Hey There, Delilah -DISCONTINUED-

Chapter Twenty-Six

When Caity and I finish eating, we head back to the venue to get inside. We walk with our arms linked together like we're little girls afraid of getting separated. "Is it cool if I sleep over when we get back?" She asks me.

"Caity, you don't even have to ask anymore." I giggle. "I know, I was just being polite, Love." She replies in a Valley Girl accent that makes me laugh and roll my eyes. "You are something else, Cait." I say.

"Aren't I?" She asks. "Oh, my God, there's Hayden." She says, untangles her arm from mine and sprints towards her boyfriend, who just exited the bus. I smile and laugh. Hayden catches her and she wraps herself around him like a small baby wraps around his mother or father.

I've always envied their relationship. They have their little disagreements, but that doesn't get in the way of their relationship.

Mine and Brent's on the other hand, we were as dysfunctional as you could possibly get. The first few months were okay, then everything turned to shit. We were a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

I want a relationship like Caity and Hayden's one day. They genuinely love each other for who they are, not what they aren't.

I can picture them getting married, having children and growing old together, all while still in love.

Hayden finally sets Caity down and David walks off the bus. I take this as my cue to go up, and I hug my brother.

"Glad you made it, Delilah." He says. "I really didn't think you were coming, thank you." He adds.

"Don't thank me, thank Caity. It was her idea and I tagged along for the ride." I say. "Thank you, Caity, for bringing her along with you." David says. "It's not a problem. She's gonna enjoy herself." She grins and I slightly worry.

I lightly shake my head as if the worry will exit my brain through my ears. 'Don't Worry' I think to myself.

"I didn't need to stay home, anyways. I would've ended up binge watching Skins." I say. "Or AHS." Caity chirps. "Or AHS." I agree with a nod.

"Well, let's go inside. The guys are setting up. By the way, your hair looks really nice. I like it." David says and we head inside.

I trail behind, not wanting anyone to see me. And by 'anyone', I mean Brent. He's the last person I want to see right now, but it's coming sooner than later. All I have to do is smile and not let it affect me, no matter how badly it does.

When we finally get inside, Caity and I sit in the dressing room while the guys do soundcheck.

I absently play with a piece of celery I picked up from one of the deli trays on the catering table while Caity slowly munches on baby carrots, her head resting in the palm of her hand.

"Want to go walk around?" She asks me. "I thought you'd never ask." I say, tossing the piece of celery aside and standing up.

"Let's go." Caity says and we link arms before walking out of the dressing room and down the hallway to the stage.

Techs, managers and roadies run down the narrow hallway and Caity and I step aside for them to pass.

As we get closer to the stage, I spot Bailey tuning one of Benn's guitars. Caity babbles on about a fashion column she's writing for the upcoming issue of Alternative Press Magazine, and I nod and say 'yeah' every few seconds.

My heart drops down to my shoes when I see someone walk up to Bailey, his back to me. I don't say a word, my eyes trained on the Cog and Crown on the back of his black denim vest. He rakes his left hand through his hair, then stretches his back and shoulders.

Caity makes a fast left turn and we walk down another hallway. I quietly thank her for saving me from a very awkward reunion and she nods her head. I may have gotten away with it this time, but I know I can't avoid him forever. No matter how badly I want to.

Caity and I make our way back to the dressing room about an hour later, five minutes before Crown The Empire take the stage.

I open the door, not seeing anyone. "Stage." I say and we haul ass to the side of the stage to watch the show.

Brent has already gone on stage and is siting behind his kit -Thank God- and the others are waiting for their cues.

I give David a quick hug and Caity hugs Hayden and gives him a good luck kiss.

"Go kill it, Dave." I say. "Planned on it, Delilah." He replies with his trademark toothy smile before turning and running on stage with Andrew.

When the national anthem ends, they jump straight into Makeshift Chemistry. Caity and I are having the time of our lives on the side of the stage like the small cramped area is our personal dance floor. 

 I feel someone watching me. I look up, seeing an all too familiar pair of blue eyes looking at me from the drum riser.

I continue with my awkward little dance, watching Brent look at me. He shakes his head then looks away, not paying me any attention.

"God, you handled that so well!" Caity yells over the music. "I learned from the best." I yell back and she places her hand over her heart as if I'd said something that touched her heart. "You're gonna make me cry." She yells, fanning her face and I laugh.

"Shut up and dance with me." I call and she grabs my hands.

There were no butterflies when Brent looked at me a few seconds ago. There was no overwhelming excitement, there was no blood rushing to my cheeks. My heartbeat didn't speed up and my breath didn't hitch in my throat.

I felt nothing. Absolutely nothing. No emotion whatsoever. All I saw was the guy who once held my heart in the palm of his hands.

The set continues on and Caity and I are still having the time of our lives. They just finished playing Machines, and Hayden, David, Brent and Benn are walking off the stage, Brandon and Andrew staying behind.

Bailey brings out an acoustic guitar and gives it to Brandon, who strums it a few times.

"Is it cool if we slowed it down a bit?" Andrew asks and gets cheers and screams in response. "This next song is from our new record. It's called Millennia." He says and everyone screams. Caity taps my arm and I look at her, Hayden standing beside her.

"Hey, Tree." I smile. "Hey, Delilah." He smiles. "You two seemed to be enjoying yourselves, I'm glad you're having fun." Hayden says.

"We are." I smile. "Are you staying around for Asking's set?" He asks me. "Yep. I'd love to see them, and I know Lilah would, too." She replies.

I smile. Ever since the incident, I've been listening to a lot of Asking Alexandria to help get me through it. Caity knows how much they've helped me, but she doesn't know the half of it. I can't even count all the nights they've kept me from crying.

"Great!" Hayden says. "They put on a hell of a good show. I'm glad you guys are staying around to see it." He says.

"I wouldn't miss it." I reply.

I turn my attention to the stage, listening to the familiar lyrics being sung.

'I only ever wanted to come home. Please, won't you let me go?

When I have nowhere left, I can run away

Will you lie to me, tell me I'll be okay?' Andrew sings while Brandon strums his guitar. I look past Brandon and see Brent and Benn standing on the other side of the stage. He smiles at me again and flicks his hand and fingers up in a small wave.

I give him the smallest hint of a smile in return, not waving. He lowers his gaze to the ground and Benn says something to him.

I look at Brandon and Andrew again as they finish the song, starting Lead Me Out Of The Dark when the audience stops cheering.

Millennia used to have a special meaning to me, but it no longer does. I used to think of Brent when the song came on, hearing his voice in the lyrics, his smile in the verses; but now I hear empty words.