Afterglow (BWWM)

Chapter 15

God, the way he looked at me...

The silence that followed was deafening. Everyone was waiting to see what I would do next. I felt the collective weight of their stares on me like a spotlight. Feeling embarrassed and guilty, I raced down from the stage and went after Drew. Repairing this major fuck up with him mattered more than what anyone thought of me. By the time I made it to our booth, I'd lost track of him. I frantically scanned the bar for any sign of him.

I felt large hands at my back and I sighed in relief. I turned, readying to apologize. I stopped short when I saw it was Ty, his dark eyes brimming with sympathy.

"He left," he said.

His words took a minute register. He'd left without me?

Ty snatched my jacket out of the booth and handed it to me. "If you hurry, you might catch him."

I put the coat on. "Why are you helping me?" I asked.

"Because Drew's my brother. And because you need it."

Whatever that meant. "Thanks, Ty."

He nodded reassuringly and I made a beeline for the door. As soon as I exited the building, the cold night air blasted my face. I pulled my jacket closed and frantically surveyed the street. I spotted Drew half-way up the block. He had more of a head start than I thought.

"Drew, wait!" I yelled at his back.

He crossed the street like he hadn't heard me. I wasn't fast, but I ran after him like my life depended on it. I caught up with him at the next light. Barely.

"You're just going to leave me, even though we came together?" I said, praying he would slow down.

"We both know who you wish you came with," Drew said, his voice laced with steel.

The playful Drew from earlier was long gone. No more teasing smiles, no laughing eyes. The Drew who spoke to me now was a stranger. I didn't know how to deal. Making up with people wasn't something I was good at, but I made myself try. I couldn't let him go without hearing me out. Even though I was scared out of my mind that this couldn't be fixed.

"Drew, I'm so sorry."

We crossed the street, but he continued on like I wasn't there. Like I hadn't said anything. I followed him for another block. His continued silence chipped away at my patience.

"You know how I feel about that place and then you bring me on stage in front of everyone and try to kiss me? Brandon was standing right there."

Drew released a harsh, impatient breath. I could see it rising in the freezing, night air. "You don't sound sorry to me," he said in that strange unfeeling voice.

"It's just ... I don't understand why you did this."

We had no choice but to stop for traffic at the next crosswalk. He paced back and forth like he wished he were anywhere but with me.

"Why did you come out here? Was it to apologize or to convince me that you did nothing wrong?" he said.

"That's not fair," I said.

"And using me to get to Brandon is?" he said.

That burned. I'd been trying so hard to do the right thing that I didn't feel like any of this was even about what I wanted anymore. Hearing Drew accuse me of purposefully hurting him blindsided me. This was not my fault!

"Don't throw that in my face. We had a deal." I said, loud enough to be heard over the bustling traffic.

"That deal is a joke and you know it."