Let Me Perfect It

Chloe's POV

I've always found that the easiest time to forget my worries is the time I spend behind a drum set. If I focus on the rhythm of a song, on the music I have to play, I can completely let the troubles and stresses escape my mind.

The feeling, lately, hasn't been lasting long after the shows are out. After the party, after the call from Travis, I've constantly been stressed. I didn't want to give away what was happening to anyone, so I was focusing on closing myself off, staying away.

I didn't realize how short of a time that would work, though. We were in South Dakota now, a few days later. I didn't remember the name of the city we were playing in, unfortunately. The girls and I were walking around near the buses, getting some fresh air after a good show. I was headed towards our bus with Sophie, so she could go get a tea bag, when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I looked at the caller ID... Travis, of course. Despite what Josie had asked of me a few days before, I quickly said "I'll be right back," to Sophie and turned the opposite way, in the direction of a picnic table I'd seen earlier that day.

"Hello?" I said as I held my cell phone up to my ear.

"Hey," Travis's voice slurred with just the simple word.

"What's up?" I questioned sort of awkwardly. How was I supposed to talk to him, after what happened the other day?

"I want to see youuu," He whined into the phone. "I'm lonely..."

I almost felt bad for him. "You don't want to see me when you're sober..." I said quietly. "Not even when I am home."

"What are you talking about?" He snapped, getting angry quickly. Like always, when he was drunk. "That's not true at all!"

"Are you serious?" I sighed. "You wanting anything to do with me at all stopped a long time ago, Travis." I felt like I had to explain it to him... like he couldn't comprehend his own actions. "All you do anymore is drink and you expect me to just climb into bed with you."

I had to force myself not to get upset.

"Well, we've been dating for almost two years!" He snapped, although the words slurred horribly.

"I can't do this, Travis." I sighed. "Not now. I thought you would understand, from before, that I can't be with you anymore."

"What the hell?" He yelled. "You're fucking breaking up with me?"

"Yeah," I said, my voice growing confident. "I am."

"Fucking bitch," He growled, "Why the fuck are you breaking up with me? I'm all you've got!"

I could tell by the cocky tone in his voice, despite the slur, that he didn't believe me. He didn't think I'd be doing this.

"No, you're not." I said simply. "I've got my friends, my band. You know that," I said, my voice strong despite the tears now spilling from my eyes. "If anything, I'm all you've got," I said, my voice harsh, "I'm the only one you try to turn to when you're so fucking drunk you can hardly speak."

Travis didn't say anything for a moment, so I kept going.

"I'm not gonna be here anymore, Travis. Don't try to find a reason to call me; I'm not going to answer. I've had enough of this shit."

"You are such a fucking bitch," Travis said simply, "You'd better fucking watch out when you get back home." He said simply and after a moment the call ended.

Shit.

This is bad.

I turned my phone off before closing it and shoving it into my pocket. There were tears streaming down my face that I wouldn't be able to stop even if I was trying. I sat at the picnic table for a moment before standing and heading back towards the buses. I had to tell Sophie about this.

I realized there was going to be a problem when I ran into someone; I almost fell backwards and my sunglasses fell from my face. I watched them tumble onto the grass at my feet. "Shit," I heard the familiar voice say. "Chloe? Are you alright?"

It was Brendon. "I'm fine," I said quietly, not looking up towards his face. I cringed as I watched him take a step forward, hearing the plastic of my glasses crunch under his shoe. It was unavoidable now. He moved his foot back quickly, revealing the broken remains of my glasses, in pieces on the ground. I almost started crying more.

Slowly, I looked up at him. "Oh wow, I'm sorry." He mumbled, still looking at the plastic on the ground. "I need to pay attention to where I walk..."

"It's fine, I have more." I said simply. He finally looked towards my face.

"That's-" His words froze in his mouth, I could tell. He was staring at my eye, at the dark ring around it.

I didn't say anything for a moment, waiting to see his reaction. I noticed something in his face... like something behind his dark brown eyes had fallen into place. Like he'd had a puzzle set up, and seeing my eye put the last piece into place.

That couldn't be what happened, though... Nobody cared about me that much, especially Brendon. I just met the kid a few weeks ago, we'd hadn't even spoken that much. What was going on behind my glasses didn't worry him.

"What happened?" He finally asked.

"I... Um, I... walked into a," I stumbled over my words for a moment before letting out a long sigh. "Hell, who am I kidding?" I mumbled."A door couldn't have done this."

"You can't tell anyone, Brendon," I said after he didn't talk for a moment, "Once I get my other pair of glasses back on, you can't tell anyone..."

"Tell anyone what?" He said softly. "How'd this happen?"

"It's a long story," I said, looking down again. Did I want to tell him? I wasn't sure, and it was tearing me apart.

"You can tell me," He said; his voice was reassuring. "I won't tell anyone," He added quickly.

I sighed again. "Follow me," I said quickly, before turning on her heel and leading him back to the picnic table I was just leaving. "Do you really care?" I asked quietly.

He just looked at me for a moment, straight into my eyes, before he nodded. "Whatever you're going to say, you probably need to get it out anyways. It doesn't matter if I care or not, Chloe. Just talk. I'll listen, I'll be here. I do care." He said. His voice was full of sincerity.

I watched Brendon's face for a moment, his expression. Would he not want to be around me? Would he think of me differently, for letting Travis get away with this for so long? There was something about him, though, about his face, his look, that let me know that I'd be able to tell him. Even if I barely knew Brendon, I knew I could trust him.

"Everything started about a year ago," I began my story at the beginning. I told Brendon the best and the worst of my memories, fumbling through everything I could think to get out of my brain. I didn't try to hide my emotions, because Brendon was right. I needed this. Other than to the girls, I'd been holding everything inside; I never let myself get upset over anything that happened. After what felt like forever, I was finally finishing up my story. "And, I just broke up with him, over the phone," I said quietly, trying not to stutter or mess up my words, "And he told me to 'watch out' when I got back home. I'm scared as hell now, Brendon." I said, a tear rolling down my cheek.

I heard a sharp intake of breath followed by a deep sigh. "You've got to tell your band," He finally said, although he sounded unsure of what he was saying. "Sophie, or one of the girls that can help you... so when you get home, they can keep him away from you," His eyes shone with an emotion I figured was worry.

"Will you go with me, back to my bus?" I asked shyly. "Just to help me talk to Sophie if I get upset, and to block anyone from seeing my eye?"

"Of course," Brendon said, standing from the table. I did the same, and we headed towards One Last Request's tour bus in silence.