There Will Be Rain

Jemma

Isobelle noticed Ethan’s weird behavior too; it was starting to bug me. Maybe it was because I hadn’t seen him for a while, but then again maybe it wasn’t. He recently was always distance with me at college, keeping conversation and physical interaction to the bare minimum. His other friends would just laugh along with him when I was with him, he would just brush me off.

At first I thought maybe it was because he had caught on about Jerry, but he hadn’t. He never came over to the house so why would he. He was out a lot more as well, which is why I hardly saw him, he never replied to my texts either. The only time we were alone was when we had sometime at his, it ended bad last time, he tried it on and I wasn’t ready. It was also during the time Jerry had a bad week and punctured one of my lungs, so when Ethan tried to lift me up by my hips; I winced and freaked out on him. He accused me of being a frigid bitch and here we are now.

It took every ounce of me to even convince him to come here tonight, he tried to get out of it by saying he’d arranged to meet his mate Sam but I talked him around. It felt like all the elements were out to conspire against me and Ethan recently, he was the only constant, bar Oli and Belle, that had helped me even tolerate Jerry’s abuse because I knew I wasn’t alone even if they had no idea about it.

However I was determined to sort this out tonight, not just for us but for Isobelle. Leaving Isobelle to sober up Oli I turned on my heel and wondered over to Ethan on the couch. Tapping his shoulder from behind, he leaned his head back to look up at me with those eyes that instantly had me mesmerized.

“Can we talk?”

I asked in barely a whisper, using a tone that didn’t create alarm but didn’t necessarily signify politeness. Ethan nodded in agreement and a part of me thought that maybe there was hope, that he wanted to sort whatever was going on, but then again your mind always floods you with a centimeter of doubt.

We both walked outside onto Isobelle’s front porch as Ethan pulled the door to quietly, so Isobelle wouldn’t know we had left inside. My mind grasped desperately for any words to break the silence, awkward with the situation I stubbed my boot against the wooden decking, kicking up random chunks of wood that I was prizing off. Ethan noticed this and coughed loudly to clear his throat.

“Listen Jemma, I know I’ve treated you like shit these past few weeks, I know I haven’t made an effort to see you as much. I’m really sorry, it’s just works been on my back, my mates have been bitching I’m not seeing them as much as you and I know you may think this is an excuse, but I have been under a hell of a lot of stress, which is why….which is why I snapped last time you were over.”

He trailed off not wanting to elaborate or go any further into that part of our relationship. I breathed a long overdue sigh of relieve, mainly because I’d been stressing for weeks thinking I’d done something wrong. But his job was pretty stressful; he’s 2 years older than me and runs his own clothing company working mainly at gig venues.

“It’s all right I understand, just please don’t shut me off next time. I thought I had done something wrong”

I explained in a strained tone to emphasis how much I was worrying about us over the weeks. He took a step closer to me closing the gap, his eyes glazed with guilt as I gulped I didn’t want him to feel that bad. He softly ran his fingers through my hair pushing my bangs out of the way, before his hand found the back of my neck as he pulled my lips up to his, I missed this.

Breaking apart briefly he gazed into my eyes, smiling as he noticed the gleam my brown eyes now showed off. A gleam they hadn’t shown since I started dating him 4 years ago.

“You could never do anything wrong”

He whispered against my lips igniting a fire in me that only he could make. Biting down on my lip I tried to force the grin that was eager to appear at bay, but by Ethan connecting our lips once more I could do nothing more but to smile into the kiss.

“Oli’s….OHH SHIT sorry love birds” Isobelle burst onto the porch before retaliating back shielding her eyes, she stood on the doorstep before continued with what she was saying as me and Ethan sprang apart, his arm wrapping around my waist comfortably, “Urm Oli is sober enough now, so shall we get going? You may as well finish this between the two of you”

She handed over Oli’s half finished bottle of Vodka over to me and Ethan, we both shrugged at each other before splitting the vodka between the two of us. Downing it I instantly felt the burn in my throat, like a raging fire forcing itself down my windpipe, Ethan coughed beside me he was never a big drinker but finished it off none the less.

We went inside to collect my phone and shout Oliver and Isobelle out as she locked the door, and we began our short walk down to the venue. Isobelle only lived a good 15 minute walk away from it. When we reached it there were a few people outside already, Ethan gripped onto my hand and we made our way into the queue easily guaranteeing ourselves with front row standing.

We stood in line for about half an hour, Ethan handed me his hoodie as the temperature had dropped considerably. I didn’t complain even though I was boiling with or without it, the alcohol had given me a buzz and paired with the atmosphere outside, my body temperature had risen in the cold. Isobelle was snuggled into the side of Oli who had on the short walk sobered up considerably.

Eventually we were let in and Isobelle dragged me by my hand to the front as we grasped onto the metal barrier, determined not to lose our place. Oli and Ethan went to get drinks before shortly returning to us, handing over the drinks then wrapping they’re arms around me and Isobelle. Leaning my head back onto Ethan’s shoulder he smirked at me as I kissed his jaw.

The support bands came and went, Isobelle was eagerly snapping pictures of them with her Nixon to not notice how shit they were. The last support left the stage as the tech and crew came rushing on to change the set over for Young Guns. Ethan had disappeared during the first support, he noticed Sam from college with some of the bitches who I didn’t like. So he went over to talk to them for a bit.

The place suddenly darkened as the stage lights were lowered, Isobelle’s smile slowly increased in size as she grabbed onto Oli’s hand tightly, he looked over to me his face registering pain at the sheer power behind her grip as I just chuckled to myself.

Surely enough the silhouette of a tall, skinny male was visible in the darkened lights; I’m guessing it was Gustav although I couldn’t be sure. I had only heard a few of their songs, I wasn’t as an avid fan as Isobelle, but I knew all their names thanks to her.

“Is that…”

“Gustav yeah”

I laughed at her finishing my sentence and her excitement as I just nodded; Isobelle instantly began snapping as she leant against Oli for support. I saw Gustav’s fingers count down from 3 in the darkness and when he reached one the light burst back on in time with the music, the drums kicked in as the rhythm of the guitar accompanied it. Identifying the song as crystal clear, I began to go mental along with Oli, Isobelle and the rest of the people surrounding me.

Gustav burst into energetic movements, his legs flailing in different directions and he jumped higher and higher into the air, his mic wire wrapped loosely around his hand and elbow. His energy was the first thing I noticed after the first performance, this guy put everything into every single song, and I could easily see why Isobelle liked this band.

Near the end of the set Gustav stopped to grab a water bottle, this guy was flat out sweating; while I should have been turned off by it, I was weirdly attracted to it because it showed how dedicated he was to his music along with the rest of the band members Fraser, John, Simon and Ben.

“This next song is one I wrote when you’re in a relationship and things are heading somewhere, it could be good or bad, you just know its heading somewhere…This is called Winter Kiss”

The crowd erupted into high pitches screams and woo’s and I joined along, this song was my favourite, the one that stuck out to me the most when Isobelle first played me the album. The music kicked in, Simon moved around the stage animatedly, while Gustav swayed behind the mic.

“Oh god, save me from this pain”

It was then that my body froze and my spine tensed, he looked out into the crowd as his eyes found their way to mine. Them big blue eyes he held contrasting with my deep brown as he held my gaze, his eyes had me in a trance they seemed to hold so much wisdom yet at the same time hide so much emotion. Emotion which he spilled into each and every song he wrote and sang tonight.

“This winter kiss has left me poisoned and I will never be the same again”

He moved across the stage more his gaze still transfixed with mine, it was as if we were held together by some invisible force that neither he nor I could break away from. A lot of the crowd noticed this by now too and were muttering and whispering between themselves, but I didn’t notice, that was until Isobelle nudged my side.

“Hey put your tongue back in”

She whispered jokingly, I turned to her and scowled playfully as she cuddled closer to Oli’s side. I turned back to look at Gustav but he didn’t look back he had moved down further on the stage, maybe I had just dreamt all of that up…had i?

Eventually the song was into the last two verses and Gustav burst into his usual energetic stage presence yet again, he caught my gaze yet again and I couldn’t help but blush as I tried to hide under my hair, dropping my head slightly. It was then I heard a chorus of girls gasp around me, looking up my chestnut eyes were subjected to the very own Gustav Wood crouched down in front of me singing the last two verses right in front me, never breaking our eye contact.

“and I will never be the same again”

He dropped the octaves in his voice as the song abruptly was brought to an end, he stared at me for what seemed like forever before he glanced at the rest of the crowd, and he smiled at me warmly before standing onto his feet.

“That was the last song guys, thanks for coming out you were fucking amazing”

He waved to the crowd before running off stage as the crew and tech ran on to clear the equipment up quickly before curfew. Pushing through the mass of sweaty on goers, I pushed through the exit doors, as the breeze of cold air bit me with force, sending a calming embrace over my hot, flustered state. Isobelle and Oli stumbled out next, his arms still around
her giggling between them.

“Oh my god Jemma you and Gustav so had a moment!” She joked as I rolled my eyes at my friends hyper activeness “Come on I want to see if I can meet them!”

“Okay but I have to find Ethan”

I shouted over the enthuastic fans as more and more pilled out the exit. Oli pulled me and Isobelle around the corner of the venue, so we could hear each other better. However Isobelle noticed all the tour buses lined up and ran off to see if she could find Young Guns, she returned 5 minutes later a pout evident on her plump lips.

“They’re on the bus they won’t come out for ages”

Me and Oli laughed at her as Oli pulled her into a side hug, scanning the crowd, I craned my neck to see if I could identify Ethan, no such luck…until I heard a familiar voice.

“Woah dude I think you’ve had enough”

That was Sam’s voice; following it hastily Isobelle and Oli trailed behind me. In an alcove near the buses I found Sam, Ethan and Tracy (one of the bitches) all huddled together a lighted stick poking out between Ethan’s lips as his eyes glazed over. Sam noticed me first from my shocked expression as he lightly hit Ethan on the chest. Ethan looked towards Sam before he followed Sam’s gaze towards me and swiftly he stubbed out the joint.

“WEED! FUCKING WEED”

I screeched, my voice increasing in pitch. This is why he was so fucking distance, why he was never around and so god damn moody, it was because he was smoking it up with these guys. I hated drugs and this was the final straw, whenever he was around me he must have been coming down. It all made sense.

Storming over to him I began to push him back against the wall, he held his hands up as a defeat sign but I wasn’t having it I wanted answers. Eventually my pushing got too much and he pushed me back.

“FUCK THIS WE’RE OVER!” I screamed,

“OH JUST FUCK OFF JEMMA, I CAN DO WHAT THE FUCK I WANT”

“REALLY! FINE FUCK YOU GO DRIVE YOURSELF INTO AN EARLY GRAVE”

I responded my anger boiling through my veins, I noticed out the corner of my eye the curtains on the one tour bus moved side to side slowly probably spying on this scene. I poked Ethan square in the chest harder and harder, he tried to turn away from me to speak to Sam, but Sam remained frozen, petrified.

That’s when I saw Ethan’s fist clench, the white of his knuckles evident as he turned to face me, his eyes raging fiery, his posture resembling much of an upcoming storm.

“FUCKKKK OFFFFFFFFFFF”

He shouted at me with as much force and oxygen he had possible; I didn’t recognize him, the boy I loved was foreign to me. This is what he had resorted to and this is what weed has resorted him to do because before I could register what was happened, it was all a fast blur.

His right fist unclenched, as I began to cower. Sam’s eyes widened along with Isobelle’s and Oliver’s, Tracy just watched on. The sound of flesh connecting with flesh echoed through my ears, as my left cheek felt a tremendous stinging sensation rage throughout. I grasped my left cheek as I stared Ethan hard in his glazed over ones, shock evident on my face from him slapping me.

“You will never touch me again got it?”

I spat before I turned to leave but not before I collided into a strong pair of arms.

“You better fucking leave, before I do something I’ll regret. Fucking asshole”

I heard the unfamiliar voice ring louder than any that night, as several pairs of footsteps rushed and surrounded me. I didn’t dare look up at whoever’s arms I was in, I was too comfortable, for once in my entire life I felt safe being in those arms.