Thinking of You

Zack’s Perspective

The guys were over my house, drinking and watching the Orioles game that was on TV. After a while, I noticed Alex fidgeting and looking at me nervously.

‘What?’ I mouthed.

Alex just jerked his head in the direction of my kitchen and we both got up.

“Faggots,” Jack muttered and I flipped him off as I went.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“I uh...Arianne came by my place the other day, the day after the show and gave me a cardboard box that she told me to give to you. I didn’t open it, but she seemed pretty determined that you get it,” Alex told me.

“Where is it?” I questioned.

“In my car.”

I sighed.

“Okay, when the other guys leave, can you bring it in?” I requested.

“Sure thing.” He nodded and we went back into the living room.

The whole night, I couldn’t sit still. I was even more restless than Rian, who could always be found drumming his fingers on his knee or tapping his foot. But I wanted to wait to receive the box because although I had some idea, I didn’t know what exactly I was getting into with this box.

Finally, everyone but Alex left and he brought the box in and set it on the floor in front of me.

“Good luck, man,” he said, giving me a bro hug.

“Thanks,” I replied and he walked out.

I sat down on my couch and opened the box. In it, I found my sweatshirt, the mixtapes that I’d made her filled with John Mayer songs, my favorite book, the cookbook I’d made her, and a crumpled white rose that must’ve been from the bouquet of flowers I’d brought her before we’d left for Birmingham. There was a note on top, which I’d saved for last.

After sorting through everything, I was already emotionally and physically exhausted, so I had a few beers and fell asleep.

I woke up the next morning, ready to read the letter. I sat down on my bed with the letter. It read:

Dear Zack,

This isn’t easy for me to write, just like it’s probably not easy for you to read, but we can’t go on like this. Being stuck in Maryland so you’d have someone to come home to when you finished traveling the world was never what I wanted. I thought things would be different than that, but I was naive. Please don’t blame yourself, although I know you’re going to.

To be honest, I didn’t feel like it was truly over until I saw you the other night. You didn’t see me, but I used the backstage passes that you gave me, but then I saw you hugging a brunette and that was all I needed to see. I knew you’d moved on and I was going to let you. Maybe she’d be easier to get along with, maybe she’d want to follow you around on tour.

After I packed away all of your things, I realized what I’d been wanting to do. I called my old best friend from high school, Stephen Gomez, and he invited me to move back to Arizona, and I took him up on that offer. My lease on my apartment was about to be up anyway, so it was perfect timing.

I know you probably don’t want to know this, but Stephen has a beautiful big house with a pool. I’ll be fine out there, so please don’t worry about me, even though I know you will.

In case you need to say goodbye, my flight leaves on Tuesday at 10 AM from BWI.

Love,

Arianne

My heart sank. The brunette I’d been hugging backstage was my older sister, Sam. We were close, but since she worked a lot, it was hard for her to go to my shows and we hadn’t seen each other in over a year. But Arianne had never met her, so it was an understandable mistake, but it was also one that I could’ve prevented.

10 AM from BWI…

I checked my watch. 9:15. Shit.

Notes

Title: Make Me Believe, Angel Taylor

I'm so sorry, I accidentally skipped a chapter, so I deleted last chapter. This was supposed to be the next chapter, but I skipped it. Sorry for the confusion!

Also, I may not be able to update in the next few days because I'm moving to college tomorrow, but I'll try my best!

Thank you to Becca for commenting!

comment/sub/rate/appreciate!

xoxo

Hayley