Close Your Eyes & Please Don't Let Me Go
One.
"You have one new message. Received at 6:23 PM."
"Sage! It's Billy. Why the fuck aren't you answering your phone? Anyway, Benji's having a party tonight and you should come with me! I miss my baby sister! Bring Raine and Brenna with you or something! Please go with me. We haven't hung out in forever. Call me when you get this!"
I laughed at my brothers message as I sat up in bed. The clock on my bedside table read 6:47 PM. I wasn't very big on parties, but I did miss my brother. I decided to call him and see what's going on.
"Hey," He said when he answered.
"Yo," I replied, yawning slightly.
"Were you sleeping?"
"Yeah. So what's this party and why do you want me to go?"
"Uh, I want you to go because I miss you. And partying is fun. And... you should go."
I laughed, "Good reasons."
"Shut up. So are you coming or what?"
"Depends."
"On...?"
"Who's going to be there?"
"Pretty much every band that's going to be on Bamboozle Roadshow."
I rolled my eyes, climbing out of bed and wandering into my bathroom, "That doesn't help me."
He sighed obnoxiously, "I don't know. Forever the Sickest Kids, All Time Low, Boys Like Girls, Simple Plan, Third Eye Blind, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera."
I thought about it for a second before I sighed, "I guess I'll go. I'll call Brenna and Raine."
"Good! Do you want me to pick you guys up or what?" He asked.
I shrugged, "I guess. Call me when you're leaving."
"Okay. Love you!" He yelled.
"Love you, too, Billy," I laughed before hanging up and turning on my shower.
-X-
"Partay, partay partay!" Raine yelled as she danced through my front door, Brenna following behind her.
I shook my head and smiled as I zipped my left shoe up, "Excited, are we?"
"Oh, you know it. Parties are fun. And there will be lots of cute boys there, you know. Parties and cute boys are my specialty," she said, attempting a wink.
Brenna laughed, "Wow, you're way too hype."
Raine smirked before sighing, "When will Billy be here?" She whined, "I wanna party!"
I rolled my eyes and looked out the front window, "Like, right now," I said as he pulled up to the curb.
"To Billy's car!" She yelled, heading out the front door.
Brenna and I laughed before following her. This night was going to be interesting. I could tell.
A half hour had passed and Brenna and I were doing nothing but wondering around aimlessly. We lost Raine the second we walked through the door. She was more of a party person then Brenna and I were. There were so many bands in this house. I recognized all of them, but I probably couldn't tell you who they were. I finally spotted Benji standing in the kitchen and I walked up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist.
"Sage!" He yelled when he realized it was me, "I didn't think you were gonna show up!"
I shrugged, "I felt like getting out," I laughed as he gave Brenna a hug as well.
"Benji!" Somebody yelled from the other side of the room. The three of us spun around to see who I recognized as the bassist from Simple Plan heading in our direction. Damn, I suck at names.
"What's up, man?" Benji said as the two of them did that awkward man hug thing that guys do.
The boy shrugged before smiling at the two of us, "And who are these two?" He asked.
Benji laughed, "This is Sage," He said, gesturing to me, "She's Billy's sister. And this is one of her best friends, Brenna," He said as he gestured to Brenna.
"Well, I'm David," he smiled.
"Benji, what the fuck is taking you so long, man?" Someone else said as they entered the kitchen.
That voice. I didn't want to hear that voice. Before anyone else said another word, I spun on my heel and headed through the house and out the back door to the deck. I didn't want to deal with this anymore. I couldn't. I sat on the deck for a few minutes trying to calm myself down when someone cleared their throat awkwardly.
"Uh... hey," David said.
"Hi," I laughed quietly.
"Are you, uh, okay?" He asked.
"Not really."
"Do you wanna talk about it?"
I shrugged, "I don't know. I don't want to bore you."
He smiled, "I'm a good listener, though. If you want to talk about it, I'm here."
I sighed, "It's just... Joel and all."
He cocked an eyebrow at me as he took the seat next to mine, "What about him?"
"He's my ex-boyfriend," I said quietly.
I looked up at David and he nodded for me to go on, "We were together for three years. I was completely in love with him. And... I don't know. We just couldn't do it anymore. We started fighting a lot and neither one of us could handle it. So we broke up about a month ago. It's just been difficult to deal with. Since he's in the same band as my brother, I'm around him all that time."
I wiped a tear off of my cheek and David gave me a gentle smile, "I'm sorry. Break-ups are never easy to deal with. Especially if the relationship is serious."
I nodded and he continued, "But, you'll get through it. It just takes time."
I smiled, "Thanks."
"Hey, no problem. I'm good at giving advice to complete strangers," He smiled before he stood up, offering a hand to me. I took it and he pulled me up, wrapping his arms around me, "You'll be okay," He said as I hesitantly wrapped my arms around him.
"Thanks, David."
The two of us wandered back into the house and I set off to find Brenna and Raine.
"Sage!" Someone slurred from behind me.
I turned around to come face to face with Raine, who was sprawled out on the couch, "Girl, how much have you had to drink? We've barely been here for an hour," I laughed.
She shrugged and let out a giggle, "I don't know. But I just met the lead singer of Simple Plan, and oh shit he's so sexy. He just went to get me another drink."
I nodded, "What is that guys name?"
She smiled like an idiot, "Pierre. He's beautiful, Sage, you should see him," She giggled, "Ooh! Here he comes," She squealed.
"Here you go, darlin'," Pierre said, handing Raine her drink.
"Pierre, this is one of my bestest friends in the whole world. Her name is Sage. Isn't she pretty?" Raine gushed before taking a sip of her drink.
"She's very pretty," Pierre laughed, "Nice to meet you, Sage."
I laughed, "You, too."
"Sage, sit down with us! Hang out!" Raine said, patting the seat next to her.
I shook my head, "I'm gonna go find Billy or something. I don't know. I'll find you later, okay?"
"Okay!" She slurred, "Find a cute boy and kiss him, Sage! Do something spontaneous!"
I rolled my eyes and laughed before pushing my way through the massive crowd in the living room attempting to find my brother. After ten minutes of searching, I gave up. I collapsed onto a random couch and realized I collapsed next to David.
"Are you following me?" I laughed.
"Hey, you're the one that sat down next to me," He smirked.
I laughed quietly before I sighed, running a hand through my hair.
"You okay?" He asked, a look of concern taking over his face.
I shrugged, "Not really. I'm not big on parties and I don't want to run into Joel again."
"Try and clear your head."
I scoffed, "That's pretty hard to do in a house full of loud people and Ke$ha blaring through the speakers."
He nodded, "Very true. You wanna get out of here? We can drive around for a while," He suggested.
I cocked an eyebrow at him and he laughed, "I'm not gonna try and rape you, Sage."
I smiled gently, "Sure," I said, taking my iPhone out of my pocket.
After I texted Billy, Brenna and Raine, letting them know where I would be, I headed out the front door with David.
"Sage! It's Billy. Why the fuck aren't you answering your phone? Anyway, Benji's having a party tonight and you should come with me! I miss my baby sister! Bring Raine and Brenna with you or something! Please go with me. We haven't hung out in forever. Call me when you get this!"
I laughed at my brothers message as I sat up in bed. The clock on my bedside table read 6:47 PM. I wasn't very big on parties, but I did miss my brother. I decided to call him and see what's going on.
"Hey," He said when he answered.
"Yo," I replied, yawning slightly.
"Were you sleeping?"
"Yeah. So what's this party and why do you want me to go?"
"Uh, I want you to go because I miss you. And partying is fun. And... you should go."
I laughed, "Good reasons."
"Shut up. So are you coming or what?"
"Depends."
"On...?"
"Who's going to be there?"
"Pretty much every band that's going to be on Bamboozle Roadshow."
I rolled my eyes, climbing out of bed and wandering into my bathroom, "That doesn't help me."
He sighed obnoxiously, "I don't know. Forever the Sickest Kids, All Time Low, Boys Like Girls, Simple Plan, Third Eye Blind, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera."
I thought about it for a second before I sighed, "I guess I'll go. I'll call Brenna and Raine."
"Good! Do you want me to pick you guys up or what?" He asked.
I shrugged, "I guess. Call me when you're leaving."
"Okay. Love you!" He yelled.
"Love you, too, Billy," I laughed before hanging up and turning on my shower.
-X-
"Partay, partay partay!" Raine yelled as she danced through my front door, Brenna following behind her.
I shook my head and smiled as I zipped my left shoe up, "Excited, are we?"
"Oh, you know it. Parties are fun. And there will be lots of cute boys there, you know. Parties and cute boys are my specialty," she said, attempting a wink.
Brenna laughed, "Wow, you're way too hype."
Raine smirked before sighing, "When will Billy be here?" She whined, "I wanna party!"
I rolled my eyes and looked out the front window, "Like, right now," I said as he pulled up to the curb.
"To Billy's car!" She yelled, heading out the front door.
Brenna and I laughed before following her. This night was going to be interesting. I could tell.
A half hour had passed and Brenna and I were doing nothing but wondering around aimlessly. We lost Raine the second we walked through the door. She was more of a party person then Brenna and I were. There were so many bands in this house. I recognized all of them, but I probably couldn't tell you who they were. I finally spotted Benji standing in the kitchen and I walked up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist.
"Sage!" He yelled when he realized it was me, "I didn't think you were gonna show up!"
I shrugged, "I felt like getting out," I laughed as he gave Brenna a hug as well.
"Benji!" Somebody yelled from the other side of the room. The three of us spun around to see who I recognized as the bassist from Simple Plan heading in our direction. Damn, I suck at names.
"What's up, man?" Benji said as the two of them did that awkward man hug thing that guys do.
The boy shrugged before smiling at the two of us, "And who are these two?" He asked.
Benji laughed, "This is Sage," He said, gesturing to me, "She's Billy's sister. And this is one of her best friends, Brenna," He said as he gestured to Brenna.
"Well, I'm David," he smiled.
"Benji, what the fuck is taking you so long, man?" Someone else said as they entered the kitchen.
That voice. I didn't want to hear that voice. Before anyone else said another word, I spun on my heel and headed through the house and out the back door to the deck. I didn't want to deal with this anymore. I couldn't. I sat on the deck for a few minutes trying to calm myself down when someone cleared their throat awkwardly.
"Uh... hey," David said.
"Hi," I laughed quietly.
"Are you, uh, okay?" He asked.
"Not really."
"Do you wanna talk about it?"
I shrugged, "I don't know. I don't want to bore you."
He smiled, "I'm a good listener, though. If you want to talk about it, I'm here."
I sighed, "It's just... Joel and all."
He cocked an eyebrow at me as he took the seat next to mine, "What about him?"
"He's my ex-boyfriend," I said quietly.
I looked up at David and he nodded for me to go on, "We were together for three years. I was completely in love with him. And... I don't know. We just couldn't do it anymore. We started fighting a lot and neither one of us could handle it. So we broke up about a month ago. It's just been difficult to deal with. Since he's in the same band as my brother, I'm around him all that time."
I wiped a tear off of my cheek and David gave me a gentle smile, "I'm sorry. Break-ups are never easy to deal with. Especially if the relationship is serious."
I nodded and he continued, "But, you'll get through it. It just takes time."
I smiled, "Thanks."
"Hey, no problem. I'm good at giving advice to complete strangers," He smiled before he stood up, offering a hand to me. I took it and he pulled me up, wrapping his arms around me, "You'll be okay," He said as I hesitantly wrapped my arms around him.
"Thanks, David."
The two of us wandered back into the house and I set off to find Brenna and Raine.
"Sage!" Someone slurred from behind me.
I turned around to come face to face with Raine, who was sprawled out on the couch, "Girl, how much have you had to drink? We've barely been here for an hour," I laughed.
She shrugged and let out a giggle, "I don't know. But I just met the lead singer of Simple Plan, and oh shit he's so sexy. He just went to get me another drink."
I nodded, "What is that guys name?"
She smiled like an idiot, "Pierre. He's beautiful, Sage, you should see him," She giggled, "Ooh! Here he comes," She squealed.
"Here you go, darlin'," Pierre said, handing Raine her drink.
"Pierre, this is one of my bestest friends in the whole world. Her name is Sage. Isn't she pretty?" Raine gushed before taking a sip of her drink.
"She's very pretty," Pierre laughed, "Nice to meet you, Sage."
I laughed, "You, too."
"Sage, sit down with us! Hang out!" Raine said, patting the seat next to her.
I shook my head, "I'm gonna go find Billy or something. I don't know. I'll find you later, okay?"
"Okay!" She slurred, "Find a cute boy and kiss him, Sage! Do something spontaneous!"
I rolled my eyes and laughed before pushing my way through the massive crowd in the living room attempting to find my brother. After ten minutes of searching, I gave up. I collapsed onto a random couch and realized I collapsed next to David.
"Are you following me?" I laughed.
"Hey, you're the one that sat down next to me," He smirked.
I laughed quietly before I sighed, running a hand through my hair.
"You okay?" He asked, a look of concern taking over his face.
I shrugged, "Not really. I'm not big on parties and I don't want to run into Joel again."
"Try and clear your head."
I scoffed, "That's pretty hard to do in a house full of loud people and Ke$ha blaring through the speakers."
He nodded, "Very true. You wanna get out of here? We can drive around for a while," He suggested.
I cocked an eyebrow at him and he laughed, "I'm not gonna try and rape you, Sage."
I smiled gently, "Sure," I said, taking my iPhone out of my pocket.
After I texted Billy, Brenna and Raine, letting them know where I would be, I headed out the front door with David.