Hell To Pay

Shattered

In each days and shows, Chris feels more and more disconnected with Dave and Taylor. It seems like his time is finally over. He's like an enemy for them and this cold war sucks the life outta him. For him, it's clear that Dave see him as a reason Taylor and Sam broke up. When in fact, it's simply not true. But he can't tell the truth either, he thinks about Sam's decision not to ruin Dave and Taylor friendship. And he kinda get that because they're a very close friend. He doesn't want to do that even if it means he can't save his own ass.

"I quit." He goes to Nate as a start and Nate is extremely upset about it. "What? But Chris...."
"I feel like you guys have Pat to do the job so... And both Dave and Taylor seems not welcoming me..."
"I know you didn't mean to stab Taylor in the back. Somehow. I never believe you did that. Would you like to tell me what happened?"
"I just can't. Sam told me not to tell anyone about it. Sorry. It's for the best for me to just quit and..."
"Hey. I'm sure you're not romantically involved with her or something, and my guess it has something to do with you being her new close friend. But Chris, you need to fucking clear your name! Come on."
"No, I really don't want to ruin anything. Sam has been a good friend of mine, especially on my hardest time."
"Your hardest time? You mean when you broke up?"
"Yes. I really thought I could do something stupid that night but Sam is pretty much gave me a power to going through that time."
"Okay.... I respect your decision. I'll tell everyone that you're leaving. Is that okay?" Nate sighs, showing how much he hopes Chris will stay somehow. "That's fine. Thank you Nate." In the end, Nate really told Dave and Taylor about Chris leaving the band without another additional terms, just like what Chris wanted. But he doesn't want to give up easily, thinking that if Chris doing this for Sam. Sam needs to know, at least.

••••••

Chris is going home with all the disappointment that he brought from the band. He goes straight to his room and close the door. Leaving Sam who's eating her dinner with Josh kinda confused. "You see that?" Josh points out to her and she stop what she's doing. "I know. Just wait here, okay? I'll try to talk to him."

She walks to his door, trying to open it but it seems like he lock it. So she knocks, "Chris? Are you okay? If you need to talk with someone, I'm here. I'll tell Josh to leave us." She looks to Josh, asking him wether he's okay with that and he gives her a smile and leave the apartment.

"Chris? Can you please tell me what happened?"
"Umm.. I'm good. Just kinda feel dizzy." She knows it's a lie. Chris is barely go home with a frown even though he's sick or something. It's obviously a disappointment. It was drawn on his face when he enter his room. "Don't lie to me Chris. Come on, open up. At least, let me see you so I can help you."
"I need to sleep Sam. Can you leave me for a moment?" Doesn't matter how much she wants to help, he pushes her away. And that's her cue to step back. She can't force him to take her help. And just when she did that, her phone's ringing.

"Yes?"
"Hey, it's Nate. Please don't say to Chris that I call you. And please listen to me." He sounds serious and she feels the need to go out from the apartment to continue the call. "Hang on, I'll go out for a minute." She goes out, find a park near the building and sit on a bench.

"Still there Nate?"
"Yup."
"We can talk here. What's up?"
"Is Chris with you?" She kinda surprised to hear that from Nate. "No. I'm not. Why?"
"Just so you know, I know you guys live together...."
"Nate it's not...."
"I know. I believe there's nothing happen between you two. But not Dave and Taylor. They think you two have something. That Chris stabbed Taylor in the back. These days, they gave him a very hard time. With Pat who's also touring with us, Chris feels like he doesn't belong in the band anymore. He quit."
"Wait, what? How did they...."
"Don't cut me, okay? I know he's trying to do what you told him. I don't know what it is. But what I know, someone has to clear his name. I don't like when Dave and Taylor thinking that Chris is a fucking backstabber. When in fact, he isn't one. He's simply just trying to do what you told." Sam feels very bad about it. She's guilty for trying to save Taylor but not Chris. It's supposed to be Taylor's fault but Chris is the one who is stepping back just because he doesn't want to ruin Taylor and Dave's friendship. And she feel the need to clear things up. Once and for all. "Okay. I understand.. where can I meet you all?"
"Tonight, we will hang out together at Roxy. Be there at 11."
"I'll be there. Thanks Nate. And I'm so sorry for what happened. I'll make sure to clear things up with them and then maybe ask Chris to rejoin."
"Yeah. I appreciate that."

After she hang up the phone, he goes back to the apartment, seeing Chris just goes out from his room to get some water but then he quickly goes back to his room again. He looks miserable and she knows that how much he's sad to go, against his will.

••••••

Both Dave and Taylor is drinking and laughing, with Dave in particular. "Hey, is it because me that he quit? I feel like you guys ditched him when I join this tour." Pat take a sip and then looks at Dave. "No. It's because I probably gave him a hard time for being a backstabber to Taylor."
"No he's not." Nate is trying to defend Chris but he can't say anything more than that because he doesn't know the backstory. "Sure." Taylor says, with a smirks which pissed Nate off. "Oh, you want to say something Taylor? How about, rather than blaming Chris for living with Sam, tell me why Sam broke up with you? Can you do that?"
"Of course because of Chris!" Dave jumps into the heat on Taylor's side. "Oh, is it?" Nate looks at Taylor, he knows that he can say nothing about it. He must be got something that he can't say because he seemed like looking down. "Exactly. You can't tell, not because you don't know. You're fucking now but it might sounds bad. Right?"

Just when Nate is almost leave the table, Sam comes in and quickly stop him. "No one's gonna leaving this table. And no one's gonna cut my fucking words. You hear me?" She makes it clear that she doesn't come to play around and looks directly at Dave and Taylor.

"First, fuck you for giving Chris a hard time in the band just because we live together. It was a pure coincidence when I tried to find a place to live and I found this sharing apartment program. I didn't know it was him up until I moved in. It's not like I fuck him or something." Dave is about to open his mouth but she shut him up again. "Na ah. No one cut me. Remember?" She looks sharp to him. "Second, you can stand the fuck you want for Taylor, Dave. But Chris is my friend and no one's gonna sacrifice his position for my business. Not like this. I thought I will never have to say this, but it seems like the only thing that can save Chris's position in the band." She sighs, "I broke up with Taylor because he fucked Patricia in New Orleans. I fucking saw them in bed together. You were fucking wasted Dave. You know nothing. But you know what I think about someone that's cheating on me. I bet you understand. The problem is, he is your dearest best friend and it doesn't matter how much I hate him at that time, I don't want to ruin your friendship with him. I don't want you to see him differently. Turns out it wasn't a good decision. I saved him, but not Chris. What a jerk am I?" She manages to take a sip from Nate's glass before she continues.

"And the last, I'm dating someone now. Happily as I ever be. You don't need to worry about things happened between me and Chris. I love this guy, Chad knows him very well. And just....stop bothering me with these bullshit. You have to give Chris his position. I don't know wether he will agree to do that or not, but you guys need to fucking do that."

Nate, with a smirks on his face, can't believe what Sam just did. "Wow. Mic just dropped"