All Grown Up

Chapter 4

“Who was she?” The voice brought Matt back from his day dream. He looked into the mirror and Val was looking at him.

“Who was who?” Matt turned to look at her. She looked so composed, he knew she was mad, but she was not about to tell him.

“The girl you were sucking face with.” Her voice was dripping with poison.

“A friend,” Matt answered then looked at the clock. It was almost time to go on stage.

“Since when are we allowed to have friends? Someone could of seen you and taken a picture of you.” Her voice rose considerable.

“What does it matter?” Matt asked, picking up his hat and putting it on.

“I thought we weren’t going to tell people, I thought we were going to keep this private.” She was getting emotional, and if it was any other time, he would of wanted to comfort her but he wasn’t that guy anymore.

“Look the only reason, we didn’t tell people that we broke up is because they would of found out why. I thought I could protect you, and I did. But now it’s not worth it anymore. I don’t care if the world finds out,” Matt said getting ready to walk out the door, he opened it and there stood Brian.

“You can’t do this to me,” Val said sitting in the chair.

“I can’t do this for you,” Matt said and closed the door behind him.

“What was that about?” Brian asked.

“I’m done,” Matt said as he walked towards the stage.

“Good for you man.” Brian padded him on the back. They got behind the stage, from the corner Matt could see Jo and Sam. He still didn’t know what had made him kiss her. Her voice, the fact that she wasn’t all starry eyed was a new thing and he liked it. Besides she wasn’t bad on the eyes either.

Brian noticed that Matt was looking at the girls. “Back off man, Sam is mine.” Matt snapped out of his thoughts and a smile spread across his lips.

“Who said?” Matt challenged.

“I’ll fight you for her,” Brian said raising his fists in a defensive position.

“Ha, I’ll sit on you.” Matt laughed and went on stage. The crowd went wild.

“What’s up Toronto????” He yelled into the microphone. “Well, you seem happy to be here. Alright we’re going to start off with A little Piece of Heaven.”

Brian looked at Matt and smiled. I guess this was his message to Val. They were finally done. They played an awesome show. This was the best Matt had sung in over a year. They got off the stage, sweating bullets.

As they walked along the way, they met up with Sam. “Hey!” She said as she came closer. “That was awesome.”
“Why, thank you,” Brian said.

“Don’t let it go to your head,” Sam said. Then she met Matt’s gaze. “She left.”

“What? Why?” Matt asked.

“Someone sent her a note, through one of the roadies, she read it then folded it back up. She was here for a while after that but as soon as you finished the second last song she left,” Sam said, she was just as confused as Brian was, but the look on Matt’s face said he knew what had happened.

“Damn it.” He started walking away.

“Hey, where you going?” Brian yelled after him.

“I got something to do,” Matt yelled back. He was stomping his way to his dressing room. One thing he didn’t tolerate was lies, and he was sure the person responsible for Jo leaving was waiting in his dressing room where he had left her.

“What was that about?” Sam asked back where Matt had left them.

“I think this has something to do with Val. She saw them kissing earlier,” Brian said.

“Oh,” Sam whispered. Jo had not even mentioned the kiss, she had to analyze it in her head before she mentioned it to anyone. Let alone saying it out loud.

“Let’s go get something to eat,” Brian said grabbing Sam’s hand.

“Who said I want anything to eat?” Sam pulled back.

“Can you just indulge me for tonight? If you don’t like something tell me, but otherwise stop with the smart ass comments.” He sounded tired, so she gave in.

Matt entered the dressing room, and sure enough there sat, Val, doing her nails very casually. “Oh, how was the show?”

“Don’t fucking play games. What did you say to her?” Matt asked, his nostrils flaring as if fire would come out of them soon enough.

“Who?” She played the innocent card yet he had known her long enough to know she was conniving, and not innocent.

“Look, I want you out of here,” Matt said trying to get his temper under control.

“Ohh, you want to change. I’ll be back later.” She stood up and blew air on her nails. She got to the door.

“No, Val it’s over.” Matt’s voice rang through the room, it sounded defeated. He had loved her so much but she ruined everything.

“You can’t mean that.” Val didn’t move. She was frozen in her spot.

“I do it’s been over too long, now you need to understand that,” Matt said.

“But I’m sorry, how many times do I have to say that?” Val turned her eyes filled with tears. She took a step towards him, but he took a step back.

“It’s too late.”

“But…” She tried to say.

“No Val, I can’t take the blame any longer. I’m not the one that cheated, I’m not the one that slept with someone else. I fucking loved you and you let us fall apart,” Matt took off his hat, and turned to look in the mirror.

“We can start again. Please.” Val took another step towards Matt but when their eyes met she knew it was over.

“This is the end. There’s nothing left to say. I wasn’t enough for you when I gave you everything I could give you. So just go it’s over. You can still work on the tour, I can’t kick you off it. The band owes you too much. But we have to be civil around each other.” Matt sat down in the chair.

“But, you said you loved me and wanted to spend the rest of your life with me,” She was quietly sobbing.
“It’s too late. Times change. I’m over you.” Matt got a bottle of water twisted the top and ignored her as she let out a loud sob. Without saying anything she left the room. Leaving Matt alone.

A part of him had broken, but it was time. Making up and trying to keep something a secret for so long sucked. The only person who knew the whole time that they had broke up was Brian, and he didn’t even know the reason.

Then when Sam asked him, it felt like he was free telling her the truth. He was finally free. Now all he had to do was find a way to make it up to Jo, she was hurt, he knew, well he suspected that.

He flipped his phone open and sent Brian a text with his plan.