When The Day Met The Night

21

It's been a week since I've actually talked to Rion as our schedules are both full all the time. But this week I'm determined to at least make her my friend again. It's going to take everything I've got in my arsenal but I don't care. I almost got her before, she was almost mine. 
She's my favorite "almost"
Anyway, today is the second day off of the tour so I have all of today to do whatever it takes to get on her good side, this time I have the day planned out. This morning were going to just hang out a little, get a little morning high going and then for lunch we're going to a little café I found and for dinner a nice quiet bar with lots of alcohol.
I knock on her hotel room door and wait for her to answer, thankfully its her and not Delilah.
"Hey Brendon" she greets me with a smile, that's a surprise.
"You wanna hang out?" I ask, presenting a nice little joint a made prior to this.
"Fuck yes" her smile widens and she opens the door a little more to let me in. I instantly have my lighter out and I light the joint in-between my lips. I take a drag before passing it over to her, she takes her drag and then passes it back.
"I've got to say, that's some pretty good shit. You know how to pick em don't you" she points out and I just nod with a laugh.
After we both take a few hits were rolling on the floor, laughing about some dumb joke I can't even remember. I've never had this much fun with someone, doing absolutely nothing.
We stop laughing when we hear the door open. Rion sits up on the floor and moves so she's sitting next to me.
"Why does it smell like skunk?" Delilah asks, scrunching her nose. Rion looks at me wide eyed and then back at Delilah.
"Brendon farted" she points to me and I scoff.
"Nu-uh" I defend myself scrunching my nose. She tells me to shush, pushing her fore-finger on my lips.
"Whatever guys...I'm leaving again. Can you just make sure the smell is gone when I get back" she tells us and Rion nods. Delilah leaves and Rion looks back at me.
"We should probably air this room out" she sighs going to window. She slides it open and turns back to me. "Thank you for hanging out with me" she smiles, folding her arms across her chest. "I promised myself I wouldn't admit this to you" she sighs, running her hands through her hair. "I don't really know a lot of people here but it doesn't matter because I like you" she looks down at her hands like it's embarrassing
"I like you too Rion" I grab her hand and she looks up at me. She leans in for a second but she pulls back.
"I'm not that high" she laughs. I didn't even lean in like I should have, I just got her trust back, if I would have kissed her she would have got mad because she's with Ian.
"I realized" I say awkwardly. "You wanna go hang out. I mean, we're in New York. Plenty of touring to do" I offer.
"Sounds great, I just have to get ready" she tells me and goes to the bathroom. Looks like were on the right track back to how we use to be.
Once she's done we head out to the streets of the greatest city in this country. She decided to bring her little digital camera which I thought was cute. I've been here several times so it's nothing new for me but she hasn't so I can only imagine how excited she's going to be.
"Brendon! Can we go to the statue of liberty?" she asks me, turning around from taking her latest photo.
"Yeah" I laugh at her enthusiasm. We begin walking because it's only 3 blocks from here. As we walk we get closer to each other, our arms slowly start getting closer and then she grabs my hand as we cross the street but when are safely on the other side she is still holding it. I don't say anything so that was she doesn't pull her hand away. The walk there is pretty silent, we get to the paying area and I pull out my wallet.
"2 tickets please" I ask.
"No" Rion pulls her purse around, grabbing her wallet.
"Rion please" I tell her, holding my hand up. I hand the man enough money for 2 tickets and he hands me two tickets.
"Brendon you know I hate when people pay for things. I have money...here" she pulls out a 20 and shoves into my hand.
"No. It's okay"I tell her, pulling my hand away.
"Take it please" she orders. I sigh and take it, shoving it in my back pocket.
"For you" I tell her. She'll be getting that back for sure. She doesn't respond as we walk to the line of people.
"I'm so excited for this!" she tells me, jumping up a little. I smile down at her, patting her head. She looks at me like I'm crazy and pulls her camera out, she snaps a picture of me without telling me and then puts her camera back in her pocket.
"What was that?" I ask her. She just shrugs and turns back to face the front. Okay? I very subtly slide my hand down her arm and let it meet hers and I grasp it. She makes no movement at all and I smile at myself. I love how natural it is, neither of us are rejecting each others touches. We follow the group of people and get on the small boat. The tour guide starts talking but I ignore her. My eyes follow down to Rion and I watch her as she watches the tour guide explain things around us. Whenever the tour guide explains something Rion looks that way and takes a picture. She's so cute!
When we finally arrive to statue we all get out, Rion removes her hand from mine and steps out. I get out behind her and stand next to her as we wait on the rest of the people. Once everyone is off the boat we begin walking inside.
When we get to the top of the crown Rion runs to the window and stares out of it. I stand next to her and look at her. She takes her camera out and takes a bunch of pictures.
"Its so beautiful" she sighs, I look from her to the view and smile.
"Yeah" I agree. I place my hands on the edge and stare out. She unexpectedly wraps her arm around my back and takes a selfie with her phone. I smile and so does she. She does something on her phone and then slides her phone in her pocket but doesn't remove her arm from around me. I turn to look at her and our eyes meet. I lean down a little and she pushes herself up and then we kiss for 2 seconds. She pulls away and looks back out to the view like we didn't just kiss or something.
She pulls her arm out from around me and turns around.
"That shouldn't have happened" she laughs a little but its an anxious laugh.
"I'm sorry Ri...I didn't-" she interrupts me turning back to face me.
"No Brendon, its okay. It shouldn't have happened meaning I shouldn't have liked it. I mean, fuck! I'm with Ian. Brendon...I'm so glad we're back to being friends but that's all it should be even though I don't want it to be just that." she explains. "Fuck, I'm so confused" she pulls at her hair.
"Hey Rion, it's okay." I tell her, pulling her hands down to her sides. "I understand if you just want to be my friend right now. You're with Ian and you love him. I get it. Don't stress, you don't have to leave him for me."
"But Brendon, I want you more than a friend but I also want Ian. I'm so confused right now" her face furrows.
"I want you more than a friend too but don't make any rash decisions for me" I say. I hate to tell her these things because I do want that but I have to do whats best for her or she'll end up hating me.
"I hate you" she sighs. I scoff a little like I'm offended but I know she doesn't mean it. "You're being so understanding right now and it makes it so hard for me to decide what I'm going to do." she looks from me to her feet. By this point I realize I still have my hands on her arms so I pull them away.
"I'm not going to fuck up like I did before. And if you decide that you want Ian, that's okay Ri because I use to think that I could only have you one way in my life but I realized that I just want you in my life in anyway I can have you." I explain and she looks up at me with tears in her eyes.
"This is supposed to be fun and fuck...I'm standing here crying." she wipes her eyes. "When I realized I was working for you I was so pissed because of what you said to me but in these past couple weeks on this tour it's like that first day all over again. And this sucks because I have Ian...who fuck!" she looks like she's realized something. "We're supposed to hang out on Thursday when we go to Washington."
"That's perfect" I say as a plan unravels in my head. "This is just off the top of my head but on Thursday you hang out with him and see how you feel. See if you feel more connected to him than me. I'll be okay with whatever you decide"
"Brendon I can't...I feel like an awful person for doing this to you and Ian." she shakes her head.
"It's okay Rion." I assure her.
"No. No. It isn't, I'm acting like this is the biggest decision of my life but it isn't. It should be so clear, you or him"
"Seriously it'll be okay. Nothing is set in stone. For now, just look at the beautiful view." I pull her back towards the window and she looks happier already.