Pretty Zeeko

Friendship Endings

I was the first to wake up with the sunlight shining through the tan curtains. Still in Zach's muscular arms, I ever so slightly lift his hand and peek at the digital clock. It was 8:37AM. I turned around so that I was now facing him, and curled up with my head against his chest. I felt his heart beat. Opening the bathroom door at 9:00AM on the dot, Jesse was the second one awake. He gave a small wave to me and left to get breakfast. I felt Zach's fingers run through my hair. He was awake. I couldn't see behind me, but I could hear the quiet voice of Mikey telling Jeremy, who was still on the floor, to shut the fuck up. Zach took a deep breath, sat up, stretched, lifted me up and sat me on his lap. My legs were across his. He didn't say anything. He just hugged me tightly as I buried my head in his chest. I heard him whisper, "I'm so glad I found you." Just as he got up to pee, Jesse walked through the door again, carrying two huge boxes from dunkin donuts.
"Jesse are these all donuts??" Zach asked nervously.
"Duh. What else would they be?" He answered sarcastically. He slammed them on the table, waking Brandon, who had his arms around Fiona. When Brandon woke, she did, too. Jeremy was rolling on the floor, trying to get up. I stood up and stretched. I pulled my hair back into a messy bun on the too of my head and wiped my eyes.
"Fiona? Are you going to get up? Jesse got donuts," I said in a calm voice. I was really starting to get mad at her. She barely even talked to the boys! She sat up and glared at my direction.
"What's your fucking problem, lately?" I ask in a less calm, pissed off voice, "You invited me here. It was your idea to bring this band into our hotel room. You can't blame this on me. I was so excited to meet my idols and I was even more overjoyed when they decided to sleep in the same room as us. I don't know what got into you, but it's certainly not a good thing. Why aren't you happy that you got to meet them too? Why aren't-"
"Iris, look, I like The Neighbourhood a lot, don't get me wrong," she looked at Jesse as she spoke. Jesse smiled and tried to talk, but she continued. "I... I just like my space, okay? I don't like having to share a bed with someone I don't know. Better yet, having them touch me. And, Brandon, I know you didn't mean it like that, but I really don't like it when people touch me. It took a lot for me to hug Zach yesterday, actually. And, Iris, don't take it personally, but I don't like how you and Zach are all over each other. You guys just met yesterday. You don't even know his favorite color. You need to stop pretending you love him because he could be your worst nightmare for all you know. You just like him because he's famous."
I was in shock. I looked behind me at Jesse, and his mouth was dropped open in shock, also.
"If that's how you feel, then I don't want know why you'd want to be my friend anymore," I hesitantly said.
"I don't," was all she said. I was outraged. She was my ride home, though. I tried not to loose my temper on her, but it was so hard.
She added, "Maybe if you- never mind."
"What?"
"I said never mind."
"I said tell me," I walked over to her with my fist clenched. Brandon got out of my way.
"Maybe if you act your age and are a little more mature, we wouldn't be having this conversation. Maybe you should realize that you're six-fucking-teen and shouldn't be sleeping with guys that are in their twenties. Maybe if you just stopped obsessing over bands and famous people, we wouldn't be arguing," she spilled all at once. I'd had it. I pulled back my arm, ready to take a swing at her freckle covered face, but a strong hand grabbed my wrist. I turned around to see Jesse, holding me back. Without thinking, I pushed him back. Before he knew what was happening, I was on top of Fiona, hitting, kicking, and punching as hard as I possibly could. Jesse pulled me by the back of my shirt and yelled for Zach, who was still in the bathroom.
"Zach! I have a problem! I need your help!"
Zach came bounding out from the bathroom and zipped his pants on the way to the entanglement of Jesse, Fiona and I. By then, Fiona's pillowcase was coated in blood from her nose that my fist went through. Zach wrapped his muscular arms around my waist as Jesse got ahold my my shoulders, and they both ripped me from her. I wouldn't let go, though. I used my feet and kicked them back and got on too of her again, this time hitting harder. She tried to block her face with her hands. After Zach and Jesse failing once more to get me off of her, all of the guys tried together. They succeeded. Mikey and Jeremy took Fiona, who was now crying, to the bathroom. Brandon stuffed his face with donuts while Jesse and Zach held me to the bed and tried to calm me down. Zach's eyes were terrified as he stood behind Jesse and watched as he held my hand and slowly but quietly said, "Iris, it's okay. Shhh... It's gonna be okay." In an even softer voice, he sang, "Remember what the people said, remember what the people said; when it's set and done, let it go." I sobbed into his inked arm. Zach looked jealous behind us, but I could also see that he was a little upset, too. He tapped Jesse's shoulder. As he arose from his knees, Zach laid down on the bed next to me. He hugged my motionless body as I cried into his shoulder. He whispered in my ear, "Darling, you'll be okay."
I cried for a few more minutes. When I had enough self control, lifted my head up.
"You know Pierce the Veil?" I asked, kind of surprised .
"Only that song," he nodded. I put my face back on his shoulder. I have to admit that I really enjoyed laying by his side. Jesse sat with Brandon and helped him eat the donuts. After what felt like a long time, Mikey, Jeremy, and Fiona came out of the bathroom. Fiona held a piece of tissue over her right eye. I felt Zach's grip around me tighten. We watched them walk across the room and sit on the other bed. She didn't once look my way. When she sat down, she looked at the brown carpet beneath her feet. Jeremy joined in with Brandon and Jesse eating breakfast. Mikey put his arm around Fiona, but she pushed him away with the hand that wasn't over her eye. Zach and I sat up, but he still kept a strong grip on me, as if I would float away if he wasn't holding me back.
"Fiona, I'm sorry..." I said firmly, and I meant it.
"You really pissed me off to a breaking point, but I guess I took it too fat. I shouldn't have punched you. Or hit you. I kicked you," I added. She didn't even look up.
Mikey sighed.
"She told me to tell you guys that she called her mom and her mom told her not to talk to any of us. She's picking her up later. She said Iris isn't allowed near Fiona," he said.
"But how am I supposed to get home?" I asked kind of panicky.
Mikey looked at me with long, sad eyes and shrugged.
"I don't know," he answered. I knew he was going to say that. When Fiona took her hand away from hand away from her eye, I could see it was swollen and completely purple. Her whole face and upper chest were mixed with shaded of red, purple, and blue, all from my fists. She got up and threw her stuff into her bag. She stood at the doorway, tied her shoes, and still looking at the ground said, "I'll be waiting outside." Then, she rushed out the door and and I could hear her running down the halls.
"And then there were six," Jeremy groaned.
"Jeremy this is not the time for cuteness, okay?" Jesse snapped,
"Iris has no way to get home."
Zach perked up. He called for a "Band meeting" and everyone went into the bathroom. I stayed on the bed. I heard a lot of whispering, followed by Zach screaming, "YES, YES, YES, I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!"
They ran out and Jesse pushed through to stand at the foot of my bed.
"Iris, are you ready to be offered the deal of a lifetime?" He asked. Before I got the chance to say "yes", he said, "Would you like to tour Europe with us?"