When I'm With You

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next morning, I get up, grab my phone off the charger and head to the kitchen for coffee. I look at my phone and see a text from Hernan.

H: Good morning my dear Sophia. Hope you slept well.

S: Good morning Hernan. I slept great. You?

H: I slept really well. What time do you need to leave for the club?

S: Four. Practice and soundcheck.

H: I'll send my car for you.

S: You really don't have to. It's not that far.

H: I'll send my car. See you tonight Sweetheart. Pancakes after?

S: Pancakes sound amazing. See you tonight.

I look at the messages and smile. He's sweet, a gentleman, insanely hot. But I can't let myself get close. Everyone that's gotten close, hurt me. That won't happen again. I drink my coffee and think about what to say to him tonight. I spend the rest of the day, getting ready and I leave my apartment at 3:30 instead of four so that I can walk to work. Once at work, I text Hernan. Left earlier than planned. I'm at work but thank you for the offer. A couple of minutes later he texts back Can I still see you tonight?. I can't do this. I don't think that's such a great idea. I really need to concentrate on work. I text and he doesn't answer back.

It's time for sound check and I am on the stage going through a couple of the songs for tonight but I am a little distracted. "You okay Sophia?" James, my drummer asks. "Yeah. I'm good." I tell him. Once sound check is done, I head to my dressing room to start getting ready when there's a knock on my door. I open the door and see Hernan standing there. "Hey." I say. "Hey. Can I come in?" he asks. I move and let him in. "Are you okay?" he asks. "Yeah. Look, about today. I need to tell you something. Before I left home, I was in a relationship. Guy was pretty abusive. I got out but not before he did some real damage." I say raising my shirt a little to show him the scar from where he stabbed me. "Since then, I don't get close to people. I really enjoyed our talk last night but I can't do that again. I need to keep my head straight and getting involved with anyone, I can't do it. I'm sorry. I appreciate you being so nice but I can't let myself get close to anyone." I tell him. "I get it but I won't give up on you." he says before walking out the door.

I get on the stage and we start the set. The songs that I chose are songs about loneliness and heartache. I look up subtly and see Hernan perched in the VIP area just watching me. During the last song of my set, I feel a tear start to fall as I belt out the song. It's about wanting someone so bad but not being able to have them. Once the song was done, I was lead off the stage and to my dressing room. Once inside, I get dressed and head out to head home. I walk outside and see Hernan and his car waiting. He walks over and says "I promised you pancakes." I look at him and say "Hernan..." but he stops me. "Let me prove I'm different." he says. I look at him for a minute before nodding. He leads me to the car and we head to Louie's for pancakes.

Walking into the diner, we take the same booth we did the night before and order the same thing as the night before. "Why are you so intent on being around me?" I ask. "Something about you just draws me in. I noticed a theme to your set tonight. Wanna talk about it?" he asks. "It was just a normal set." I tell him as I look down at my food. "That why you had to wipe away a tear as you left the stage?" He asks and I look up at him. Sighing, I say "That last song has pretty much been my theme song over these last few years." I say. "Why?" he asks. "It's a song about heartache and longing. It talks about wanting someone so bad but knowing you will never have them and how it breaks you." I tell him. "You feel that way?" he asks. "I did at one time. Didn't think that I would ever even consider getting involved with anyone again. I try to keep people at arms length. Not getting too close." I tell him. "Scared you'll get hurt again." he says. "Yeah. Not just physically but emotionally too. When you go through what I did, it makes you not trust anyone." I tell him. "How long were you two together?" he asks. "Four years before he started using. Another year after that. The night he stabbed me it was because I confronted him about cheating on me. He didn't like me calling him out and he attacked me." I tell him. "What happened to him?" he asks. "He didn't know I carried a gun and I put a couple of rounds through his brain." I tell him and he looks at me in shock. "I wasn't always the resigned girl you see now." I tell him. "I see a strong woman that handled her shit." he tells me.

We talk for a little while longer before he takes me home. Walking me to my door, he says "Just give me an honest shot. I promise I won't let you down." he says. I look at him for a minute before leaning forward and kissing his lips softly and say "Don't make me regret it." He smiles softly and kisses me one more time before saying "I won't Sweetheart. I'll call you in the morning." I walk into my apartment and lock the door before he walks away. Walking over to the couch, I sit down and wonder if I was getting in over my head.