ODAAT: Volume 1, Chapter 14

 

Chapter 14

Ticket

The front door bursts open like it's the end of the world. Startled, I roll off the couch and onto the floor, making a "thud" sound as I land against the wooden panels. I look up to see him coming around the corner. But he doesn't seem hurried or panicked. He seems excited, like he's on top of the world. He could be a little more, subtle, instead of practically ripping the door off it's hinges. But, whatever. He's paying for the apartment. If he wants to destroy something, he can.

“Where is Crystal?” He asks, looking around the room. I look around as well, following his direction.

“I wouldn't know. I think I passed out.” I dismiss. He raises his eyebrow, knowing I never sleep during the day. I also don't sleep unless he's around these days, but he doesn't know that yet. I just don't want to acknowledge her departure. She asked me to keep it between the two of us for now. I think she has a date, but she didn't want him to know. She wants to get a feel for the guy before making a big deal out of it. He's protective of her, might think it's too soon for her to try dating someone new. He thinks of her like she's his baby sister. He wants to shelter her, because the break up with David got rough. He stormed through the apartment and grabbed his stuff. He broke furniture, started shouting. The police had to be called to pull him out. So, there's a chance he'd be upset that she was trying to move on so quickly. He might also get overly excited, happy that she is already ready to move on. Either way, I have to respect her right to those secrets. I know she doesn't plan to keep them for very long. She just wants to have a better idea of where the relationship might be going before she says anything. I wouldn't know, either. But, I was sitting here when she left.

Of course, Crystal didn't tell me any of this about her boyfriend. Although, she went into detail about how the relationship was falling apart, she never told me about the break up. It was too negative for her to want to re-live, I guess. But he told me. He told me when he explained why he was living in this bachelor with her. Then, he went on to say he was happy that Blake didn't react that way. He admitted that he was afraid a reaction was coming. He said Blake was hot-headed. It was only a matter of time before there was a reaction. They had briefly broken up once before and Blake had been pretty upset.

It's none of my business why these relationships are falling apart, or how they worked themselves back out. I have my own failing relationship to think of. At this exact moment, I can only think of the piece of paper I'm being handed. It's a ticket to the first show. The tour is starting in California, moving east. He's obviously excited. I raise my eyebrow.

“I didn't know I needed a ticket.” I joke, handing it back in his direction. He puts one of his hands on his hips and shakes his head.

“You don't.” He agrees, still holding the ticket in my direction. I don't say anything, so he sighs.

“It's not for you.” He clarifies. Now it's my turn to sigh. I know what he's saying, what that means. But my silence causes him to continue explaining it anyway.

“I want to talk to him.” He adds. I take a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Right now, I wish it was toxic and would kill us both. But I know breathing doesn't work that way. I mean, the exhale is toxic. But only if it's the only air available. Right now, it isn't. There's an open window pulling the air out and letting new air in. There's a constant circulation.

“I'm not sure that's a good idea.” I dismiss, throwing the ticket down on the table between us.

“He needs to know. I mean, he needs to hear the words. I know you're too afraid to tell him, but, I'm not. I've done it before and I can do it again.” He assures, sounding confident. I shrug, but stay quiet. He drops down on the couch beside where I was sitting, but I remain on the floor. My eyes are glued to the floorboards. Finally, I look at the ticket on the table.

“Yeah, but, haven't you heard of a little something called the phone?” I finally ask, looking up. He nods as my eyes meet his. I slowly pull myself up to the couch, still looking in his direction.

“He wouldn't let me get a word out. You know that. If I showed up at his house, he'd slam the door in my face. This is the only way I'm going to get him to talk to me.” He explains. I know that he's right. Hunter wouldn't speak to him unless it was life or death. Even then, he might choose death over entertaining a conversation with the man he blames for ruining his life. He still feels so betrayed by the break up that there is no way he would be civil. He would swear, shout, break things, generally make a scene. I pick the ticket back up off the table.

“What makes you think he's going to show up?” I question, crossing my arms over my chest. His arm moves to wrap around my shoulders and he pulls my head towards himself.

“You're going to tell him to come.” He mumbles. I sigh, throwing the ticket back on the table.

“Yeah, somehow I knew you were going to say that.” I mumble in return, letting my displeasure be known.

“Am I going too?" I ask after a few minutes. He doesn't answer, which I know means that it's up to me. He'll bring me if I want to go. But, he's not going to force me to come along. Either way, he's going to confront Hunter. Face to face. In front of a crowd that came to hear him pour his heart out. They are going to get more than they bargained for.