Two Sides of the Same Story

3OH!3’s Follow Me Down played on my iPod; Almost Alice was a pretty damn good soundtrack. I was in the kitchen, alone since everyone else were at the other end of the bus doing God knows what. Bobbing my head to the beat I looked at my toes. Ah, House of Rebels was definitely in my list of favourite nail polish. Basically it was red, but was a sexy red. Looking at that colour makes me want to pull out some leather pants and stilettos. Ooh Mama.

“Val.”

I looked up hearing Zacky’s voice and smiled. But my smile quickly faded away and I pulled out the earphones, the music still playing, faintly.

Zacky looked so serious.

And pissed.

“Hey Zack,” I said more as a question than a greeting.

“Where is she?” Oh shit.

“What?” I asked, my laughter fake, “Who are you talking about?”

“The fucking tooth fairy,” he spat out. “You know damn well who I’m talking about.”

I kept up my happy, smiley front, still trying to play stupid despite the fact that the time for that long passed. “You gotta spell it out for me here.”

“You know where Loree is,” he stated and when I stayed quiet, he continued, “At first it never even occurred to me, you were just like the rest of us right? Pretending to miss Loree—.”

“Wait a fucking minute! I do miss Loree! How dare you fucking say otherwise!” I yelled, pissed off. Who the fuck did he think he was? Did he not understand how hard it was for me to do what I did? “She’s one of my best friends!”

“SHE’S THE ONLY WOMAN I LOVE!” Zacky screamed out, pain filling his once happy eyes, tears streaming down his cheeks. In anger and frustration, he took up the empty coffee mug and threw it at the wall. He fell to the ground. On his knees, he hung his head, his hands covering his face.

At the entrance to the kitchen I saw Matt and the rest of the guys as well as the girls, and as they all tried to rush in to where the two of us where, I raised my palm, halting them. I could hear Zacky whispering. “I miss her so much. I feel cold, empty and lost. You can’t imagine… this hurts so fucking badly. I need her. And you’re the only thing preventing me from seeing her.” He looked up at me. I saw it; the pain, anger, frustration, hate and confusion, through his eyes. The emptiness he spoke of was apparent, making his face look weary and aged.

I closed my eyes, tears falling. Loree, please forgive me, you’re one of my best friends but you should’ve known...you asked too much of me.

I looked at Zacky, then further to the guys, all piled at the doorway, looking confused, their questioning looks directed at me, pleading with me to make things clear.

I took a deep breath. Story time kiddies, gather ‘round.

“Alright guys, there’s something you should know,” I started, waiting as they all either took a seat or stood.

Then I spilled.

I watched their reactions to everything I said; watched as they soon understood why Loree left, watched as hurt kicked in. I knew the questions in their heads. Why didn’t Loree tell them her brother died? Why didn’t she tell us at least that she was leaving? Why couldn’t she understand, that we would understand? Why leave us in pieces?

When I stopped everyone was quiet. They were all crowded around me but the first person to speak, wasn’t even near me.

“Where is she?” Everyone turned to where Zacky was, in a corner, still on the floor. Instead of defeat, his eyes spoke of determination, wanting to make things right for Loree. It ached me to see him suffer through these past days the most. He was like a lost puppy that someone kept kicking down over and over. And I was glad to be the one to give him hope again.

“We all go together. As her friends, as her support, as the people she loves,” I said finally.