My Heart Says That I Just Can't Quit

"Hey, wake up," a gentle -- so not like Devin -- and deep voice called out to me while a hand stroked my arm just as tenderly.

My eyelids fluttered before fully opening and I woke to the thing I've always wanted to wake up next to: David. And for once, Kelly wasn't clinging to him.

I smiled in the darkness at his sideways face; it mirrored my happiness. After he'd straightened up, he held out that same hand and I gladly took it. You know how I knew I was in love; what that one moment just proved to me? I could feel the drool dried on the side of my mouth, speaking of which tasted horrible meaning I probably had morning breath despite the current lighting outside, and my hair… don't get me started on my hair. But in spite of all that, David could still genuinely smile at me, take my hand, and give me a hug right as I was stable enough to stand.

"Hey, David," I murmured into his shoulder, his scent intoxicating and thick on his jacket.

"We're at the show," he whispered back through the lips that were pressed against my hair. When he started to rock us a little I began to wonder; was I dreaming?

I pulled away from him slightly and tilted my head up to stare at him, question lacing my knit brows. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

His eyebrows weaved together too and his tone was wrought with confusion when he said, "What do you mean? I always greet you like this."

This time I actually let go, much to my dismay but I felt it was appropriate. "Um… No. Ever since Kelly walked into the picture all I get is a wave from across the room," I corrected, a billion different explanations swarming around in my head. That's when I jumped to this conclusion in a very shocked and high-pitched voice, "Did you two break up?"

He looked away all amused and shit and smirked. Looking back at me he said, "Well I'm sorry I've been ignoring you lately, but no, we're still together."

At the time I hadn't noticed how sad I looked, but then David did the unimaginable: he picked up my chin with one curled finger and lightly placed a long-awaited kiss on my lips. "I said I was sorry," he told me a second after. I only nodded because at that point I was still dazed and just about to faint.

"David," I whispered, my eyes still closed but my ears more alert than ever. Why wasn't Devin going crazy? Better yet, why wasn't Kelly? "Where is everyone?"

"Inside," he answered carelessly.

My eyes snapped open and so did my mouth, revealing a full set of endlessly joyful teeth. He actually took out the time to come out here and wake me up. I was getting my old David back!

He saw my reaction and continued to speak. "Yeah, we finished two songs and when you didn't come inside I thought you died, so here I am."

"You sang two songs without me," I whined, "Which ones?"

"'Future Love' and 'Complicated Girl'."

I frowned. "Well at least you didn't do 'Maybe this is Love' or 'Bad Habit' because those are my favorites… Wait a second. Wouldn't the fans notice that you're not on stage?"

He laughed. "No, it's intermission."

I nodded and paced around him toward the back entrance of the venue. David soon followed and rested an arm atop of my shoulders, a very casual gesture until he pulled me into his side and kissed the top of my head. It's not that I didn't appreciate his affection, but I was suspicious that something was up.

Once we reached the door he retrieved his arm and held it open for me. When I went inside Devin was sitting on a stool that was in perfect view of the stage where the rest of the guys were talking with the fans while something was going on deeper backstage. Kelly was nowhere in sight. Now I knew there was definitely something up.

I spun around and David was adjusting his hair in the full length mirror that was placed next to a table that had a microphone on it. He reached for it, but I stopped him by putting my hand on top of it. "David, where's Kelly?"

He shifted his gaze toward me, then my hand, then me again, and tilted his head in this incredibly adorable and irresistible way, chuckling softly to himself. He rested his hand on top of mine then and said in such a way I felt lightheaded again, "Why're you so worried about her?"

I was about to answer, however he took me in his arms right then and planted one right on my lips. This was really getting out of hand and very unbelievable. It went on longer than an "I love you like a friend" kiss. That kiss was more like "I have very strong feelings for you and I won't take 'no' for an answer." When we departed he smiled, grabbed his mic, and jogged back on stage.

"What-- Was that?" Devin asked incredulously, my back still facing her since I hadn't moved since David let me go.

"I honestly have no idea," I answered still afraid to even move as if in the case that I did, somehow this wonderful dream would disappear, "but I like it. I like it a lot."

"You know… I guess you're in a love triangle now," Devin exclaimed happily, running towards me and giving me a squeeze, "Welcome to the club!"

I stared at her. No expression, just blank as if my soul left my body. "I'm a hypocrite," I stated in monotone.

Devin's grinned widened. "Yes you are."

"But I love him," I shrugged, still as blank as an empty canvas.

"I love Thomas," she said, bringing up her own love triangle.

I came back to life then and glared at her. "Yeah, and you love Jayk too."

"No I don't," she argued, disgusted at the proposed notion.

I just stared at her at that point.

"Okay, I get it. You just don't give up," she caved, "I'll break up with him tomorrow--"

"Today," I ordered.

She rolled her eyes. "Today; but on one condition: Thomas and Jayk will never know," she proposed, sticking out her pinky at me.

I eyed it knowing I'd regret shaking pinkies, but in spite of my suspicion I entwined mine with hers and we shook. However, before I let go I very quickly added, "The moment he gets off the stage you're doing it."

She let go as if my pinky had suddenly burst into flames and jumped away from me. "You can't do that! That doesn't count!"

"You swore on your pinky."

Her hand clenched up in a fist. "You can't just say last minutes stuff!"

"Our pinkies were locked," I reminded her with a smirk.

"That's not fair!"

"It's not fair to him either!"

Devin's lower lip puckered out and she slouched more than usual. "You're no fun when you go all 'justice and fairness'."

On stage the music to "Zero" just faded out and the boys were going into position for their next song from the circle they'd formed at the end. The familiar sound of "Maybe this is Love" immediately filled the silence and soon all the David fans were squealing as he recited the intro to the track.

Yeah… (Just can't get enough) Whoa-oh… Oh-ho… (Just can't get enough)

"Stop screaming it hurts!" Devin complained, cupping her hands to her ears.

Oh, did I mention I was one of those fans?

"Sorry," I told her, detaching myself from the rest of the preteens in the audience, "Can't help myself."

- - -

She's lookin'… She's lookin'… She's lookin'…

As the end of "Lookin' for Love (in the Club)" repeated in the background, the guys were already backstage with Devin and me. Well, it was just me for now because she'd already pulled Jayk aside. Maybe that wasn't such a good idea because they were supposed to go to a meet and greet in a few, but I guess Jayk will have to get over it for the fans' sake.

"Hey, do you know what they're talking about?" Thomas asked, surprising me because I was too fixated on David at the time. It was amazing, no Kelly in sight. I can't even remember a time I'd seen him without her anymore. Not to mention he was all sweaty from the show; just lounging by the mini-fridge made him look like a god.

Reluctantly, I tore my eyes away from him and set them on Thomas; extremely hot, but definitely not David. "Uh… Not a clue. Why?" I lied.

He leaned back and looked around the general direction they were in. "Well, I'd like to know what my girlfriend is doing with one of my friends alone, not to mention her ex-boyfriend."

I slowly bobbed my head up and down. "Didn't know you were an item," I lied again, trying to distract him.

Thomas focused on me again. "Yeah, we are," he smiled and then looked over my shoulder before walking away. "Better look out."

"Better look out?" I echoed in wonder, but my questions were answered when a pair of warm lips pressed against my cheek and two arms snaked around my waist. "Hey David," I said, smiling as I embraced his warmth.

He rested his head on my shoulder and angled himself so that his breath raised the hairs on the back of my neck every time he exhaled. "How do you think I did out there, beautiful?"

I fought the twitch in the already raised corners of my mouth and replied, "Amazing, like everything you do."

On my shoulder, I felt his cheek rise and he said, "I was thinking about you the whole time."

I twisted in his arms to face him and pecked him lightly on the forehead. "You're so sweet." Then something started to nag at me, so I had to ask the most annoying, inevitable, killjoy question I could at the moment: "Where's Kelly?"

To my shock and delight, he didn't let go, but held me tighter. "Why do you always bring her up?" he whined playfully into the crook of my neck.

I was about to answer, but then something stirred up from the depths of the deeper part of the backstage and came charging at me.

"What the fuck are you doing, you-- You-- WHORE!"

She ripped me away from him faster than a cheetah pounces at its prey and also a good chunk of my hair. Before I'd even regained my balance she'd already replaced me in David's arms and he looked uncomfortable to hold her like he did me. This made me smirk despite the embarrassing fiasco that just went down.

I tried to act civil toward her when I answered her. "I was just hugging my best friend. I mean, I've known him forever. Besides, where were you anyway?"

Her eyes were narrow slits and she almost looked like she was going to pounce again if it wasn't for the handfuls of David's shirt she was clutching. "I got motion sickness on the way here so I was resting in the green room," she snarled at me.

I put on an exaggerated look of concern and touched a palm to her shoulder. "I'm sorry you had to miss this incredible show. I hope you're feeling better."

Kelly yanked herself out of my grip and flipped her hair. "Obviously I'm feeling better."

Fortunately her attention was drawn away from me by another distraction coming from where she had come.

"How could you even think about doing that to me," Jayk screamed, stomping his way toward the back exit. "Obviously I meant nothing to you! I should have known a slut like you wouldn't be satisfied with just me, you had to bring Thomas into this!"

Devin was chasing after him. "Don't call me a slut! You've had your times too, dammit!"

He stopped all of a sudden and spun around, his eyes burning a frightening red as they stared deep into Devin's green ones. "Yes, and I've told you about them because I felt guilty because I loved you! Plus, it's not like a cheated with Charlie!"

I shuddered. Yeah, like he'd even be able to woo me enough for that.

"She's already getting David to cheat on me!" Kelly shrieked.

Jayk shifted his gaze to Kelly then me, clearly misunderstanding her words. His hand shot out toward David. "David too?" he shouted.

Devin -- too angry to yell back -- just let her jaw drop. "Actually, that was me," I corrected in a tiny voice.

He just shook his head and started back toward the door. "Whatever, I'm over it," he stated in a disturbingly calm tenor right as he left the building. When I looked back over at Devin, tears were spilling down her cheeks.

Thomas was at her side in a second, but I continued to pursue her because I already knew what he was going to say to her. "How could you?" was the only thing that came from Thomas's mouth; hurt, betrayed, and sullen to the core. What really got her weren't his words or even Jayk for that matter, but just for the sole reason of the fact that I was right. That's why when I reached out to comfort her, she ran away just like the other two had.