SEVEN MONTHS LATER
********************
"That's really a good look for you, Charley." Austin laughed.
I peeked at him from under Tino's sombrero. "You think?"
"You're super Mexican." Phil laughed, then blushed. Everyone knew any mention of him was off limits.
I took the sombrero off. "I should probably get home. I'm doing runway tomorrow."
"Do you want me to drive you? You've had a few drinks." Matt said. I nodded, saying goodbye to everyone and following him out. "Who are you modeling for tomorrow?"
"YSL. Their winter line." I explained, getting in his car.
"That's so cool. I'm just a normal guy, you know, hanging out with famous bands and a supermodel." Matt gushed. "All because I met you a year and a half ago."
"Sure." I agreed awkwardly. The feelings he still had for me that I did not return were beyond clear in that moment.
"Here we are. Good luck tomorrow, I'll see you soon. I think me and Phil are going out tomorrow with Tony if-"
"Tony?!" I demanded, instantly awake. If I was tipsy at all, it faded at the name of one of my former best friends.
Matt looked down awkwardly. "Not Tony Perry."
"Tony who?" I raised my eyebrows skeptically.
"Uh. . . Larry? Tony Larry, great guy-"
"Cut the bullshit!" I snapped.
"They're. . . back. From the tour." Matt said quickly.
"For how long?" I asked, dangerously quiet.
"Maybe a week or so." Matt said.
I jumped out of the car, slamming Matt's door without saying goodbye. My mind was racing almost as fast as my heart. It has been six months that they'd been gone. Six god damn months. Seven months since he had taken my heart and smashed it to the ground, buried it like he'd buried his dick in some whore a week before we were set to get married. Sure, we were still together if you could even call it together. We didn't speak, we didn't kiss, we didn't make love, we didn't have anything that we used to have. The one thing that had made my life worth living was gone.
Six months ago, his band had left on a hasty, infinitely long tour, no doubt in an effort for him to avoid his shattered relationship. I had no idea when they were due to be back, but I'd expected him to at least show up at our god damn house. Did he really think I didn't know where he'd been hiding? I knew everything about him. He knew everything about me, or at least he used to.
I was beyond broken at this point. I'd been pretending to smile for far too long. The only thing I had going for me was that I had my cousin back in my life. Austin had tried to warn me, but I'd been too in love to listen.
I knocked on his brother's front door with both angst and delight. I loved every member of his band just as much as I loved him. The door swung back and Tony Perry looked at me like he'd never wanted to see anyone else. "Charley!"
"Hi, Tony." I smiled truly for the first time in seven months, falling into his hug.
"Come on in." He replied, shutting the door behind me.
"Is that the most beautiful girl in the whole wide world I hear?" Vic called.
I walked into the living room where he was sitting. "Hi, lovely."
"Come see your favourite Fuentes." Vic grinned, pulling me into him on the couch. "Jesus, you're beautiful. Should have picked me instead."
"Don't." I shook my head. "Where is he? Nobody thought I should know the god damn tour ended?"
Tony stared at me. "What are you talking about?"
"I had no idea you guys were home." I replied.
"Mike said he told you." I flinched at the name.
"M- He didn't tell me shit. Speaking of. . . Mike, where is he?" I asked.
Vic sighed. "Try not to yell too loud, okay? He's upstairs."
I marched my tight little ass from Pilates upstairs into the spare room and banged it open. "Hello, Michael."
"Huh?" Mike asked, blinking. He was clearly high.
"Didn't think to tell me you were home?" I asked.
"You wanna smoke? Maybe you won't be such a tightass." Mike replied, lighting up. "Your ass looks phenomenal, by the way."
"If you want to come home, I'll be there." I rolled my eyes. "Have you been sober at all the last six months?"
"Not at all." He smiled stupidly. "Nice to see you, by the way."
"Don't try to be cute and get out of me being pissed off. It won't work." I snapped.
"If you think I'm anything besides a hideous, cheating monster then I'm making progress." He replied.
I raised my eyebrows in response.
"I'll see you around." He waved me out, dismissing me as if we were never supposed to spend the rest of our lives together.
The Real World; Fuck You, Mike Fuentes edition.