“Wait, how did you know I was still at school?” he asked making me chuckle before I said “I heard the bell chime in the background just now.”
“Oh that makes sense. By the sound of crashing waves, I’d say you’re walking alone down a beach somewhere” he said sounding like his usual self.
“I am but I won’t tell you where I am. We both need this time apart to figure things out. Hopefully, by the time I come home you’ll know what you want whether it fits in with what you thought you knew about yourself or not” I said as yet more tears streamed down my face.
“Theo, why do I feel like this? Why can I feel everything that you feel and everything I feel on my own? Like right now, I know what I’m feeling but I also know that you still feel heartbroken and are crying. Why do I know that?” he asked genuinely curious.
“Maybe, one day, when you can honestly tell me how you feel and what you want, I’ll tell you. Today is not that day though because if I told you why I think that is, it may influence your decision and I don’t want that. I want it to be for the right reasons and not because of that” I sobbed again wishing he’d figure it out without me telling him.
“Okay, I’ll think about it. I promise and I promise to wait for you to come talk to me when you’re ready since I know it may take you a little longer to be ready” he said making me shake my head and smile a sad smile as the waves crashed against my bare feet.
“Okay then. You should get going, I promise to come find you when I’m ready” I said and as I moved to hit the end button, he said “oh hey, I don’t know if you’ll be back by then but Sunday night at six pm at the Rum Room we have another gig. Hopefully, you can make it even if I don’t see you there.”
“I’ll try, I promise” I said hoping I could keep that promise. As I hung up the phone, I took another deep breath as more tears slid down my cheeks. Dad must’ve been nearby because he startled me as he said “we’ll be back Sunday afternoon around four thirty. So, you’ll make the show whether he knows you’re there or not.”
“How’d you know that’s what I promised him?” I asked as he smirked and said “your mom told me he had a gig Sunday evening and since you’ve never missed one...” He trailed off at the end but the rest was implied as he wrapped one arm around my shoulders. Sobbing against him, I said “he was so close to hurting himself. I could hear it in his voice. Without being sure it was me that was calling, he immediately apologized for everything. He even explained what he wanted to apologize for saying it was for pushing me into something I may not have been ready for given everything else I’d been dealing with the two days before. He promised he wouldn’t do anything stupid until we had the chance to talk in person at least. By the end of the conversation, he sounded more like himself though he’s realized there’s something weird about our relationship, he just doesn’t realize what yet.”
“You didn’t tell him?” dad asked gently rubbing his hand up and down my upper arm.
“No, I want him to chose me for me and not because some mark says we were made to be together. I know it’s going to start hurting again as it tries to draw us together but we need these next few days apart to get our own emotions under control” I explained knowing he’d have to work harder to separate our emotions before figuring out his own.
Lafayettes’ POV
Talking to Theo really pulled me out of my suicidal thought. Just as I thought that, I wondered how he knew to call me at that exact time as I looked down over the court yard and saw his sister and her mate talking. Smirking, I realize one of them must’ve seen me run up here and assumed I needed him. Frowning, I looked down at my phone and realized that wasn’t his phone then decided I’d delete the number. So, I wasn’t tempted to bug him before he was ready to talk. Taking a deep breath, I wiped my face and pulled on my emotionless mask before heading down stairs. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I decided to head home instead of going back to class so I could think about things. As I climbed in my truck, I couldn’t help the overwhelming happiness that spread through my chest at the idea of him coming to my show on Sunday. As that thought crossed my mind, I realized he was the only person I ever got truly happy about seeing and the only one I ever truly worried about. That thought scared me a little as I drove home wondering why he made me so happy.
As the next few days passed, I spent a good deal of time thinking about why Theo made me feel the way I did about him and only one answer came to mind... I’d fallen in love with my best friend at some point in the last twelve years and just couldn’t admit it. When Sunday had finally rolled around, I was like a giddy kid on Christmas hoping he’d be at my show tonight. Once again I convinced Ethan to let me sing lead tonight and plan the set list in the hopes he’d be there.
[*Set List for Red Moon Rising*]
[Cover- Die From a Broken Heart by Maddie and Tae]
[Original- Forever and Ever]
[Cover- Beautiful Crazy by Luke Combs]
[Original- Only You]
[Cover- If I didn’t have you by Thompson Square]
[Original-It’s always been you]
[Cover- Found and Lost by Survive said the Prophet]
[Original-Still Alive]
[Cover- Holy by Florida Georgia Line]
[Original- You will Forever be my Always]
[Cover- Die a Happy Man by Thomas Rhett]
“I hope he understands what I’m trying to tell him with this set list but I want it to be a surprise for him. So, I won’t send Charlie to go find him this time” I thought as I stared at the list and my metallic blue electric guitar he’d gotten me for Christmas a few years ago. As six o’clock approached, I got more nervous that he wouldn’t get it but then taking a deep breath I realized he always understands me even when I don’t want him to.
Theodores’ POV
Arriving home on Sunday felt so nice. We landed at the airstrip and were met with three smiling faces as soon as we deplaned as well as a group hug. When we had finally found our way home, I took my stuff up to my room and sat on my bed for a few minutes debating about letting Fay know I was back or not as my door opened.
“Don’t do it. Just surprise him at the show tonight. I’m sure he’s planning something big since he’s been uncharacteristically quiet” Teia said as Kora giggled “oh yeah, he’s definitely planning something.” Chuckling, I said “I’m scared now because when he plans something it’s usually really over the top.”
“Are you going to his show tonight?” Teia asked taking a seat next to me as I gave her a duh look before saying “I’ve never missed a show.”
“Wait, seriously? You’ve never missed any of his shows?” Kora asked as Teia and I smiled at her before I said “I have proof, wanna see?”
“Yeah, I want proof” she squealed as Teia and I started giggling. Getting up, I went into my closet and got my secret sketchbook that had the drawings of Fay from every show he’s done since he joined the band. Handing it to her, I said “open it.” Her eyes went wide as she saw my drawings that were dated back to the sixth grade when the band had first formed. You could tell my artistic talent increased as the dates progressed right up until the last image that was stained with tear drops. Lingering on the image, she asked “why is it stained with tears?”
“That was the day he accidentally outed me and through his show told me that he still accepts me for me without either of us knowing about the possibility of us being mates. He sang one song that was about love and acceptance and then added my favorite song as the final track of the show” I smiled as a tear slid down my cheek. Reaching up to wipe it away, she said “well hopefully, tonight is another grand revelation.”
“We can only hope” Teia said wrapping her arms around me as I took another shaky breath. Checking the clock, I saw I had forty minutes before the show started as I said “well, I guess we’ll find out soon. You guys wanna come too?”
“Nah, this seems like it should be a semiprivate affair” Teia said pulling back as Kora closed my sketchbook and handed it to me before saying “go and try to enjoy it no matter what message he’s trying to send you.”
“Thanks girls. I’ll let you know if something happens” I smirked before Kora said “oh I’m sure I’ll know anyway but I’ll have mom make contact if it feels painful in a bad way.”
“Okay, thanks. I guess I should get going” I said standing up to collect my regular phone, wallet, keys, and pencil case. Then giving them an uneasy smile, I made my way towards the door. Heading out of the house and to my truck, I sat in the drivers seat before taking a deep breath and starting the ignition.
The drive to the club didn’t take too long. As I pulled around back away from the crowds, I saw I few people I recognized and rolled my eyes. Parking my truck in the back of the lot, I went into the club and found a seat at the back that had a good line of sight to the stage but was in a dark enough spot that I wouldn’t be easily noticed. Keeping my emotions in check, I ordered a cherry vanilla coke when the waitress came by and waited for the show to start. Checking my watch, I saw we had another two minutes before show time just as the waitress came back with my drink. As I wondered what tricks Fay had up his sleeve, the lights dimmed a little more and the stage lit up to reveal the band with Fay as lead again. Forcing myself to stay calm and not freak out, I waited for the first track to play and was confused when “Die of a Broken Heart” by Maddie and Tae started. As the set went on I realized he was telling a story that was meant for someone here. During the song “If I Didn’t Have You” by Thompson Square, he looked right at me when he sang the line “if you didn’t love me so much, I’d never make it through, this life would kill me if I didn’t have you” whether he knew I was there or not making my heart skip a beat as a tear rolled down my cheek. By the end of the set, I knew what he was trying to say I just wasn’t sure who he was saying it to. As I walked to my truck at the end of the show, my phone pinged with a new message making me pause.
[Fay: What did you think of the show? I thought I felt you here somewhere.]
[Theo: You did an awesome job though I was confused about who your message was for.]
Just as I hit send, I heard a chuckle from behind me before he said “you really don’t know?” Without turning around, I said “well, you weren’t exactly specific with your song choices.” Laughing, he moved to stand in front of me and said “you need to learn to read between the lines Cher.”
“I got that it was a rocky love story. Hell, I’m betting you didn’t even realize you looked right at me several times” I chuckled shaking my head.
“Oh Cher, you should know me better than that. I looked at you for a reason” he said making me stop and stare in shock before I asked “how did you even know where I was? There is no way you saw me from up there.”
“You’re right, instead I had the waitress’ looking for a teenager about my age who’d order an oddly flavored dark soda and had drawing stuff with him. They gave me a general area, then it was just a matter of guessing based on my line of sight” he smirked making me shake my head before I asked “so it was all intentional?”
“Oui ma chère, tout était certainement planifié, même jusqu'à la ligne spécifique” he smirked at me as I looked at him fully confused before I said “now say it in plain English, Cher. I wanna know what you’re thinking you just told me.” Stepping closer to me, he put a hand on my cheek and said “I think I just used those songs to tell you the story of an idiot who didn’t realize he’s been in love with someone so very special to him for so very long.” Smirking, I said “now say it in less than five word.”
“You’re really going to make me spell it out for you Cher?” he smirked back before adding “okay, challenge accepted. In five words or less, I love you Theodore Draven.” Completely in shock for a minute, I smirked and said “took you long enough.”
“What do you mean by that Cher?” he asked confused.
“I’ve been in love with you for so long that when you figured out I was gay, it thought you’d hate me and then you got Caroline which really pissed me off. It’s why I hated seeing you with all those girls. I hated knowing that even if I told you how I felt that you’d reject me and it had been eating me up inside” I said tears running down my face by the end of it.
“Oh wow, I never would’ve figured that out Cher” he chuckled as I said “that’s because I had never intended for you to figure it out. In fact, I was careful not to show you how I felt because I thought you’d be disgusted that I’d fallen in love with you.” Leaning in closer, he said “I could never be disgusted by you” before he leaned in even closer pausing before I connected our lips like I’d been dying to do since the first kiss we had at that party. Licking his bottom lip, I felt him smile as he let me in and I deepened the his as I wrapped my free hand around his waist pulling him even closer while he slid his right hand into my hair and wrapped his left around my shoulders. When we couldn’t breath anymore, he broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against mine before chuckling and saying “I’ve been dying to do that since the first time we did.” Chuckling, I said “so have I babe, so have I.” Smiling, he said “wanna get out of here so we can keep doing that?”
“You bet your sweet Cajun ass I do, Cher” I laughed at the shocked look on his face before asking “what? You thought I didn’t notice you wore my favorite pair of your jeans? Babe, they’re my favorite because they make your ass look damn fine.” At that, he blushed making me laugh harder than I had in a while before he sighed and said “let me go get my guitar and I’ll meet you at your truck.” Kissing me one more time, he let go and headed back towards the club as my heart finally stopped dancing. As I finished the walk to my truck, my phone pinged a few more times. Sitting in the drivers seat, I checked it to see several messages from my family.
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