Always and Forever

The pressure was building up with the fast approach of exams. I didn’t want to go to university but I was still expected a good score.

I sat and my desk tapping my grey lead on the paper, rereading the maths problem for the fourteenth time. I didn’t hate maths, in fact, I quite liked the subject but this question was really hard and I had a headache from last night.

Last night was Anna’s birthday; so of course, she threw a massive party where I spent most of the time turning down offers to go upstairs and prying Aaron’s hands from my hips. I didn’t drink...much, probably just a couple of drinks but this morning I woke up with a splitting headache.

I sighed, turning over the page, looking for the worked answer when Brendon rolled (literally, rolled) through my window.

“Can you keep it down?” I hissed then immediately wrapping my arms around my head and whining loudly.

“I’m guessing you had a good time last night?”

“Do you have to speak so loud?”

He laughed and pecked me lightly on the cheek “Is this your first hangover?”

“I’m not hung over.”

“Sure you’re not” Brendon smirked jumping over to the bed and turning the TV on.

“Brendon, I’m trying to study here” I sighed.

“You can’t study with a hangover” Brendon shrugged flipping around the stations “You know
what tomorrow is?”

“Sunday?”

“Yeah...are you doing anything on that special Sunday?” Brendon asked.

“Yeah, I’ve got a party at Jess’s.”

“Well, you’re gonna have to cancel” Brendon said simply.

“What’s it now” I sighed haphazardly.

“Hmm, I don’t know Holly? Maybe our six month anniversary” Brendon tried to stop himself from getting annoyed “What am I the chick in this relationship?”

“Well sorry that I’ve got a life” I rolled my eyes.

Brendon laughed “Yeah, sorry your life is so busy that you forget about you own boyfriend.”

I sighed “I don’t forget about you Bren” I tried to focus on my maths.

“But you forget about our anniversary!” Brendon said sounding shocked.

“Brendon, I really can’t be bothered with this right now okay, I’ve got an exam on Monday.”

Brendon stood up, a confused glare across his face “Can you just give the bitchiness a break for a while, it's really pissing me off.”

I rolled my eyes as he left, looking confused and slightly hurt. Usually I would’ve felt guilty, but to be honest, I didn’t care. I knew he’d be back in half an hour.

I was right. He came back in about an hour with a bouquet of white roses in hand and a solemn expression on his face.

“Sorry babe, I know you’re really stressed” he said after he had entered through the window.

I nodded and walked up to him wrapping my arms around him.

“I’m really sorry” he continued to whisper in my ear “I know you’re stressed but please come over tomorrow, okay.”

I nodded and pecked him on the lips “okay.”

---

I slipped into a nice polka dotted dress, eight inch high stilettos and spent over an hour curling and layering my dark gold hair in a twist on my head making sure that there were a few stray strands framing my face. I wasn’t going to be caught out underdressed again.

I arrived at Brendon’s house where he answered the door in an old pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He smiled when he saw me “Thanks for coming” he pecked me lightly “happy anniversary.”

I smiled back at him “Happy anniversary to you too baby. So where are we going today?”

“Um...here, everyone’s over.”

I walked inside to find all Brendon’s friends littered all over the house drinking and...taking up me and Brendon’s space. I couldn’t help but be annoyed. I had gotten all dressed up for him, for our anniversary and he just invited some friends over. This was our day, not everyone else’s and pissed off didn’t even begin to explain how I felt, I was furious.

“Babe, are you alright?” Brendon asked after I had finished doing my rounds of hellos and fake smiles.

“Peachy” I said shortly and grabbing another bottle of beer for myself.

“Holly, you’ve woken up with a hangover, drinking more won’t help you at all.”

I rolled my eyes “I didn’t have a hangover,” my words came out harsher than intended.

Brendon grabbed onto my arm and dragged me upstairs to his room, slamming the door hard behind him.

“Can I do anything right in your books? Anything at all!” Brendon yelled.

“It’s ju-”

“What? What is it because I’m trying my fucking hardest here and it just doesn’t seem to be good enough for you! I’m trying my hardest hear okay? I don’t see you putting in this effort in, in fact, all I fucking see you doing is complaining and being a fucking bitch to me. I don’t know what I’ve done over this month to piss you off but fuck, just stop being such a bitch and tell me now!”

“This is meant to be our day!” I cried “It’s our anniversary for god sake, I thought you were going to do something nice like the restaurant, I don’t wear heals this painful because I enjoy the feeling of my feet being crush you k-“

“Last time we went to the restaurant and you got pissed, this time I do something low key and you still crack the shits with me! I’m not a fucking mind reader Holly!”

“Hell Brendon I know that but today is a-”

Brendon sighed cutting me off “just save it Holly, I really can’t be bothered doing this right now.”

I stayed in Brendon’s room long after he had left, crying. It was like we were no longer a couple anymore. We were two people who were way out of sync, trying to make something impossible work. And as much as I didn’t want to admit it, we were failing apart.