Almost A Decade // Ryden

Chapter Eight.

So, here I am .... attempting not to throw up from the nauseous feeling that is anchored in the pit of my stomach, and I am also waaaay too high to be dealing with any of this.

I finally come back to my brain, and the first thing out of my mouth is, "I'm sorry. Your boyfriend? Who is ...." I'm trying to play it off like I have no idea who she is to buy me more time to think of what I am going to say, but my sentence is cut off.

"Ryan Ross. My boyfriend, who ..." She holds up his phone at me and uses the other hand to scroll through texts between Ryan and I. "You've been texting, and apparently hanging out with .... and you called the other day and he just .... hung up on you? Why?"

Fuck. I don't even know why he hung up if we're being completely honest here.... "Can I just ask first, how the hell did you find where I live?"

She holds Ryan's phone up again, "well considering Ryan has been here multiple times over the last few weeks ... your address is in his phone."

Duh, Brendon. Idiot. "Look, Ry is an old band mate of mine. We stopped hanging out for awhile, we were at a mutual friend's house and decided it was time to put our feelings aside and be friends again ... that's all I really know. I can't answer why he's not telling you, that's a conversation for you and him." I step back to try and close the door, but Z puts her hand up on it, stopping it.

"I know who you are Brendon, and I know about Ryan being in your band ..... I have also read other things about the two of you and I just...."

"Stop." I raise my palm to her and lower my head shaking it, and laughing at what I know the next words out of her mouth were going to be. "Don't believe everything you read on the internet."

I closed the door, and sat back down in my chair. "Oooooh, it's Saturday night."

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I'm awakened the next morning by wet tongues all over my face. I open my eyes and see Penny and Bogart running wildly all over the bed, stopping every now and then to show me some love. "Hiiii guys! Did you miss dad??" I'm honestly so happy right now, I missed my pups so much. I just keep grabbing them and kissing all over them. I look up, and Sarah is in the doorway.

"Hi." She says, very short. She doesn't have any make up on, her hair isn't done and she looks like she's been in the same clothes for a week.

"Hey." I look back at the dogs, but continue talking to her, "I thought we discussed it wasn't the right time for you to come home."

"Well, fuck that Brendon. This is my house, too. I am allowed to be here ...."

I lie back down in frustration and run my hands through my hair. "That's not the point, Sarah..." I wasn't expecting to wake up to this, I just want to go back to bed and start over.

"What's the point then, Brendon? Huh? .... I'm gone so now you can live your bachelor fantasy again? Run around and do whatever the fuck you want, while I'm just sitting here waiting for you to return home to me?" She gets that shakiness in her voice, and I can almost hear her tears on the edge of her eyelids.

"My bachelor fantasy? What do you mean? Sarah, I love you. With my entire being, I love you more than anything. But right now, there is a lot going on." Fuck. Now my vision is clouded by warm tears welling up in my eyes. "I just need a clear head and I'm not getting that .... FROM ANYONE." I sit back up and shout the end of that sentence out of frustration.

My tears are now falling down my face, and I look over at Sarah now who doesn't seem to be sad anymore. Instead, I see concern plastered all over her.