Anything (Van McCann | CATB Fan Fiction)

15. Miles, Bushwick

|Vienna|

I walked for hours and covered so much ground that my feet started to hurt. My hands were quaking and my insides felt like they were about to explode any time.

I was thankful that my friend, Kate, was in town and I have told her that I wanted to see her at our usual hangout place, a bar called Miles in Brooklyn. I entered the bar and saw the redhead beauty was already sitting at the bar with her boyfriend, Ezra. I inhaled and braced myself to approach them with the bruises on my face.

"Hey," I said. Kate turned around and her jaw literally dropped to the floor.

"No... Not again!" She cried, pulling me into a hug. Ezra was scrutinizing my face and I just knew what he was thinking based on his frown.

"Vienna.... You promised that he has changed! Look at you," Kate said, scanning every bruise on my skin. I was too overwhelmed to say anything. I was scared. I was embarrassed. And I didn't know what to do.

"What happened?" Ezra finally asked.

I took a few calming breaths and exhaled. "Caught him cheating again," I shrugged.

"Fucking hell! I fucking knew it!" Kate groaned. "Are you going to report this? He can't just beat you up every time he fucks up, you know?!"

I shook my head. "I... I just want out," I murmured. "I can't do this anymore," I exhaled, with a tear dropping from my eye. Kate immediately pulled me into her embrace again and comforted me. "Good. I am glad you feel that way," Kate murmured, adding, "Stay with us tonight. You'll be safe with us."

"I need to leave New York," I shook my head.

Both Kate and Ezra were looking at me like I just told them that aliens from Mars have landed. "Are you serious?" Kate asked.

"Yeah. I mean, not for good. Coming home was a bad idea," I sighed. "I am still on tour till next month. So, it'd be good to be away till then, I guess," I sniffled.

"Mike is going to flip if he sees those bruises," Ezra muttered. That was true indeed.

"I know. Just promise me not to say any word to him. I'll tell him myself," I swallowed.

I immediately left New York that night, right after I managed to book the last flight out to LA. I contacted Mike as soon as I landed, and I knew he knew that something was up because I was back in LA too soon.

Mike didn't say a word when he saw me standing in front of his hotel room, but he just stared at me instead, with a knowing look on his face. I guess the bruises on my face was self-explanatory. "Hey..." I forced smile, when I was actually dying of anxiety inside.

"Come in," Mike told me. He looked disappointed and I totally get where he was coming from. It must be tiring for him to tell me to stay away from Seth.

"I hope I am not interrupting your off days," I said, sitting at the edge of one of the twin beds.

"Are you going to pretend that nothing happened, Vie? That everything is swell and perfect like rainbows and sunshine?" Mike sighed.

I have no words. I just sat in silence on the bed wishing that non of the things with Seth had happened.

"Did you report it this time?" Mike asked.

I just shook my head. My hands were trembling and I was about to breakdown and cry. It felt like my world was falling apart yet again.

"I am sorry," Mike muttered, pulling me into his warm embrace. "I shouldn't be so hard on you. It's okay. I am here," he whispered.

And within seconds I was sobbing like a child. Mike rubbed the small of my back as an attempt to comfort me and my crying eased down a bit. Not long after that, I heard a knock on the door.

"Yo, Mike. We are leaving now, man! You coming, lad?" A voice asked from behind the door.

I quickly brushed away the tears on my face and began straightening up, trying to regain my composure. I definitely was not ready for anyone else to see what a mess I was.

"One minute," Mike told me as he approached the door.

"Yo, what took you so long mate?" That voice was too easy to recognize. It was most definitely Van as I heard his footsteps approaching the bedroom. Van stopped his tracks when he finally realized I was in the room with Mike. I glanced over at him and gave him a brief smile. Van barely moved as he looked at me.

"Vienna... I didn't know you're here. Hey..." He softly said, as his eyes scanned me from top to bottom. "What's going on?" He asked, looking at both Mike and I.

"We are in a bit of a situation here, lad. I don't think I can join y'all today," Mike said.

"What? Don't be silly. Go!" I told Mike.

"Are you okay? What's with your face?" Van immediately asked.

"I... I got into a bit of an accident," I lied. "But, as you can see I am alive and well."

"Wait... What?" Van tilted his head.

Ignoring Van, I quickly glanced over at Mike. "Mike, you should go to wherever you intended to go. I needed to catch on my sleep anyway..."

"Are you sure you are going to be safe?" Mike asked, which I thought was a funny question. Of course I would. Seth was in New York.

"Yeah," I smiled.

I looked over at Van, who was still looking at me like I was some kind of weird piece of art at a museum. I had no idea what was going through his mind, but somehow I just felt like he knew exactly what had happened.