Stints | ✔

Thirteen: If Only You Knew

"Sometimes we have to behave indifferent towards people who proclaim their love to us, just to see if they are really different."
― Michael Bassey Johnson

   I liked the band. I loved the atmosphere. And I couldn't help but stare at Zoey Graves. The beautifully smart and interesting Zoey Graves.

   She had closed her eyes, and was kind of swaying to the music.

   Tucker and Kate had gone off somewhere. And now it was just me and Zoey.

   In this moment, the band was performing a slow love-song. And the crowd had grown quiet.

   The lead singer's low and sweet voice matched up perfectly well with the music that the band accompanied.

   It was chilly and the sky wasn't completely dark yet, but I was starting to see the stars that covered the sky.

   It was amazing.

   " I really like this song," Zoey said. Her eyes were still closed, but she was smiling. "It makes me think of a happy moment in my life. When my mom and I were still close."

   I nodded. "Yeah. I'm not really close with my parents either."

   She continued. "I feel like my mom takes me for granted sometimes. She works late, but she never wants to spend anytime with me, or do anything fun with me. My dad, I really don't know what he's doing now." She opened her eyes and looked at me. "Isaac, thanks for this. I needed this."

   She started to hum a little to the song. And I looked at her, wondering if she felt any particular way at the moment. Was she feeling depressed? Did she feel like the whole world was on her shoulders?

   But I decided not to think about that a whole lot. I only focused on the music, the crowd that was feeling the music along with me, and the fact that Zoey had wrapped her arms around me.

   For a moment it felt like it was just me and her in the world. In the whole universe.

   We were hugging each other, with other concert goers around us, looking out at the band on the stage.

   The song seemed to play on forever.

:: :: ::

   "I don't go to Warner," Kate said to me and Zoey. "I go to Wayward."

   I looked at Tucker like he was crazy. "Does your brother know?"

   He put his hands up defensively. "Hey, I'm not part of any sports!"

   "Yeah, I know that. But you know how Chandler is, especially around homecoming."

   If I were to name anyone in our football team who was the most school spirited and competitive, I'd pick Chandler Leeds. Some of my teammates would disagree with me, because they believe that Simon Moore is the most school spirited and competitive, just because everyone thinks Simon Moore is the shit.

   Anyway, because Chandler is that way, there was a likely chance that he wouldn't approve of his baby brother dating someone from Wayward. I didn't have any problem with it, especially when he wasn't part of any sports teams.

   For instance, if he was part of the basketball team, wrestling team, baseball team, etc.., he wouldn't be able to date Kate. But even if that was the case, I wouldn't make his life a living hell or anything. I'd only know that he'd be given hell by everyone at school. But I'd play no part in it.

   But I didn't trust myself enough to be so sure of that.

   Tucker shrugged. "Chandler doesn't really care about my dating life, or know much about it. We barely talk as it is."