((Okey doke- spacing's back- I hope. Sorry I couldn't update for like
forever, I'll make up for it, I promise! ( Thanks for all my reviewers-
again! You all really help a bunch! ())
Disclaimer: I do not own anything/anyone/any part of this story.
Chapter Five: Heartbreakers
"Oh, God! I can't wait until tomorrow!" Michelle chimed, walking in a swaying manner down the hall of the Grande Mystique- a hotel that most of the band members were staying. The others with more... well; more cash (such as the singer Tomika and designer Billy) were staying at another hotel. Room doors were lined up in the hallway, and one by one the group disappeared with a quick "bye" into their room.
"See ya Alicia- yep, catch ya later Michelle; Eleni. Zack- later man, I'm in room 104- give me a buzz if you need anything. Frankie; Leonard; Marco- talk to yas soon... Bye, Marta..." Freddy automatically droned as he made his way to the last room of the hallway.
He fiddled with his slide key; it turned green too fast! Stupid door...
"Hey there, neighbor! Need some help?" Someone had come up behind him. Oh, wonderful...
Katie was staying in the room next to him. As if her lurking memory hadn't shaded his visit enough so far... Right now he didn't know how to act with her. Hell yeah, he was still mad at her for way back then; she probably dittoed the emotion. But right now they were under the "buddy- buddy" charade- you know. The one where you are a bit mixed up with someone else but are acting so polite and friendly with each other that you know that something is up with them too.
"I think I got it, but thanks. See ya tomorrow Miss Katherine..." He smiled nervously- finally getting the door open at the right timing. Dragging his suitcase in with him, he went inside his room. One queen-sized bed in a room with mirrors and drawers; a small bathroom with the usuals of a bathroom; a room with a TV and couch when you first walked in- with one of those little refrigerators
"Ugh- what a long day..." He said to himself, unpacking his suitcase, changing into his sleep clothes (boxer shorts and a t-shirt) and plopping down onto the couch for some TV. So many great and horrible things had happened to all of the band members. Tomika was well on her way in a singing career. Gordon was some super smart computer engineer thing. Summer had gone rebel after a bit of a rough life. Eleni had just gotten over an eating disorder.
While everyone else was living a roller coaster of a life, here he was; just being him. He wasn't struggling, wasn't thriving. He was just... there. He was still a rebellious punk, but he hadn't been exactly the same since the band broke up... He hated the fact that everyone before him was evolving into a real person with real lives and here he was just coasting in neutral mode. No you aren't, he told himself. Now watch some TV...
He was half-watching a stand up comedy show on the television when he turned and noticed a door placed in the wall. Immediately he froze. It was one of those doors that lead to the other room next door- if both were unlocked. He could go into Katie's room...
Whoa. Why on earth would you want to do that? He smiled, remembering a time when he would have been thrilled to have snuck into Katie Brown's room. But that was over now- it had been over for a while.
Now, just the thought that Katie was on the other side of those thin, wooden doors scared him. Disgraced him. Angered him?
What had happened? He found himself wondering. As if that question hadn't popped up a million times in the past three years... But this time he was serious. Seeing her, being near her like this again was starting to play tricks with his mind.
That was why that when he found himself unlocking his half of the door and knocking on her half, he was completely shocked. He was even more shocked when she answered- letting music she had been listening to, Behind Blue Eyes by The Who, flow into his room.
"Um... hey, Freddy. What's up?" She asked, quizzically, not opening the door all the way. For a moment he could just stare at her. She was wearing a navy tank top and baggy, light pants with musical note prints on them. Her dark hair was tousled slightly that made her look casual yet enticing...
Whoa. Where had those thoughts come from? He shook his head and let out a shaky sigh.
"I dunno. Just thought I'd, uh, say hi..." He lied. Truth was he didn't know.
"Oh." Katie seemed to loosen up. She smiled. "Well, hi."
Freddy gave her an embarrassed smile. Their eyes met. Freddy could finally see those deep, brown eyes again- he could finally see beyond the charade. And what he saw was fear. Hurt. Sadness. Memories.
He knew that all of their guards were falling down as they stared there into each other's eyes. He could see everything. She could see everything. Now the truth was going to come up. And so it did...
Katie sighed and finally peeled her eyes away. "Look... we need to talk..."
"Yeah. I guess we do..." He admitted.
"Come on in." She motioned, letting him in. She sat cross legged on her queen sized bed- he sat on the edge and let his feet touch the ground. They were silent for a few minutes.
"Katie... look." Freddy sighed, finally building up enough courage to talk to her. "I'm sorry for acting like an idiot. I know you probably won't ever forgive me- and I'm okay with that. I just want to let you know I'm sorry. I- I was confused. Hurt and confused. And I'm sorry..."
"I know. I know you were hurt and confused- because I definitely was, too. And I do forgive you- as long as you can forgive me. I'm sorry for not telling you. I really am. I really am."
"I forgive you. I just want to know why you didn't tell me..."
"I thought you'd get mad and break up with me. I didn't want that to happen until it had to..."
"I would have understood, Katie. You should have trusted me enough to know that... Instead I ended up exploding at the last minute when we could have been good!"
"Please. Please don't get mad at me, Freddy Jones. I realize all of that now- believe me. But it's too late to change the past."
"I know. Believe me, I know. I'm sorry. I just... ugh. God, Katie..."
"What?"
"Even after all of these years- after dating dozens of girls- you still are the one who has me hooked."
"Freddy..."
"No. Listen, Katie. My heart may have been ripped in half that day but I never stopped loving you. I still love you."
Katie was silent for a moment. Freddy couldn't believe he had just admitted to that. He couldn't believe this was happening at all. It's just a dream... he told himself. A good, yet very, very awkward and harsh dream... Yeah. In fact, these entire three years had been a dream, too. The band was still together- he and Katie were still together...
Katie interrupted his thoughts, bringing him back into the real world. "I do, too." She whispered soft as a mouse.
She finally met his eyes again- and hers were filled with tears. Freddy scooted over to her, and held her in his arms. With her head on his shoulder, the world seemed to spin around, with nothing making sense. When their lips united into a deep, passionate kiss, the world disappeared completely.
Katie finally pulled away with force. Too much force. She scorched over to the side of the bed and stood up.
"No. No, no, no, no, no! Look- Freddy! I still love you! But I can't! I just can't! I don't want to!" She exclaimed throwing her hands up. Freddy's heart sunk.
"What? Why?" Was all Freddy could manage to stammer out.
"Look. Freddy... I have a boyfriend. A great, wonderful boyfriend that I love so much! But I can't love you, too! I can't! And to be honest, you shouldn't still love me either! If you love me, I'm gonna want to love you- and I can't! It's been three years! I can't- okay?!"
Freddy was shocked. He looked at her, trying his best to let her know that she had just rolled over his heart with a monster truck- for the second time in his life. Trying his best to let her know that he was now even more angry than before- that he was still confused and hurt. And then he walked out of her room and into his. There had been no need for more words. She had been giving him the same exact look back.
Chapter Five: Heartbreakers
"Oh, God! I can't wait until tomorrow!" Michelle chimed, walking in a swaying manner down the hall of the Grande Mystique- a hotel that most of the band members were staying. The others with more... well; more cash (such as the singer Tomika and designer Billy) were staying at another hotel. Room doors were lined up in the hallway, and one by one the group disappeared with a quick "bye" into their room.
"See ya Alicia- yep, catch ya later Michelle; Eleni. Zack- later man, I'm in room 104- give me a buzz if you need anything. Frankie; Leonard; Marco- talk to yas soon... Bye, Marta..." Freddy automatically droned as he made his way to the last room of the hallway.
He fiddled with his slide key; it turned green too fast! Stupid door...
"Hey there, neighbor! Need some help?" Someone had come up behind him. Oh, wonderful...
Katie was staying in the room next to him. As if her lurking memory hadn't shaded his visit enough so far... Right now he didn't know how to act with her. Hell yeah, he was still mad at her for way back then; she probably dittoed the emotion. But right now they were under the "buddy- buddy" charade- you know. The one where you are a bit mixed up with someone else but are acting so polite and friendly with each other that you know that something is up with them too.
"I think I got it, but thanks. See ya tomorrow Miss Katherine..." He smiled nervously- finally getting the door open at the right timing. Dragging his suitcase in with him, he went inside his room. One queen-sized bed in a room with mirrors and drawers; a small bathroom with the usuals of a bathroom; a room with a TV and couch when you first walked in- with one of those little refrigerators
"Ugh- what a long day..." He said to himself, unpacking his suitcase, changing into his sleep clothes (boxer shorts and a t-shirt) and plopping down onto the couch for some TV. So many great and horrible things had happened to all of the band members. Tomika was well on her way in a singing career. Gordon was some super smart computer engineer thing. Summer had gone rebel after a bit of a rough life. Eleni had just gotten over an eating disorder.
While everyone else was living a roller coaster of a life, here he was; just being him. He wasn't struggling, wasn't thriving. He was just... there. He was still a rebellious punk, but he hadn't been exactly the same since the band broke up... He hated the fact that everyone before him was evolving into a real person with real lives and here he was just coasting in neutral mode. No you aren't, he told himself. Now watch some TV...
He was half-watching a stand up comedy show on the television when he turned and noticed a door placed in the wall. Immediately he froze. It was one of those doors that lead to the other room next door- if both were unlocked. He could go into Katie's room...
Whoa. Why on earth would you want to do that? He smiled, remembering a time when he would have been thrilled to have snuck into Katie Brown's room. But that was over now- it had been over for a while.
Now, just the thought that Katie was on the other side of those thin, wooden doors scared him. Disgraced him. Angered him?
What had happened? He found himself wondering. As if that question hadn't popped up a million times in the past three years... But this time he was serious. Seeing her, being near her like this again was starting to play tricks with his mind.
That was why that when he found himself unlocking his half of the door and knocking on her half, he was completely shocked. He was even more shocked when she answered- letting music she had been listening to, Behind Blue Eyes by The Who, flow into his room.
"Um... hey, Freddy. What's up?" She asked, quizzically, not opening the door all the way. For a moment he could just stare at her. She was wearing a navy tank top and baggy, light pants with musical note prints on them. Her dark hair was tousled slightly that made her look casual yet enticing...
Whoa. Where had those thoughts come from? He shook his head and let out a shaky sigh.
"I dunno. Just thought I'd, uh, say hi..." He lied. Truth was he didn't know.
"Oh." Katie seemed to loosen up. She smiled. "Well, hi."
Freddy gave her an embarrassed smile. Their eyes met. Freddy could finally see those deep, brown eyes again- he could finally see beyond the charade. And what he saw was fear. Hurt. Sadness. Memories.
He knew that all of their guards were falling down as they stared there into each other's eyes. He could see everything. She could see everything. Now the truth was going to come up. And so it did...
Katie sighed and finally peeled her eyes away. "Look... we need to talk..."
"Yeah. I guess we do..." He admitted.
"Come on in." She motioned, letting him in. She sat cross legged on her queen sized bed- he sat on the edge and let his feet touch the ground. They were silent for a few minutes.
"Katie... look." Freddy sighed, finally building up enough courage to talk to her. "I'm sorry for acting like an idiot. I know you probably won't ever forgive me- and I'm okay with that. I just want to let you know I'm sorry. I- I was confused. Hurt and confused. And I'm sorry..."
"I know. I know you were hurt and confused- because I definitely was, too. And I do forgive you- as long as you can forgive me. I'm sorry for not telling you. I really am. I really am."
"I forgive you. I just want to know why you didn't tell me..."
"I thought you'd get mad and break up with me. I didn't want that to happen until it had to..."
"I would have understood, Katie. You should have trusted me enough to know that... Instead I ended up exploding at the last minute when we could have been good!"
"Please. Please don't get mad at me, Freddy Jones. I realize all of that now- believe me. But it's too late to change the past."
"I know. Believe me, I know. I'm sorry. I just... ugh. God, Katie..."
"What?"
"Even after all of these years- after dating dozens of girls- you still are the one who has me hooked."
"Freddy..."
"No. Listen, Katie. My heart may have been ripped in half that day but I never stopped loving you. I still love you."
Katie was silent for a moment. Freddy couldn't believe he had just admitted to that. He couldn't believe this was happening at all. It's just a dream... he told himself. A good, yet very, very awkward and harsh dream... Yeah. In fact, these entire three years had been a dream, too. The band was still together- he and Katie were still together...
Katie interrupted his thoughts, bringing him back into the real world. "I do, too." She whispered soft as a mouse.
She finally met his eyes again- and hers were filled with tears. Freddy scooted over to her, and held her in his arms. With her head on his shoulder, the world seemed to spin around, with nothing making sense. When their lips united into a deep, passionate kiss, the world disappeared completely.
Katie finally pulled away with force. Too much force. She scorched over to the side of the bed and stood up.
"No. No, no, no, no, no! Look- Freddy! I still love you! But I can't! I just can't! I don't want to!" She exclaimed throwing her hands up. Freddy's heart sunk.
"What? Why?" Was all Freddy could manage to stammer out.
"Look. Freddy... I have a boyfriend. A great, wonderful boyfriend that I love so much! But I can't love you, too! I can't! And to be honest, you shouldn't still love me either! If you love me, I'm gonna want to love you- and I can't! It's been three years! I can't- okay?!"
Freddy was shocked. He looked at her, trying his best to let her know that she had just rolled over his heart with a monster truck- for the second time in his life. Trying his best to let her know that he was now even more angry than before- that he was still confused and hurt. And then he walked out of her room and into his. There had been no need for more words. She had been giving him the same exact look back.