Once again, a few days went by and I didn't hear anything from Tony. I wasn't even slightly worried that something had happened to him because I could hear lots and lots of shouting coming from his place. Apparently him and Kelsey were still fighting which was, in a way, very disturbing to me. I hated knowing how unhappy Tony was and I knew he didn't like fighting and yet he was forced to do it so often. I only wished Kelsey would've left already.

And, in fact, that night my doorbell rang. I'd been laying over the couch and watching a movie which had become a tradition already but when I heard the sound of the doorbell my head shot up. Somebody was there to see me, I thought, as I forced myself up from the couch and started wandering to the front door. I opened it and came face to face with a very tired-looking Tony. It looked like he hadn't slept in days and like he just wanted to collapse on a couch and wake up 24 hours later.

”Tony?” I asked and furrowed my eyebrows.

”Can I come in?” he muttered and I nodded, quickly allowing him to step in.

I closed the door after him and followed him into our livingroom. He sat down on the couch and I looked at him for a moment as he stared into emptiness.

”Is everything alright?” I whispered. He started shaking his head and my face fell.

”What's happened?”

”Kelsey left,” he said finally.

”Is that why you're so sad?” I asked and started biting my lip. I knew I had wished that she would leave but if it made him so unhappy...

”No,” he admitted, ”That's not why I'm sad.”

”Then why are you sad?”

”Come here,” he said, motioning for me to come close to him.

I walked to the couch and sat down next to him, allowing him to wrap his arm around me and hold me close for a moment.

”Why are you sad?” I whispered, repeating my question.

”Because I hate fighting and that's all I've done in the past few days,” he muttered.

”I'm sorry,” I whispered, ”But that's over now, right? You don't have to fight with her anymore.”

”Yeah...”

We stayed there in silence for so long that I'd thought that he had fallen asleep already. All of a sudden his phone buzzed and he flinched. He pulled his arm away from me and took his phone out of his pocket.

”She keeps texting me...” he mumbled and the tone of his voice scared me. I had never heard or seen him so hurt and vulnerable. He usually never let his guard down and I wasn't used to seeing him like that.

”Turn that off,” I said, ”Turn your phone off.”

”Should I?”

”Yes.”

I watched as he turned it off then set it down on the floor. Then he did something that surprised me. He rested his head against my thighs, resting his head on my lap. He reminded me of a child that needed their mom's support. He laid down on the couch and got comfortable as I started stroking his forehead and brushing back his hair. It was as if he needed, for once, somebody to hold him while he was down. He needed me to hold him until he fell asleep and honestly, I had no problem with that. I knew I would do anything to make him feel even slightly better because if anything, he deserved it at that moment.

The next morning, or shall I say day because it was past midday already, when I woke up, I was laying alone on the couch. My back hurt because I'd probably slept half of the night in a very uncomfortable position and as I sat up, I couldn't help but groan. I tried to rub my back with my hand but it was no use.

I could hear chatting coming from the kitchen so I got up and started making my way there. I saw Tony who was talking on his phone and looking out of the window. And to my delight, he looked like himself again. There was a smile on his face and when he saw me, he winked. I returned the smile and sat down and waited for him to end the call, which he did a few moments later.

”I'm happy to see you smile,” I told him.

”I guess I just needed to get some sleep,” he said and shrugged.

”Have you eaten anything yet?” I asked.

”No,” he shook his head, ”Do you want to go out to get breakfast?”

”Isn't it past lunchtime already?”

”It is but it's summer and everything is a bit fucked up. So yes or no? It's my treat,” he said.

”Is this like a date?” I asked and cocked an eyebrow as I looked at him.

”Possibly...”

”Then yes, let's go.”

Tony and I went to a local cafe to get some breakfast. We both got pancakes and coffee and I ate until I really felt like throwing up. Tony didn't seem to be sad at all anymore which made me happy but left me wondering if he really was okay deep down inside. I was pretty sure that he tried his best to bury and put aside all negative feelings which wasn't a good thing to do. But, as I was sure that he didn't want to talk about the previous night or what had happened with Kelsey, I dropped it because the last thing I wanted was to upset him.

”So... Are Vic and the guys still at your place?” I asked him. We had both finished eating but just sat there in the cozy cafe and enjoyed each other's company.

”Vic is,” he nodded, ”But everybody else left last night...”

”Oh, okay... Do you want to do something today?” I asked him.

”Like what?”

”I don't know... Maybe just talk?”

”I don't really want to talk about what happened with Kelsey,” he said quietly.

”We don't have to talk about that. I just like talking with you about anything,” I admitted. The smile on his face grew wider and he nodded.

Tony drove us back to our places but he didn't come to my place. He told me that he was going to write some new songs with Vic and he'd come over later that night. So, while I was alone, I went to our pool and tried my best to get a tan. Tony came over when it started to get dark and cooler outside.

I was still by the pool, texting my mother and letting her know that I was still alive, when I heard Tony's voice. I lifted my head up and looked away from my phone and my eyes landed on Tony who stood next to the pool with a bottle of vodka in his hand.

”I brought something to drink,” he said with a grin as he lifted the bottle up.

”Is your plan to get me drunk and take advantage of me?” I asked and laughed.

”Maybe,” he winked at me and sat down next to me.

”That's so lame,” I admitted.

He handed the bottle to me and I opened it. It smelled awful and I didn't really want to drink it just like that but Tony kept his eyes on me and made sure I drank some, so I lifted the bottle up to my lips and swallowed a big mouthful of the burning liquid. I grimaced and handed the vodka back to Tony who started laughing at my face.

”That was awful,” I muttered.

Tony drank some of it and then put the bottle down.

We drank some (quite a lot, actually) more and laughed and joked but then he got all serious. He turned to look at me and stared at my face until I blushed madly and had to hide my face.

”Why are you looking at me like that?” I exclaimed and giggled. The alcohol had started to work its magic on me.

”I'm really fucking happy that you're here with me,” he admitted. Apparently the alcohol already had its effect on him, too...

”Well I'm happy that you're here with me, too,” I whispered.

I thought for a second that he was going to lean in and kiss me but then he laid down on his back on the ground and stared up at the sky. I did the same, only snuggling closer to his side, and held on to his hand as I looked at the stars that looked so bright against the black sky.

”There's no place I'd rather be than here right now,” I whispered and turned my head to my side. My cheek rested against the ground and I could see Tony turning his head to me.

”How drunk are you, Abby?” he murmured and laughed.

”Pretty drunk,” I admitted, ”But I meant every word I said. I like this. I like you.”

Tony didn't say anything, he just reached closer and pressed his lips firmly against mine and kissed me softly. We kissed like that for a while but soon he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me on top of his body. I ended up laying on him and kissing him in the warm summer breeze under the stars. And that moment, as we laid there, was perfect in every possible way.