Promise. (Manthony)

Twenty-Three

     Mitchel, Clinton, and I walk into the large brick building. We were all wearing black tuxes with black ties.

Mitchel looked uncomfortable as I glance over at him. I gently graze my fingers against his hoping that that would help him relax and it did. It sounded oddly snobby but fancy parties weren't our scene nor were they something we were invited to often. Even more so after the incident that happened at the last party we were invited to which basically ruined our chances at a decent career.  

I wasn't clear on why we were invited to this party but Mitchel had told Clinton and I that we may have found a new manager and he had invited us to his party in order for us to meet in person. It was a very different meeting place but it was very well put together. 

Me being the paranoid person that I am I had immediately thought it was a setup and we were going to be murdered. Thankfully it didn't seem like too much of a murdering ground.

I button my blazer and take a glass of champagne that was offered to me by a waiter who walks by. I nod my head towards him and take a sip.

"Where'd you get that?" Mitchel asks hurriedly. His head spinning around looking for the waiter that had just left.

"The guy just walked by. You can have a sip of mine." I suggest. I gesture for Mitchel to take the glass and he does. He takes a few sips and hands it back. Breathing in deep and holding it in for a few seconds. 

"Hi! You must be Chase Atlantic!" A guy with an Aussie accent says from behind. All three of us turn around at the same time with wide eyes. We didn't meet many Australian people from the United States so when we did we felt extremely at home. 

We shake hands with the stranger and introduce ourselves one by one. 

"Nice to meet you guys," the man says with a nice smile. "I'm Luke, you probably haven't heard of me but I've worked with artists such as Madonna and many others. I had heard what happened with you guys and your last manager and it sounded fishy to me but I wanted to grab you guys before someone else does. You're very talented." 

"It sounded fishy to you?" I question Luke. He shrugs and nods in agreement. "I've worked within the music industry for about 15 years and have managed artists for 10, so overall I have 25 years of experience and what I read about your ex manager and how he fired you..." Luke gives us a 'well' look and sticks his hands inside his pockets. 

I don't ask anymore questions and allow Mitchel or Clinton to take over as I wanted to think about how other people thought the way Evan handled things was weird as well. 

In the beginning I wanted to settle with the idea that I was being over dramatic and angry but Luke was the second person who had mentioned Evan being "fishy" and it was no longer feeling like I was being over dramatic. 

"Enjoy the party you guys, there's plenty of drinks to go around along with some appetizers." We thank Luke and he heads off to talk to other people he had invited. 

"I never thought I'd feel uncomfortable at a party but y'all...I'm uncomfortable." Clinton says to Mitchel and I as he shoves a cracker with cheese in his mouth. 

"Free drinks and food?" I say to him looking at the platters around us. I harshly bite down on my lip as I contemplate whether I wanted a cracker or another drink. 

I decide on a cracker and turn back around watching Mitchel vibe to the music in his own little world without a care in the world for anyone else. He looked so handsome that not staring felt rude. 

"I knew it, I fucking knew it." Clinton says out of the blue. I cock my eyebrow at him. 

"What are you talking about?" I ask innocently. He smiles as he shakes his head at me.

"What?" I try again but with a smile on my face as well. 

"You have a crush on my little brother." Clinton states as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Maybe it was. 

"What are you talking-"

"Oh, shut up. I can see it. Your eyes are always on him. No matter what that kid is doing your eyes are on him." 

My cheeks automatically heat up. This stupid smile wouldn't leave my face either which made this conversation ten times more embarrassing for me. 

"I guess you'd have to find out at some point." I admit to my best friends brother. "I'm not sure if he means it when he says that he has feelings for me too though." I look at Clinton. 

I was secretly hoping that he'd somehow have some insight on Mitchel's feelings. It didn't matter if they had spoken about the subject or not.

He sighs. Clinton crosses his arms and looks straight into my nervous eyes.

"He doesn't know I know this which should be obvious since I just told you I had my suspicions. The other night he was talking to someone and that emotional ass idiot was crying his eyes out."

I feel my heart twinge at Clinton's words. I hated when Mitchel cried. I hated it even more when I wasn't there to comfort him. 

"He was going on about how he wasn't sure how to win you back after he "fucked up" and that he's scared you're not gonna want to be with him if he asks you after what happened the first time." 

I blink rapidly with absolutely nothing to say from being 100% speechless. 

"I was confused when he said the last part but as I dwelled on it I finally understood. He never told me that you guys were together and I'd have never known until he said that. I thought back to you guys "abruptly" stop being friends and me asking him what went wrong and how he'd blow me off or get angry and I realized that you guys broke up all those years ago." 

I swallow hard. It was a lot to take in all at once. I couldn't figure out if I wanted to focus on Mitchel crying about me to someone over the phone or my other best friend figuring Mitchel and I out like he was on an episode of Criminal Minds. The next Spencer Reid was dead ass standing right next to me. 

"Thinking about it I find it really amazing that you guys got past whatever caused you to break up and become the best of friends. Truthfully, I've always been jealous of the bond you and him have."

We both look back at Mitchel who was talking to someone we didn't know. He seemed friendly and was getting along with Mitchel which made me happy. My heart was leaping out of my chest. My love for Mitchel was growing more and more as the days went by. And this conversation with Clinton was only making me fall even harder. Something I was sure could no longer happen. 

"You don't have to say anything. Am I upset you guys never told me? No I'm not. It's your business. But don't question if he "likes" you because he doesn't. He loves you and he always has. I promise." 

I look back at Clinton. Part of me felt a little bad that he didn't know how much of an asshole his father had been to Mitchel and I. That their dad was the reason we fell apart. If it were up to me we'd still be together to this day. Maybe even engaged. 

Perhaps one day one of us would tell Clinton the truth.