Things quieted down in the next two weeks. Garnet still went to school and her workouts, still did her homework and stretched every day so she could do splits and aerials even though she was done dancing until she moved to New York. The only difference was that Sean went with her everywhere.
She thought he'd been attentive and overly protective before, but she was mistaken.
He sat outside the bathroom while she was in the shower, sat in her room and read a book while she got ready in the morning, lounged on the couch while she did homework, waited outside of the lady's room when she had to go between classes.
He moved to the guest room across the hall from hers and they left their doors open.
Garnet was never alone.
Ever.
She truly appreciated the gesture, and she wanted to be safe. But she felt like she was slowly suffocating.
When she complained about it, Sean snapped at her, and they got into a fight, which usually led to Garnet storming up the stairs and Sean following quietly a few minutes later to sit outside her bedroom door.
It was causing a serious strain on their relationship.
It was also hurting her relationship with Jessica and the rest of her friends. Garnet couldn't go out and her friends didn't want to come over every night, especially when they could never be alone.
Garnet felt slightly safer, but she hated every minute of it.
And there had been no word from Mayne at all.
Garnet sometimes wondered if they had been overreacting the night he called her, unable to recall exactly just how scared she'd been.
She couldn't wait to go to New York.
Jessica called her the night before mid-terms. Garnet was exempt from all of them, but still had to show up for first period so the school got money. She was reading a book, Sean lounging at the foot of her bed.
Garnet answered. "Hey."
Jessica sniffled. "Can you come over?" she asked, voice thick.
Garnet sat straight up. "Five minutes."
She climbed out of bed and grabbed her Juliard hoodie.
"I have to go to Jessica's house," she said as she slipped it over her head. She reached for her keys.
"I'll drive," Sean offered.
She bit her lip. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to go with me. She needs me-"
"You're not going alone."
Garnet sighed. "Look, we haven't heard from Mayne in two weeks. The police are doing patrols around the house and they haven't found anything. I think I'm okay to go one place-"
"Not alone you aren't."
The familiar irritation started building up, but this time it was tinged with desperation. She needed to get to Jessica's house. Now.
"Sean! My best friend needs me!"
"So go! I'll go with you!"
She sighed., resisting the urge to stomp her foot.
"It's not the same-"
"I don't care-"
"Oh my God, I wish you would just leave me alone!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. "I never get a freaking break from you!"
She shoved the door open and slammed it behind her, jogging downstairs.
She started to feel guilty for her outburst. That had been the worst she'd had.
She'd never said that to him before.
She pictured his face when she delivered the low blow and actually felt sick.
Garnet heard Sean's tread on the stairs and felt too bad to say anything as he quietly followed her to her car.
They drove in tense silence, first to the drive-in at the local coffee shop, then to Jessica's house. They quietly walked to Jessica's door and waited outside, shivering, until she answered.
Jessica let them in. Her eyes were red and puffy, her cheeks wet. She was obviously distraught.
"What's wrong?" Garnet asked, leading her to the living room.
Sean followed and took a seat as far away from them as he could get. He said absolutely nothing, looking at the floor instead.
"J-Jake. He d-dumped m-me," she explained.
Garnet set the lattes down and threw her arms around Jessica. They hugged for a good minute before pulling away.
Jessica reached for her latte. "What's this?"
"A peppermint mocha. You need it."
"Thanks."
She launched into a story about a fight she'd gotten into with Jake. She'd been bitchy to him lately, what with the stress from Garnet and Juliard and life itself, especially a dancer's life, and he was tired of it, so he ended things.
Garnet felt her stomach drop with each word Jessica said.
She wanted to run to Sean and apologize, suddenly afraid he would decide she wasn't worth it anymore, but she played the best friend role and comforted Jessica.
On the way home, Sean kept up the silent treatment.
Garnet started to think that maybe she wasn't worth it, after all. She was a grade-A bitch to Sean all the time, and he just wanted to protect her and love her.
They got back to the house and he headed for the living room, rather than upstairs with her.
Garnet followed him, heart beating quickly. She was about to do something she'd never done before.
"Hey," she said uncertainly.
"Yes?" he asked cooly.
She took a deep breath, not used to this kind of thing at all.
"I'm sorry," she said sincerely.
"What?" he asked, dumbfounded.
"I'm sorry for being so mean to you. I know you want to keep me safe and I know it's your job. I'm sorry. I'm a bitch, okay? And I feel really bad."
"Garnet-"
"No, don't even say it. I am a bitch and I deserve it if you want to break up with me or whatever. But I want you to know I'm sorry, and I appreciate everything you're doing."
He sighed. "Where would you even get a thought like that? I could never break up with you."
Her shoulders sagged in relief.
He came to her and hugged her. She hugged him back tightly.
"I'm sorry," she apologized again.
"Stop that."
"But-"
"No."
She laughed. "You are the best."
He squeezed her waist. "I know."
She smiled as they headed upstairs for bed, crisis averted. She really loved him sometimes.
***
Garnet's mom got a call from the police the next morning. They all tensed, anxiously awaiting her account of the conversation.
She sagged in relief, a hand going to her chest. Sean reached out and grabbed Garnet's hand, squeezing it.
"Thank you so much, sir. Thank you."
She hung up.
"Mayne is in Texas. Probably for a while."
Relief hit Garnet so strongly that she went totally limp in her seat, a huge smile on her face.
Mayne was in Texas. She didn't have to feel eyes on her everywhere she went and constantly wonder if he was standing around the corner.
She wasn't stupid enough to think he'd stay away- but right now she could breathe.
Garnet's dad jumped up and planted a huge kiss on her forehead, heading to the stove to make food- his way of celebrating. Her mom hugged her before grabbing her cell and going upstairs, probably to call every single one of their relatives. Sean pulled her into his lap right then and there and wrapped his arms around her. She looped hers around his neck and smiled down at him.
"I'm so relieved," she murmured.
He held her tightly. "Me, too," he sighed.
He was smiling, though his face was still tired-looking. Garnet suspected everyone's face was looking pretty tired these days. Maybe now they could rest.
She kissed Sean excitedly, getting lost in the moment. The sound of her father clearing his throat brought her back to reality. She looked up at him, cheeks flaming.
"Go get ready for school," he said awkwardly.
She stifled an embarassed giggle and grabbed Sean by the hand, nearly sprinting away from her father and to her closet to change.
She quickly sprayed some anti-frizz spray into her wavy hair, tied a scarf around her neck, and brushed her teeth. She and Sean went to school, and for the first time Garnet didn't scan the area for Mayne, her heart pounding. She merely hopped into the car, wondering if she could finally be normal for a little while.
***
Sean led Garnet to the living room after her pointless hour at school. The couple collapsed onto the comfortable couch and turned a movie on. Garnet's mom brought them hot chocolate (fat free for Garnet, no whipped cream or sugar) and left them alone. It was their first alone time in weeks.
Garnet set her mug down when Sean's arms slid around her waist, pulling her closer. She leaned back into him, a contented sigh on her lips.
"I believe your parents are gone," he whispered in her ear.
She shivered. "I think you may be right."
His lips worked their way from just below her ear, all the way down her jaw line. She grinned, turning around to meet them with her own.
There was urgency, but no fear or desperation in their kiss. Garnet wondered what it would be like when Mayne was finally gone.
Apparently Sean was thinking the same thing. He paused, looking down at her. Garnet wondered when they'd ended up in this position, but focused on him.
"This is nice. I can't wait until we're a normal couple," said honestly.
She smiled. "Me neither."
He touched the dark skin under her eyes. "You must be exhausted," he murmured.
She shrugged. She was.
He pulled away from her. She made a noise of protest, but he quickly returned with a fuzzy blanket. She kicked her shoes off and he laid behind her, his arms still wrapped around her waist. She decided she liked being the little spoon as she turned her attention to the tv.
But sean's fingers started running through her hair, Garnet's kryptonite, and, before she knew it, she was asleep.
She didn't wake up until the front door opened at five o'clock in the afternoon- her mom was home.
She stretched, waking Sean up with her.
"What time is it?" he asked groggily.
"Five," she answered, voice thick with sleep.
She was too comfortable and rested and content to move. Instead, she flipped onto her back and stretched out her legs. Sean adjusted his position, laying an arm over her stomach and stretching out, as well. They restarted the movie from earlier and Garnet shared her first lazy day in years with him.