Can You Keep A Secret?

Chapter Sixty

           

-Brooklyn's POV-

            "Are you busy Sunday?" I asked, staring up at the bunk above me.

            "I guess it depends," Stacey replied. "Do you have anything planned for that day?" She'd texted me sometime during the talking sesh, saying that she'd missed my call because she was out with her nan.

            The day had certainly been a rollercoaster of emotions, but I felt at peace, laying here on the phone with her.

            "Well, I mean, we get Sundays off, so if you wanna meet up or something..."

            "Is that Stacey?" Mikey called out from across the room. I turned over, ignoring him and facing the wall instead.

            "That'd be nice. I miss you," She said, and my heart fluttered.

            "I miss you too," I said, almost whispering, not wanting any of the other boys to listen in.

            "Brooklyn's talking to his girlfrienddd," Rye crooned anyways, and I gave him the middle finger before covering the microphone and saying, "Yes, I actually am, so can you all shut up, please?"

            I was greeted with a chorus of giggles. I sighed and went back to the call.

            "Sorry, I live with a bunch of dickwads," I apologized.

            "I'm sure they aren't that bad,' she said, and I could hear her adjusting her position. I tried to picture how she looked right now – Maybe sitting on her bed with her hair up and pajamas on...

            "Yeah, for the most part, they're okay. But sometimes they can be pretty annoying." I raised my voice on the last part to assure that they heard me. I was greeted with more laughter.

            "So, uhm, why did you call me earlier?" She asked, and I remembered how hopeless and broken I had felt then; filled with desperation for something, anything good. I'd gotten what I'd wished for now – Jack would be back on Thursday, and talking about everything seemed to alleviate most of the shit that we'd been feeling.

            We might tease each other, but I felt closer to these guys than anyone. We were more than a band, we were brothers, and I was grateful to have them.

            "It was nothing. I mean, it was something, but it doesn't matter anymore."

            "Are you sure?" She asked, and my heart swelled again.

            "I'm sure," I breathed out.

            "Okay," She said. "I'm getting a little tired now, so...night."

            "Night," I replied, not really wanting to hang up.

            "See you Sunday?"

            "See you Sunday," I smiled. "Five days."

            "I think it just turned midnight, so four days now," She giggled.

            "I l-like you a lot," I said, catching myself before I almost slipped up and said "I love you."

            "I like you a lot, too. I always have."

            "Sweet dreams, Stacey," I whispered.

            "Nanight Brooklyn," she said, and I was then surrounded with silence when she hung up. I smiled into the darkness, turning my phone off.

            After a few minutes, I knew that I wouldn't be able to sleep, even though I was exhausted, so I slipped out of bed and into the kitchen. I was preparing myself a cup of tea when Blair walked in, as well.

            "It's been a long day," He started, and I nodded. It felt like an entire lifetime had passed in only 24 hours.

            "So I'm going to cut to the chase," He continued. I paused what I was doing to hear what he had to say next.

            "Try not to get too serious with your girlfriend, okay? Things have been crazy around here lately, so we need to focus on making things right with the band and getting back on track. And we don't need you to be distracted by a girl." I closed my eyes, picturing her pulling my shirt off.

            "What do you mean?" I asked, a slight tremor in my voice. "What about Liv?"

            "I'm not saying you can't date her. Just, look out for yourself." He rested a hand on my shoulder, and I fought the urge to shake it back off. "I'm going to bed. You should get some sleep yourself."

            I nodded again, trying to calm myself and forget about the anger. But the truth was, I was mad. Did my happiness not matter at all? Were we expected to abandon any sort of a personal life at all for the sake of the band? Or was it just me? Andy hadn't gotten any punishment at all for literally running away, and Mikey was allowed to have his girlfriend live with us. I mean, I loved Liv, but I had every right to have a relationship of my own.

            I turned to leave the room before remembering why I came here in the first place – My tea. I poured it down the sink without even bothering to taste it. I knew that it wasn't good anymore.

            Stacey was the first good thing that I'd have for a while – I wasn't planning on letting her go that easily.