We've Got a Big Mess On Our Hands

WILLIAM’S POV

It was three days after I’d broken up with Gabe, meaning just two days until I got to go home and away from all this mess. I was lying in my bunk, being depressed (a newfound hobby of mine). I was lost without Gabe. I know that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me, and I would have agreed in a second. But I just cannot deal with the secrecy anymore.

I felt sort of bad for breaking up with Gabe, but it had been a year. It was time for him to make a decision; me, or the secret.

“William?” Sisky said, peeking around the curtains of my bunk. “I know you don’t want to go out or to see Gabe right now, but we have a joint signing with them right now… We have to go and apparently there’s assigned seats… I don’t know if you’re next to Gabe, but it’s a safe bet you are, seeing as you’re the two lead singers.”

“It’s okay.” I said. “I can be a professional and put my personal life aside.”

“I wasn’t implying you couldn’t.” Sisky said. “I was just warning you.”

“Consider me warned.” I said. “Let’s go, then.”

We walked out of the bus and I pulled on my sunglasses to block out the brightness. It was ridiculously hot outside, but that’s what happens when you get to the South.

We got to the tent and I was already miserable, due to the intense heat that is the Southern US, and my mood only worsened when I saw my name marked next to where Gabe was already sitting.

I took off my sunglasses and sat down in my assigned seat. I carefully (and oh-so-smoothly) avoided talking to Gabe by making conversation with Sisky, who was on my right.

“Hey, I’m going to talk to you, okay?” I said.

“Are you really just going to talk to me to make sure that he doesn’t talk to you?” Sisky said.

“Yes, yes I am.” I said.

“You’re pathetic.”

“I know.” I sighed. “So, have you seen any good movies lately?”

Right then, the fans were allowed into the tent, so I couldn’t have heard him even if he had replied. I turned to face the first person coming down the line for autographs. The girl walking towards the table was rather short with dark black hair, bright blue eyes and a nose piercing. She looked like an alt-rock version of Snow White. Her facial expression showed she was both incredibly excited and nervous at the same time, almost as if the combination of the two made her want to simultaneously dance in happiness and run in the opposite direction. Eventually, it seemed like she opted towards the first as she walked down the line, getting autographs and smiling animatedly. She was laughing and bouncing in excitement and I smiled at her endearing actions.

She stopped in front of Gabe and pushed her CD towards him to sign.

“Hey!” he said, charming as ever. “What’s your name?”

“Chloe.” the girl said, confidently.

“How are you today, Chloe?” Gabe said, smiling up at her.

“I’m great.” she said. “I’m so excited I get to meet you guys. I just have one question… do you mind?”

“No, not at all.”

“Well, I was wondering what the real reason for you not going out with anyone is. Oh, wait. I forgot. You’ve ‘reformed’.” I had to struggle to stop the laugh that threatened to blow my cover. She was more sarcastic than I am when I'm in a bad mood.

I glanced over at Gabe from the corner of my eye, pretending to be playing with my sharpie marker. He looked at her almost critically, as if he were sizing her up.

“Promise not to tell any reporters or anything?” he said.

The girl made an X over her heart and smiled, encouraging him to go on.

“I was actually dating the most amazing guy I’ve ever met for about a year.”

“Really?” she said, looking a bit shocked. “I knew it.” she muttered, almost to herself.

“Yeah.” he said. “But he broke up with me because I refused to come out publicly. And if he could hear me now,” oh, way to be inconspicuous, Gabe, well done, “I’d want him to know that I made a huge mistake in ever letting him go and that I miss him and I love him more than ever.”

“What happened to you guys?” Chloe said. “It sounds like you really loved him.”

“I still do.” Gabe said. “He got frustrated about not going public and I was too stupid to realize that he was more important to me than my fame. Also, I may or may not have inferred that I wished I never met him.”

“What a charmer.” she said, the sarcasm practically dripping from her words.

The fans behind Chloe were getting a bit restless, so Gabe let her go, saying goodbye and passing the CD he had just signed to me, giving me a forlorn look when our hands brushed. I tried to ignore the sparks that flew between our skin that I’ve missed so much since I’d seen him last.

“Hey!” I said to the girl, who had moved to stand in front of me. “How are you?”

“Great!” she said. “I’m really excited about meeting you. I love all your lyrics. They’re beautiful.”

“Thanks so much!” I said. “I love writing them. What’s your name?”

I signed her CD and then passed it to Sisky, but before she left she leaned in to whisper something in my ear.

“You should forgive Gabe.” she said. “He’s really sorry, and he’s obviously able to tell people now. You two would be so cute together. Think about it.”

She leaned back, smiled at me, and progressed down the line as if nothing had happened…

As if she hadn’t just figured out my biggest secret…