I'm Broken and So Are You

Just In Time?

 The next day I woke up alone. That's usual for me but my surroundings were unfamiliar. I remembered I fell asleep in Phil's room last night. 'God my back is so sore..' I stretched, slowly getting up and my whole body ached something fierce. Must have been some night! I wonder where Phil went...

I put on my pajamas and acted natural as I opened the door into the rest of the studio. I expected to see nobody out there. But when I opened the door, there was Dimebag. "Uh hey. Good morning..." I said, confused as to why he had been standing in the hallway like this. "Morning." He replied, looking at me and then at the open door behind me. "How long have you been standing there? And uh who's watching the front?" He raised an eyebrow at me. "Long enough. Rex is watching the front." I nodded "So where's Phil?" Dimebag gestured towards the porch. "He's been up since 4. You got anything to do with that?" He seemed to know something was up between us. I wasn't going to admit to it. "No, Dime. I don't." I gave a simple answer, hoping he wouldn't question it. It was really nice of him to let me stay here and I get good vibes, I really do. But I don't know him at all. What would happen if he found out what Phil and I did last night? "If you say so Emily." Dimebag now stepped aside and allowed me to go through the narrow hallway. 'That was really strange...' I walked outside to the porch to find Phil sitting down on a worn-down, rustic bench with a table to match. He had a cigarette between his lips and seemed to be thinking really hard about something. "Hey Phil." I sat beside him. He put out his cigarette into the ashtray on the table "Mornin'." I looked behind me to see Dime standing by the window. Holy shit. "Phil?" He turned his attention to me. I tried to keep my voice down. "I think Dimebag knows what we did last night. He stood in the hallway this morning and is watching us from the window." Phil looked almost baffled. He shook his head in disbelief. "No, no I doubt that." "Why's he acting weird then?" I asked. Phil turned to look behind us as Dimebag turned around walking away from the window. "I don't know. Maybe he's jealous?" Phil smirked. I laughed. "You've gotta be kidding..." Phil shook his head. "I'm dead serious. He's been single for a while now and I think he's taken a liking to you, Em." For a minute, I freeze. I can't come up with a response to that without either making Phil jealous or annoyed. I almost agree with him but I don't want to believe it. Dime's a cool dude, don't get me wrong. But Phil would fucking kill me, or worse kill him. 'I suppose I'll just deal with this as it comes.' I nod my head and go back inside, where Rex is chilling on the couch having what I believe to be a cup of coffee. I raise an eyebrow at him. "What? I drink things other than alcohol." He tilts the cup, showing me the coffee. I laugh. "You sure there's so whiskey in there?" He rolls his eyes playfully. I grin and pass into the hallway. 'There really aren't many places to go here. And I shouldn't be hiding out in Phil's room. I don't think he'd dig that.'

Not but a few moments later, I ran into Dime. No, literally, I almost ran into him. "Oh shit, I'm so sorry..." I spit out, trying to collect myself. "It's all good." He pushes his hair back to the way it was and fixes his necklace. "Now that you're here though, can I ask you something?" Dimebag nodded. "Why were you standing outside Phil's room when I came out and standing at the window when we were chatting on the front porch?" Dimebag looked around for any other prying ears and stepped closer to me, leaning in. "I know what you and Phil did last night." Fucking hell. I took a step back but bumped into the wall. There's nowhere to go. "I am so sorry... he just.. we uhh.. I couldn't help it. Stuff just started happening and we couldn't stop..." I trailed off, trying to stop my voice from shaking. The stern look on his normally welcoming face makes me so anxious. Dimebag just nods. "I know how it is. But I need you to remember what I said. Be wary of Phil. He's my brother from another mother, but I don't want you hurt. Is that clear?" I gulp "Crystal..." He starts to back away from me but I have one last question. "But why do you care?" Dime looks back at me and there's a strange glint in his eyes. 'What the hell is that look? Jealousy? Desire?' "You'll know soon enough." With that he turns and walks into the living room to sit with Rex. I am left standing, back against the wall with my mouth agape 'What the fuck...'