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“They get better every time don’t they?” muttered Carter, a 6’1” tall blonde dumbass, who was at the moment attempting pry off a young teenybopper who clung to him.
“Come on, you love it and you know it,” replied Howie. Howie was a short Latino. With his long curly hair and lack of a girlfriend, he got alot of lag from some of the fans. But he was very nice and could always be counted upon. “Besides, they’re mostly your fans, why shouldn’t you deal with it?”
“Speak for yourself. They aren’t all his fans. Look, I’m seein an ‘I LUV U A.J.’ poster over there” A.J. said a touch resentfully. A.J. is quite possible indescribable. He was a jokester; crazy as a loon, but funny. He wasn’t much taller than Howie, with tattoos running all down both of his arms and dark hair that seemed to be a different color each week. It was currently a bright red. With neatly trimmed facial hair, A.J. was quite the character.
“Cool it you guys,” Kevin snapped, annoyed. Kevin was the leader of the group. He was the oldest at 28, but it was more than that. He took over, made sure everyone was in the right place at the right time. He was tall, but little Nicky still looked down on him height wise. He had a sloping forehead, freakishly large eyebrows, short dark hair that seemed to stick up, and forearms that put A.J.’s hours at the gym to shame. With a neat goatee and a small mustache, Kevin stayed somewhat sophisticated despite the fact that a nearly-thirty-year-old-married-guy was still in a boyband.
Brian remained silent. He told me later that he had just had a feeling. When I asked him what, he simply replied that he didn’t know. A feeling that something was going to happen, though he wasn’t sure what or when. Any way, back to the present. Brian would be about A.J.’s height, with slightly curly hair who’s style hadn’t changed since he got out of grade school. He had the kind of face where you take one look and go, “Awwww, puppy-dog face. How cute”. He was athletic, loving basketball and any outdoor sports what-so-ever. He was friends with Nick, though I never saw how he could put up with that immature jerk.
He scanned the faces of the hyper-active fans, not sure what he was looking for. I watched him, unable to summon the guts to talk to him.
“Cat? Jeeze, Cat Colosimo? Is that you?” Brian exclaimed as he spotted me.
“Hey Bri,” I said quietly, moving up to were he was, despite the enormous body guard standing between us. “It’s been awhile.”
“Awhile? What has it been? seven years? eight?” He casually brushed the guard aside. I managed to keep some of my dignity. Though I flushed a deep crimpson as he looked me over. It was a long shot from the awkward little girl he left in Lexington.
“Nine actually, but who’s counting.” I said with a nervous smile. It wasn’t long until I burst out laughing. I silently waved goodbye to any dignity I might have had left as I attempted to smother my wave of giggles. Brian smiled, amused. But he too soon found himself cracking up.
“Um, hate to break up your little reunion, but there’s more coming.” A.J. pointed out, gesturing to the hoards of teenyboppers running our way.
“Oo, that’s not a good thing,” Carter, stating the obvious.
“No duh.”
“Come on, let’s go. Unless, of course, ya’ll just wanna stay here. If yer lucky, ya might get out with your lives.” I said, trying to sound casual, but grinning like an idiot. I had managed to supress my fit of laughter. I looked over and saw that Bri had managed to do the same.
“Aaahh, no.” Kevin said as he ushered the rest of the guys into the hotel. The teens screamed in protest, but we were already out of there. Although they probably would have followed us, I do believe it was the dozen or so body guards that finally let us get inside with peace. But we weren’t about to take chances, and we slipped into the guys’ rooms as quickly as possible, making sure that we were being followed by body guards, and not hyper-active teens. As for me, I shadowed Bri as we went into his room, while being watched by a curious cousin. The moment we were alone, Brian started in. Then again, he never was the patient type.
“It’s been a long time,” he said gently.
“Brian, I......I....” I stuttered, but he continued. I found myself slowly being cornered by him, with no way through.
“I missed you,” Brian slowly lifted my chin, forcing me to look him straight in the eye, something I couldn’t do. No. No, this isn’t happening. Not again. I’ve been through too much, I’m not strong enough to stand it again. Why won’t he let go? Doesn’t he realize that it’s too late? I was shaking as these thoughts ran through my head. I refused to let him do this do me. When I finally gained control of myself once again, I jerked away from his touch.
“You have a funny way of showing it.” I said bitterly. I could see the hurt on his face as I gained the courage to look up. Good, I thought, he should have to suffer as much as I have. He opened his mouth to respond, but at that moment Kevin walked in. He took one look in, and realized that he had missed something. But unable to determine what it was, he shrugged and turned to Bri.
“So are ya gonna introduce us here? Ya kinda left us in the dark here.”
“Sure, we’ll be out in a sec.” Brian muttered, avoiding any eye contact that I would have attempted to make. Kevin nodded as we followed him into his room, where the rest of our little group had gathered.
“Who’s the babe, Rok?” A.J. asked, grinning at me. I just rolled my eyes. I knew plenty about him. You don’t stalk a guy for nine years without learning something about him comrades.
“Fellas, meet Alyssa Colosimo,” Brian started, “Aly, this is......”
“I know who they are.” I interrupted, still sore from the hotel room episode.
“Ooookkaaayyy, I’m sensing a little tension.” A.J.. Of course. Jackass.
“But B called her ‘Cat’ outside. Which is it?” That would be Carter, never knows when to keep his mouth shut.
“Long story.” I said, dropping the matter as quickly as possible. Brian raised an eyebrow at me. I just glared back at him. Why should I be nice to them? They were the start of all my problems. It’d be like letting a vampire go after he had just sucked your blood. Or better yet, showing him were the nearest blood bank is.
“So, when did you guys meet?” Kevin asked. Well, at least he was bearable.
“We were friends in high school,” I replied, for once not snapping at them. Again I got the raised eyebrow. I knew why, and it wasn’t because I was actually nice to one of his band mates. I just stared back at him. Not anymore, it’s too late Bri. Give it up. The best I could do was hope that he had gotten the message and not push it. Unfortunately, he wasn’t that bright.
“It’s gettin kinda late, why doesn’t everyone just get some sleep. We can finish this in the morning” B suggested. I could tell that our conversation wouldn’t end tonight. One look at him and I knew that he would discuss this the moment the room door closed.
I slipped into his room, and went straight to the window, praying that I could just get through the night without getting into some big fight. No such luck.
“What was that? What’s your problem, Cat? You used to be, well, nice.” He was mad. He had every right to be, of course. I’d acted like an idiot to his friends. But I was just as justified as he was.
“Going through hell kinda changes a person,” I said quietly, avoiding eye contact by staring out at the ocean. It wasn’t hard, I’d always loved the ocean, even though I’d only seen it a precious few times.
“Jesus, Cat. I wish you’d just tell me,” he muttered in frustration, “What happened? What happened to us? Why are you being so cruel?”
“Damn it Brian, don’t you understand anything? It’s too late. You left me, remember? I didn’t even know where the hell you went until Harry told me. I never got a phone call, never got so much as a goodbye. Do you have any idea what that did to me? I loved you with all my heart. I would have done anything for you. You’re the one that destroyed that, you’re the one that broke up what we had. And now you just expect me to fall right into the routine again? Just relax and forget all the years I searched for you? All the times I had to bribe a guard just to get thrown out on the street like yesterday’s news? Every time that I went hundreds of miles just to catch a glimpse of you? Every time I had to borrow money just to get to a certain city? just to enter some stupid contest? I can’t just forget about that Bri, I can’t. I lost everything for you, I gave up my job, my friends, my life. Things can’t just go back. It’s too late.” By this time, I was crying. That really means something for me. I don’t cry much. I’m an Aries, I don’t show much outward affection. I’ve always tried to control myself. But I couldn’t anymore. Everything just hurt so much. I simply hung my head, too tired to carry it anymore, and sobbed.
Brian reached out a hand to comfort me, but I jerked away. Kissing it wasn’t going to make it any better.
“Oh God Cat, I’m so sorry. I never meant you any harm.” His voice begged me to forgive him. But I couldn’t.
“Don’t you think it’s a little late for that?” I asked, stilling crying softly. Then there was silence. The only sound was of the waves crashing against the shore. The waves seemed to be my only sanctuary. Then I heard something. Soft at first, then slightly louder. Slowly I began to realize what it was. Brian was singing.
“I try to pick the pieces up and I can't think of starting over.” He sang softly, just loud enough for me to hear him.
“Brian, please....” I begged with him, pleaded for him to stop. I couldn’t handle it. His voice was too soft, too gentle. I found my walls crumbling around me.
“We used to share the stars above, I don't wanna think of change.” As he let the sweet notes slip away, one by one, I just let everything go. “And now I've gotta move on, I've gotta catch up to the world.” All the pain, all the anger, all the frustration. “Even though I gave you my life. As wrong as it seems, I know it's right.” Everything was whisked away with the sweet notes as they drifted into the darkness. “But is there a place where I can go away. To escape the love that I will forever know..”
He looked at me. No, that’s not right. For he wasn’t truly looking at me. Through me, beyond me perhaps. But not at me. He seemed to be looking into the depths of my very soul. Healing my tortured soul with his own.
“Where can we go from here? All I know is that I love you still. Sometimes we do things against our will. I know I cry lonely tears, where can we go from here.” As he finished those last notes, I found myself trembling. He pulled me closer, clutching me tightly to him. He leaned in and whispered ever so softly, ever so slowly, ever so sweetly, “I love you Cat,” just before the kiss.