Can You Keep A Secret?

Chapter Seventy-One

       

-Brooklyn's POV-

            I wiped my eyes clean of any tears that had been lingering around and took a deep breath. It had been all that I could do to keep it together during our performance – It was like I could physically feel the presence of the angels of those who had died, and the entire day had been a very emotional experience.

            "You holding up okay?" I asked Liv, who was sitting alone with Mikey spoke to somebody else. She hid her face behind her sleeve.

            "I mean, like, mentally, I think I've finally calmed down. But I've felt a little ill all day."  I sat down beside her.

            "Hopefully it's just from the anxiety and you aren't getting sick or anything." She sighed and leaned against me.

            "Hopefully."

            The day has been rather cool, with the sky drizzling for only a few moments before going back to a cloudy grey, and eventually even the clouds drifted away – Just in time for the sunset. It was getting a little chilly now, and I guessed that the clouds had come back, because I couldn't find a single star in the sky.

            "Did you ever used to wish on stars when you were little?" I asked.

            "What do you mean, when I was little? I still do." I looked down to see her smiling up at me.

            "Oh. What would you wish for now?"

            "If I told you then it wouldn't come true, silly."

            "I forgot about that part," I said thoughtfully. "I don't think I'd wish for anything. I'm pretty content right now." I paused for a moment, thinking. "Except for, maybe, like, a hamburger. I haven't eaten in ages." Liv eyeballed me.

            "You ate a few hours ago."

            "Exactly. It's been ages." She rested a hand on my stomach.

            "Honestly, I've never met somebody who eats more than you." I leaned back, rubbing it.

            "My theory is that a tiny little gremlin lives in there."

            "Better not feed you after midnight, then," She laughed. I smiled, looking around the area, soaking in the happiness of people with the people that I loved.

            "Wait. Have you seen Jack anywhere?" I asked, just a little alarmed that I couldn't find him after my first look-through.

            "No I haven't seen him since after the show."

            "I better go find him, then. We'll probably be leaving soon. I'll be right back," I said, getting up and humming "After the Show" under my breath. After a few minutes of searching, I found him sitting beside the stage, legs curled up to his chest, face buried in his hands.

            "Jack?" I asked hesitantly, cautiously moving closer to him.

            He wiped his face, mumbling, "Hey, Brook."

            "What's wrong?" I asked, stuck in an awkward position, bent halfway because I was unsure whether I should sit down or keep standing. Noticing my dilemma, he patted the ground beside him. I plopped down next to him, waiting for him to speak. He took a couple of deep, shuddery breaths before opening his mouth again.

            "There's...There's another reason why I left the band. And by that I mean, like, an actual one."

            "What is it?" I asked, slightly starting to panic, wondering if us being a five again was only a temporary thing.

            'Don't worry, I'm not leaving again. I missed you guys too much." He gave me a halfhearted smile. "Just...Promise not to tell the others, okay? Only Blair knows so far."

            "I promise," I said, linking my pinky with his and feeling entirely uncertain of where this was going.

            "Over break..." He started before choking up, and I gave him the time that he needed before he was able to speak again. "I had a little cousin. Her name was Rosie, and...She was only two years old. And, she got sick, and..." He started to cry again, but he didn't need to finish the sentence for me to know what he meant. I could feel myself starting to tear up as well as I hugged him as best as I could while we were still sitting down.

            "I hardly got to get to know her, but I remember the day she was born, and the first time that I held her...She had this little tuff of blonde hair and the bluest eyes and the cutest laugh..." I could picture her in my mind as he described her, and a pang ran through my chest.

            "That was why my mum encouraged me to quit. To spend more time with the family. Because you never know when you're going to lose someone." I could feel the sadness coming off of him in waves. "But I couldn't bear to lose you guys, either. And that's what I came back."

            "Thank you for telling me," I said, feeling weighed down with every emotion that you could name.

            "Why did she have to die? She was so young." He said. I held him closer against me.       

            "I wish I knew."