Arin rubbed his eyes sleepily and walked into the kitchen, only to be greeted by Val, Lacey and Matt.

“Morning kidday!” Matt shouted and he winced a little.

“Morning, what are you so perky about?”

“Your dad invited us to go fishing today. You’re coming?”

Arin opened the fridge and immediately felt chilly because he walked in shirtless with only a pair of shorts. He took a carton of milk and poured the fluid into a glass while Matt was still waiting for his answer.

“Yo, dude!”

“Huh what?”

“I’m asking you! Are you coming, fishing with us?”

He scrunched up his nose and thought about it.

“Nah, I’ll pass.” He’d never been a fan of fishing anyways.

“Oh, goodie. So what do you wanna do today?” Val came up to him brightly, holding a bowl of baby food in her hand.

“N-nothing. Dunno. Maybe check out that new music store in town. They’ve got this huge collection of Zildjian. I need to try them out.”

Matt snorted a laugh. “Dude, you get free stuff from them. Why would you wanna check them out?”

“My friend runs the store.”

“Oh.” Matt raised his brows and nodded, going back to his scrambled egg and toast.

“Where’s my old man, anyway?”

“He’s in the garden with River. Could you please give this to him? He insisted to feed him.”

Arin took the bowl of baby food from Val’s hand and went away from the kitchen.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking, Val?” suddenly Lacey emerged from behind the magazine and leaned over the table, whispering to Valary.

“Yes. We need to get him to see that girl. Let’s ask him to bring us along to town.”

“Yeah. Let me wake Michelle up. And um, are we bringing…Zacky’s girl?”

Valary shrugged. “If she wants to come then, it’s okay.”

“Okay, let me wake them up. This is exciting!”

Lacey too, left the kitchen while Matt glared at his wife in utmost curiosity. Valary watched until Lacey was gone behind the stairs, then her eyes locked with Matt when she turned to him.

“What?”

“Wifey…what are you planning to do with that kid?”

Valary ran her eyes away and pretended to clean something on the counter. “Nothing.”

“Val, honey. I know when you lie.” Matt stood up and approached his wife, towering over her with his huge muscular body and overpowering height.

“What makes you think I’m lying?”

“You won’t look me in the eye when you lie. Tell me~” Matt sang, resting both of his hands on her waist and pulled her closer. Then he roamed his palms down to cup her ass, squeezing them tightly.

“Matt, we’re in a guesthouse!” she slapped his upper arm and quickly sighed in relief at the sight of sleepy Michelle and Brian.

“Oh hey, you guys finally up!”

Michelle walked forward as Brian nuzzled the crook of her neck while his arms wrapped tight around her from behind.

“Yeah, have you noticed I have a giant koala on my back here? Help me get it off.”

Brian tightened the embrace on Michelle’s body and nibbled on her neck until she squealed a giggle.

“I have a hangover…” he mumbled on her skin.

“Then drink some coffee, baby. You got any coffee there, Val?”

“Yep. Right here.”

As soon as Brian got his coffee from Valary he let Michelle go and sank into conversation with Matt.

~*.*~

After they had breakfast, the guys were preparing to go fishing with Arin’s dad while Zacky kept glancing over at Meaghan and smiled silly when she looked at him back, biting her lip. He seemed reluctant to go.

“You sure you don’t wanna go, son?” Ric said while putting on his vest and hat. Arin opened his mouth to answer but suddenly Valary cut him off.

“Oh, can we borrow him today, Ric? We want to see the town and who knows the town better than him right?”

Ric laughed slightly and nodded. “Right, right. So, we’re off doing what men do and you go shopping with them, okay son?”

Arin rolled his eyes and sneered at Valary who stuck her tongue out to him.

“Matt, be responsible of your wife!” he yelled at Matt who already loaded up the beer cooler in his black Land Rover trunk.

“Sorry, buddy. You’re the one who insisted to stay. You handle them, okay? Make sure they come back in one piece.”

They all laugh out loud and received a grunt from Arin. He was forced to be the driver to the missus and he had no choice especially when there is someone as persuasive as Valary among them.

After the girls were done saying goodbye to each of their significant other, off the boys went onto the main road leaving Arin surrounded by women that he didn’t want to be with, in the first place.

“So Arin, take us around town will ya? I saw a really huge mall on our way here yesterday. I have to buy a pair of new flats anyway.” Lacey started, tugging his skinny arm lightly.

Arin scratched his head and heaved out a sigh. “God, what have I done wrong to deserve this..?” he mumbled while getting his car keys and jacket.

“Come on! When you get married, you have to do this with your wife eventually. Consider this as practice.”

“Practice my ass. Come on. We’ll take Brian’s SUV. Can’t fit all of you in my Ferarri.”
All of them slapped his arms in return for being cocky and he winced, except for Meaghan who just giggled quietly at the back.

“Alright, madams. Where should I take you today?”

Arin put on his seatbelt and adjusted the rearview mirror while the girls settling into their own seats.

“How about,” Valary answered after she was done buckling her seatbelt. “Take us around this neighborhood first?”

Arin was about to change the gear to reverse but he stopped midway. “Why? What happened to shopping?”

“We can always do that later. Now just drive.”

With a great frown on his forehead he drove on, according to Valary’s instruction.

---

“Mom, I’m off!”

Evan tied up his last shoelaces and hoisted up his backpack, ready to go. His mom hailed from inside, making him halt.

“What?”

“You forgot your lunch. Are you going to be back late today?”

“Yeah, maybe. The shop closes at 10.”

“You don’t have to work part-time dear. I have enough money to support you.”

Evan chuckled lightly and kissed his mother’s cheek. “Support your daughter first. She’s unemployed. Bye, mom!”

Then Evan got into the car, started the engine and drove off to school. Minutes later after Susannah had gone back inside the house again, an unfamiliar black SUV arrived slowly in front of her house.


“This is it, isn’t it?”

Arin clenched his jaw in frustration. “Why are we here, Val? And how do you know where she lives?”

“Hey, it’s 2013. How do you think I found out about her? Internet of course.”

Arin shook his head in disbelief. “You stalking bitch.”

“Watch your mouth kid! Now I want – no, WE want you to get in there and talk to her. Say how you feel!”

“NO!”

“Arin!” They yelled in chorus.

“No, okay? No! I’ve had it with you guys! You don’t have the right to meddle in my personal business, especially when you don’t know what the fuck happened in my life!”

Silence draped over them, none of them had the courage to say anything. They had never seen Arin this rage before. He was always the calm and cool kid in the band. Luckily River was sleeping at the back so his vulgar language didn’t get past him.

“She left me, alright?! What part of ‘she doesn’t want me anymore’ don’t you understand?!”

“But Arin..she came-”

“I don’t care if she comes begging on her knees! I don’t want to make the same mistake again!”

He was about to step the gas away when suddenly Valary pointed to the window next to him and he slowly turned to it.

“Arin is that you? What a surprise!”

“Uh..Susannah..hi..”

“Hi! Wow, it’s been a long time!”

Arin chuckled bitterly and unbuckled his seatbelt, getting out of the car. He glanced at the girls and they gave him a little moral support. Then he greeted Susannah with a brief hug but she made it longer.

“Come in, I haven’t seen you in two years!”

“Um, actually I’m kinda in a rush..”

“Oh, are you here to see Kim? Who are these lovely people in your car?”

Arin scratched his head nervously and introduced each of them to Susannah who waved warmly at them.

“This is Val, that is Michelle, Lacey and um…”

“Meaghan.” She introduced herself.

“Right. They’re all my band mates’ wives and girlfriend.”

“Oh I see! Hi, ya’ll. I’m Susannah Andrade.” She took their hands through the opened window. They murmured a few greeting words back at her.

“Is um..Kimberly..home?” Arin asked, scanning over the house once.

“Oh no, honey. She’s already gone out. But I’ll tell her you came by.”

“NO! Um..no..please don’t. I’m just..passing by.”

“Are you sure? She would love to see you. You’re always been my favorite boy. You’re like my own son. You’re still coming for Thanksgiving dinner right?”

His forehead creased in puzzle. Kimberly hadn’t told her mom about the break up?

“I’ll see what I can do, Susannah. I gotta go. Bye, see you later.”

After saying goodbye, Arin went into the car and drove away feeling confused and staggered.

“How did it-” Val started but Arin cut her off rapidly.

“Why would she keep it a secret from her mom? We broke up two years ago, why would she..?” he mumbled to himself, making the girls all fell in silent.

---

“Ah, Starbucks. Why am I not surprised?”

Doug cocked one eyebrow at her and smiled crookedly. Kimberly shrugged at him and stuck her tongue out, pulling his arm into the premise as she did.

“You need some caffeine after all those interrogations from my mom last night.”

He laughed and scanned around the crowded coffee shop. “I like your mom anyway. She’s...interesting. Wow, did you honestly think that I would line up here just for a bloody cup of coffee?”

“Yep.”

“You’re a massive twit, you know that?”

“I don’t care. Get me a..” she wanted to say Caramel Macchiato, her personal favorite. But she stopped suddenly, her face dropped in a frown as she stared at the floor, reminiscing her memory with Arin.

“Hello? Kimmy? You’re still here, aren’t you?”

“Uh..hmm..get me American Iced Latte. No syrup. I’ll wait for you…there. Outside, okay?”

“What, you – hey, get back here!”

Kimberly scurried out of the shop and quickly took a seat near the window, sticking her tongue out to him. He chuckled and shook his head while he had to wait in a long line for just two cups of coffee.

Moments later, after finally came his turn, the barista smiled at him and asked for his order.

“Give me um, American Iced Latte, no syrup, hmm..I’ll have…a Caramel Macchiato and two bagels please.”

“Right away. Your name sir?”

“Kimberly.” He said, sneering at her who was immersed into the menu outside.

The barista frowned at him but nevertheless he wrote the name down. After that Doug went to his side and took a set nearby to wait for his coffee.





“You guys go ahead, shop till you drop. I’m just gonna hang here.”

Arin was about to go into the Starbucks while the girls all dispersed, dazzled with the designer label shops around them.

“Wait, Arin!”

He turned around. Meaghan was running back to him.

“I’m coming with you.”

“Oh..kay. You don’t wanna follow them?”

“I’m not much of a shopper anyway.”

Arin shrugged and they both went into the Starbucks, as Arin felt really lucky because there was no line behind the counter at all. He went straight to the barista as two cups of coffee arrived in front of him.

“Two bagels, American Latte and Caramel Macchiato for Kimberly!” the barista shouted. Arin froze in front of it. His eyes widened as cold sweat starting to dew on his forehead.

Kimberly? Kim??

“Excuse me.” a thick British accent suddenly erupted from his right side, along with a pair of hands reaching out to the coffee cups. Arin looked up.

There was a guy, long haired and lean, smiling at him briefly before he went out of the shop. Arin followed him with his gaze until his heart skipped a beat at the sight of Kimberly, his Kimberly, sitting just beside the window with a smile etched on her face when the guy took a seat in front of her.

“Arin,” Meaghan called. He snapped out of his stutter and turned to her.

“That’s her?”

Arin nodded slowly and could not decipher how shattered his heart was at the time.

Kimberly had moved on! She didn’t even come back here for me! Evan lied. He lied. Maybe she came to the show the other night just to say another goodbye. Just to smash my broken heart into million pieces! Damn it, but why do I feel so…

“Hey, maybe they’re just friends.” Meaghan softly patted him on the back but Arin didn’t see it that way. The guy was clearly into her. Clearly had feelings for her.

“Let’s get out of here.”

“But, don’t you want to-”

Arin rushed ahead, ignoring what Meaghan had to say and just went out the door while she chased him from behind.



“Here’s your drink, ma’am.”

Kimberly looked up and smiled at him. “Why, thank you kind sir.”

“You’re most certainly welcome.”

She let out a small chuckle and sipped on her coffee. But her movements stopped when she saw his choice of drink on the table that reminded her so much of her past.

“You ordered Caramel Macchiato for yourself?”

“Yep. Is there a problem?”

She raised her eyebrows at him, curious whether fate really made him to order that particular drink or was it just a coincidence.

“No, no. Not at all Doug.” She tried to banish the memory that popped into her mind and looked away from him. Once again, her movements halt to attention when this time; she really saw something from the past.

“Arin..?” she whispered to herself. Blinking rapidly, she could not believe her own eyes. Arin was there, running out of the premise…with a girl following behind him. Another girl this time. Not the same girl that Kimberly saw backstage at their show.

Without knowing, her eyes pooled again, when that’s what she wanted to avoid it the most.

“Kimmy? Are you alright?”

She slowly glanced at her best friend. “Doug,”

“Yeah?”

“Please take me home.”

Notes

A/N: uhuuu..dun dun dun..oh well, that is expected. XD