The Best You Ever Had

Remarkably Grown Up

I woke with the sun, a stabbing pain behind my eyes and forehead, and my mouth dry. I groaned and threw an arm across my face, blocking the light and counteracting the pressure coming from inside my head. Vodka always gave me the worst headache.

Holy shit. Vodka.

Brendon.

I slowly took my arm away from my face and turned my head, opening my eyes, fully expecting to see him on the other side of the bed, and internally cringed. It was a relief to see he was gone. I had no idea what I would have said to him. "Good morning, get out"? Probably that. I groaned.

"Morning," said a voice from the living area of the room.

Fuck.

I sat up, squinting as I leaned into a beam of light that the curtains let through.

He was tying his shoes. "Don't worry, I'm on my way out."

"Oh, um. Yeah." Stupid. What kind of thing was that to say?

"Yeah," he repeated.

"How's the elbow?" I asked, realizing I was completely uncovered, and drawing the sheet up to my chest.

"Better than my head. It's gonna be fine." He stood then, but made no other move.

We stayed that way, neither of us looking at the other for a few moments. I hadn't felt so awkward since high school. I slowly sank back against the pillows again, hiding, I suppose.

"Sorry I pissed you off last night," he said. "And I'm sorry about your boyfriend, really."

Goddammit, Brian. How could I have slept with Brendon while the wound on my heart was so fresh? Brendon and I didn't even get along. Did we?

"S'okay," I said, wishing I could sink further into the mattress.

"Get some more sleep. And some water. I'll see myself out," he said. And just like that he was gone.

I rolled over, curling around a pillow and breathing deeply. This was a mistake. The pillow I had reached for to cuddle still smelled like Brendon. I threw it over the side of the bed and pulled the covers over my head. I would have stayed buried like that all morning, but there was a knock on my door.

Huffing in frustration, I wrapped the sheet around myself and went to answer it, fully expecting Brendon to be on the other side, having forgotten his wallet or something. Instead, Jenny choked on her bottled water when I answered the door in nothing but linens.

"What?! Oh my god, Piper. Just...what?!"

I shushed her. "Keep it down, I have a massive headache."

"I was coming to ask why I saw Brendon fucking Urie leaving your room and you're in a sheet and what the fuck and where is Brian and just what the fuck?"

I ushered her into the room, kicking aside the rather impressive train of bedsheet I had trailing behind me. "Kill me."

She walked halfway into the room and turned on her heel to look at me again. "You gotta elaborate on that."

I looked at her, and the dam broke. I sobbed and walked over to her, putting my head on her shoulder.

She put her arms around me and stroked my bed head. "Yo, hey. Whatever it is, it'll be okay, yeah? Breathe and tell me what happened."

She led me to the couch and I curled up with my head on her lap while she let me cry. When I caught my breath, I started.

"Brian left me."

"What?!" She was genuinely shocked.

"There's somebody else. I don't know who. He came all the way out here just to dump me. Says he'll be moved out by the time I get home."