Caught In The Way You Got Me (Book One)

You're Pulling The Trigger All Wrong

Brendon:

The past two weeks have been a nightmare. I don't know how much she's heard to this day. She hasn't answered any of my calls or texts, so I'm assuming she heard the worst parts. She's probably disgusted...She's never going to come back...And I actually opened myself up to her. I let myself fall for her. And look where it's left me...This is worse than the last time...

The tour has been difficult. She enters my mind in every lyric that I sing and I'm so thankful that for the first portion of the tour Northern Downpour is not on our setlist. The guys are sick of me. I'm sick of them. I keep asking to cancel and they keep saying to wait until today. If she won't listen to me today we'll have to call the tour off. I can't do this. 

"Brendon, you've got to stop being so pessimistic about this. You're feeling sorry for yourself for a mistake that you made and that we told you not to make. It finally caught up to you and maybe now you'll learn your lesson. That conversation is a conversation that you should want to have in person anyway. So you're going to see her tonight, you're going to be mature and not flirt with other girls just to get her to talk to you, and you're going to be completely honest about everything you've done." Dallon is out of breath by the time he's done lecturing me. She's been talking to him and that kills me. That's the only reason I know how she's doing, but he locks me out of the tour bus or hotel room every time he needs to talk to her. 

"Fine. She's just not going to come back."

"Brendon! She's probably the sweetest human being on this planet and you broke her trust, again, and you just need to earn it back, again. I'm sure she'll understand if you tell her everything," Kenneth says. I suddenly realize what they mean by everything and I'm terrified to admit that portion of my past to her. But they're right. It's the only way she'll understand. 

We finally arrive at the venue and step out of the car. The guys stare at me for a while and nod. I look down at my suit. Dallon places devil horns on my head.

"You guys are assholes for making me come dressed as the devil at a time like this," I tell them. They all laugh. Dallon came as the riddler and wore a green suit with a question mark covered tie and hat, Kenneth is wearing his suit unbottoned with a Superman shirt underneath, and Dan is wearing the same with a Spiderman shirt. And these assholes made me the freaking devil. I can't complain about the suit because it really is a great suit but this is awful timing. 

A car pulls up behind us and David steps out. He looks like he went for a prince costume idea and I gag at the thought of him being Asteria's date. I'm surprised when I see Ana step out in an excellent and elegant mermaid costume and she takes his arm. My heart drops when I realize what's next and sure enough, my attention is caught by the studded boots and dark dress that touch the ground. Before I know it I can't breathe and there are what feel like millions of flashing lights, catching our reactions and she seems just as hurt as I am. 

"Brendon! We've been waiting to see you two walk down the carpet together! What are your thoughts on seeing your newest romance tonight?" a young girl asks. She seems genuinely excited and my face contorts. 

"He's so excited!" Dallon chimes and runs to grab Asteria. She shakes her head and he ignores her, shoving her into me.

"It'll be worse if you don't," he mutters through clenched teeth and she lets out an emotional sigh as she loops her arm into mine. We both force smiles onto our faces and a part of mine is genuine over her leaning into me, but I know that it's just so we don't face media heat. 

"Let's do this thing?" I ask quietly and she looks at me with hollow eyes and nods. We walk down the carpet together and pose as asked, behaving for the media junkies. 

"Kiss her, Brendon!" someone yells and Asteria looks at me, pleading for me not do it with just one subtle gaze. I touch her face and lean in, only kissing her forehead because I know I don't deserve to do anything else right now. I quickly walk her inside of the venue and as soon as we're away from the cameras she breaks free from my arm and disappears. 

I don't see her again until interviews start and I'm excited when I realize she'll have to interview me. Seeing her in her dress and jewelry is mesmerizing and I know that I have to win her back. I slowly build up my confidence, trying to get a hold of my nerves and what it is that I should say and I think I'm doing a great job at it. I'm ready for my interview and positive that I can keep her until some chump in an upcoming alt pop band with long hair starts talking her up and I can see in her eyes exactly what's happening.