Screw

20. Home

Two days later...
Estrella wore blue skinny jeans and a tank top as she strutted down the main street. They had arrived home to L.A. already, and Guns N' Roses were doing the welcome to the jungle video-shoot today in the ballroom at the Park Plaza Hotel, so the dancers had gone off to do their own thing.
As per usual, the streets of L.A. were bustling with activity. People jostled her as they hurried past, and the tight knit crowd on the footpath stretched on ahead, breaking only for side streets and intersections. The other side of the street was much the same. She was just coming up to her former workplace. The Vixen club hadn't changed a bit; open fronted windows, a light up sign, men stumbling in and out in various degrees of drunkenness. Just as she remembered it. Without realising it, Estrella had slowed whilst passing the club, and only just now took notice. Just as she began to pick up the pace a little, she heard a wolf whistle from behind her, and instinctively glanced over her shoulder. The man could have been whistling at any number of the women in the big crowd of people, or the dancers in the window, so Estrella had no idea what made her so sure he was whistling at her, but when she caught sight of him he was smirking and looking very pointedly at her.
Estrella was flattered in a way, but his total lack of tact and manners made her want to punch him out. that sort of emotion is hard to describe, and the combination of anger and flattery brought a rosy flush of colour to her cheeks. She kept her eyes straight ahead after that, not wanting him to see how embarrassed she was, nor wanting to antagonise another whistle or a cat call by showing him attention. Instead, she picked up the pace a little, and made her way briskly in the direction of the fight club. Her family had no idea she was coming, nor did Eddie, but she knew they would be there because the boys lived to train, and her father made a living teaching them. As she reached the front doors, Estrella took a moment of pause, hand resting against the cool glass of the door. The hallway beyond was dimly lit, as usual, but she could just make out the doors along it leading off to other rooms. Her hand made it to the doorknob, twisting it. The door swung open with ease and she stepped inside.
She went a few doors down, and opened the door on the left which led to the room with the boxing ring and punching bags in it. As the door swung open, a few of the fighters glanced up from the punchbags to see who it was, and some even did a double take. She smiled gently as Eric, one of the middle weights, said her name out loud in suprise,
"Estrella!", more people looked up at this, and from around the other side of the ring, Eddie stuck his head out. He was slightly sweaty, and wore no shirt. His dark hair was ruffled and untidy, and he broke out into a warm smile as he caught sight of her.
"Estrella!" Eddie repeated Eric. She grinned,
"Hi guys!"
"You came back!" He exclaimed, excitement evident on his features. He came towards her at a fast pace. Estrella embraced the slightly sweaty boxer as he reached her. "I missed you." He whispered,
"I missed you too!" She replied, resting up against his muscled chest with a smile.
"What made you come back?" He asked,
"The tour stopped here. We're here for a couple of days." She explained.
"And then... you're going again." It wasn't a question; he stated it in the most dejected fashion he could muster. Eddie's expression displayed the obvious sense of crushing disappointment he was feeling at discovering that she wasn't here to stay. The smile fell from her own face, she felt bad for leaving him, and looked down at her shoelaces.
"Don't frown." His voice soothed. She felt his hand lift her chin so that she looked up at him, and then Eddie leaned down and his lips crashed against hers in the most delicious way. Everything else seemed to evaporate. It was just her and Eddie, his lips on hers sent sparks like wildfire to every extremity. It felt so right, but so wrong. The bitterness of the situation hit her like a baseball bat to the guts; this kiss was a stolen moment of passion and bliss that could only ever be short lived. Soon enough, she'd be off again on tour and she wouldn't see Eddie for months on end. She couldn't ask him to wait for her for a year. It was too long. Long distance relationships didn't work at the best of times, but with Estrella unsure whether she liked Duff or Eddie, the emotional conflict and the fact that she herself was unsure about everything made it morally impossible to lead Eddie on in such a way. She broke away.
"I- can't." Her voice was quiet, like the calm before a storm.
"Wha- Estrella. I'll wait- please!" There was panic in his tone, "I'll wait for you. I can do that. I love you-" his voice cracked, as though he was holding back tears. "Please." He begged. But she shook her head, eyes stinging with her own tears.
"I can't do that to you, Eddie." She told him quietly,
"P-please! I want it! I only want you, Estrella. I thought we had something. I thought you felt how I do!" He exclaimed, firmly but gently grabbing her wrist so that she couldn't go away.
"I did." She said, looking up into his eyes. Past tense. Something broke behind Eddie's usually warm brown eyes, and Estrella's heart went out to him. The truth was, she still did love him, but in the end, letting him go had to be what she'd do. Now that she had freed Eddie she could let him heal. She could allow him to move on, because from how he'd been talking, he had been waiting for her the whole time, and that just wasn't healthy. She turned away from him, and made her way into the clinic. Her father was there, tending to Caleb, who had a swollen eye and a good many bruises.
"Hey guys." She spoke, both of them jumped a little and their heads whipped around.
"Estrella!" Caleb exclaimed.
"You're home!" Her father grinned. She went towards them, embracing them each in turn.
"We've missed you!" Her father smiled, and she managed a big grin back.
"Missed you guys too."

Author's note;
Hey there gunners, hope you're enjoying the story so far. More coming soon! Xx