After hiding out behind the banister trying to listen to Garrett and Rachel without being seen Zoey gave up and went to find Kennedy. Zoey wasn’t generally a curious person but could you blame her? They had matching tattoos! Obviously they meant a lot to each other at some point of time.
“Hey Kenny” Zoey said unenthusiastically as she went to lie down on his bed. He was sitting by the window tuning his guitar
“Hey Zoey, where’s Garrett?” he said barely looking up.
“He’s downstairs” she sighed “With Rachel”
Kennedys head flew up. He put down the guitar and scrambled over onto the bed beside Zoey “Did you say Rachel? Rachel? With Garrett?”
When Zoey nodded he took off so fast she was so confused the only thing she could do was follow him. Kennedy was walking fast down the hallway
“Wait! Where are you going?” Zoey whispered trying to catch up to him “Kenny you can’t go down there!”
He wasn’t stopping. As they neared the staircase they heard voices. Garretts and Rachels. Zoey had to stop Kennedy from going down there and interrupting whatever was happening so she did the only thing that sprang to mind.
“What the hell?! Zoey get off me!” Kennedy hissed as he tried to get free of Zoeys grip without hurting her. Unable to stop Kennedy from going downstairs Zoey had done the only thing that she could think of. She was on his back trying to get him to stop. He turned around and accidently rammed into a wall. “Owww” Zoey said wincing.
“Sorry” Kennedy apologized
They froze as the voices downstairs got louder
“Zoey let go of me I really have to get down there” Kennedy pleaded
“Not before you tell what the hell is going on here” Zoey said determined.
“Fine, but I-“ Kennedy started but he was interrupted by the sound of the front door banging. The two of them froze. Footsteps were heard coming toward the stairs. Loud, very angry footsteps.
It was Garrett. Kennedy grabbed Zoeys hand and they ran into his bedroom and closed the door before Garrett found them. Kennedy placed an ear to the door. Garrett passed his bedroom and went into his own, banging the door behind him. When all was quiet Kennedy sat down beside Zoey
“Garrett should really be the one telling you this but, that just seems highly unlikely right now” He walked over to a row of drawers and rummaged through them he found what he was looking for. He found it and walked over to Zoey. He handed her what he was holding. It was a picture. A picture with fold marks on it. Zoey frowned. In the picture was Garrett, Rachel, Kennedy and John. This had to have been taking at least a year ago because Garretts hair was shorter and they all looked young.
“That was taken last Summer” Kennedy said nodding “Garrett and Rachel were together”
Zoey winced. “What happened?” she asked even though she was pretty sure she already knew.
“They were together for about a year and a half. Garretts first real girlfriend. Then Rachels parents moved to Florida. They tried the whole long distance thing but Rachel got new friends, new school, new everything and I guess she just didn’t have room in her life for Garrett anymore. They used to go weeks without talking” Kennedy shook his head “Garrett couldn’t do anything, he was so depressed he couldn’t even play music. It was a bad time”
Minutes passed and neither of them said anything
“He still loves her doesn’t he?” Zoey said, it wasn’t a question but more of a statement.
“We don’t talk about it” Kennedy said sympathetically, “You’re actually the first girl he’s gotten even remotely close to” He said as if it was supposed to be some sort of consolation.
She handed the picture back to Kennedy “Thanks for telling me Kenny”
She got up and headed for the door
“Where are you going? Kennedy asked
“To make sure Garrett’s okay” she replied simply without turning back
--
His entire life, Garrett only truly fell in love once, with Rachel. It hurt to think that someone that once meant everything to him was now only a memory. Garrrett was lost in his own thoughts when he heard his bedroom door open. He knew it was Zoey by the way she smelled. Like him. He had the urge to smile but he couldn’t, he didn’t want to. He didn’t move, he just kept staring ahead. Zoey came and set beside him. She slid her hand into his and squeezed it. For a long time they lay there, no one saying a word. No one having to say a word. Garrett let his head rest on her shoulders.
More silence.
“Garrett” Zoey said softly, “I want you to come with me to the dance”
He made no attempt to move his head “What about Jason?” he asked, his voice was rough from not talking for so long
“I don’t want Jason, I want you” she said simply
He was so overwhelmed with emotion all he could do was squeeze her hand.
--
“Do you regret getting the tattoo?” Zoey asked
It was early in the morning and the sun was just rising. Zoey and Garrett had been awake, talking all night.
“As soon as we broke up, yeah” he said “but I guess it’s a part of me now”
“Thanks for waiting with me” he continued
“I can’t think of anywhere I would rather be”
