Dance with a Devil

Violet found that she abandoned her and Garrett's apartment after awhile. It had been a few weeks since John's show and she avoided every single one of her friends. She stayed with Cecilia, who knew the actual situation better than anyone else, because then she wasn't truly alone.

Neither John nor Garrett made any effort to talk to her. She made it clear that she needed time, so they were giving it to her. It was mostly her avoiding them, though. But Violet sometimes caught herself hoping a phone call that was from Cecilia or her sister was one of them.

"Hey, bitch," Cecilia said, walking into her house and finding Violet sitting on the couch, browsing through her phone.

"Hey, slut," Violet said back.

Cecilia smiled even though Violet couldn't see it. She could see right through everything. Violet wasn't happy. She showed up on her doorstep, a week ago, crying her eyes out. Cecilia had do to what every best friend had to do–give moral support. She knew that it had to do with John and Garrett–her heart belonged to one of them.

"Hey, Vi?" Cecilia called from the kitchen.

"Yeah?"

"So, uh, Austin's coming back in a couple of days."

Violet looked up from her phone. "Oh, right..." she sighed.

"This doesn't mean I'm kicking you out!" Cecilia exclaimed. "You're my best friend, okay? Bros over hoes, thus, Austin can't do shit. I'm just reminding you."

Violet rolled her eyes and stood up, walking over to the kitchen and leaning against the counter.

"I'm perfectly okay with going back to my own apartment. I feel so stupid having to crash here when I have a pretty decent living situation," she said.

Cecilia gave her a sympathetic smile. Violet smiled at her best friend and shrugged. Her phone started buzzing.

"Hello?" Violet answered.

"Um, hey, Vi." It was Kennedy.

"Oh! Uh, hi, Kenny!" Violet said, shocked. His voice was hard, like he was trying his best not to say something that he really wanted to. Cecilia watched, amused. She leaned in to try and hear the conversation.

"Listen," Kennedy sighed. "This is getting out of hand."

"What is?" Violet asked.

"Garrett and John. They got into a fight today. Like with punches and everything."

"What?!"

"Yeah. And guess who it was over?"

Violet closed her eyes. "Oh, God. Oh, God, Kenny, I'm so sorry!"

Kennedy sighed again. "Violet, I love you. You're one of my closest friends and I can't thank you enough for what you did with John, but this is getting ridiculous. You can't not choose one of them, when clearly, you have to. Please, Vi, I can't lose my band again."

He hung up the phone and Violet almost dropped her phone from the shock. Cecilia, too, was flabbergasted. Violet turned on her heel and went straight to the guest bedroom. She heard Cecilia call after her but she shut the door and immediately dialed on her phone.

"Hey, Vi!" Her sister exclaimed when she answered the phone.

"Lina, I need your help," Violet said, immediately.

"Okay..."

"John and Garrett got into a fight today. Over me..." The day after John's show, Violet called her sister and told her everything. From start to the finish. Angelina Casey listened but she didn't say anything unless Violet asked for it.

"Lina, who do I pick?" Violet cried.

Angelina sighed. "Violet, who do love?"

Violet shrugged, even though her sister couldn't see it. "I dunno."

"Okay, let me rephrase the question: who do you love more? Garrett is your first love and he's like your family. John is something new and exciting and he's healing."

"Exactly," Violet grumbled. "I spent months with John and he frustrated me so fucking much. How can I deal with that for the rest of my life? Garrett, on the other hand, he's normal and he knows me better than anyone else."

"Do you have your answer?"

Violet let out a shaky breath. "I think so."

"Go get 'em, tiger."

"Thanks, Lina."

"You're welcome, baby sis!"

Violet sat in her room for an hour, thinking it over and over. She asked three people for advice on the situation: Florence from the bakery, Cecilia, and now Lina. It was all coming together, but it was her turn to finally make a move. She had to end John and Garrett's agony and she especially had to end her own agony.

She brushed by Cecilia on the way out and hopped into her car and she started driving the familiar path that she had drove down so many times before. The tears were starting to well up, but by the time she got there, they were gone and she was ready.

She walked up the pathway to the front door and lifted her hand up. She took a breath and knocked three times before the door opened to reveal him standing in front of her, as if he was already waiting for her.