Teach Me How to Love Again (Sequel to Dirty Little Secret)

Chapter 81: Just Sit Back and Relapse Again

*~(The title of this chapter is from Camisado by Panic! at the Disco.)~*

"Bert!" Gerard exclaimed happily. The two shared a hug, then they began to talk and catch up.

"Gerard, what the fuck? You can't just go completely M.I.A. for years and then come back! You never told me you were leaving! You never told me where you went! You haven't spoken to me since then! I thought we were friends!" Bert exclaimed, a bit angrily.

"I didn't tell anyone where I was going. I needed some time to find myself, and I guess I thought the only way to do that was to go somewhere where nobody knew where I was. I really just wanted to change everything."

Bert huffed. "Don't get all philosophical on me. I guess I forgive you for disappearing, but you owe me some major catch-up time."

The two began to walk together, and they were far ahead of me, as if they had forgotten I was even here.

My heart sank as they walked towards a bar.

"Gerard, no," I muttered.

"Sky, relax. I'm not gonna drink anything. We're just gonna catch up, and I'll be back in a few minutes, then you and I will go shopping and have our date night, okay? I promise," Gerard explained.

"Fine," I huffed, and I rolled my eyes at him. I noticed they had to show their IDs to even get in, so my heart sank even further. That meant I couldn't get in, so I couldn't even keep an eye on him.

Gerard told me he'd protect me, but now he just fucking left me alone on the very streets that held the people he was trying to protect me from.

I sat on the sidewalk outside the bar, hoping they'd come out soon, or Gerard would come to his senses, but he didn't.

"What's a pretty lady like you doing out here all alone?" a male voice said behind me.

A bit of fear rose in me, because I remembered how Gerard had described men in Jersey. What if this guy wanted to hurt me like that?

"N-nothing," I stammered without looking at the man.

I flinched slightly as the man sat next to me on the sidewalk.

"Hey, don't be afraid. I'm not gonna hurt ya or anything. No lady ever chooses to go out alone in this town, so I figured something must be wrong. Plus, you look kinda lonely," he assured me. "I'll tell you my name if it makes you more comfortable. I'm Brendon Urie."

"Do I look lonely?" I asked, with a chuckle. "I-I'm Skylar Brooks," I muttered.

"Nice name. So, tell me, why is a pretty lady like you out here all alone?"

"My boyfriend's supposed to be getting sober, but he's in there, probably getting drunk off his ass, but I can't go in because I'm underage. Plus, we were supposed to have a really special date night tonight, but he completely blew me off," I mumbled.

Brendon chuckled and stood up. I looked up at him in confusion, but he gripped my hand and pulled me up with him.

"Watch this," he muttered. I followed him, and he continued to hold my hand, which made me furrow my eyebrows in confusion. We approached the man who was standing by the door of the bar, and I frowned at Brendon.

"I told you, I'm underage."

He hushed me. "I am too. Just watch."

The man looked at Brendon and I, and the seemingly-permanent frown on the bouncer's face turned into a smile. "Brendon!" he exclaimed happily.

"My date and I would like to get in," Brendon told the man.

Brendon pretended to show the guy his ID, so the guy just nodded and smirked at us, before he let us enter.