SILENT CALLS

Chapter 14

CONNOR'S P.O.V

"What's that with the Tokyo blues?" Riley chose to sit with me on our plane to LAX.

"What are you talking about-"

"No, where are you going with this?"

"Dude, I'm just tired."

"But you didn't seem tired until we approached the transit waiting room back there." He leaned more to me. "Is Ally in your Manila list?"

"No. I just met her on board. Just like you guys."

"Okay. I don't buy it. You want to know why?"

I kept my mouth shut. That fifteen minutes talk Riley had with her has explained me well.

"...Not because I can read her mind. But yours I can." Riley sighed. "Man, when did you guys start dating?"

"I didn't say anything about dating." I raised my tone.

"Cut the crap. You don't certainly want to wake them all again." He eyed the rest of the crew and Toby who were sitting on the row behind us.

"We just hit our third month."

"Oh my." Riley whispered. "And you're screwed for not coming up to her when we left the venue?"

I glanced Riley for another 'how could you know' question. But then I realized that my brother is an observer; he observes people.

"Been screwed since a while back. But yeah." I devastatedly replied. "We broke up."

"On board?"

"I don't know what to hang onto anymore. It's like sitting on a broken swing. The more we tried to settle, the more chance we'd fall off."

Riley kicked the seat before him. I knew he's upset. I was the first one signing up the contract deal. I should've stick to it. But Ally's presence from our Manila show three months ago, has simply lightened up my dark, cold heart. I've been constantly writing songs since we're dating. I was more on my phone, but never forgot to interact with people too. She made me better. She did.

"But she's a gold."

I turned my attention on him. "I'm sorry?"

"You love her so much, do you?"

"It doesn't matter anymore." I shook my head.

"It still does." Riley took a breath. "It will be useless if you lose all the inspiration to write a song. No record deal could save us from drowning if you're not the same you anymore."

"You're supposed to be mad at me, bro."

"I was; five minutes ago. But I realized, that I would probably push Manila twice as hard if Ally was my manila."

"She's in Japan now. And she cut everything off with me. We're done. I texted her before we departed and I got nothing in return."

"Then I promise I'll fight for a Tokyo show next year. Everything will be much better."

"Next year." I echoed his word.

"Which only likely in couple months." He nodded.

"And nobody needs to know?"

"Nobody except Toby." Riley assured me. "Let me talk to him. He'll understand."

I nodded. That's all I could do. Forsake of next year's plan. I didn't even know how to trace her. She would most definitely not reply to my text anymore. I'd lose the track of her. I wouldn't know if she's still in Tokyo or has arrived back home in 2017.

"I'm sorry." Riley whispered.

"Yeah, me too..."

The sadness brought me to bad dream as I fell asleep. I woke up half-shocked, I thought we're still on the first plane. I looked left and only found Riley. And this little TV in front of me informed that we're just three hours short from Los Angeles.

"Home sweet home!" Toby screamed like a kid.

After hours of diving into the typical busy streets of LA, we have arrived at our new home. Mom and dad were still in Orlando, but they'd catch the first flight tomorrow morning. I took my backpack upstairs to my room. Should do a massive unpack and laundry later.

"Con? Coooon!" Toby yelled again.

"Yeah?" I replied from my room balcony, since he's outside by the mailbox.

"A package for you! A fan!"

"A fan?" I murmured to myself. "Okay, leave it in the dining table, I'll come and grab it. Thanks bro!"

"And there's no package for me? How rude." My little brother's signature grumpy voice, but he's only kidding by that.

I decided to shower first before everything. Home was quiet. I heard a little snore coming from Toby's room, and Riley's singing voice from his bathroom. I came downstairs to fill up my water bottle, and brought back the package Toby picked up for me.

Sender address: Manila, PH

My heart just dropped to the ground. Nobody knew our current address - that we haven't even publicly announce the new PO Box for LA - except her.

I untied the blue ribbon on the box. Slowly opened it. But uninterested to check the inside, my eyes were locked to a little note that she wrote.

"Since you didn't want to see me tonight at the venue, here I just mail you the gift instead. Thanks for playing Manila."

I shed tears. Yes, I finally cried. For all unspoken words I've kept inside since Ally and I landed eyes on each other at the show. For the regretful decision I made. For my stiff and stupid reaction when I saw her standing under the rain only to see me. Now she returned the gift I gave to her three months ago; the guitar pick that I held in my hand when we kissed by the corner of her block. Now I lost her.

Don't ask me why I still fell for her, even after our endless battle. I don't know. I just did. Maybe because it felt right.

But now what?