They Can't Protect Me From Loving You

Brian hadn’t slept a wink. His mind had been racing for hours, worried about why Eloise had failed to answer any of his calls. His eyes were sore, stinging from being so tired. As usual he’d tried to call her after the show but there had been no answer. Every time he tried her cell it went straight through to voicemail. He’d left countless messages on their home answer machine. None of the other guys had slept much neither. They had all stayed up watching Brian getting more worried every time he failed to get an answer from her. Each of them had also rung their girlfriends hoping that one of them had seen or heard from Eloise.

None of them had replied positively though. After all four of them had explained where and when they’d last had any contact from Eloise, the guys had worked out that it was Gena who’d heard from her last. She’d spoken to her at lunchtime when Gena had cancelled their plans to meet up after work as a high paying client had needed an urgent appointment.

“Here dude, drink this.” Matt said placing a mug of steaming hot coffee on the table in front of him as he took his own mug and sat on the sofa opposite him.

“Where is she dude?” he asked quietly as he continued to stare at his silent cell phone.

He’d given up ringing her for the time being, telling himself that she may be trying to get through to him.

“I don’t know Bri.” Matt replied with a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Do you think she’s left me again?” Brian asked, glancing up to see Matt gently shake his head.

“No dude, she loves you, she hasn’t left you?” Zack said from where he was sat next to Matt.

“So where is she?” Brian yelled, glaring at Zack.

“I don’t know dude.” He said quietly.

“Have you tried her work?” Johnny asked from his position of leaning up against the small kitchen counter. Brian looked over at him and shook his head as he reached for his phone again and dialled the number for Hot Topic.

Billie was not over the moon as he returned to work after his two week vacation. He’d been expecting Eloise to have got there before him to open up, but not only had she not turned up for work, she wasn’t answering her cell neither. Actually it wasn’t even switched on. He’d been trying her home number as well, but again with no luck. It was either busy or rang through to the answer machine.

He’d been through the diary to make sure that he’d got her vacation days correct and had even checked with Jess to make sure.

“It’s not like her.” Billie said as again he got through to her answer machine.

“I know, but as I’ve said, she was fine and happy when she left here last night.” Just as the phone beside them began to ring.

“Good Morning Hot Topic.” Jess answered.

“Hey, it’s Brian, Eloise's boyfriend.”

“Oh, hey, so do you know where she is?” Jess replied.

“Shit, she hasn’t turned up there? I haven’t heard from her since she sent me a message as she was on her way home last night.” Brian replied disheartened.

“Sorry dude, I haven’t seen her since…” Jess began to explain as Billie turned to see Leana march up to the counter.

“You haven’t seen Eloise either I take it?” Billie asked.

“Is she with you?” Leana asked, ignoring his question.

“No, Leana, I haven’t seen her since I went on vacation. “ Billie defended.

“I saw you two kiss remember, so tell me has Eloise left Brian for you?” Leana replied in a loud, angry, yet calm voice.

“What? No!” Billie yelled.

“Is that Leana?” Brian asked Jess. She nodded at first but then realised he couldn’t see her.

“Yeah.” She answered simply.

“Did she just say she saw Eloise and Billie kiss?” he asked, everyone around him suddenly paying attention to the conversation.

“Yeah, she did.” Jess said quietly.

“Ok thanks.” He said quickly ending the call.

“I thought Eloise had explained. It was when I was drunk. I kissed her but she didn’t kiss back. She wouldn’t cheat on Brian. She loves him.” he explained. Leana let out an audible sigh.

“Yeah I know, I’m just running out of ideas of where she’s disappeared to. To be honest I was kinda hoping she was with you, when you hear the other possibilities that have been running through my mind.” Leana sighed deeply.

“Who was that?” Billie asked turning to face Jess as she put the receiver back.

“That was Brian.” she said letting out a sigh.

“Shit, did he hear that?” Leana asked her eyes widening as Jess nodded solemnly.

“Shit. I’ve gotta call Jimmy.” She said taking her phone out as she turned to leave.

“Well that’s it; she’s left me for him. They’ve been having an affair and Leana knew about it.” Brian said placing the phone back on the table in front of him.

“Did you know?” he asked suddenly looking up at Jimmy, whose jaw dropped open in shock.

“No man, she didn’t say anything to me about it!” he defended loudly as Brian continued to glare at him.

“Dude, what did he say?” Matt asked.

“I didn’t speak to him, but I heard Leana in the background saying that she’d seen him and Eloise kissing.” He retorted as Jimmy’s phone began to ring.

“Hey babe, yeah he’s pretty upset. Is she with him?” Jimmy asked as all eyes turned to him.

“No, she’s not; he hasn’t seen her since he left for his vacation. I was wrong. Jimmy let me speak to him.” Leana asked, panic in her voice. Jimmy looked up, over at Brian.

“Dude, she’s not with him; Talk to Leana.” He said holding out his phone. Brian shrugged his shoulders as he reached out to take the phone.

“Hey.” He said quietly to Leana.

“Hey, listen, I’m sorry you heard what you did, but you, well, both of us really, we got the wrong end of the stick. She’s not with Billie, “ she began before Brian cut her off.

“But they kissed?”

“No, well, he tried to kiss her, but she pushed him away. She love’s you Brian. She’d never cheat on you, never risk loosing you again.” Leana pleaded. Brian sighed deeply, running his free hand down his face.

“I know. But where is she Lea?” he asked desperate for an answer. Leana sighed on the other end of the receiver.

“I don’t know Hun, and I don’t want to think this let alone say it but….have you thought about Michelle?” Leana asked. Brian sighed again.

“Yeah, I have, I’ve been trying not to though. I think I’d rather find her cheating on me than think that Michelle has done something to her.” he replied rubbing his eyes.

“I know Hun, me too, but unfortunately, it’s a possibility. Maybe we should go to the police?”

“I think we might have to. God Lea, what am I going to do if –“

“Hey! Haner, that’s enough, she’s going to be ok. It takes a lot to break her, we don’t even know if it is Michelle who’s got her.” Leana yelled as Brian wiped tears off his tired face.

“Now, try and get some sleep, I’ll go to the cops and I’ll ring you later to let you know what they say.” She said sternly.

“Ok, thanks Lea.” Brian replied passing the phone back to Jimmy.

Slowly, Brian rested his elbows on the table and placed his head in his hands. Tears began to fall silently into his palms. Leana was right. He’d thought it himself but didn’t want to believe it. He would have preferred to have been told that she’d been cheating on him with Billie, but it was looking more likely that Michelle was the reason for Eloise disappearing.
Guilt racked his body. He’d promised her that she’d be safe, that Michelle wouldn’t be stupid enough to carry out her threats after the police getting involved. It was his fault. He should have stayed. Or maybe he’d been selfish at New Year. Maybe he should have listened to her and let her stay in Sacramento.

“Dude, it’s going to be ok.” Zack said quietly.

“Yeah, we’ll find her, you never know, she may be on a plane out to meet us.” Matt said optimistically. Brian raised his head and looked sceptically across at Matt.

“You’ve got to keep positive dude.” Matt said with half a smile.

“Yeah, I know, I’m going to try and get some sleep.” He said pushing himself up off the sofa, making his way slowly towards the door that led to the bunk area.

He stopped off in the small bathroom first and splashed cold water over his face. He then walked slowly to his bunk, heaving himself up and pulling the curtain closed. He lay on his back, staring up at the black ceiling where he’d tacked a small picture of Eloise and him together.

“I’m sorry baby.” He whispered quietly reaching up to touch her face as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“I’ll find you.” he whispered softly. He soon found his eyelids getting heavy and was soon in a deep sleep.