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Thanks so much guys for supporting me and this story! I appreciate you all <3 Song for the chapter: Drunk Last Night by Eli Young Band

Enjoy! =)

*****

KY sobered enough to drive home the next day.

Mr. and Mrs. Swift are worried about him. They found out that he drank last night. They told him that we can get home tomorrow, but KY didn’t want to spend one more minute in their house. It was about noon when he woke up.

So we packed our things, and off we go.

I didn’t see Stella, which is good because I can’t take more drama right now.

I’m not sure if KY remembers what happened, but it seems like he doesn’t because he’s not making an effort to explain his actions.

I don’t blame him though.

When someone is consumed with alcohol, he’s out of his mind.

It’s as if nothing happened, as if last night didn’t exist.

Maybe it didn’t. Perhaps it was just my imagination. I feel pathetic, pining for a guy who can’t even be bothered to look at me like I’m desirable. He treats me like I’m just their band manager, nothing else.

I shake my head.

I can wonder my whole life, but I’ll never be able to find answers to my questions. Nothing good will come out of it.

KY and I got home around dinner time.

Lance and Zeke are already there. They came home at lunch. When we arrive, they expected that we’re bringing food.

I quickly go to the kitchen so that I can prepare something for us, but when I open the fridge, it’s empty.

I forgot that we ate everything the last time we shared a meal because we didn’t want the food to get spoiled.

 In the end, because we’re too tired to get out and shop, we order Chinese food.

While eating, Lance and Zeke tell stories about their Thanksgiving. It’s normal, very different from KY’s.

Zeke has a big family. He’s the youngest child, and he has five older brothers. I wonder what it is like growing up in his family, all boys.

I don’t have a brother, so I don’t know the feeling. It’s just me and my sister.

Meanwhile, Lance grew up in a family of musician. His mother is a singer, while his father is a drummer in a band. His mom is the lead vocal; that’s how his parents met. He’s the middle child. He has an older sister, and a young brother; the same age as my sister.

Both of them are already uncles. They show me photos of their nieces and nephews. They are so cute and adorable. I like babies. When I was in high school, I used to work as a babysitter. I don’t mind when they cry. They’re cute little angels.

They’re so busy telling tales about their vacation; they didn’t notice that KY isn’t talking. I mean, we’re used to it. He’s participating in the conversation, yes, but you can feel the vibe that he doesn’t want to share his own experience.

I know why.

It’s not worth mentioning.

Nate hasn’t arrived yet. He called me a while ago and told me he’ll be home tomorrow morning. I’m still dreading the time when I have to tell him that I spent the holiday at KY’s. I flinch inwardly as I imagine his expression.

I hope he’ll not think that I chose KY over him. It’s not like I had a choice. Well, I did—

A hand lands on my shoulder, making me jump on my seat.

Lance gives me a funny look. “You okay?”

I nod.

“You didn’t tell us that you spent the night at Swift’s,” Zeke states.

I blink. I thought they will not ask about it. Besides, didn’t KY go to Lance’s last night? Didn’t he mention it to him?

Oh, well. Here we go. “It was unplanned,” I explain. “KY didn’t want me to stay here alone.” I glance at him, but he looks like he doesn’t mind me mentioning his name, so I continue. “So when he got back and saw me, he told me to go with him.”

Zeke wiggles his eyebrows. “Are you two going out or something?”

KY shots him a look. “Don’t be stupid,” he says. “I don’t break my own rule.”

Imagine someone you love stabbing you on the back until the blade pierce through your heart and the hilt can no longer be pushed inside.

“Ouch,” Lance says mockingly, putting his hand over his chest, as if he’s the one who got hurt.

I smile, and with a cheerful voice say, “I don’t break rules.”

Zeke leans forward and ruffles my hair. “That’s why you’re the best band manager,” he says.

Tears brim at the back of my eyes, but I force them; they can’t come out. I will not let them pour down my face.

Stupidly, I look happy outside, but inside, my stomach is convulsing. I want to vomit.

Best band manager.

Right.

After eating, I clean the dining area. The guys invite me to watch a movie with them, but I decline.

My thoughts are too messed up; I won’t be able to focus on anything. As soon as I’m done, I slip inside my room.

I lie on my bed, and stare at the ceiling.

Slowly, the tears I kept at bay earlier fall from my eyes.

I don’t break my own rule.

Why does it hurt so bad?

Before I took this job, I reminded myself to be careful, but now I’m sinking deep. Falling over and over. And yet, he is not willing to catch me.

If it’s love, why am I hurting?

I turn on my side and crawl into a ball.

This is not love. This is my hallucination. Just an infatuation.

I fell in love with my made up idea of him. I fed my heart with good thoughts about him. Little did I know, they will backfire and give me so much pain, and misery.

I’ll get over him. I will forget him. I’ll never think about him.

But every time I close my eyes, I see what happened last night, when his head was resting on my lap.

That moment when the sudden hope I felt came crashing down when he uttered a name I don’t even know.

Charlie, Charlie, Charlie.

Who the heck is he?

Why is KY so secretive about him? Is it the reason why he’s not in good terms with Seth?

I sigh.

Of all people, why KY?

Stupid question.

Of course it’s him. I’ve never looked at other guys when I met him. Why does he have a strong pull in me?

I expect too much from him. The reality will never live up to my expectations. I dream impossible things; that’s why I always get disappointed in the end.

This will be the last time I’ll cry over him, I promise myself.

*

I woke up late. I forgot to set my alarm clock. And because of too much crying, I feel tired. And drained. Weirdly, I am refreshed as well. Maybe the tears did me some good.

I quickly get up from my bed and run to the bathroom to brush my teeth and splash water on my face.

I don’t bother combing my hair, I just go directly to the kitchen. I’m just making my way downstairs when I smell something delicious. Bacon and eggs.

To my surprise, I find Nate wearing an apron when I walk in the kitchen. Without thinking twice, I fish my phone out of my pocket and snap a picture of him.

He turns around with the sound of the shutter. "Holy— You scared me!"

I grin. "Hi, Nate."

He smiles, his whole face lighting up. He puts down the plate he’s holding and pulls me to him. A gasp escapes from my lips when he envelops me in a bear hug.

I laugh when he spins me around. When I feel dizzy, I tug at his shirt so that he can let me down.

“How are you?” he asks.

I smirk. “You’re asking as if we didn’t see each other the day before!”

He grins sheepishly. “Well, it felt like a long time ago.”

I roll my eyes.

“Didn’t you sleep last night?” he asks, staring at my face.

I turn my head away from him so that he can’t see my expression. And then I change the topic.

“I thought you didn’t know how to cook.”

“Guess what I did during Thanksgiving,” he says cheekily.

“You practiced?”

Nate frowns. “You said it like it’s impossible.”

I’m about to respond when Zeke and Lance come barging in the room.

“Hey dude!”

“I’m hungry!” Lance says, rubbing his eyes.

He and Lance look like they just woke up. They probably slept late watching movies.

“What’s for breakfast?” Zeke asks me.

 “Uh. . .” I glance at Nate.

He shakes his head quickly.

I blink. “But you already prepared the food!”

“You’re back.”

Even though I know it’s him, I turn around to make sure. And also, to see him.

KY is standing just beside the door. His hair is dishevelled, he probably watched with Zeke and Lance last night.

“What about those?” Lance asks, pointing at the plates on the table.

Nate takes the plates and hides them behind him. “They’re for Bri!”

My mouth drops open in shock. They’re for me?

“What about us?” Zeke complains.

“You can cook your own food,” he responds, blocking Zeke’s view of the food.

“Why are you cooking for her?” KY asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

“None of your business!”

“Do you like her?”

All of us stare at KY. I open my mouth to respond when he continues, “Don’t forget the rules.”

“They’re your rules,” Nate mutters.

I gasp.

KY turns slowly and looks at Nate. “We all agreed—“

In his usual cheery manner, Nate grins and raises both of his hands in surrender. “Kidding!” And then like a lightning flash, he winks at me.