I Promise (A Matthew Epinosa Fan Fiction)

Chapter Twenty Four

{Jay's POV}

"Guys. The concert is tonight. How am I supposed to face the others?" I asked.
"We'll be there." Gilinsky insisted.
"Wouldn't that make it worse?" Aaron asked.
The boys began to argue amongst themselves. I let out a frustrated groan and ran my hand through my hair. The events from yesterday still ran through my mind. I couldn't just bail out on the concert. Ugh. What the hell do I do?
"Yeah. I guess you guys could come. Y'all should probably stay in the dressing room until the show starts. And please don't act like a bunch of fucking idiots." I requested.
The boys all agreed and we all began to get ready. My clothes would be waiting for me in my dressing room so I quickly slipped on my jeans and one of Hayes's hoodies. "Alright, let's go." I announced.
We drove in two separate cars. Matt, Hayes, Shawn, Cameron, and I in one and Gilinsky, Johnson, Nash, Aaron, Taylor, and Carter in the other.
We showed up at the venue. I didn't see any of the boys anywhere. Same with the One Direction boys. Not that I was complaining though.
I set my stuff down in my dressing room and began to get ready. Ripped, black skinny jeans and a cut white muscle tee. I remember when the 5SOS boys and I were trying to choose an outfit for me. The millions of dresses I was forced to try on before they decided to put me in normal clothes. It was a fun memory, but it was now bittersweet and tainted.
"Hey, Jay? 5 minutes until you're out." one of the stage managers notified.
"Okay guys, ready?" I asked.
The boys nodded and we started to make our way to the stage. The 5SOS and One Direction boys were already up there. Had I missed something? I was so confused.
"Okay guys. We normally don't do this. But tonight we're saying good bye to someone extremely special to us.. But this isn't really my place to say good bye." Harry said into the mic then handing it to Calum.
What? I didn't understand. Should I have been out there?
"Tonight, we want you to cheer extra loud. This tour so far has been absolutely amazing and I wouldn't have had it any other way." Calum continued handing off the mic to Luke.
"Tonight will be Jay's final show with us on this tour." Luke announced into the mic.
"What the fuck?" I whispered.
The boys looked at me confused. "I didn't know that this would happen." I explained. "I guess they decided to pull me off the tour.
"For the Where We Are tour, this is Jay's final performance. Cheer your loudest everyone. Goodbye Jay." Luke finished.
"That's your cue. Go." a stage manager hinted giving me a small little push.

•••after the concert•••

"Guys. I'm going to go talk to the boys. I guess you can come if you want." I suggested to Matt and the others. They trailed close behind me as I walked to the 5SOS dressing room. I knocked on the door and walked in.
"Hi. I need to talk to you." I said in a small voice casting my eyes to the ground.
"Well mates you heard her." Luke waved his friends off. They got up to exit the room and I nodded as Matt to take the rest of the boys as well.
"I'm sorry." I apologized once the door had closed.
"I would say that it's okay, but it really isn't. Why didn't you just tell me? You didn't have to cheat. How long has this been going on?" Luke questioned.
"Only since the day I visited Shawn. I swear." I truthfully replied.
Luke visibly relaxed some. "So our relationship, parts of it were real?"
"What? Of course. Our whole relationship was real minus the last bit. I really liked you. And I really do like you now. Being in a relationship with you, it was content and easy and permanent. But.." I trailed off.
"But you're in love with Matt." Luke finished.
"Yeah. I really do think so." I whispered.
"Jay. Why do you seem fucking terrified of me right now? Look, I don't hate you and the boys don't hate you. They're just a little mad but they've definitely calmed down a bunch now. Look, I still love you- and sure it might be hard to get over you. But I promised."
"Wait what? Promised what?" I asked, thoroughly confused.
"Remember all those months back on the way back to the house? Right after you'd left Matt?" Luke asked.
I winced at the memory but nodded.
"I promised I'd take you back and all you had to do was say so." Luke spoke softly. "And no matter how much it hurts, I can't take you away from your happiness. Not after everything you've been through. You deserve it all baby. And Matt is honestly what you need and deserve. So I'm pulling you from the tour. And I'm taking you back." Luke explained with wet eyes.
"I never meant to hurt you." I whispered. "I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you." I wiped my tear stained cheeks.
Luke held my face in his hands and looked into my eyes. "Jay, baby. I'm letting you go. I'm taking you back to him because this is what you want. This is what you need. Please don't cry. This is a happy moment for you. Okay?"
"Luke, I love you."
"Just not in the way you love Matt. And I'm okay with that." Luke wrapped his arms around me and gave me one last kiss on my forehead.
"I wish we were parting on better terms. But Jay, you'll always be one of the most important people in my life. My best friend."
"So this isn't goodbye?" I asked hopefully.
"Definitely not. Think of it more as a see you later." Luke mumbled hugging me and resting his chin on top of my head.

((a.n.// i literally haven't updated in like a month. yikes. don't hate me.😬 but over 2k reads? i love y'all so much.💖 gonna try to update more but school is a bitch. -liz ))