Counting Stars(Book One/Noel's Story)

Ch. 01- Breaking Down

Ch. 1: Breaking Down

"What the hell is your problem? Why would you even think to do that to me? I don't get you at all Eric. You practically ignored me all throughout high school, then I find out you're the lead guitarist everyone is going crazy about, and right before one of the biggest performances of my life you decide to tell me that you had a crush on me the entire time. The entire time Eric! Why did it have to be right then Eric? Couldn't you have waited? Why did it have to be doing something so important? Please, just tell me why?" I yelled before staring at him expectantly. Of course all I got was mute silence. I groaned as I walked past him to meet the others outside. Joe, our drummer, Steve, our base guitarist, and Silver, the other lead singer and pianist. As soon as I stepped off the tour bus I immediately spotted Silver and ran over to her bursting into tears. She just rubbed my back and whispered soothing words until I calmed down. When I was calm enough I noticed the guys were staring at me with a mix of confusion and pity. I rolled my eyes and began to explain to them what happened just before the show.

"Noel, I'm sorry but I really don't get it. Why did that make you cry?" asked Steve.

"I'm with Steve. I've never seen you cry before. Like ever. Forgive me for saying, but you crying ain't a pretty sight." I looked at Steve and Joe understanding that their words were meant to cheer me up, but instead they were doing the opposite. I looked to Silver with pleading eyes. I knew she would understand to just give them the gist of the situation. It wasn't that I didn't trust them to know the full truth, I just knew that to a certain extent they couldn't handle it.

"You guys just don't get it. All throughout high school she was basically head over heels for him. I mean she was beyond sprung. I'm talking sideways glances and everything. Anyways, one time we were singing and their eyes connected and bam her voice shocks the entire audience. Well things sort of got kind of different after that. Their eyes connected a lot more than usual, but all they did were a simple hi to each other. Matter of fact all they did were wave to each other. No words, no sounds. It was kind of obvious that they liked each other, but we all knew she would never give him a chance. He basically dissed her freshman year. It was brutal. So yeah after all of that for him to bring back those emotions after she's been over it and him for awhile now kind of got to her."

I watched as they slowly nodded their heads in understanding. When they finally did they looked at me sympathetically. They didn't even know everything and they were giving me those kind of looks. I sighed as I slid down the side of the tour bus. I didn't want anymore sympathy. Wiping the tears from my eyes fed up with all the crying that was now being replaced with anger because I realized I would never truly be over it or him as Silver came and sat to the right side of me as Steve and Joe sat to my left. "Are you okay Noel?" she asked grabbing my hand.

"Silver I just want to know why. Why would he wait all of this time? Hell why now? Four fucking years Silver. He waited four years to tell me that he had a crush on me and that's not including the four years we were in school together. Besides when the hell did he learn how to play the damn guitar?" Silver started laughing as I looked at her with questioning eyes.

"I'm sorry." She said laughing, but trying hard not to.

"No, it's okay I want to know. What were you laughing at?"

"Remember when the guys brought him here and all we heard was the guitar playing. We got real excited to meet him. When we saw that it was just Eric...the way your face fell was hilarious." I laughed as the memory played in my head. That same day I remembered why I started liking him in the first place. It wasn't because of his looks, it never was. It was because he was so mysterious and I guess that's what intrigued me the most. For about five to ten minutes we chatted absentmindedly to get my mind off of things. It was barely working when he stepped off the bus and brought my attention and thoughts right back to him. Our history, our present and all possibilities of our future. As he walked past me his eyes connected with mines and he smirked. My heart fluttered like it did when we were back in school. Could've sworn I felt it skip multiple beats. I hit my head against the bus as Silver laughed.