Vic Fuentes x Olivia Perry: Darling, You'll Be Okay.

Chapter I: What if I Can't Forget You?

"What's so good about picking up the pieces?
What's so good about, what's so good about,
What's so good about picking up the pieces?
Ohh..."

Tony and I finished strumming the end part of "Caraphernelia", one of our songs that became a hit with our fans across the world. I sighed contentedly and wiped the sweat on my forehead with a damp cloth. I can hear my bandmate and close friend, Jaime, whoop as he raised his hands and approached all of us with a high five.

Tony Perry and I, along with our friend Jaime Preciado and my little brother Mike Fuentes, formed a band called "Pierce the Veil" six years ago when my brother and I left our old band "Before Today". We were just small-town boys from San Diego, California, hoping to make it to the music scene. So many years have passed since then, and we went from performing at small bars to singing for millions of people and touring around the world.

Everything was perfect.

Everything was supposed to be perfect.

I placed my guitar down and the guys did the same with their instruments, signaling the end of band practice. I could hear Mike and Jaime from behind me talking, but I was so out of it that their voices became background noises in my head that I couldn't comprehend.

Two weeks.

Her death anniversary's in two weeks.

Stop, I shake my head violently, trying to stop my thoughts from digging themselves into another deep hole I could barely get out of. I give a few seconds to compose myself before I look up, right into Tony's piercing gaze.

"What?" I say, almost defensively.
Tony shakes his head and asks, "You okay?"
"Yeah," I lie, looking away from him in an attempt to get out of this conversation. "Don't worry about it."

I could still tell he was staring at me, but I chose to ignore it as I focus on packing up my guitar. I know he meant well, and I really appreciate his concern. But I'm not ready to talk to them about what I'm going through, especially not to Tony. Never Tony.

I know, I know. I'm not making any fucking sense.

A year ago, I was supposed to get married to Tony's sister, Olivia Perry. I remembered that night like it was yesterday — sneaking in with her to Clairemont High where we first met so many years ago when me and my band were just dreaming of making it this far, watching the stars on my dad's pickup truck the way we used to when we had our first few dates.

Gazing at her intently as I opened up the small box and asking, "Will you marry me?"

As she hugged me that night, sobbing and telling me "Yes", I was so sure that we would be together forever.

Who knew forever only meant 92 fucking days?

"Hey," I flinched a little when I realized my little brother was right in front of me, waving his hand in front of my face to get me back to reality. "Vic, it's time to go."

I nodded absent-mindedly as I sling my guitar bag over my shoulders, following them outside of the studio. I feel bad for being so distant. I thought I was getting better at forgetting my pain, but it wasn't until Tony called me yesterday to let me know that her death anniversary was coming up and it completely threw me off guard.

Now everything is just flashing back to me. Her room, where I found her. The countless sleeping pills that spilled on the floor. The vodka that stained her carpet. My cries as I held on to her, afraid of letting her go.

-x-

"Thanks for driving us home, man." I grinned at Tony as we pulled into our driveway. We decided to stop by Little Lion Cafe before Tony dropped off Jaime at his home.