be here - a gnf short story -

IX.

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9. finding out

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"...how could I live before? How could I have been so blind?..."

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George stared at the message in utter shock. He didn't expect to see more than 5 calls from Victoria. He planned on calling her back but he got side tracked when he saw Schlatt messaged him.

George. I don't know what you're doing and I don't care. I know you don't just randomly miss any of Tori's calls and I get it, there was a rift, I understand that but dammit. The moment she needed you the most you're not there. Do you know what happened? I bet you don't. I bet you have no fucking clue because when she tried reaching out to you, when she stopped shutting you out you weren't fucking there. She had a panic attack George. And you weren't there to calm her down. You were the first one she called, the first one she approached and you didn't fucking answer. I get that your sleep schedule is fucked up and you're in a different country but this is the first time you didn't answer her call. George you are the most important person in her life, she loves you dude. She really does and you weren't there when she needed you the most.

George cannot comprehend what he read. Victoria had a panic attack and she loves him?

Utterly confused, it was as if the world answerd his questions. Twitter sent him a notification and when it did, it made his blood boil.

Head clouded by emotion, he sent out a tweet he never thought he would have to do. Fans and friends who saw it was shocked, George wasn't the type of person to talk about things publicly. But there he was now.

Ignoring the replies and messages from friends and fans he exited the app and immediately dialed Victoria's number. But like what happened when she called him, it went straight to voicemail.

He still couldn't process what Schlatt said. He wasn't there when she needed him. When he was the first person she approached in a vulnerable time. When he was the first thought at a time of panic. When he was idea of comfort, he wasn't there.

And of course the fact that Schlatt said she loved him. Victoria, his best friend, the person that knew him best, all of his flaws and issues, loves him.

It all made sense now. The distancing, shutting out, the change, Victoria loves him.

He started to question himself. Why didn't he see it sooner? Why didn't he notice when everything changed? Why did he let it change when he could have asked her? Did he love her back?

That made him stop.

George asked himself, over and over again. Do I love Victoria the same way she loved me?

Of course they've told each other they loved each other. As best friends. Did he feel love more than that?

Did he hurt Victoria because he didn't realize sooner?

Was he the reason why she got drunk? Why she got a panic attack?

As he racked his brain with answers, there was one visible and clear one that popped in his head; yes.