The Hook-up

Chapter 11

"What are you talking about, Bruno?" she asked him stepping away from her friends at the bar they were at.

"I fucked up. I can't do this..." he told her. She gasped silent not sure what to say or how to respond. "It was a mistake, Lauren...I didn't mean...I didn't mean to do it..."

"What....did you do, Bruno?" she asked him walking toward the outside of the building leaning against a wall.

"You just don't deserve it. You deserve so much better than I am, Lauren." he grabbed a shot that he found sitting near him. He wasn't sure what it was or whose it was, he needed it. He swallowed it waiting for her response pulling the phone away from his face almost coughing. That was really strong whiskey....he thought to himself. "Lauren....please answer me..." he pleaded.

She half laughed at what was going on starting to talk. "What did you do? Did you kill a cat?"

"No...." he paused trying to understand her humor. "I kissed a girl...."

"And you liked it?" she laughed at him.

"What? Lauren!" he exclaimed.

"Do you seriously think that I'm going to get upset because you kissed a girl? Jesus Christ Bruno. You're not the virgin Mary. We should have had this talk before you left."

"What talk?" he asked her starting to smoke a cigarette.

"This is fun, Bruno. I like you. But I know the world you're in. I know plenty of musicians. I know plenty of actors and a few models. We aren't a Nicholas Sparks novel. I know there is temptation and you are the one that says you're not perfect, you're not an angel. Why do you think that I would be upset at this? It was just a kiss, right?" she paused not hearing him. "Right?" she repeated.

"It was just a kiss." he told her.

"Bruno...just don't sleep with anyone when you're gone. Kiss as many girls as you want. I don't care." she told him.

"So the next girl that walks by...I could kiss and you wouldn't be upset?" he asked her.

"Is she hot?" Lauren asked.

"She's decent." he answered.

"Would I be jealous? A little but angry no." she told him. "But you're not going to kiss her while I'm on the phone...are you?"

He laughed at her response. "I'm not going to kiss anymore girls, Lauren. You're the only one I want. I miss you."

She tried not to laugh at how sensitive he was about this. "You'll be okay, Bruno. Go back to the hotel and go to sleep. Call me tomorrow."

"Okay." he answered in a quiet voice taking a last drag of his cigarette. "Good night, Elle."

"Good night, B..." she said hanging up the phone going back into the snazzy bar they had seen him perform at sitting next to Yana.