Page 93 of Grave Misgivings

---

Geo talks animatedly about his friends as we wait for our food, about the new songs he’s working on, even though he doesn’t have an album put together yet. He’s waiting to see how the tour does, if the label will greenlight a new album.

And the whole time, all I can think about is that history is repeating itself.

Just like Katy warned me it would.

“You okay? You seem kinda quiet,” he says as he throws down his credit card.

“I told you I was buying,” I say.

Geo dismisses me with a wave. “I am not letting you get away with paying for my ass this entire week, Zeb. Seriously. Let me buy you a fucking meal.”

His words shouldn’t piss me off, but they do. Or maybe I’m just pissed because I let myself fall.

I let myself fall into Geo’s open grave, and now I’m buried six feet under.

Fuck.

“Fine,” I snap.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asks. He signs the receipt, sliding his card back in his wallet.

“Peachy,” I mutter as I try to shove down the demons threatening to bleed onto everything.

Geo raises an eyebrow, but he doesn’t push. He checks his phone.

“Mateo said they just got there. They’ll wait for us.”

“How nice of them,” I gripe, forcing a smile.

I turn the music up, but Geo doesn’t sing. He just watches out the window as the landscape blurs.

The beginning notes of Dashboard Confessional’sStolengraces the air as we pull into the private parking lot Mateo sent directions for.

Geo climbs out of the car before I can open the door.

And then I see them.

The Starr’s and the Wylde’s.

Mage Of Mercyand two halves ofHeart Killer.

“Hey G!” Hailee squeals as she runs up to hug him.

Richie slaps him on the back.

Dare grabs his shoulders.

But Mateo is looking right at me like a fucking asshole.

Geo turns, motioning for me to come over, and it takes everything in me to force the smile, because I feel like I’m falling apart.

I feel like we’re going to fall apart.

“Hi! I’m Dare!” Dare chirps with the enthusiasm of a monkey on cocaine.

“Nice to meet you, Dare.” I respond, trying to be polite.

“This is my boyfriend, Matty?—”

---