timeless | sequel | d.w

9

"In here."

Jimmy said as he walked inside of a room filled with makeup tables, mirrors, everything I'd be needing. I placed my bag down at one of the empty tables and began unpacking it.

"I'll leave you to set in." Jimmy told me, but before he could leave I stopped him.

"Hey, if you don't mind me asking, but when will the rest of the band be here?" I asked innocently and looked at him.

"They're here already." He told me with a smile. "But I've noticed they're professionals at disappearing right before sound check." He joked, before running off again.

I chuckled a little at his comment, before packing up the rest of my tools. I took a look at the time again and saw it was time for sound check.

My heart skipped a beat as I made my way out back to the stage, were I saw Brendon settling in front of the microphone. He turned to look over his shoulder and smiled at me, before turning back towards where the audience would be sitting. I looked around, but couldn't see Dallon anywhere.

I decided to head back to the lounge and wait there, but just as I turned around I bumped into a chest. Shit. I looked up and was met by two blue eyes staring down at me. Two very familiar eyes.

"Gabrielle?" Dallon looked genuinely shocked, and so did I.

"H-hi.." I stuttered, but a voice interrupted me.

"Dallon? Get out here! We gotta start!"

"Right... uh.. bye.."

And with that, he was gone. Again. It was like someone ripped my heart out of my chest and stomped on it over and over, before putting it back in just to repeat the process. I haven't even gotten a chance to process what just happened, but now all emotions I was feeling were threatening to show.

I ran off to the toilets, feeling the lump in my throat growing with every step I took. I didn't want to cry. Not in front of everyone else, at least. I pushed the doors open and ended up by the sinks, sobbing while the tears started running down my face.

I never thought I'd be able to miss someone this much, to feel physical and emotional pain, when he only was a few feet away from me. He was so close but yet so far away.

"Gabrie- oh my god, what's wrong?"

Erin's voice was suddenly present, and before I knew it she had embraced me in a tight hug while she rocked me back and forth. Her action got me sobbing even harder, and I pushed my head into her shoulder as I hugged her back.

"What happened? What's wrong?" She tried again.

It took a moment, but I managed to regain some control over myself and pulled back to wipe off the mascara that had been running down my face and smudged under my eyes.

"You know that really close friend of mine that I constantly used to mention every now and then? Turns out he's the bassist of the band out there." I said as I let out a breath, wiping off the tears. "We haven't seen each other in ten years."

Erin seemed shocked about these news, which she had all the rights to be. I'd be shocked too, if my friend suddenly told me all this information.

"Why didn't you tell me? I would've asked someone else to go." She told me and rubbed my back comfortingly.

"It's my job. I can't let personal life come in between." I told her and sighed.

"Wow.. I'm.. I'm very sorry, Gabrielle." She said, not really knowing what to say next. I didn't blame her, and just gave her a sad smile.

"It's okay. I just don't know what to do." I said and looked down.

It was quiet for a few minutes, before Erin's eyes lit up and I could see that she'd come up with an idea.

"What if... we make sure you get to style him for their performance later?" She said, and I looked at her with confusion in my eyes.

I didn't know if that was such a good idea. Dallon didn't seem to want anything to do with me, so unfortunately that might just make things even worse and I had suffered enough already.

"I don't know..." I shook my head but Erin continued.

"If you don't try you'll never find out." She said, giving me a small smile. "I'll be just a few feet away the whole time. I've got your back."

I gave her a smile, before hugging her tightly. She was right. I had to take this leap of faith, otherwise I'd never know. And I would rather now the truth and be able to move on, than not knowing at all.

"Okay. Let's do it."