Furthest Thing

Chapter 16

Aubrey
The doorbell rang right as I trying to make up with Harmony.
"Aubrey, the door." She whimpered.
"They'll go away." I stated as I continued to kiss on her neck, something I knew she couldn't resist.
But the doorbell rang again. So she lightly pushed me off before going to answer the door.
I sighed as I drank a swig of my water bottle. I began to go back into the den with the guys when I glimpsed at the door which was slightly ajar as Harmony talked to whoever was at the door. I noticed her facial expressions so I walked towards her.
"Who's at the do-" I asked as I got closer, I got quiet.
No, no, no! Why is she here right now? My mind and heart was racing.
"Excuse me. Who are you? Is there someone you're looking for?" Harmony asked the girl for a third time. She was getting frustrated now.
"Um," She shifted eyes at me. I just clenched my teeth.
"I have the wrong house, I'm sorry." She said before turning quickly and leaving.
Harmony and I watched her get in her little Benz before she shut the door.
"Who the hell is she?" She asked, walking back to the kitchen.
"How you expect me to know?" I said back. "All these groupie fans."
Later on that day, Harmony went to the grocery store. The phone rang twice before she answered.
"Yeah?" She said.
"Jasmine, what the fuck is wrong with you?!" I yelled into the phone. "I said I was gone tell her when I was ready! Why in the hell would you show up at my house?!"
She scoffed. "Aubrey, don't even right now."
I took a few deep breaths before responding to her. "Jasmine, I thought we had a understanding."
"We do. But this isn't right. If you love me like you say you do, then I should be the one living with you, on magazines with you, being taken to Fiji for vacation." She sniffled.
"Jas, I told you I can't right now. It's a press thing. Please just be patient with me okay?" I begged.
I love Harmony. I do, but I met Jasmine at this conference in LA and she just caught my eye. We texted once but she had a problem going on with her family so we just didn't text anymore. Then out of the blue one day, she texted saying she moved to Atlanta and asked could we have dinner. So ever since then, we've been in contact. She told me about a year ago that she had feelings for me and I didn't know what to do. I couldn't hurt her feelings. She's been through so much and I'm the only person she has right now. So we've been sort of messing around since that day. But now she's getting in too deep.
"I told you, I can't wait too much longer." She cried out.
"I understand. I got you, okay? Just chill out."
She sighed. "Fine. I love you."
"Yeah, you too." I hung up and leaned back in my seat.
"Always something with you bro." August spoke from the other side of the room.
I looked at him and laid back in my seat. "What you talking about?"
"I don't see why it's so hard for you to be faithful to her dawg. Harmony's beautiful as hell, any dude would be lucky to have her. Then here you go cheating on her with this low budget ass girl." He stood up and brushed her jacket off. "I ain't no preacher or none, but damn my nigga."
I just raised my eyebrows as a notice that I heard him.
He sighed. "I gotta go catch this flight but think about what I said bro, alright?"
I nodded and dapped him up before he left. I was thinking about what he said but sleep took over my body.
I was awaken by a bucket of ice cold water being thrown on my face.
I shot up and wiped my face. "WHAT THE FUCK?!"
I continued to wipe my face until my vision cleared enough to see Harmony face stained with tears.
"Harm-" I started before she slapped me in my face.
"Don't even." She gritted her teeth as she stared at me.
I just swallowed the lump in my throat and stared back.
"You fucked her.." She said before slapping me again. "IN MY HOUSE! IN MY BED!"
I fell against the bed as I lost my balance.
She threw the empty bucket that was previously filled with water on the ground.
She sat at her vanity sobbing loudly. I just stared at her. Seeing her cry because of me. Seeing the pain and hurt I caused. I dropped my head in my hands and just looked at the ground.
"Why?" she spoke barely above a whisper.
I gulped. "I don't-"
"Don't give me that shit!" She yelled.
I stayed silent.
"I can't believe this. I knew it was too good to be true." She sniffled. "All the wining and dining, the vacations, the gifts."
"It was real." I said, looking at her with pleading eyes.
She threw a heel in my direction which broke a lamp near me.
"Get out my house." She spoke lowly.
"Harmo-"
"GET OUT!!" she yelled.
I looked up to see her shaking. I got up and held her. Then I felt her body go limp. I lifted her head up to see her eyes closed. I dropped down to the floor with her in my arms.
"Harmony? Harmony?" I shook her body. "HARMONY!"
I kept shaking her then soon I started shaking.
"Aubrey! Aubrey! AUBREY!"
My eyes popped open as I sat up in bed, drenched in sweat.
"Are you okay?"
I looked over to see Harmony looking at me with wide eyes.
"Huh?" I spoke.
She touched my face softly. "Oh my gosh, you're sweating. Did you have a nightmare?"
I scanned the room. Everything looked normal, Harmony wasn't screaming. The lamp on the nightstand was still there.
"Nah ma. I just.. I don't know."
"Whatever it was scared you or something. Look how hard you're breathing." She placed her hand on my chest.
I looked down to see my chest rising and falling at a rapid speed.
I took a deep breath. "I'm good."
"You sure?" Harmony asked.
I looked at her and gave her a small smile. "Yeah, I promise." I leaned over and pecked her lips. "Let's go back to sleep."
"Okay." Harmony laid down. I pulled the covers over us as I positioned myself behind her, securing her with my arms. Soon, she was sleeping soundly. I followed her cue and drifted off to sleep.

Harmony
As much I wanted to stay home and tend to Aubrey, I had to work considering I missed almost two weeks. After his random episode last night, I made him skip the studio and stay home. It took a lot of persuading but he gave in and went back to sleep before I left this morning. I made a mental note to bring him lunch since he was there by himself.
I pulled into my new reserved spot near the front of the building. I looked at myself in the mirror before applying my lipstick. Right when I turned off the car, my phone rang. I looked to see it was Brandon calling. I contemplated on ignoring the call but decided to answer.
"Hello?" I spoke as I grabbed my tote.
"Harmony. Hey, how are you?" He asked.
I got out my car and locked the doors. "I'm fine, how are you?"
"Good, Good." He paused. "I wanted to talk to you."
I sighed. "Look Brandon, I didn't mean to call you the other night. I was just overreacting and over thinking."
"I know, but I still wanna check and see if everything is alright."
I waved at a few people on my way to the elevator. "Brandon, it was a accident, okay?"
"Harmony, just hear me out okay?"
I rolled my eyes. "Alright. You got 2 minutes, I actually just walked into the office."
My assistant Loren flagged me down before I could walk in my office.
"Hold on for a second Brandon." I moved my phone from my ear. "Yes Loren?"
"Someone's waiting for you. I already sat them."
I nodded and continued to walk into my office. I brung my phone back to my ear. "Hello? Brandon?" I pushed the door open.
"Yeah?"
I noticed his voice was rather close so I looked up to see Brandon sitting behind my desk.
I smirked and hung up the phone. "What are you doing here?"
He smiled that gorgeous smile of his. "What? I can't just drop by and check on you?"
I sat my purse down and pour myself a cup of coffee. "No you can not. Shouldn't you be in Toronto, getting ready for a game?"
He stood up and walked near me. "Actually, our game is tonight in New Orleans."
"Okay? So why are you here?"
"Like I said, I wanted to check on you. You didn't sound like yourself when you called and then on top of that, you hung up in my face."
I chuckled. "It wasn't important. I'm better now, false alarm." I sat at my desk. "Besides, does Rachel know you're here?"
"For your information," He sat in front of me. "She's shooting a movie in Australia for 3 months."
I sat my cup down. "That's not what I asked. I asked-"
"In other words, no she doesn't." Brandon interrupted.
I raised my eyebrow. "And why not?"
"We're kind of on a break right now." He licked his lips. "Sorta of seeing other people if you will."
I rolled my eyes and leaned back in my seat. "Oh goodness, what'd you do now?"
He laughed. "Oh, so how you just assumed it's me?"
"Good guess?" I smiled.
He shook his head as he stood up.
"We'll catch up another time. I have a flight to catch at 10, so I'll see you later?"
I walked around the desk to hug him. "Yeah, later."
I leaned into his chest, letting his cologne infiltrate my nostrils. He smelled just like a Calvin Klein commercial. I unknowingly squeezed him tightly as a signal that I didn't want him to leave.
"Harms? You good?" His baritone voice echoed in my ear.
I released him and straighten my dress. "Yeah. I just missed you, I guess."
He smirked as he looked down at me. "I missed you too."
We just stared at each other. For a second, I could imagine me and Brandon starting over. Instead of Rachel, it'll be me. Me front row at the games, me wearing his jersey in the bedroom, me walking down the aisle with him.
"Ms. Daniels? Your 9 o' clock is here." Loren spoke over the intercom, interrupting my thoughts.
I cleared my throat before responding. "Send them in please."
I turned back to Brandon. "Um, I'll call you."
He nodded and buttoned his suit jacket. "Yeah, I'll be waiting on it." He walked to the door. "Bye Harms."
I smiled and waved. "Bye Brandon." I watched him as he walked out, still in awe as Calvin Klein lingered in the room.

Harmony to the side.