I Left My Heart In Huntington Beach

Brian’s Pov:

I stared down at my phone, wondering if I should answer it. I sighed and silenced the ringing before setting it in my back pocket.

“Who was it?” Zack asked, eying me suspiciously.

I shrugged before picking up two suitcases. “It didn’t say,”

Zack kept his gaze on me for a few seconds.

“What?” I asked, shrugging again with the suitcases still in hand.

He shook his head and picked up the other two suitcases.

I bit my lip as I followed Zack up the stairs. I could only imagine how pissed Nicole was going to be at me.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Nicole’s Pov:

“Nicole, it’s a tattoo.”

“What?!” I yelled, turning around and running into the bathroom. I turned my back to the mirror and lifted up my shirt. Sure enough, there it was. “Oh. My. God.” I breathed, staring in horror at the butterfly that now permanently graced my lower back.

“Wow, I can’t believe you got a tattoo!” Heather laughed as she appeared in the doorway.

“It wasn’t my choice!” I yelled, wondering how this could have happened. I knew I wouldn’t get a tattoo, no matter how drunk I could have possibly been.

“Heather, what did you let me do?” I asked, pulling down my shirt and bracing myself for what she was going to say.

“I didn’t let you do anything! All I know is that you and Brian left the club and the rest of us stayed back. I don’t know where you went or what you guys did after that.” She raised her hands up as if surrendering. “You don’t remember anything?”

“Nothing,” I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I didn’t mean for things to get this out of control, I just wanted to be a little daring, step out of my shell a bit. I should have stayed home, I should’ve just stuck to my normal, quiet self.

“So what are you gonna do?” I jumped at the sound of Heather’s voice, forgetting she was even there for a moment.

“I’m going to get to the bottom of this.” I stormed out of the bathroom and yanked my cell phone off the table and dialing Brian’s number. I impatiently tapped my fingers on the kitchen counter as I waited for Brian to pick up his phone. It went to voicemail. I hung up my phone and set it back down on the kitchen counter.

I turned around to see that Heather had taken a seat on the couch.

“Did he pick up?” She asked, aimlessly flipping through channels.

“No,”

“Well then let’s go talk to him.”

I wondered why I hadn’t thought of that before, that didn’t seem like too bad of an idea. I walked over to the coffee table and grabbed my car keys. I heard Heather turn off the TV before following me out the door.

“Here, let me drive. I know where it is.” I hesitantly handed the car keys over to Heather before slipping inside to the passenger side.

“Alright, let’s go make a Biker Boy cry.” Heather smirked before backing out of the driveway--without looking--and speeding down the road.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Brian, why did you ignore Nicole‘s phone call?”

I looked up from the shirt I was folding to see Zack sitting on the bed with his legs crossed and my cell phone in his hands. He had a look on his face that said ‘you better tell me the truth already because I know when you’re lying.’

I sighed, leaning against the dresser in the guest room.

“Brian you have too tell her,”

“I know! I know I do, but you just don’t get what I’m going through.”

“Brian you didn’t have to lie, you could have been straight up with her.”

“Zack if I had done that she would have been gone months ago. Believe me it’s killing me that I’ve let it go on for this long, but I just,” I took a deep breath and set the shirt I finished folding in the dresser before continuing my sentence. “I just don’t want to lose her Zack.”

I heard Zack take in a deep breath, exhaling after a few seconds. “She loves you Brian. I am certain of that. Your only making things worse by stalling.”

I looked down at my feet, still feeling his gaze on me. He was right. I nodded my head before shutting the dresser drawer. “Okay, I’ll go tell her.”

Zack gave me a small smile. I smiled back before running out the door and down the stairs. I was about halfway down the stairs when I heard a knock at the door. I furrowed my brow, wondering who was at the door. I hadn’t been expecting anybody today.

There was another loud knock. “I’m coming, hold on!” I yelled as I reached the door. I slowly opened it to reveal Heather and Nicole. A very angry Heather and Nicole.

“Hey whats--Ow! What the fuck Heather?” I glared at her, rubbing the spot where her hand had just connected with my cheek.

“Why the fuck did you let her get a tattoo?” Heather snapped, pointing to Nicole.

“What are you talking about?” I asked, sincerely confused. Heather scoffed and grabbed onto Nicole’s shoulders, whipping her around and lifting up the back of her shirt.

“Heather!” Nicole yelped, trying to pull her shirt back down.

“I’m talking about this.”

My eyes followed to where Heather was pointing. My eyes widened as they landed on a butterfly tattoo that was embellished across Nicole’s lower back.

“Shit,” I whispered running a hand through my hair. I had completely forgotten that I’d taken Nicole to get a tattoo.

Nicole pulled her shirt down and glared a little at Heather, before setting her gaze on me. If looks could kill, I’d be something even worse than dead now. I didn’t know she was capable of such a glare, it honestly was scaring the crap out of me.

“What the hell is going on?” We all looked up to see Zack standing at the top of the stairs.

“Oh, hey Nicole. I think me and Heather will let you and Brian talk.” Zack shot Nicole a wink before Heather punched me in the arm and ran up the stairs to meet Zack.

“Shit,” I mumbled underneath my breath, rubbing my arm. I looked up to see that Nicole’s glare hadn’t faltered. A loud thud echoed through the house. I looked over my shoulder too see Heather and Zack pressed up against a wall.

“You wanna get out of here and talk?” I asked softly, scared to be alone with Nicole.

She nodded and turned on her heel.

“Hey make sure you use protection! The last thing we need is a little Heather running around.” I yelled up at them. Heather and Zack both flipped me off. I chuckled before walking following Nicole out to her car.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Brian why do I have a tattoo? What the hell even happened that night? I don’t remember anything.” Nicole exclaimed as she turned in her seat to face me.

“Well you had one too many drinks with the girls, so I was going to take you back to the hotel. But while we were walking the strip you kept saying that you were fine and that you were a big girl who could handle herself.” I looked over to see if she was still listening. She nodded, allowing me to continue.

“So we were about halfway to the hotel when you saw a tattoo shop. You said you wanted a tattoo so I took you in there too get one.”

I waited for her to speak. When she didn’t I lifted my eyes to meet hers as she shook her head at me.

“How the hell could you let me get a tattoo Brian!”

“Well you said you wanted one,”

“Brian I was drunk! How could you have let me make such a stupid decision when you knew I was drunk?”

I sighed and threw my hands in the air. “I don’t know Nicole, I’m sorry I guess I wasn’t thinking either.”

“Yeah well I’m the one with the tattoo now.”

“I have tattoos.”

“You wanted tattoos, I didn’t!” She shouted, pointing a finger at her chest.

“Nicole, I’m sorry.” I took a deep breath, deciding that now than never was the best time to tell her.

“Brian, sorry doesn’t take the tattoo off my back!” She scoffed. “Look, I think we need a break.”

My breath stopped. She couldn’t be serious, I thought she loved me?

“Nicole, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying I think we need a break Brian. I need to be alone. Work sucks, I’m stressed, I miss Bella and I’m angry at you for letting me make such a stupid choice.”

My stomach churned. I had never been broken up with before, and it certainly didn’t feel too good.

“Nicole, wait,”

“No Brian, you’re not talking me out of this.”

“I’m not trying to talk you out of anything Nicole, but there’s something I need to tell you.” I snapped.

She shook her head. “No Brian, I’m done, ”

“Nicole please, you have to listen to me.” I lowered my voice, now pleading.

“No Brian. I’m done! We need a break, I can’t deal with this anymore.” She sighed and set her head in her hands.

It grew silent between us. I stared out at the waves, a million thoughts running through my mind.

“Get out.” She muttered.

“What?” I asked, wondering if I had heard her correctly.

“Get out!” She yelled, lifting her face from her hands and pointing at the door.

“Nicole we’re at the fucking beach!”

“You have two legs, you can walk home.” She growled, before turning around in her seat and turning on the car.

I stared at her for a few seconds, wondering if she was kidding or not. I opened my mouth, about to tell her everything; but I changed my mind. Why make things worse? Me and Nicole were over, and there was no use in making her feel worse. What she didn't know, wouldn't hurt her.

I waited to see if she would even just look at me and say goodbye. But she didn't. I sighed and ran my hands over my fave before opening the door and turned to look at Nicole one last time.She kept her gaze straight ahead.

“I don’t think it even matters now.” I sighed. “But I love you more than you'll ever know Nicole. I'm sorry.”

Her shoulders slumped a little, but she kept her gaze on the waves. I tried my hardest not to take one last look at her before shutting the door. I got a small glipse of her as she backed out of the parking lot. She wiped her eyes and drove off down the street. I shoved my hands in my pockets and began my walk back home. I felt like the biggest loser.

My chest hurt and my throat was dry. But I felt a little better knowing that I didn’t have to tell Nicole after all. She didn’t need to know who I was. It was better off this way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Nicole’s Pov:

I stuffed another scoop of ice cream into my mouth as I wiped away another tear. I didn’t want to break things off with Brian; I wished I could have told him I loved him too, but I still couldn’t believe he had let me get a tattoo. I have nothing against tattoos, they’re just not for me. It wasn’t even the tattoo really, it was the fact that Brian had let me do something so stupid when he knew I wasn’t thinking straight.

I turned my attention away from the TV as I heard a knock at the door.

“It’s unlocked!” I yelled, too lazy to even move a finger.

“Hey girl, I brought Snickers home.”

I turned to see Heather walk into my apartment. She looked beautiful, and I knew she was happy. I knew what her and Zack had done after Brian and I left. She just had that glow to her. While on the other hand here I sat in a robe, my hair up in a crappy bun, mascara running down my cheeks, and I still hadn’t had sex with Brian. I probably never would now.

I looked down to see Snickers lick my fingertips. I smiled a little and rubbed her soft little head.

“Thank you.” I whispered as I felt the couch dip beside me.

“Zack told me what happened so I offered to go pick her up from Johnny’s. I can’t believe you made Brian walk home.” She chuckled a little.

I let out a little laugh as well, as she took the ice cream carton. from my grasp. “I can’t believe I did either.”

“Well he made it home okay, if you were wondering.”

I didn’t want to admit that a part of me did. I pulled Snickers onto the couch, setting her in my lap as I continued petting her.

“So, you and Brian are really over?”

I felt tears begin to build up. Were we really over? I didn’t want us to be over, I just need some time. He upset me, I wasn’t the one doing wrong here wanting to be apart for a while.

But right now I wanted to be anything but alone. I wanted Brian, I wanted to see that stupid smirk, feel his perfect lips against mine. I sighed, shaking those thoughts out of my head.

“I think we are Heather.” I whispered as a few tears escaped and trickled down my cheeks.