll be okay Addison Sophie," He said. "You can't get rid of us even if you are leaving."

"I can't believe this summer is over already." I said, tears streaming down my face.

Silently the seven of us started walking back home in the summer heat. They can take, take, take the kids from the summer, but they'll never, never, never take the summer from me. Completely honestly, this summer has been the best one I have experienced since I last lived in Maryland, a long time ago. Tears were still trickling down my face as we walked up the street towards Jack's house. People were sitting on the porch but from such a distance I couldn't make them out, just that there were six people. As we neared the house, I realized who they were.

"Mom, daddy, Faye!" I screamed. "Cheyenne! What are you all doing here?"

"We came to see you sweetie." My mom said. "Jack, you've gotten so tall!"

She hugged Jack while my dad hugged me. "Daddy, what are you all doing here?"

"We came to see you baby girl."

"I'm coming home tonight though." I stated, clearly puzzled.

"Wow, Alex, I'm surprised you didn't tell her!"

"You knew about this?" I asked Alex.

"Only I did." He grinned. "Cheyenne told me she was coming back."

"Okay, somebody needs to explain this to me right now." I demanded. "By the way, hello Faye."

"Hi!"

Everybody sat back down and I waited expectantly for an explanation.

"Well," my mom started. "You seemed so happy here, happier than you have ever really sounded back home, that your dad called Dan right away. Dan and Michelle were more than happy to have you stay here with them for your senior year."

"However," My dad picked up. "They saw how upset you had been when Cheyenne had to leave that they wanted her to come down to."

"So I talked to my parents about it," Cheyenne chimed in. "And they agreed to let me stay down here as long as I keep my grades up."

"I'm staying here?" I asked.

"Yes, you are."

"You're really going to let me stay here, mom, dad?"

"Of course we are Addie." My mom said. "Which one is Zach?"

"Hello, Mrs. Barakat." Zach said politely, holding out his hand to her, than my father. "Hello Mr. Barakat."

"He's a polite one." My dad laughed. "Call me Kyle."

"And please, call me Mary."

The excitement I was feeling was one of the best feelings in the world. Staying here was exactly what I wanted. I hugged Cheyenne tight, glad that I wouldn't be leaving her, and then my family.

"How long are you three staying for?" I asked.

"Just a few days," Faye said. "Mom wants me to get ready for school soon."

"School should be great Faye. Tommy still goes there right?" I winked at her.

"We came down here to bring you more of your stuff Addison." My mom said. "And we wanted to see you, we won't be seeing you again until Christmas."

"I'm going to miss you all so much!"

"Addison," my dad said sternly. "Listen to me, don't worry about your mother, Faye, and I. Have a good time here, like you said, you would be leaving us anyways for college over here."

"Dad I love you so much!" I cried.

"Addie, we are so proud of you." My mom told me, hugging me again. "You're a good student, a good girl, and you held up better than a lot of girls could after what James did to you."

"Thank you." My parents turned to talk to my aunt and uncle and I snagged Faye away from them. "I am going to miss you little sister."

"I'm going to miss you too Ad." Faye said sadly.

"Hey now, you can always call me, I will always be here for you, just say anything and I will listen to you, okay?"

"Okay Addie."

Cheyenne was catching up with Alex and all my friends were talking excitedly with each other while my aunt and uncle fussed over Faye. This is what I deserved. Zach was waiting patiently for me to return to him, which I did, I kissed him hard and passionate, so joyful that I wouldn't have to leave him for a very long time. When we broke away I smacked Alex for keeping this a secret from me. Here in Maryland there was never a dull moment, it was so good to be back here, with the people that got me. I could just say anything and they would be there for me no matter what. My life had went from good, to tragic, to the best it could possibly be, just by me coming out here. James had destroyed my life and yet got me the best one I could ever ask for. Three words make all the difference.