Right Here Waiting

September flew by, and October brought a lot of stress for Brian. Amber had chosen Halloween to get married, but because of the tour and the band being in Vegas that night they’d forgone the planned wedding and decided to get married after the show on Halloween night.

A week before the album was due to be released, the guys headed to New York to do an interview about the album. Afterward, they headed home to make sure they were all packed up. Brian was halfway done, when Amber walked into his room.

“Hey, babe,” he said out of habit.

“Hey, Bri.”

Something wasn’t right. Amber was never this quiet. Immediately, Brian was concerned. He turned around to face her. “What’s wrong?”

“I’ve been thinking a lot since you did your interview.”

Brian started to get nervous. He didn’t think she’d been listening during the interview.

“Look, I’m—”

“No, it’s okay. You don’t have to apologize for it. In fact, I’m the one that should be apologizing to you, Brian.”

“What are you talking about?” Brian asked, sitting down on his bed.

Val walked up the steps, meaning to go to Matt’s room to get her things, but she stopped at the top of the stairs as she heard Amber say she should apologize. Val kept herself out of view, listening to see what was being said.

“I know you don’t love me, Brian.”

He started to speak up, but Amber held up her hand. “Let me finish, okay? I know you don’t love me. I also know that you’re still in love with Eliza.”

Amber started tearing up, and she thought for a minute before continuing. “I lied to you, Brian. The video I had of her and Val talking wasn’t about you; it was about some guy who stalked Eliza in Boston.”

“What?” Brian asked, shocked.

“I also had another video of you and Matt making the bet in Los Angeles about breaking up with me. I edited it to make it seem like you two were talking about Eliza and I showed it to her friend. I’m pretty sure that’s why Eliza hasn’t spoken to you. I’m really sorry, Brian, I just didn’t know what to do. I had spent months with you guys and I never felt like part of the group, and here comes this girl and within one day, she’s everyone’s favorite. I couldn’t stand losing you to her.”

Brian stayed silent. He couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. Amber was the reason Eliza hadn’t spoken to him? She’d lied about the video? Everything was a lie. Amber was the reason that Eliza had cried. She was the reason Eliza was in Boston. He’d been mad at Eliza and Val for no reason.

“There’s more,” Amber said, not making eye contact.

Immediately, Brian tensed up, expecting the worst. “What?”

“Eliza received a call the night of the party for her friend. I answered the phone. It was that recording company that she had an interview for. They wanted her to come in for another audition.”

“What did you do, Amber?”

“I went in to her audition.”

“As Eliza!?”

“Yes.”

Speechless, Brian stared at Amber with his mouth open. His perspective of her changed completely. After today, he was done with her. Never in his entire life had he thought she could be capable of something to deceitful. As if it had a mind of its own, his arm whipped out, and Amber’s head was thrown to the side. She stood still after the slap and slowly looked at him.

“Brian, I’m really sorry. I lo—”

“Get out.”

“What?” Amber asked, dejectedly.

“Get out. Get out of my house. Get out of my life; the wedding is off.”

Amber didn’t say a word, just nodded. As she left the room, she almost ran into Val. She moved aside and ran down the stairs. Val stepped into Brian’s room then.

“Why isn’t she answering my phone calls?” Brian asked, looking up at her.

“You just heard why.”

“Does she love me?”

“She did,” Val answered.

“I need to talk to her,” Brian said, reaching for his phone.

“Try her house number.”

“She and Katie don’t have a house phone; they don’t like house phones.”

Val’s eyes got bigger, realizing her mistake. Brian jumped on it.

“What? What is it, Val?”

“You don’t know.”

“Don’t know what, Valary?” Brian said, becoming angry.

“Eliza and David are engaged.”

Brian felt his body go numb. “What’s the number?”

Val read it to him as he punched the numbers into his cell phone. She left the room as the phone started ringing. It rang five times before an answering machine picked up. A male’s voice rang out.

“Hi, you’ve reached David and Eliza. We can’t answer the phone right now, but after the beep you can leave a message. Also, don’t forget to save the date! March 22nd, we’re getting married!”

Brian blindly pressed the red button. Numb and frozen in place, he lifted his arm and brought it forward. The cell phone left his hands with maximum force and smashed into the far wall, shattering into a thousand pieces.

An idea struck him, and he opened his laptop, starting a search.