LONG LOST LOVER

Chapter 14

TOBY'S P.O.V

Better off this way. Six months without knowing each others news. You might say I gave up on that. Last time was a selfie with some random guy holding ice cream looking all happy. My heart's broken seeing that. She should've known. Then she stopped updating. She shut it all down. No social media activated. Apparently I've been eliminated from her new glorious life. Maybe her parents were able to show her the sparkly Laredo. Why I would worry about that. She owned a life.

But Dannie should've known, ice cream hang was our kind of thing too.

"What's up bro?" I burst came into Connor's room. We're having two weeks off.

"Eh." He hid something under his pillow.

"Am I interrupting? I could go back later though." I stepped back.

"No no it's fine. It was just..." He tried to come up with a reason. "Some weird text."

"Weird text? We got weird text everyday. Why hiding it?"

"Because I don't want to see that. Keeps bothering me all day."

"Alright then." I raised an eyebrow. His reaction was odd. "So where are we with the melody?"

"Come here. You gotta listen to this."

Connor put a half-set melody of our new song so I could hear it. This is always where I gave my eyes ears and thoughts of what he's been making last night. I just checked Riley with his lyrics writing session but seemed like he's too into it. He didn't need my help for now, just yet. So I decided to work with Connor today.

"Man, that was catchy!"

"Yeah?" Connor paused the recording. "I guess we need to put a little country style on this part. You come up with idea?"

"I think." I took the guitar.

We were working in Connor's room for couple hours. It was tight. But we pulled off a complete song melody. But one thing bothered me the most. Connor didn't play calm. He kept checking the phone which was still remain under the pillow. The notification beep kept interrupting. I asked him to just go check it outside if he didn't feel like I should know his stuff. My brother denied it at all times. What. Is it a girl?

"Oh gosh what the heck is going on with my phone." He gave in, grabbed his phone and checked it.

"Con. Seriously."

"What?"

"You're looking after somebody? A girl?"

"A girl? Jeez no time for that."

"Mom texts you?"

"No it's not Mom..." He carefully read something on the screen like tried to memorize stuff.

"Weird. You're acting weird. You know that?"

"Hmm? No I'm not. It's just Thomas and Chris with their stupid jokes."

I could sense it. Lie over a stack of lies. Connor didn't do good lies. He's the man of his words and always tells truth. I shook my head. And yes he knew he didn't sell the reasons to me. We were stuck in silence. Either my brother was moving up with a girl, or he hid something else.

"Stop with that all. What are you doing Con?"

"Honestly? Do you even miss Dannie?"

I choked. "W...what about her?"

"You didn't answer."

"Yeah of course I miss her. But she's probably busy."

"How long it's been?"

"What does this have to do with Dannie?"

I threw myself into his bed. Exhausting talking about her. She didn't want to start something with me anymore, unlike we once talked about. Yes she made few calls couple months ago. I didn't check that at the first place, and second, I wasn't feeling it. I wouldn't throw myself to the same failure and heartbreaking moment by being her shoulders to lean on only when that guy couldn't be there for her. Gladly that tour with Fifth Harmony kept me busy. I got over it. Now, practically been doing the same thing like Connor, I oftentimes put my phone under the blanket or pillow to kept myself from regularly check it.

"Because I've been talking with her." Connor stabbed my heart right on the spot. "She misses you."

I was choked again between my real sad expression that I wanted to tell Connor, at the very least, yet it would sound very selfish because I've once turned my face away from her. More less, he found out.

"So do I. Tell her I miss her too."

"Why didn't you call back that time? Why didn't say she's calling?"

All stuck in words. I wish Connor would end this topic but apparently not gonna happen soon.

"She's..." I released a deep breath. "She's seeing a guy, bro!"

"You like her."

"Unbelievable, isn't it? I'm not humiliating myself twice about this. I took the right way. She lives okay and safe in Laredo. I thought well yeah I would start something later, say a hi, when it already feels right for me. But first, I need...time."

"But Toby," Connor held my shoulder. "She doesn't do good in there."

I swear I just heard the crack sound of my jaw. She's not doing good? Then what was that with all the romantic picture and everything?

"Is she okay? What did she tell you?"

"I bet you wanna hear it by yourself." Connor dialed her. "Speak. Politely."

I remained frozen holding Connor's phone with her number on dial. Have I ever been ready for this, or just too cocky and jealous to start it again?