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
