Hope Begins to Fade

Hope Begins to Fade Ch. 25- Starts with Goodbye

Brian’s POV

I breathed in the cigarette; smoke filling my lungs. I stood, watching the guys get the tour bus. The girls’ had gotten stuff and Val was now loading it. Usually this was a fun time, not it’s just stressful and a reminder that she may not come.

“Gates! Come here!” Johnny called. I walked over. “Look!” he poked the comforter of one of the beds. “Nice bunks!” he grinned. I nodded, looking around the familiar bus. “Aw, come on, dude! I’m sure she’s packing right now!”

“Well, Christ, I hope you’re right!” I sighed.

Scar’s POV

I walked through the aisle’s at the supermarket. I had taken a shower after my little breakdown and suddenly wanted something to do. So I decided to go to the grocery store. I couldn’t decide what to do about the tour and I needed some food. For some reason I had a taste for Goldfish!! (I loved those things)

I put a box in my basket along with some Pringles and grabbed a travel-sized bottle of my shampoo from the other aisle; just in case. Tilting Brian’s fedora over my head more, I paid and walked out in the sunny day to my car.

“Well, hello there.” He said; my breath caught. Drake. He grabbed my wrist. “Aw, come on! I just wanna talk.” I made no eye contact, no struggle. “So, they’re goin on tour soon. You planning on goin with ‘em?” I shook my head nervously. “Good. Don’t. You’ll stay here with me now, right? Like the good old times!”

Images of my dream flashed through my mind; Brian lay bloody on the cement, the cool air causing the blood to seep to the grass which, too, lie dying.

“No!” I swing my heavy purse at him, hitting him clear in the nose then, when he jerked back from that, I kicked him as hard as possible in the balls. I took off, sprinting to the car and locking the doors while sticking he key in the ignition swiftly. I backed out, pulling past him as he hobbled to his truck. I dialed Brian’s number, pulling onto the street.

Was he following me!? The call went straight to voicemail.

“Brian!! I need your help! Drake’s after me! Please help!” my heart pounded so loud; almost as if the bass to a song pounded in my ears. I dialed Matt; no answer. Johnny; no answer. Zacky, Jimmy, Val; no answer. I was losing all hope and I feared he was behind me. Then, my phone rang. Jaz. “Oh my God! Jaz! You gotta help me! Drake’s after me!!” I screamed.

“What!? No!!” she screamed.

“Where are you?”

“Work. There’s thousands of people here!” her voice rang. I had been driving so fast that I was in the driveway. “Go inside!” I turned the car off, grabbed my purse and food, and sprinted to the house, unlocking the door. Good sign; no Drake. “Does he know where they live?”

“I don’t think so.” I locked the door, checking the windows and other doors. “I lost him on the road. I was going so fast.”

“Did you call the guys?”

“Yeah. Val too. Left a message on all their phones.” I opened the bag of Goldfish, stuffing some in my mouth uneasily.

“So you’re safe?”

“For now.” I said, Goldfish slurring my words.

“Ok. I’ll keep trying the guys. You stay inside away from doors and windows.” She instructed. At her words, I dropped against the counter after noticing a window right in front of me. “Love you.”

“Love you too. Bye.” I slid the phone in my pocket, tears of fear rolling down my face. I slowly stood, contemplating my plan.

Brian’s POV

I tapped lightly on my phone as the guys finished. I had no signal. I couldn’t wait till we got out of here; I was waiting to call Scar; I’d been contemplating what to say and I finally figured it out.

“Here we go!! Back home!” Jimmy called. This was it; we’d all packed before. We had everything on the bus already. Except Jaz’s things and hopefully Scar’s. Jaz had this thought that Scar would say yes so she packed when we did. We now had to swing by the Digo and pick her up from work then go home, get her stuff, see if Scar were coming, and go.

We pulled into Digo’s lot and Jaz climbed in, amazed by the inside; as we all were the first time we’d been in here. “Oh, Brian, did you check your voicemail? All of you should Scar was in trouble.”

We all pulled out our phones, calling voicemail. “Brian! I need your help! Drake’s after me! Please help!!” she screamed in the recording. I dialed her number. She answered on the second ring.

“Hey!!”

“Scar! Oh my God, baby! I’m sorry; I didn’t have signal. Are you ok?”

“Yeah. Fine now. Drake confronted me when I was at the supermarket.” She sounded out of breath.

“Well at least you’re ok.” I sighed, relieved. “What were you doing there?”

“Wanted Goldfish and Pringles.” She breathed.

I laughed. “Only you. But what’s up with your breathing?”

She paused. “Nothing. Now, you’re getting the bus?”

“We have it. We’re on our way home for a stop then…-” she cut me off.

“Oh, sorry. Gotta go. See ya soon. Love you! Bye.” She hung up.

I closed my phone and had to explain what happened to everyone.

Soon, we were home.