I promised you. | Austin Butler

Part 10

Everything he does is so gentle, nothing has changed in that department of him, like he was a real life angel just touching his way through life. He gets in the car with ease, pulls his phone out his pocket and pops it in holder at the side of him, and his fingers tap on the sat nav to softly punch in the address of the restaurant where we were heading. I had still yet to ask where it was, but it was clear we were both dressed accordingly so I didn't bother, I wanted to make the car journey there with no awkward silences or conversations, the food and drinks would just be an added bonus of that. He puts the car into gear and then he looks at me and gives me a smile, my smile from moments earlier not having left my face yet. He looks back to the carpark and slowly edges his way out into the road before either of us speak. 

"Happy Birthday" I say, and I watch as his face softens on the road and a smile comes across his lip. I look away to stop the feeling I can feel in my stomach. His face shows that he thought I had forgotten, but how could I? 

"Thank you" he mutters, his voice still low and raspy but hints of softness to his tone. "How have you been?"

"Busy" I admit, "but good. And you? Enjoying your break?"

"Like you wouldn't believe" he smiles and I laugh. 

"Must be hard, being the man of the moment" I joke and he turns to look at me for a second before turning back to the road. 

"I wouldn't go that far"

"Oh come off it" I say, and he laughs instantly, his hands coming to his lips again and then scratching at his stubble. 

"Well, maybe a little"  and a blush comes across his cheeks. Always the modest. 

An overwhelming feeling comes over me as I watch him blush. This was a relationship that had to come to an unfortunate end but it didn't mean we couldn't be friends. We were friends so many years before we fell in love and that sort of relationship cannot be shut off. 

"I'm proud of you" I say. And I really mean it. I had watched this man work from the very bottom and although I wasn't there with him to reach the top, why would I pretend I didn't feel a sense of pride for him? He was where he always wanted to be and it was lovely. 

He turns to look at me with a soft look on his face. "Thats means a lot, coming from you"

I smile. "Always." 

I take a look at the sat nav, just 8 minutes to go before we arrive at the restaurant and I look away again, out at the road and the cars in front of us, suddenly not knowing what to say or how to speak. I know he feels it too as he sighs slightly, but then breaks into conversation and we end up spending the rest of the car journey is a mist of laughter and catching up. A feeling I had missed so much and I admittedly felt a little guilty for shutting him out completely for the last 5 years, but deep down knew it was necessary for me. 

He chats to me about the making of Elvis. The years he spent so isolated and secluded from reality. He speaks about his new friends and his new way of life and asks me questions to. He asks about work, he asks about the films I've worked on, the new friends and people I've met over the last 5 years. We are both different people now with different lives but the conversation between us feels the same, and it feels nice. No awkwardness, no ill intentions, just two friends catching up about where the hell life has taken us. 

It isn't until he started to unclip his seatbelt that I realise we have pulled up. I turn my head to look out the passenger window and see where we are. A cute little restaurant I didn't recognise with an archway of fairy lights leading up to it. It looked cute and sophisticated and the large windows showed that it wasn't too busy inside.  I realise then just how hungry I actually am. Through all the nerves and the anxiousness, which had now finally begin to subside due to a genuinely lovely car journey, I'd forget we were here to eat and share the night with our best friends. I reach out my pocket mirror from my bag and take a look at my reflection, wiping under my eyes ever so slightly at the smallest smudge of mascara before placing it back in my bag and turning to Austin. He had been staring at me the entire time and he had a grin on his face.