Don't Let Jack Drive!

Epilogue

"There's my high school graduate sister!" Alex yelled, pointing at me from the other side of the parking lot as he got out of a cab. I jog over to meet him, pulling him into a hug instantly.

"That makes me feel so old!" I tell him, laughing.

"And just how do you think that makes your big brother feel?" he laughs back. 

"But you are old!" I tell him, raising my eyebrows and poking him in the chest. He smiles at me before getting a serious look on his face.

"Listen," he says. "I'm really sorry I didn't make it in time to see you walk," he finishes. I nod, smiling up at him.

"It's okay, Dad got the whole thing on video anyway... And Mom made Zack take, like, a hundred photos," I reply, waving him off. 

"Good," he tells me. "But I'm still sorry,"

"Your flight was delayed, what could you do?"

"Hijack a plane?"

"But then you'd have ended up dead or arrested," I point out.

"True... Anyway! I'm sure I'll be forced to watch the video, post haste," he says, gesturing towards the house and throwing an arm around my shoulder as we walk towards my parents and Zack, waiting for us by the car. 

"I missed you, you know," I tell him. 

"I do know. But I also know that you missed Zack more than me," he replies. I laugh, but don't deny it. "I knew it!" he exclaims, a look of fake hurt passing over his face. 

"I don't know where you got that idea from!" I finally defend, still laughing. 

"You made him get a flight yesterday," 

"Yeah, but you had that interview last night. Or at least, that's what you told me. I figured everything would go smoothly and you'd arrive on time,"

"Fine, fine. Still, it's nice to know where your loyalties lie," he jokes, shoving me gently. When we reach my parents, Alex hugs my Mom, kissing her on the cheek before hugging my dad. 

"We've all missed you so much, Alex," my Mom tells him. He grins at her, hugging her again.

"I missed you, too!" he assures her. "Hey, man," he nods at Zack. Zack smiles at him in return, taking my hand and pulling me into his side. 

"How'd the interview go?" he asks him.

"Pretty good, if you like having to explain 'how the dynamics of our band work'," he explains.

"Meaning?" I ask.

"Meaning how does the band stay together when the lead singer is dating the guitarist. And they're both guys," Alex says, rolling his eyes. "The stuff we get asked every interview," 

"You missed my graduation for that?" I ask, pretending to be insulted again.

"Yup. It's just so much fun," he laughs.

"It's okay, we got everything on camera!" my Mom says, ever the optimist. This just makes Alex and I crack up again. 

"Shall we get this show on the road, then? Grab something to eat?" my Dad asks.

"Don't you have a party, or something, to go to, Beth?" Alex asks. I shake my head at him. I'd had offers, but I'd turned them all down.

"Nah, I'd rather spend today with my family and my best friends," I reply, grinning. 

"Jack, Rian, Kara and Lisa are going to meet us at the restaurant," Zack informs us. 

"Right! Let's get a move on, then" my Dad says, herding us into the car. 

The past year had been... In a word, crazy. After I got out of treatment, Zack and I started seeing each other more seriously (ie, actually going on dates instead of just fooling around in the backseat of Zack's car during visiting hours), the guys graduated and left to go on tour, I went back to school and had to face up to everything I'd left behind to go to treatment. I had to be careful, though. You'd be surprised how many people suddenly wanted to be my friend after my older brother and three best friends became sort-of famous. Since the guys were on tour and Kara and Lisa were at college, I'd had to figure out who was being genuine and who wasn't. It was harder than you'd imagine and I ended up disappointed more than once. In the end, though I'd found a couple of good friends in the form of Mia and her boyfriend Liam (who, it turned out, had an older sister who had been at the same treatment centre as me and I'd made friends with while she was there, before she went back to college). I sorted out the issues with my parents and even started making plans for what I'd do after graduation. I was going to spend the summer going on tour with All Time Low, before coming home for a few weeks and then attending Baltimore University to study English. I was pretty excited and, to be honest, nervous about moving out. Other than the hospital, I'd never been away from my family. But, still. I was excited. And I had the best summer ahead of me. It was just a wonder my parents were letting me go.

I couldn't tell you that I'd had an all-great past year, because, well... That would just be a lie. I'd relapsed a few times, the first time just after ATL left for their first tour. My parents had flipped, and they wanted to send me back to treatment. But, thanks to my doctor - who assured them it was all a natural part of recovery - they hadn't. Now, though, I could honestly say that I hadn't harmed myself in five months. Almost six. This was part of the bargain with my parents to go on tour this summer - that I had to be clean for six months. By the time we left in two weeks, I would be. And I planned to be for a whole lot longer.