Chapter 479: Tree Hill

Tuesday, February 14th, Late Evening

(Song lyrics in italics)

Walking down the River Walk, the cold winter winds blew up the Cape Fear River. The young couple walked arm and arm. The young woman leaned against the young man as they walked along the river in peaceful silence.

Uh huh, life's like this

Uh huh, uh huh, that's the way it is

'Cause life's like this

Uh huh, uh huh, that's the way it is

Chill out, what ya yellin' for?

Lay back, it's all been done before

And if, you could only let it be, you will see

I like you the way you are

When we're driving in your car

And you're talking to me one on one, but you become

Somebody else

'Round everyone else

You're watching your back

Like you can't relax

You try to be cool

You look like a fool to me

Tell me

"You are a good person," Garvan said, his breath just mist.

"Thank you," Brett said.

"You went out of your way to help Alexis," Garvan said.

"I do what I can," Brett said.

"But what about us?" Garvan asked.

"What about us?" Brett asked.

"Our senior year is ending; you're going to South Bend; I'll be only in Wilmington; what about us?" Garvan asked.

"I don't know, Garvan. I just don't know," Brett said.

"That's not encouraging," Garvan said.

Brett sighed, "I'm not anything but pragmatic," she said.

"Funny, you're the one with parents that met their spouses in high school," Garvan said.

"But they didn't marry each other," Brett said.

"You never talk much about your life," Garvan said.

"It's just a mess, and I don't talk about it. It's sort of painful," Brett said.

"I've seen you with your parents," Garvan said.

"Well, most of them, Daddy James lives in Miami most of the year," Brett said.

"You seem closer to your dad and stepmom," Garvan said.

"It's different with them, mostly, anyway; Daddy Huck takes me fishing, sailing, and hunting," Brett said.

Garvan laughed, "You love being out in the woods," he said.

Why'd you have to go and make things so complicated?

I see the way you're acting like you're somebody else

Gets me frustrated

Life's like this, you

And you fall, and you crawl, and you break

And you take what you get, and you turn it into

Honesty and promise me I'm never gonna find you faking

No, no, no

"That I do," Brett said and looked across the river to see the lights of the nearby battleship North Carolina. Finally, she looked to Garvan. "There's something about the peace of being in the woods."

"You've never taken me to the woods," Garvan said.

"You have to be at peace to be one with the woods," Brett said.

"Is that's why you're so at peace?" Garvan asked.

"That and well pop-punk," Brett said.

"What is it with you and music?" Garvan asked.

"It's a thing," Brett said.

"Is that why they played that song when your Auntie Tall came out at the game?" Garvan asked.

"Ah! Hatebreed, that's Auntie Tall's thing," Brett said, "Auntie Tall was always hardcore; it works for her."

"She wasn't the only one?" Garvan asked.

"Candi didn't have a group but a few songs; I was living at Duke and so little, I don't remember," Brett said.

"So, you like pop-punk," Garvan said.

"Yeah, I like pop-punk," Brett said.

"Who introduced it to you?" Garvan asked.

"That would be Keith," Brett said.

"Keith Scott?" Garvan asked.

"Yeah, I was at work, Keith was working with Tacit Blue, and I asked what they were playing. Keith told me pop-punk. I nodded, confused, and he said he'd make me a playlist," Brett said.

"That's it?" Garvan asked.

"That's it, just a chance encounter in the studio," Brett said.

You come over unannounced

Dressed up like you're somethin' else

Where you are and where it's at you see

You're making me

Laugh out when you strike your pose

Take off all your preppy clothes

You know you're not fooling anyone

When you become

Somebody else

'Round everyone else

You're watching your back

Like you can't relax

You try to be cool

You look like a fool to me

Tell me

Garvan sighed, "Do you know you have a privileged life," he said.

Brett shrugged, "I guess, but never judge something from the outside," she said.

"How many people have a direct connection to how many professional athletes?" Garvan asked.

"Any Manning and Matthews," Brett said.

"Who?" Garvan asked.

"The Manning family, you know Peyton and Elie, their dad also played in the NFL," Brett said.

"Another NFL dynasty that had at least three generations play in the league," Brett said.

"At any rate, you learned the game at the knee of a future hall of famer," Garvan said.

"It's been a while; I doubt he'll be inducted," Brett said.

Why'd you have to go and make things so complicated?

I see the way you're acting like you're somebody else

Gets me frustrated

Life's like this, you

And you fall, and you crawl, and you break

And you take what you get, and you turn it into

Honesty and promise me I'm never gonna find you faking

No, no, no

No, no, no

No, no, no

No, no, no

No, no, no (no, no)

"Still, the training in fundamentals you got, that's why you're so good. Plus, it's like they picked players to be around you," Garvan said.

"You mean Bay and Av?" Brett asked.

"Yes," Garvan said.

"Not all the planning worked out," Brett said.

"What does that mean?" Garvan asked.

"So, what did you think of Shep and Alexis?" Brett asked.

Garvan shrugged, "Maybe til the end of the school year," he said.

"You know Alexis is just a junior," Brett said.

"She'll have to find someone else to set her up," Garvan said.

"That's true," Brett said.

"What I don't get are Bay and Parker," Garvan said.

"I don't try and figure them out; they're happy," Brett said, "We're happy, going into conference and have a great chance at making states, we're happy."

"Now that girl Sawyer confuses me," Garvan said.

"What confuses you about Sawyer?" Brett asked.

"That kid Gareth is big-time into her, and I believe Jackin is also into her," Garvan said.

"Well, she is an attractive girl," Brett said.

"What I don't get is how that girl Keni factors into it all," Garvan said.

"Keni and Sawyer grew up together; hell, I was part of their inner circle for a time. They've always had each other; I think Keni is Sawyer's security blanket," Brett said.

"Oh, okay," Garvan said.

Chill out, what ya yellin' for?

Lay back, it's all been done before

And if you could only let it be

You will see

Somebody else

'Round everyone else

You're watching your back

Like you can't relax

You try to be cool

You look like a fool to me

Tell me

"So, are you going to be in the stands tomorrow night when we open up the playoffs?" Brett asked.

"Yes, of course, I will," Garvan said.

Brett smiled and kissed Garvan on the cheek, "I'm so happy," she said.

"That's good to know," Garvan said.

"I'm going to have to get home soon; I need sleep," Brett said.

"Okay," Garvan said.

Why'd you have to go and make things so complicated?

I see the way you're acting like you're somebody else

Gets me frustrated

Life's like this, you

And you fall, and you crawl, and you break

And you take what you get, and you turn it into

Honesty and promise me I'm never gonna find you faking

No, no

"This makes me so happy," Brett said.

"Yeah," Garvan said, then whispered, "That makes one of us."

They kept walking along the river.

Why'd you have to go and make things so complicated?

I see the way you're acting like you're somebody else

Gets me frustrated

Life's like this, you

And you fall, and you crawl, and you break

And you take what you get, and you turn it into

Honesty and promise me I'm never gonna find you faking

No, no, no