More Than This

10 - Garrett

Surprise!!! A double update! I knew you wouldn't be able to wait another week to hear from G, and rather than face a lynch mob I decided to go ahead and write his part. 😘

Song of the chapter - Destination Unknown by Missing Persons

The day had been surreal, like some kind of twisted dream. It hadn't even made enough sense to be a Dali painting. His shit was less intense than my effed up day.

Sitting in a court room, next to my mom, listening to the charges read against him, I could hardly stay still. The rage was still there, quietly seeping into my clenched fists. My mom kept rubbing my hands, trying to get me to relax.

"Calm down, Garrett. He's in custody. It's done now." She whispered.

It wouldn't be done for me as long as that bastard was still breathing. He took too much from us, from Lisa. He took everything. And I wouldn't be able to forgive him. Ever. He ruined what little security I had left after my dad overdosed, after Lisa left me, then after she came back, scared out of her mind. He proved that you can never be safe. I never forgot that. No one is safe, and everyone leaves you.

I pulled up to Nico's house an hour later than I thought I would. After the courthouse, I needed to just be silent for a while. I had nothing left. So I drove to my spot, a place that always helped me relax, and sat there for an hour, alone. I came to some conclusions sitting there. Some things in my life needed to change, it was time. But I wasn't sure I was ready.

I got out of my car and walked up the familiar driveway to Nico's sanctuary. Honestly, it had become mine as well. It was the one place in my life that felt safe. I knew what I was doing in there, I had a role that I felt comfortable playing. And I was good at it.

Nico had lived in this house as long as I could remember. His family stayed even after his dad died. There's no way I could have stayed like that. Nico had a great relationship with his dad, not the fucked up one I had with mine. This house was still full of good memories for them. I even had a few myself.

I got to the door of the garage and opened it, stepping inside. Still in my court clothes, basically my version of a suit and tie, which I didn't even own so my shirt and vest had to do, I knew I wouldn't be sliding under any car that day.

Nico had already found our next project, a 1970 Plymouth Road Runner. I could already picture the finished product; a midnight blue exterior and tan leather interior. It would cost a little more than we had spent on other cars, but the last sale had been a good one, we could afford to drop a bigger investment on it.

Except for the amount that I had put aside...

My thoughts were interrupted when I came around the car to see everyone already gathered. Nico was leaning against the front of the car, casually talking with the girls as he was covered from head to toe in grease. He had been working hard on the motor all weekend.

April and Amber were sitting together on the couch, talking heatedly about something that had apparently happened during lunch. The conversation ended as soon as I came into view, both girls and Nico looking over toward me, eyes expecting me to tell them all about it.

My eyes, however, went right to Amber. She was looking back at me and our gazes locked, intensely. Her mouth opened slightly and her eyes moved away from my own, traveling down.

Shit! Was she...checking me out?

My heart started speeding. I swallowed the lump in my throat, trying to get a handle on the nerves that erupted in my stomach. Amber's eyes came back up and met mine briefly, then she looked away. A blush formed in her cheeks.