Casual Sabotage

Chapter Two

"How have you been?" Brian asked gently, only making matters worse for me.

"I don't think...er, I don't think talking is a good idea, Brian." I replied back timidly. "I'm here with my..."

Caleb came through the door at just the right time. "...boyfriend."

"Feeling any better?" Caleb asked me, taking a step closer and wrapping his arm around my waist.

"A little." I lied.

No, I didn't feel any better. I felt ten times worse. Here I was living my worst nightmare. I was stuck between my boyfriend, who I loved very much, and my past was there haunting me in the shape of the one and only Brian Quinn. He looked a little taken back by Caleb's presence, but hid the feeling well. The only reason I knew that Brian was a little shocked is because I still remembered every detail about him, even now after all of these years apart from each other.

"I was just checking on him." Brian explained. "I'm trained in first aid."

"Well, thank you." Caleb appreciated, shaking Brian by the hand. "I think I should get Sal home though."

"Yes." Brian agreed. I could see him studying me with concern and sympathy across his face. "Make sure he stays hydrated and gets some rest."

"I will." Caleb nodded. "Thank you."

Both Brian and Caleb helped in pulling me up from the floor. My heart raced a mile a minute at the feel of Brian's hands at my arm. It was as though all of those times that we shared together came rushing back to me in seconds, tarnishing my skin with his fingerprints. He patted his hand at my shoulder and shot me a small smile before Caleb began to walk me home.

As we rounded the corner, I took one last look at Brian's shadow under the gloomy light of the streetlamps before he was out of sight. Turning to look at Caleb, I frowned hard. "I'm sorry for ruining our night together."

"Babe, don't be." He sympathised. "You can't help not feeling well."

"I know, but..." I sighed heavily. "Let me make it up to you."

"You don't need to." Caleb insisted.

"But I want to." I protested in return, smiling weakly at him. "Please?"

"Fine." He laughed softly and pressed a kiss to my cheek. "If you must."

Once back in the safety of our apartment, Caleb was quick to get me in bed and take care of me. Sometimes a little too much, but I knew that he meant well and just wanted to help me. He plumped my pillows and laid the comforter over me.

"Caleb, seriously, I'm okay now." I reminded, gaining a doubtful look in return.

"I know when you're lying, Sal." He pointed out. "You're still very pale."

"But I feel fine!" I exclaimed. "Just come to bed."

"I will when you tell me that you don't need anything else tonight." Caleb commented.

"I don't need anything else." I rolled my eyes. "Will you get into bed and get some sleep now?"

"Okay," He smiled small. "But only because you asked so nicely."

Undressing down to his boxers, Caleb soon joined me under the comforter and pulled me into his chest. He pressed a reassuring kiss to my forehead, the ruggedness of his voice wishing me goodnight was like a melody to my ears, sending me into a deep sleep.

**

A few weeks had passed since the incident, and it was safe to say that I was still a little overwhelmed by the whole thing. Seeing Brian again brought back all of the feelings that I thought I had buried deep in the back of my mind. They were haunting reminders of my past and how a love that I thought would never burn out broke down increasingly as time went on, until there was nothing left but a singe in my heart.

I had the apartment to myself all evening since Caleb had to work late that night. I was casually reading through the morning paper, when my eyes fell onto a familiar looking logo. The Tenderloins were going to be performing again at the same venue; I tried to put the paper down, but I found myself reading more into the details only seconds later.

Torn between decisions, part of me wanted to go and see Brian again, while the other felt that this was the ultimate betrayal to Caleb; if only he had known the connection between myself and Brian from the past. I kept changing my mind. I was going, then I wasn't, and then I was back to going to see the show that night. No matter what decision I made, I knew I would regret something about it. At the last second, I threw myself into commitment and pulled my sneakers on. Throwing on a hoodie, I grabbed my keys and stepped foot out of the front door, never looking back.

Sat at a table near the stage, I pulled the hood over my head to hide my appearance. I wasn't so sure now if I wanted Brian to know that I had come back to see him. I was scrolling endlessly through my phone, just waiting for the lights to go down and the show to start; seconds felt hours in that moment.

I could feel the regret burning a hole in my chest, and just as I was about to get up and leave, the lights went down and the spotlight hit the stage. There was no escaping now, I couldn't make a fool of myself by leaving midway through the set like last time.

Worry filled every fibre in my body, but as soon as my eyes fell onto Brian walking out onto the stage, those feelings washed away. He looked good clad in a pair of jeans, brown boots and a smart shirt. He wore a beanie this time, covering those luscious locks of dark brown hair.

Unfortunately, I have to be honest and admit that their show wasn't all that bad. They had some funny, crude and outrageous stories to tell the audience. I didn't think that they'd get me laughing, but one second into Brian re-enacting a time from high school, I was gone. He had a stage presence about him that their fans seemed to adore.

Once the show had come to an end, people began to disperse and make their way towards the exit, while others stayed and mingled in the bar area with their friends. I remained in my place, sipping slowly at my beer, when that same voice filled my ears.

"You came back for round two, I see." Brian chuckled, taking a seat next to me.

I looked at him, feeling a wave of heat flush at my cheeks. He was twenty-four now, and yet still looked just as young as he did when we were eighteen and seniors in high school. The twinkle in his eyes caught my attention and I found myself getting lost in them.

"I felt bad for ruining the last show." I excused with a shrug of my shoulders.

"So, you didn't come all of this way just to see me again then?" He smirked. If there was something that Brian knew he was good at, it would be reading me like a book. I couldn't put anything past him.

"Confident much?" I threw back at him whimsically.

"No." Brian denied. "I just know what you're like, Sal."

My name sounded so right coming from him, his lips hugged every letter that he spoke and I couldn't tear my eyes away from him. "No boyfriend with you tonight?"

"He couldn't make it." I admitted.

"Sneaky." Brian commented with a wry smile. "I like it."

"How is that being sneaky?" I asked back.

"Coming to see me, your ex-boyfriend, while your actual boyfriend is, where? At home?"

"At work, actually." I corrected irritably.

Brian was right. I was being disloyal to Caleb, seeing my ex right behind his back while he was none the wiser. I'm a terrible person, a terrible boyfriend. I sighed despondently. "What do you want from me, Brian?"

"I don't want anything." He shrugged, leaning onto the table and looking at me closely. "What do you want from this situation?"

My lack of response only backed up the idea that he was in the right and I had made a mistake. "Exactly, Sal. You don't even know yourself."

"Since when did you become so smart?" I jeered, smiling at him.

"College changes a man." Brian smirked, quickly finishing off his glass. "C'mon, let's go elsewhere."

"Where did you have in mind?" I asked, following him in standing from the table.

"Anywhere but this dump." He answered, grabbing his jacket and leading me to the exit."Some place fun!"