HEADLINE ✓

TRACK 26

"What are you doing here?"

TJ stood from her spot, clearly uncomfortable, as her eyes flashed from mine, to Jeff, and then back to mine.

"I flew her out," Jeff said and clasped his hand on my back. "For you."

Turning my head to the side, I whispered harshly under my breath, "Why the fuck would you do that?"

"Hear her out. Alright?" Jeff took a step back, looking towards TJ. "If either of you need me, I'll be down the hall."

She only nodded in response before she turned her attention towards the floor, crossing her arms over her chest.

The hotel door slammed shut, leaving the two of us alone. The room filled with a heavy silence. TJ didn't appear like her normal self. I don't think I had ever seen her look so... terrified before. Making my way over to the bar area, I found myself craving a strong beverage. Unfortunately, the only item available for consumption was water. And thanks to the hotel staff being under a strict rule to not serve me alcohol, it wasn't easy to obtain at the moment.

I opened the mini-fridge, grabbed two plastic water bottles and made my way back towards her. "Water?"

TJ tilted her head up, her eyes looking towards the offer in my hand.

"It's the only option here."

"Thanks," she said in a whisper.

Taking a seat opposite from where she stood, I realized that was the first time I had heard her speak since entering the room. It wasn't abnormal for her to be quiet. That was always part of her game. However, mixing the quietness with her eerie bundle of nerves was an entire other obstacle to figure out.

I noticed her eyes were focused on the coffee table that was in between us, specifically the stack of magazines. The first two on top of the low pile were random - a men's health fitness and one about cooking. However, underneath those was her cover of Rock Magazine. And by the corner sticking out which showed at least a third of it, I could tell she knew what it was.

"How have you been?"

"Great. Fantastic, really. And you?" I spat sarcastically.

"I've been better."

With my lack of interest to initiate any sort of further pleasantries with her, the room became instantly quiet. TJ looked down at the plastic bottle and picked at the label, while I watched her and tried to figure out what the fuck she was even doing here.

The longer we sat, the more I craved one thing. And since that was highly forbidden for me to have, the next best thing was alcohol. Which, to my unfortunate luck, was now also on the list of banned items.

The burning desire to have a warm shower and go to bed left me wanting to speed up this reunion as fast as possible. "So, is that why you came all the way to New York? Just to ask me how I was doing?"

"No, I..." she paused, sinking her teeth into her bottom lip. "I came to talk to you. I wanted to say sorry for leaving - I shouldn't have done that. And-"

"I wanted to forget you that night," I said, cutting her off. "All it took was for you to say that shit to me and make me forget all about it."

It was possible that my interruption had thrown off whatever speech she had come prepared with, as she parted her lips to speak - yet stayed silent.

"I know you told me the first night we were alone together that you would end up driving me insane. But this..." I let a smile of disbelief show, motioning in between us. "This is far fucking worse than I could have ever imagined."