Priceless

I woke up the next morning with my phone ringing, so dangerously close to my face. My eyes were blurry at first so I had to blink them a couple of times before I could see who was calling me. Then it took me another two seconds to register who L was.

I answered the call, getting up from the bed and walking out of the guest room I’d shared with Erin last night. “Hey,” I said into my phone. “What’s up, Logan?”

“Oh, boy. Did I wake you up?” he said, chuckling a little. “Sorry about that. Are you busy tonight?”

“Tonight?” I echoed. “Why? What’s up?”

“Someone invited me to go to this play, and I really want to go...and I don’t care if you think it’s lame, I need someone to go with, and you’re the only person I know here, so...”

I laughed at how firm he sounded, “Sounds like there’s really no way out.”

Logan laughed as well. “Unless you have a hot date tonight, there isn’t.”

As if on cue, I saw Stephen running up the stairs, wearing his white ALASKA shirt. He immediately smiled when he saw me, while I had to swallow hard and keep my calm.

It wasn’t that I felt something for Logan. I didn’t like him ike him. But I didn’t understand why I couldn’t just tell Stephen about him, or why I lied to him about not having a boyfriend. It was like I was just creating drama for myself.

“Bailey? You there?” Logan asked, as Stephen stood there staring at me, a curious expression replacing his smile.

“Yeah, uh, what time does it start?” I asked, knowing what I had to do.

“Around 7,” he replied happily. “So you’re in?”

“Yeah. See you later,” I said, ended the call and then smiled as Stephen as he walked over to me.

“Who was that?” he asked, giving my forehead a kiss.

“Okay, you have to promise me not to get mad,” I started as I looked at him, not wanting to keep secrets anymore. I lifted my pinky and he looked at me like I was crazy.

“Bails, I don’t do shit like that,” he whined, looking as resistant as a puppy being pulled into bath.

“Come on, Stephen,” I said, “you have to promise.”

He chuckled, but his face was still firm. “I promise, but no need for pinky promises or whatever.”

“Stephen...”

We stared at each other for about half a minute, until he realized I wasn’t gonna surrender. He rolled his eyes at me, and with the most defeated look on his face, connected his pinky with mine. I couldn’t help but smile widely at the scene.

“I swear if you make me do this again...” He shook his head. “Now, what were you going to tell me?”

My smile slowly faded and I cleared my throat. “An old friend of mine is in town...” I started, “And we go way back, so you really have nothing to worry about—”

“A guy.” It was an observation, and I could tell he wasn’t very happy with it.

“Yes, but we go way back—like I said, you have nothing to worry about,” I reassuringly said. “So anyway...he’s inviting me to go to this play tonight, and I said yes, because he needs someone to go with and I’m his only friend.”

My heart was beating so fast as I waited for his response, but he was just staring at me with an unreadable expression on his face. Each second of his silence drove me crazy, I almost wished I didn’t tell him anything.

“Please say something,” I mumbled as I bit my lip and looked pleadingly at him.

He sighed and looked away. “You’re not asking for my permission, Bailey. You’re going with him and I can tell you’re sure about that, so what do you want me to say?” he asked, his tone nowhere near friendly.

“I just want you to be okay with it,” I said. “I want you to tell me that you trust me so it’s all right.”

“I trust you, Bailey,” he said, looking at me right away. “But I don’t trust him, I don’t even know him. Does he know you have a boyfriend?”

I bit my lip. “Not yet...” His face immediately fell when he heard this, so I quickly added, “But I will tell him tonight, so you really have nothing to worry about.”

He stared into my eyes and I could actually see decipher worry in his expression. My heart melted, and I swear I just wanted to cancel on Logan and stay with Stephen all day. But I’d already said yes, so I just settled for what would be second best for me and Stephen.

“Tell you what,” I offered, touching his hand, “I’ll have him drive me over to your place so I can spend the night with you, okay? Then I’ll just make some shit up to my parents about staying with Erin. All good?”

This time, he actually smiled, and I was relieved. He brought my hand to his lips and kissed it. “Better,” he said. “Speaking of Erin, why don’t you come get her? Breakfast is ready.”

“God, I love Jess so much for still cooking for us despite her not-so-good evening,” I said, referring to the Kennedy incident...one I needed to hear about, of course.

“Hey! I helped,” Stephen bragged, leaning over to kiss me on the lips before running back down, leaving me there smiling and feeling all-high.

But of course I had to wipe it away when I came to get Erin, who’d sobbed all night and left “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it” voicemails to John. “Erin,” I said soothingly as I touched her hair. She was still asleep, her body in fetal position, and she looked ever so fragile. I almost couldn’t believe it was the same Erin Mikaela Nickelsen I’d been friends with all my life.

“Erin, wake up,” I said gently. “Breakfast’s ready.”

It took me a few more soothing whispers before her eyes finally opened. I smiled slightly at her as she looked at me and asked, “Is John there?”

“I don’t know,” I said honestly, “but I doubt he is, so don’t get your hopes up.”

“I wanna talk to him,” she said firmly. “I don’t wanna face everyone right now.”

If there was one thing I’d learned over the past years, it was that you never cross Erin when she was that firm. She was too stubborn, so it was useless to argue. So if her mind was made up, the only thing you could do was watch her do whatever she wanted to do, and say “I thought so” if you thought right about how it would end.

“Well then, get your ass ready like now. Either way, you’re still gonna have to face everyone. I bet Jared knows where John is.”

It took her five minutes to get ready, and after five minutes of silence we were already making our way to the dining area. Everyone looked at us, and I smiled as I said a quick good morning—even though it obviously wasn’t a good one.

Surprisingly, John was there; and Kennedy was there, too. And when I saw them, I immediately deemed this the most awkward breakfast ever. Only Josh was actually talking, and he was the only one who looked up at us with a smile.

“Hey girls!” he greeted, but his voice soon faded into the background as soon as Erin’s eyes met John’s.

“Can I talk to you,” she said, “Please?”

Everyone tensed. I looked from Erin to John, then from John to Erin, then from Erin to John again. It took John fifteen seconds before he nodded once and stood up. He looked stone-cold, it was scary. It was the first time I’d seen that look on him.

He motioned to the back door, and Erin followed as John led the way outside. As soon as the two were gone, Josh met my gaze. And then he stood up, grabbed me by the wrist and dragged me to the back door. I stifled a laugh when I saw that John Go, Pat, and even Garrett followed us.

“Real mature, guys,” I heard Stephen comment, but I ignored it as all five of us leaned onto the door.

“I don’t know, Erin, okay? If you only knew how I felt like when I was on tour. There were a lot of girls flinging themselves at me, but I had self-control, I’d pushed them all away because I love you. But knowing you didn’t do the same...it sucks,” I heard John say.

“But I was drunk, John,” Erin protested, in tears. “It didn’t mean a thing to me. I was so drunk I thought he was you, and I know that’s shitty, but it’s true. Not a second goes by that I don’t regret it. I love you, John. You know that.”

“This is all too fresh, Erin. I don’t think I can forget it that easily.”

“I swear I’d do anything for you to believe me and give me another chance—”

“And what if it happens again? What if you get drunk again and think some guy is me—”

“I promise you, I—”

I stood up straight, quite contented with what I’d heard. Josh looked at me questioningly, and whispered, “You’re gonna miss the best part!”

I rolled my eyes, “They’re my best friends. They tell me everything.” He pouted at me, but I just shook my head and went back to the dining table and sat down beside Jess.

“Immaturity at its best,” a smirking Stephen commented, shaking his head at me.

“You better not ask me what I heard,” I said, sticking my tongue out at him.

“Hey Bails, can you pass me the maple syrup?” Jess asked me politely. I turned to my left and watched as Kennedy, who was two seats away from me, moved beside me, maple syrup in hand. He handed it to Jess, who then gave him a dagger stare. “I said Bails.”

The intensity of awkwardness was starting to get to me, so I grabbed the syrup from Kennedy who was looking pleadingly at Jess, and handed it to the about-to-explode girl on my right.

“Here you go, Jess,” I said. She grabbed it from me and mumbled a low thanks, and went back to eating her pancakes as Kennedy stared at her, looking regretful. I then glanced at Brian, who was sitting across me, who shrugged his shoulders and went back to eating. Stephen, meanwhile, smirked at me one more time and shook his head.

“Oh Bails,” he said aloud, “I’d looove to be in your place right now.” What a comforting boyfriend I had.

~~~