24. Brielle
Chapter twenty-four
Brielle
T hat felt different. Comfortable.
As Maxine came onto the stage to start the show, I was reminded of when I caught her coming out of the bathroom with Elijah a few months ago. A wave of jealousy ran through me, though I had zero right to feel such things. He wasn’t mine.
My mind started spiraling. I could see Aubrey looking at me out of my peripheral vision. I tried to turn toward her, but just as she walked by, she grabbed my arm and pulled me to the side of the stage where the restrooms were.
“Jesus, slow down, Godzilla; I can't walk as fast as you.”
She pulled me into the restroom. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know. What is going on?” I asked with genuine confusion.
“Brielle Lee.”
“Aubrey Lynn.”
She cracked a smile. “Are you guys like a thing? First, I found out all that stuff in the car, and now you two are asking for alone time. Is there something you need to tell me?”
“Nope,” I said, popping the P sound. She continued staring, so I caved. “Okay, maybe things are happening, but I don’t know what exactly.”
“Brielle, he has a lot going on.”
I rolled my eyes. “I know Aubs. That’s why I am helping him through it.”
She put her hand on her hip like a pretentious valley girl. “Helping him, how exactly?”
A blush began creeping up my face. “I don’t know, just helping.”
She got more serious as she dropped her hand and took both of mine in hers. “Did you…”
“No.” I thought for a moment. “But I think I might want to.”
She pulled me into a hug and rejoiced, “Bean!”
This was a big deal. I don’t think either of us could have seen this coming. I looked up at her. “I think I really like him. I think I’m ready.”
“Are you sure? I just don’t want you to feel pressured to do something you aren’t ready for because he is so experienced.”
“Aubs. I love you, but I really think I am ready. I trust him. He's…I don’t know. He's shown that he's different, and I just… I am ready. He has never pressured me to do anything. He is so sweet, and with everything we did, he was patient and ensured I was okay the entire time.”
She started to look uncomfortable and laughed. “I love that you are ready, but I don’t know if I am,” she said.
“I don’t need to tell you—”
“No, I want to know.”
I smiled. “Are you sure?”
She nodded.
I pulled her into a hug. “I love you, Aubs. Thank you for always being a safe space for me.”
“Always.”
After Maxine finished her set, the boys came on stage and gave an amazing performance.
The last song they played was, of course, the one Aubrey wrote called " Right Person, Wrong Time ".
I watched as Aubrey leaned back into Lincoln with her eyes closed as they sang it to each other.
Seeing my sister so happy was my favorite thing in the world.
As my eyes returned to Elijah, I realized his eyes were once again on me as he sang those deep, meaningful words. Elijah couldn’t keep his eyes off me for most of their set.
He made me feel special, as if I were finally important to someone other than my family.
I don’t think I had ever felt that feeling from anyone.
There was something about the way he looked at me that made me feel like he saw and accepted everything about me, even the broken pieces that I tried to hide.
You always hear people talk about that feeling, especially in books. That moment when you feel everything. You feel pretty. You feel cherished. You feel…seen. It always seemed to be so unattainable to me. I never thought I would feel like that, and Elijah changed that.
Though it would fizzle out at some point, when he got bored, I was sure. There were moments when he looked at me, that it actually felt like I could really mean something to him. It gave me hope.
I just hoped it wasn’t false hope.
As the song ended, he mouthed something I didn’t quite catch.
“What?” I hollered out over the loud crowd.
He moved a little closer to the front of the stage. “I said, you are fucking beautiful.”
Butterflies erupted in my stomach. The blush heating my cheeks had to be noticeable.
I placed my hands on my flushed cheeks and mouthed, ‘Thank you.’ As everyone was shuffling out of the show, I started walking toward the VIP area where the guys would be doing their signing.
Amani found me and pulled me into her side as we walked.
“Our guys are so fucking hot, and that show was amazing.”
I laughed and nodded. “You are really happy with Beck, huh?”
“Girl,” she side-eyed me. “That man could dick me down any day.”
I gave her a playfully disgusted look. “TMI.”
She hip-checked me. “You love me.”
“I do. I am really happy you found someone who makes you happy.”
She looked down at me. “And I am happy that you found someone who finally makes you happy. He is good for you, Brie.”
I looked away from her and ahead to where we were walking. “He feels good. I just don’t know if I am the best thing for him.”
Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“Well, I can tell he's still drinking.”
“How? He didn’t touch a drink while we were with him. I thought he had quit again.”
I shrugged. “I just know. I can't explain it.”
“Is that a deal breaker for you? I mean, I know obviously you don’t plan on drinking, but does his drinking matter?”
“I care that he uses it to self-medicate. That isn’t healthy, and he doesn’t like who he is when he drinks. I am just worried for him, I guess.”
“Talk to him about it. I am sure you are just worried about nothing. Beck said Eli has been so different since he met you.”
I smiled. “Thanks for saying that.”
We stepped into the back room, but the guys hadn’t returned yet. Link was talking with one of the stage guys, so Aubrey, Amani, and I fell into a conversation about the dress fitting. I texted my mom and Callie to confirm what time they needed to be picked up from the airport.
“Aubrey, what type of dress are you thinking about getting?” Amani asked.
Aubrey laughed. “So, I promised my mom I would try on a mermaid dress for her, even though I am pretty positive I won’t like it.
But my ideal dress is the one I saw last time I was down here.
It is a beautiful princess dress. It's big, poofy, and glittery.
It's literally everything I have ever dreamed about.”
“I think it is going to be so much fun. You guys will be the most beautiful brides ever,” Amani said.
“Thanks, Amani. I am so excited. Callie and I have been talking about having a double wedding since we were kids. The fact that it is actually happening is still mind-blowing.”
Aubrey looked over at me with a hopeful smile and quickly looked back at Amani. “It looks a little different than I expected, of course. I get to have two dads walk me down the aisle. I never would have dreamt that would’ve happened.”
“But it was one of the best things to ever happen in our lives,” Link said as his arms encircled Aubrey’s waist.
Beck came up next to me and Amani. “Am I invited to this soiree?”
“Of course, you guys are invited. You guys are like my only friends,” Link joked.
Beck, taking mock offense, said, “Ohhh…so that’s why you are inviting us. You have no fucking friends.”
“Fuck you! You know what I meant,” Link said
Everyone cracked up laughing.
I attempted to look around without anyone noticing, since Elijah wasn’t around us. I got caught.
“He’s over there talking to that VIP guest.”
I blushed. “Thanks, Hunter.”
“No problem. We were all on our way back to the meet-and-greet, but he got swarmed. Your guy is the popular one.” He chuckled.
“He’s not my guy,” I said hesitantly.
He leaned down with a smile as he passed me. “Sure, keep telling yourself that.”
I tried to hide my smile but failed miserably. I looked back over to where Elijah was standing. His head fell back in a laugh, and the girl he was talking to put her hand on his arm. I once again had zero right to be jealous, but I was, nonetheless.
I leaned against the wall next to the door, watching him as everyone else walked by. He must have felt me staring because he looked over at me while in mid-conversation with the girl. He motioned for me to come over and join him, and I waved him off. He insisted, so I obliged.
“Hey.” I gave a subtle wave toward the girl and looked up at Elijah.
“Hey you,” Elijah said, putting his arm over my shoulder. “This is Kara.”
Kara popped her hip out just before looking me up and down. “Hi.” She was curvy and fucking beautiful. Her brown eyes seemed to glisten no matter where she was looking. She looked back at Elijah. “So what are we getting into after this? Are we heading to the bus or bar?”
He spoke without looking at me. “My friends are here from out of town, so I think we will all hang out at his parents’ house after the meet and greet.”
Her smile fell a bit. “Oh.” She moved closer to him. It seemed as though she was attempting to inch me away, but with how Elijah was holding me to him, I wouldn’t have been able to move even if I wanted to. “I can join if you want me to,” she added
That jealousy began to bubble up again. I looked up at him. “I can give you a minute if you need it.”
Kara’s condescending voice came before he could even answer. “Oh, sweetie, I will need a lot more than a minute.”
I winced. “‘Pick me’ looks good on you. I will give you that.” Why the fuck did I say that?”
She scoffed. “You can leave your brother and me alone now. He doesn’t need you hanging around.”
I don’t know what possessed me, but I reached up and pulled Elijah's face down to mine and kissed him deeply. When I pulled away from the kiss, his eyes were wide, coupled with a huge shit-eating grin. “I will give you guys a minute. Find me after.” I looked over at Kara, and her mouth was hanging open. “He’s not my brother, and you are not welcome where we are going later. Enjoy your night.”
I pecked his lips once more for good measure before I left them. Kara began mumbling and throwing a fit as I walked away, but I kept going. The confidence I had a moment prior was long gone. I walked toward the VIP room, where Amani, Beck, and Hunter were all staring at me.
“Not yours, huh?” Hunter joked.
I smirked. “Shut the fuck up.”