31. Mr. Brightside
THIRTY-ONE
MR. brIGHTSIDE
Halle
We speedily make our way into mine and Mel’s apartment and run up the stairs to my bedroom. Luckily, I kept them pretty updated on all things Cade during tour, so I only have to spill everything about the last hour of my night.
When I finish, I’m out of breath, I didn’t realize how fast I was talking. They both stare back at me with their jaws dropped, too stunned to speak. The discomfort of my soaking wet clothes sets in during our moment of silence, and there’s nothing I want more right now than to shower. Well, actually, I think there is something I want more. It’s finally clear as ever—I just want to be with Cade.
“I’m gonna go shower. Think up all your questions for me while I’m gone, yeah?”
They both just nod at me, but I can see the excitement shining bright behind their eyes.
I take it all in. Savoring these few moments I have alone. Relishing in the memories of me and Cade. Excitement for what’s to come stings my skin along with the hot water. I remember the party taking place next door and quickly wash off the rainwater. I turn off the faucet and reach to grab my towel before stepping out. The mirror is all fogged up, so I turn on the bathroom fan. I’m glad I brought clothes with me to the bathroom because when I get back to my room, I see Mel and Ruby sitting on my bed. As I walk in, they both sit up and their full attention is on me and their onslaught of interrogation begins.
“So, now that tour’s over, he’s your boyfriend?”
If only it was that simple, Ruby.
“No, I said we both said we don’t want to be just friends anymore and we kissed,” I explain again while I scrunch my wet hair with a towel, trying to get it presentable before going back to the party.
“Sounds like he’s your boyfriend to me.” She laughs and rolls her eyes at me.
“I don’t want to just flip the label on like a switch, it’s not special that way. I want it to feel special .”
“What would make it feel special to you?” Mel chimes in.
“Hmm…time? I don’t know, I think I want it to feel natural, like we’re building off our connection, not just accepting that we have one…” I trail off, realizing Mel is typing away on her phone. “Are you taking notes?”
She clutches her phone to her chest. “Maybe,” she says nervously, “it could come in handy later.”
I have no clue what she means by that, but it gets a laugh out of me anyway. “For what?”
“You never know! Maybe he’ll come to me for advice, or he’ll have Abbott ask me for advice, or something.”
She’s got a good point.
“Why doesn’t anyone ever come to me for advice!” Ruby complains.
“Ruby…you’re always telling everyone NOT to ask you for relationship advice. And look at Mel—her relationship is perfect, of course they’d want it from her.”
Mel doesn’t love when I say that kind of stuff about her and Abbott, but she also knows it’s true—they’re perfect.
We hear what sounds like the front door opening, and all whip our heads toward the hallway.
“I don’t mean to crash girl time!” Abbott’s voice carries up the stairs, and I feel my heart rate go back to normal knowing a stranger didn’t just walk into our apartment.
Mel jumps out of my bed and runs into the hallway to go see what Abbott’s here for. I hear her go all the way downstairs, and pick up them saying something about the karaoke machine.
Ruby must have heard them talking about it too, because she starts squealing. “Karaoke? Hurry up, Halle, I want to get back to the party for that!”
And I want to get back to the party for something, no, someone, else.
I do one last towel dry of my hair, a quick spray of perfume, and swipe on my favorite lip gloss. “Okay, I’m ready.”
As soon as Ruby and I meet Abbott and Mel in the living room, I’m bombarded with questions from my brother.
“So, you’re Cade’s girl, huh?” he asks, playfully.
“You already told him?” I give Mel a little shove. “And not quite, to answer your question.”
“But she wants to be!” Ruby adds.
“Actually, Cade told me—not Mel.”
I stand corrected. Cade? That’s major news. I wonder what all he said to him.
“He also asked for me to come get you,” Abbott adds, pointing at me.
I feel my cheeks heat at that. “Then I guess we better go!” I rally everyone and lead us back out the door.
The door to the boys’ place flies open right before we get to it.
“There you are.” Cade leans into the open door frame.
“Who, me?” I ask even though I already know the answer.
“Who else, Valentine. ” The nickname rolls off his tongue so smoothly as he backs out of the door frame to let me inside. He follows behind me, instructing me to go find the other Tryhard guys in the living room.
Before I get to the guys, I can tell that Cade must have already told them the news, they are all beaming. Beau looks squirrelly, bouncing around and talking everyone’s ears off. Logan has two open beers in his hands, and I can see a trail of dried tears in the corners of Zack’s eyes.
I cut off whatever Beau was in the middle of saying to congratulate and hug each of them. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Abbott getting the karaoke machine plugged in. He unwinds the mic cord and passes it to Beau.
“Testing, test, test, testingggg,” Beau shouts into the karaoke machine mic, also tapping on it nonstop, getting the attention of everyone at the party.
We—Cade, Logan, Zack, and I—scoot ourselves out into a line next to Beau, facing the full house of people surrounding us. I’m instantly reminded of the EP release party at Jubilee a few months ago, how it felt watching the guys address the room of people. Standing in the back of the room, I was so proud of them, and as much as I was involved before with everything behind the scenes, it still felt like I was somewhat on the outside. Especially when they revealed the EP title and cover art and I had no idea it was going to be what it was. But right now, I feel like I’m just as much part of the band as they are.