Local Love

Chapter Two: Need Me When I'm Gone.

I woke up with Tyson's knee in my back. I knew that he needed to talk, otherwise he wouldn't be in my bed, unfortunately I knew what he was going to say, and I still wasn't ready to call Gaege.

"You know that its killing you, you care about him."

"Know I don't! That ship sailed when he kicked me out of his life! My feeling for him are gone."

"Don't lie to me. I've been your best friend since you were in 8th grade, I know when you have feelings for someone!"

"THE ONLY FEELING I HAVE FOR GAEGE ROOT ARE ANGER!" I said in a sarcastic yell, throwing my pillow at him as i disappeared behind the bathroom door. I quietly turned the lock button knowing Tyson would be waiting for me on the other side of the door. "Go away!" I insisted in a stubborn kind of girl fit. 

"It's been weeks since you found that package! It's time to face him!" 

I slowly opened the door and looked him in the eye. After a sigh from both parts and a weird stare we compromised, I would speak to Brad, but I was going no where near Gaege yet. A few emails later I had plans for Brad to pick me up at the airport nearest him. It was a couple hours away from where Gaege lived so I knew it would be safe to meet with Brad.

Between the two of us, Brad and I downed 3 cups of coffe and 4 cups of tea, yet we had still made no progress. Gaege never told brad he had sent the letter, but Brad knew exactly why he had. One of the original fam members had been asking questions about me, wondering why I wasn't around anymore, after a few face book posts and re tweets the entire fam knew who I was. I was the TILLovelyBFF and one day I had just disappeared. They started a campaign to look for me and even decided to boy-cot TILL until I came back out of the shadows and joined the fam again. From the way Brad told the story, it seemed like nothing more than Gaege just wanting me to come back so that he could shut some people up and sell some shirts. 

I hugged Brad's neck and told him goodbye, as a walked out of the little coffee shop. I somehow managed to find my way to Tuscon where Gaege lived. I don't know why I went or what I was hoping to find but I just wanted answers. Everyone in this town had on one of Gaege's designs. I felt left out not having mine on.

I walked into a small cafe and took a seat near the window, I had to remind myself i had'nt eaten anything with that monstrous amount of caffeine Brad and I had drank at the little coffee shop. The waitress came up to me and asked for my order, all was good until I caught her staring at me. "May I help you?" I snapped, not meaning to come off as being rude.

"Oh, I'm sorry! You just look so familiar! Have you been in here recently?" 

I began to explain to her that this was my first time in town but I was stopped right in the middle of my explanation when I heard the bells on the door clang up against the glass. I had to do a double take just to be sure my eyes were'nt lying. Nah, I'd know those ginger curls anywhere, it was Gaege. I stood up and walked to the bathroom, half dazed. After splashing some water on my face and taking some time to breath I opened the door, hoping to get out before he saw me. Too late... We made eye contact and he stood from his chair, I didn't know what to do so I took off, I ran out the door and around the block, once I was sure he was gone I took a few seconds to catch my breath and called home.

"Tyson, Yah I'll be home sooner than I thought." I spoke softly, in order to suppress the inevitable tears. 

"What? Why? Did you find--" I hung up before he could finish his sentence. I wasn't ready to face the truth. I wasn't strong enough to see Gaege yet, not because I was still mad, but because I was still madly in love.

I hopped on the next plane home and spent the next 3 days hiding in my house only leaving to go buy some more ice cream because Tyson refused. I had gotten back late Tuesday afternoon, and it was already Friday night. I guess he just forgot about that moment in the diner. Maybe he second guessed himself, he probably didn't think it was really me, and Brad had promised not to tell him. Tyson and I were cuddled up on the couch to watch my favorite sappy movies, but just as the commercials were over we heard a knock at the door. "Ignore it..." i said in my own grumpiness. 

Ignoring what I said, Tyson stood to go get the door. I continued with my ice cream and batman movies, after a few minutes I heard Tyson coming back in the front door. But when I looked up i didn't see his shaggy black hair, i saw those curls. How did he find me? How on earth did Gaege know where I was? Then suddenly, all my questions were answered when I saw Bradley standing around the corner. 

"Why would you bring him here???" I said as if i was blaming Brad. 

"I'm sorry, but i didn't know what else to do. I know you might hate him, which you have every right to, but I know you love this company and what it stands for, and right now TILL needs you and the TILL fam needs you. We've got three million twitter followers boycotting our company because someone told them about you. You were an Icon and TILL wouldn't be what it is today if you hadn't encouraged us and the family alike!" I gave Brad one of my 'Don't guilt trip me' faces, but what he said was right. The local scene mattered to me, and TILL mattered to me, and as much as I didn't want to admit it, Gaege mattered to me. I disappeared behind my bedroom door for mere moments and returned wearing the Local Scene shirt they had send me little more than a month ago. 

We got in the car and headed to the airport, after a few awkward hours we were walking through the streets of Dallas. We would be attending a show at the house of blues, a place well known for their TILL FAM influence. But it wasn't where we were going to announce my return that was the good part, it was how.