Promise Me This; Never Let Go

My heart beat faster in nervousness as the phone continued to ring and ring. I was beginning to think this was a bad idea. I don't call him. We're still close friends, but we agreed not to talk to each other so much for Matt's sake. This was an agreement with all my best friends. None of us wanted to risk it. If Matt found out, he would surely do something about it. They all seemed to think he would take the phone to tell me he needs me. I believed he would take the phone and tell me that my friendship was a waste.

I sighed at the fifth ring. It was obvious he wouldn't answer. I licked over my lips and reached for the End button on my phone. "You have just received your dose of a spoonful of Jimmy. How may I help you?"

I grinned and retracted my finger from the End button. "Jimmy!" I cried and jumped into bed. I felt like a teenager again, whenever I talked to Jimmy. He had this personality that resonated fun and laughs.

"Oh my god, Fran! Where have you been?!"

I giggled into the phone. "I'm in New York right now."

"Did you say NEW YORK?"

“Uh, yeah, I did,” I confirmed. He made a weird noise that was a hybrid of a squeaking mouse and a man choking on water. "J-Jimmy? Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine! That was…Leana?"

"Cut the crap, what's wrong? You never lie to me."

"Alright, alright. Did you see a certain ex-best friend there?"

My eyebrows raised in suspicion. "I did see Matt-"

"Mother fucker! Did he make you cry? Fuck it, LEANA! WE'RE BOOKING A FLIGHT TO NEW YORK! YES, SHE SAW MATT! YES, WE CAN KILL HIM! WHAT? HERE!"

"Hello?"

"Leana?" I whispered. I hadn't talked to her in months either. Man, she sounded angry.

"Franchesa! I miss you! But it's okay! Jimmy and I are going to New York and we'll kick Matt's ass!"

"What are you two talking about?!" I hissed, rubbing the back of my head in frustration.

"He shouldn't have bought that stupid condo! He's never over there to begin with! Stupid idiot went all stalker and found out that Rafael would be in New York."

I heard a loud whine in the background. "Give me back my phone! I need to talk to her!"

I loved the both of them too death, but they are too confusing for me.

"Fran. Fran. Fran. Fran. Fran. Fran. Fran. Fran. Fran."

"Dear gosh Jimmy, WHAT?!"

He giggled. "Hi."

I groaned and slapped my slap on my forehead. "I love you and I love Leana but you two are killing me."

"Sorry, sorry. Leana just told me we can't go to New York. Brian says we can't because this is an issue between you and Matt. He sucks. Anyways, I need to tell you something really important." I sat up in my seat, leaning forward for no reason. It wasn't like Jimmy was sitting here with me. "Ever since the wedding, he's been a mess. It got worse on tour. At least back home, we could keep a good eye on him. But on tour, he drank all the time and he was with a girl every night. You and I both know he isn't that type of guy. You know I am absolutely serious when I say this: Matt is an alcoholic. I don't want to say the reason is you, but it is…"

Matt

It felt so strange to have her back. No one told me to give up on her, but no one told me to hang on either. I knew they never made an obscene comment when I was in one of my moods. They could understand why I was that way. It did make me wonder if it was only me that lost contact with her. It would make sense, but it did make me wonder.

This scares me. We have a heavy and dramatic history. Best friends fought, they all do, but they don't break their friendships as much as I have with Fran. I don't know if this was a good idea or not. I mean, when the hell am I going to use this place? New York is nice, but I love Huntington.

Okay, who am I kidding? I only came here and did the extreme in hopes of seeing Fran. I didn't think I would though. I was, in all honesty, looking for some place to get a cup of coffee. It didn't help that she was the girl I almost knocked over.

I downed my beer and gave the bartender his money. I need to figure something out.

I groaned and lifted my head up. My head hurt like a bitch and I was in an unfamiliar room. Wonderful, some fan girl probably raped me. Then, Fran walked in with a tray holding a plate of eggs, water, and Advil. All right, so maybe no one raped me.

"What happened?" I mumbled; laying back down on what I figured was her couch. The view in front of me was nice. It was of the Unisphere and its water fountain.

I put my attention on Fran. She stood to the side with a weird expression on her face. In a voice so low, I could barely hear her, she said, "You got drunk. Yelled at me. You hate me. I ruined your life. You're an alcoholic because of me."

I shot up from my seat, despite my raging headache, and tried to hug her. "I'm so sorry!" I apologized and reached for her arm.

She backed away and stared coldly at me. "They say what you say when you're drunk are your sober thoughts. Don't lie to me. I am the reason why you're an alcoholic. No wonder why you came here fucking wasted," she sneered. She wasn't yelling at me like she usually would when she's angry. That's what made this situation so dangerous.

There had to be a way for me to get out of this. I just got her back! I can't lose her again! "Fran, no. It's my fault, I should've told you how I felt since high school. I didn't, and I lost you. It killed me, it really did. And what's worse was when I thought you didn't care. I blame me, not you. Never you."

"You could have told me your feelings. Sometimes I wish you did."

I blinked a few times. "Only sometimes? Not all the time?"

"When you're done with your food and the Advil, you can leave."

"Franchesa."

She didn't look back when I called her name. I knew she wasn't going to come out for a long time when I heard her slam the bathroom room shut and the click of the lock echoed throughout the room. Damn it, how do I always mess up?! I couldn't stay sober for one stupid day! She hates me.