Love's Requiem

“You’re an asshole.” Bella told me coldly as she came in to the dressing room for the set list.

“Why? I was warming up my vocal chords. Was there a problem with my song selection?”

“I’m not even having this conversation, Niko did nothing to you just leave him alone. I don’t care if you give me shit just leave him alone.” Bella said before she stormed out of the room.

I was an asshole, but he had no right to be here, and why didn’t anyone even tell me until the morning he showed up.
I headed back to the bus for to find Jack so we could start drinking a bit before the show and say hi to some of the fans that were outside. Of course with my luck, as I opened the bus door a tall annoyed looking Croatian soccer player was leaving the bus.

“Can I ask you something?” I blurted out in the height of my angst.

“Yes?” He said as he came off the bus and I closed the door.

“Why her? Why I thought you had a wife?”

“We didn’t work out, and I can’t explain why Isabella it just happened.”

“Why do you want to marry her, and take her away from her life here?”

“I didn’t want to do that, she wanted to do that. I just wanted to make sure I could give her everything she needed.”

“I bet, you do realize what she’s doing don’t you?” I said in a cocky tone.

“What’s that?”

“Isn’t it obvious? She’s using you to replace and get over me. She doesn’t really want you;
you’re not her type anymore. I mean maybe then you were but now forget it. Do you even know anything about her now?”

“What’s amazing is you believe her exterior. Do me a favor and answer this, what was the real reason why she never wanted to go back to Zadar?”

“Cause of the war duh.” I replied smartly.

“What happened there?” He pressed, “If she really ever opened up to you, she would have
told you her past. And then maybe you’d realize she’s still a scared kid who grew up in a war.” He replied as he walked away heading in to the venue.

“Bravo! You’re officially the biggest douche I know!” Jack exclaimed as I walked on the bus.

“What are you talking about?”

“I heard everything!” He said shaking his head. “Why can’t you just be happy for her? You pushed her away enough that she got over you, just leave it alone now she’s happy.” He told me as he walked off the bus.

The next two days, I was sure Bella was waiting to get me alone and kick my ass because of what I had said to Niko. He however lived up to his reputation of being mister wonderful by still being nice to me in front of and not in front of Bella. By Friday Bella was taking Niko to the airport by herself, when she got back to the bus two hours later she looked upset. She had the same look she’d get whenever we had to leave to work on the record a year ago.

“Cheer up Bella look we got you a present.” Jack told her as she took off her coat.

“I don’t want a present, I’m fine.” She said in breaky voice as she pulled out something to drink from the fridge.

“But you’re really going to want this present!’ Jack pressed, “We stole Niko from the plane, Niko get out here!” He shouted, as Vinny came walking up front in Bella’s blue and gold jersey, gym shorts and had a beard drawn on his face probably done with her make up, and one of her thin headbands around his forehead.

“Hello,” Vinny said making his voice sound deep and with an accent.

“What is it with you thinking all Croatians sound Russian or Ukrainian?” She asked, laughing hysterically as Vinny sat on her lap.

“Come on baby, let’s go to the bunks so I can stuff your cabbage.” Vinny told her, making her cover her mouth, as she laughed harder.

She turned around and pushed him to the floor and said something in Croatian to him.

“Of course!” Vinny exclaimed looking completely clueless, following her in the back.

Three days later we were in Vegas, and I think every single one of us was ready to let loose and party. Bella still wanted absolutely nothing to do with me and made that very clear. The night after the show we went back to the hotel after the show. Despite us sharing a room,
Bella decided to get dressed in Jack and Vinny’s room.

“Where’s Bella?” Rian asked as Jack came downstairs by himself to the lobby while we were all waiting to hit up the casino and the bar.

“She was still getting ready, you know how she is.” Jack said shaking his head. “Five more minutes!” He said mocking Bella.

“Wow, it’s a shame she’s off the market.” Vinny gawked staring behind Jack.

“Who is-whoa.” Jack said turning around as I noticed they both were staring at Bella walking out from the elevators.

She looked amazing, she had her hair curled, and was wearing a short pink skirt and a black top and these heels that made her about Jack’s height as she stopped next to him.

“When in Vegas you go all out in Vegas. Do we not?” Bella said to Jack folding her arms.

“That we do, now I think I have to keep a close eye on you tonight. For Niko’s sake you know.” Vinny exclaimed hooking arms with Bella as we headed straight to the casino.

Bella played a few hands of Black Jack with Jack and I, every time I looked over at her she was finishing a drink, but still wasn’t even close to being drunk. By the time we hit the club that was downstairs, Vinny was gone Jack was almost gone Bella was slightly starting to get drunk and I wasn’t far behind.

“Look we need to talk.” Bella said yanking me in to a booth away from everyone while I was getting another drink.

“Fine.” I grumbled letting her pull me.

We sat and she did another shot of what looked like Tequila, before she looked at me.

“I’m marrying Niko, and I want to be friends with you.” She slurred at me.

“That won’t work.” I said shaking my head.

“Why not?”

“Because I love you Bella, and I’m sorry it took me forever to fucking tell you that I figured you’d know that!”

“Bullshit! You banged all those girls!”

“To make you jealous!”

“I hate you.” She said folding her arms.

“Then why are you talking to me still?”

“I don’t know!” She said looking frustrated. “Why do you have to be so complicated? Why couldn’t you have just made it better when I got back from Croatia last summer?”

“Because you fucked Niko incase you forgot.”

“You backstabbed me, call it even.” She said stealing my drink.

“How the fuck do you see it that way?”

“I just do.” She huffed, “I still hate you.”

“Why do you hate me?”

“Because-“ She began but I cut her off by kissing her.

About five minutes of making out she pulled away from me, looked at me for a second.

“Room now.” She said simply as we scrambled up and headed right for our room.