Don’t Forget To Take A Breath Before You Fall

“Right, well I have to go and perform now,” she said, rushing out of her dressing room. “When you’re done in here you guys can close the doors and turn off the lights.” Katherine rushed out of her own dressing room, leaving her brothers standing there. With nothing to do.

Joe sighed and plopped down onto Kat’s couch, spreading out as if he owned to whole place. “We should go watch her perform.” His voice was low as he stared at the flower pot that sat on the coffee table in front of him.

“We should really tell her how we feel – that’s what we should do.” Kevin spoke up; his arms were crossed tightly against his chest.

“Dude, you saw how happy she was just then…” Nick stated before Joe could respond to Kevin’s comment.

“I agree with Kev.” Joe finally interjected.

“Well I think we need to meet this guy and give him a fair chance.” Nick, always the sensible and considerate one.

“I don’t – I mean, look how much he has changed her…” Joe was interrupted by the vibrating of Kat’s phone on her dresser. All three sets of brown eyes eyed each other off.

Both Joe and Kevin wanted to see the message. Nick on the other hand wanted to protect Katherine’s privacy.

Each boy lunged for the phone, Joe and Kevin slammed into one another, allowing for Nicholas to grab the blackberry. He held it up above his head, as his brothers composed them selves, extended an arm for the mobile. “Give it here Nicholas.” Joe warned his younger brother.

“You two,” Nick pointed at them both, “Are way out of line.”

“Hand over the phone Nick.” Nick could tell that this was the final warning that Joe was going to give, and as if like clockwork, right as Nick shook his head, Joe pounced for the mobile, grabbing it in one foul swoop.

“Ah-huh.” He gasped, and watched as Nick regained his composure.

“Kat is going to find out, and you two are dead.” Nick warned as they scrolled through her message.

Damien.

Damien.

All of them were from him, including the one that was just received.

Hey Babe,
I miss you and I want you so bad.

“I WANT YOU SO BAD?” Joe’s voice was full of anger as he dropped the phone on the dresser and stomped out of the dressing room, a shocked Kevin and Nick on his heels.

“Joe, you can’t tell her you were going through her phone… maybe the message just means like – umm – maybe he just really misses her and misses seeing her.” Nick suggested, although it wasn’t exactly helping the situation.

All three of them knew that Katherine had changed enormously since she had met Damien, and this was the kind of thing they wanted to avoid.

The three of them came to a halt, as they watched their sister take a swing at some girl. “Kat?” Kevin was utterly in shock that his baby sister could or would do such a thing.

She turned around abruptly, holding right hand in her left, “Yes?” she asked as if oblivious to what had just happened.

“What happened here?” Kevin moved forward towards his sister, as Nick helped the girl on the ground up.

“I punched her.” She stated blatantly.

“We can see that Kat! But why?” Joe had moved forward now, taking his sisters hand and inspecting her knuckles, she pulled her hand away.

“She wouldn’t get out of my way… and she called me a whore.” Kat kissed her red knuckles tenderly.

“So you punched her? Jesus Christ, Kat.” Nick shook his head as the girls chuckled behind the siblings.

“Shut up! All of you.” Joe shot at the four girls, who seized their giggling immediately. “You shouldn’t even be here.” The girls nodded, and silently, they disappeared.

“I need to go perform.” Kat whispered, walking away from her brothers.

“We have to get through to her somehow.” Nick whispered, as they watched their sister walk away.

“Yeah… and I think I know just the way.”

Katherine preformed, and just like always, she had some fans who loved her, and the majority who didn’t. Slowly, she stepped of the stage and wished her brothers all the luck in the world, before taking a seat on the side of the stage next to her parents, watching as her brothers ascended from beneath the stage, catching the attention of thousands.

“How ya’ll doing tonight?” The sound of Joe’s voice caused the screaming girls to erupt in ecstasy. “Tonight, we wanna dedicate this song to a very special person in our lives. This person has had it rough lately, and I don’t think they really know how much they mean to us, we love this person with all our heart, so please… try not to push us away too far.”

The last sentence came out softer then the rest, and as the boys began to play Pushin’ Me Away, Joe smiled at his sister, hoping she knew that he was referring to her.