Something That Makes Me Whole

Orchid POV

2 months later...

I juggled getting my room key from my pocket as I held the phone to my ear and let Felix and the heavies deal with my luggage. Finally the call cut in and I heard Brian's voice answer. I bit down on my bottom lip, smiling just to hear him. "Hey Baby." He said coolly, as if trying not to sound upset.

"Hey." I finally replied as I walked down the corridor to the elevators, thankful that heels didn't click on carpet. "What's up?"

"Nothing." I imagined him shrugging when he said that.

"Brian." I frowned, even though he couldn't see it. "I know there's something wrong."

He sighed. "I miss you, is all." I closed my eyes as I leaned up the wall of the elevator. "I wish you were here."

"I wish I could be there too." I replied quietly.

"You're too far away." His voice sounded like it might break at any moment. "You should be here, curled up on the sofa, falling asleep in my arms. I want to be the last thing you see at night and the first thing in the morning. I want to be able to kiss you before you go to bed and when you wake up but I can't. And the worst part?"

"I'm in LA." It wasn't a question, a guess at his own. It was me stating a fact.

"Exactly. I'm scared something will happen Baby." Then he sighed, as we stepped out of the elevator and into the hotel foyer. I went over to a set of deep leather couches whilst Felix talked to the guy at the desk. I didn't sit down, I was far too antsy for that so I stayed standing. "Plus you're not even here for my birthday, so I don't even get a birthday kiss."

In my head I imagined his pout as he said that and I just wanted to kiss it there and then. Bit impossible though considering I was in the Hilton in LA and he was on the sofa at home in Huntington Beach. "I'm so sorry about that, I really am." I tried to apologise. "As soon as I get home I'll do anything to make it up to you, I swear."

"You don't have to do that, just so long as you call me at some point tomorrow. I don't care what time, just call me." He replied as I looked up to see Felix walking my way, obviously everything having been sorted now. "Anyway, I'm gonna have to go now, I've gotta be up early in the morning. I'll call you at lunch tomorrow, if I'm not whisked off for no reason again."

"Okay Baby, I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Speak to you tomorrow." The way he kept talking was like he was trying in earnest to prolong the moment in which one of us would drop the call first and cut ourselves off from one another until the next time.

"You will do. Bye."

"Bye."

At that I dropped the call before he could say something else that would keeping me hanging on for his voice. I chewed my lip and solemnly put the phone into my handbag, Felix giving me a sympathetic smile and rubbing my back a little. I just walked away from him, still angry with him for making me come for the stupid fashion week when I wasn't even in any of the catwalk shows and not letting Brian come too.

Once in the car, Felix in the shotgun seat with one of my heavies driving and me and the other in the back, I pulled off my shoes, turning so that I could put my legs up onto the seat, then leaned my head up the back rest and let myself drift off to sleep until we reached Huntington.

***

The following day I peeled myself off the sumptuous cushions of the hotel room sofa, having just put on my brand new $495 metallic leather platform Jimmy Choo's with my tight dark blue jeans and the brightly coloured spaghetti strap top, I went over to the mirror to check my hair and make-up.

I'd never realised just how dark my hair was naturally; I mean, it's not so dark it's black type of thing, but it was a pretty dark shade of brown. Either way I was keeping it because Brian liked it; plus it was much longer now, a length I didn't ever consider having my hair in the past, and it suited me. Not that short blonde, black and purple didn't, but I felt...classier, more grown up with my hair in it's natural colour.

The natural waves of it bounced around my shoulder blades, yet my bangs sat flat and feathered over my right eye like I meant them to. I smiled, after slicking on some lip gloss that made my lips shine in the sunlight coming into the room. When I was satisfied (it really didn't take much to convince me anymore, and all because of Brian) I turned to Sarah who was sitting on the couch waiting for me to be ready.

We went out the room and down to the ground floor foyer where I checked out and followed her to her car. Thankfully Felix had kept my stuff in my car and all I'd taken up to the hotel room was one bag with a fresh set of clothes for today and my essentials.

After a ten minute drive we arrived at the house the rest of the guys were now sharing, except for Johnny, having all finally dropped out of college themselves. Well, they waited till the end of the year and decided not to go back for another since they wanted to be serious about the band.

I stepped into the house to see, surprise surprise, a whole host of alcohol on the coffee table and taking up most of the work surfaces in the kitchen. Though there was, for every bottle of beer I saw, a bottle of coke which would be for Amber, the kids in Brian's family and those nominated to drive home.

They all greeted me and I noticed that Zack and Amber weren't there. Then Sarah informed they were the ones keeping Brian busy whilst they set everything up. The rest of the guests then turned up, before I found herself being ushered out into the garden. I hated waiting, especially since I could hear everybody yelling happy birthday. I gave it a few more minutes, then, before calling.

It rang a few times before he answered and I heard people 'shushing' others, almost as if it was on speaker phone. "Happy birthday!" I grinned.

"Thanks Baby." He sounded like he was grinning too.

"Having a good day?"

"Not as good than as if you were here."

"Aww, I really am sorry about that." I said putting on the same hurt voice as the night before. "I give you licence to hurt Felix when I get home for this. If there is anything left after me."

Brian laughed and I smiled. "What are you up to then?" He then asked.

"I'm in my hotel room waiting for Felix to come back with coffee wherever it is he's gone to get some since there isn't any here."

"Mm, you and your coffee hey."

"Shut up." I grinned. "What are you up to yourself?"

"Erm well, I'm at my own birthday party which I had no idea about."

"Aww, I wish I could be there." In the room with you instead of outside to the right of the kitchen window.

"I wish you could be here." He replied. "Anyway, I best let you get back to your coffee and go back to my own party because Johnny's gonna start the beer now if I don't hurry up."

"Oh okay then." I said my voice going quieter. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Bye." We both said and put the phone down. I shoved my phone into my bag and chewed my bottom lip excitedly. After a few minutes the sliding doors opened and Sarah gestured for me to come back inside. I put my handbag down under the table where I saw others and followed her into the silent living room where Brian was stood with a blindfold over his eyes.

I stepped over to him carefully, watching the grins of his friends and family as they watched. "Can I look yet?" He asked, turning slightly.

Brian's mom nodded to me so I cupped his face in my hands, turning it back towards me as I stepped closer and pressed my lips against his, instantly feeling him smile into the kiss as his arms made their way around me pulling me much closer to him and I pulled off the blindfold. "I know that kiss anywhere." He said against my lips and I heard people laugh as I pressed back more firmly.

Just as I felt his tongue brush over my lip I decided to pull away, remembering there were children present. "I guess you got your birthday kiss after all." I simply grinned.

"You sneaky bitch." He smiled, loosening his grip as people around us started getting into the party. "You sounded so genuinely upset that you weren't gonna be here, on the phone."

I smiled at him and hugged him tightly. "You really think I was gonna miss the love of my life's birthday?"

Brian just smiled and hugged me some more before some family member of his decided they wanted us to have a photo taken 'to remember the year you actually have a girlfriend on your birthday, Brian, rather than just a fuck buddy', his own words exactly as he positioned us before beckoning Amber over.

That was pretty much how the night went. Brian didn't let me go and everybody wanted to take photographs of us. Not that I really cared; it meant that his family recognized the fact we were together and I was, technically speaking, family myself.

As the night progressed our friends steadily moved into more drunken states, as did Brian's brother and several members of his family. Amber was taken back to his parents when they left since she had been falling asleep in her dads arms which I thought was incredibly cute.

By almost twelve Brian was gathering his things up with my help ready to head home, and since I had him to myself without having to worry about Amber, I was going to make the most of it. That was until Felix turned up un-announced merely seconds after we did.

"Erm I knew you'd still be awake." He said sitting on the sofa and gesturing for us to do so too. "The day after tomorrow, today whatever, Monday you've gotta go to Manhattan, because a British designer, Julian Macdonald is going to be here for a programme called Project Catwalk. I'll fill you in on that later, and I know it's short notice but the people who deal with your contract say you have to go hun."

I sank back into the sofa staring incredulously at...nothing. Brian looked less than happy with it. "Woah, wait up Felix I'm not happy with this." He said sitting forward.

"There's nothing we can do."

"No no no, I don't want her in New York without me. LA was bad enough, but New York? No way."

"See that's the thing, you're going with her. I knew you wouldn't be happy so the moment I found out I rang the hotel and made changes." Felix explained and I perked up at the thought of him coming with me. "I'm sure your parents will understand and look after Amber for you. Now, if you don't mind I must go cause it's late and I'm missing out on beauty sleep, much like you young lady."

At that Felix was gone, leaving Brian and I on the sofa with the new arrangement.