Stuck in the "Friend Zone"

To say the last three days of tour was awkward would be an understatement. Alex and I avoided each other at all costs and when we were in a room together you could cut the tension with a knife. Everyone one else on the tour could tell something was up, but with the few days left no one wanted to address it. We kept it as normal as we could on stage for the kids and they seemed none the wiser.

Finally, FINALLY the last concert arrived. We played our show, met a few fans, and then headed to one last hotel to party it up.
People danced, alcohol flowed, and memories were shared, amidst it all I sat on a couch nursing a cup of some alcoholic concoction. It was the last night and I figured I should quit sulking, but I wasn’t in the partying mood. I laughed along with everyone else and at them with their crazy antics but I preferred the sideline view tonight.
Halfway through the night somebody sat down next to me and I looked over to see Alex, staring at his feet and looking like he was about to say something important, but the only thing that came out was an awkward “Hi,”
“Hi,” I replied.
“Jack, can we talk about everything?” He asked.
“Right now?” I countered.
“Yeah, I know it’s not the best place, but I miss you and I’m ready to apologize for everything.” I didn’t reply so he just began to speak again. “I understand why you’re mad at me, and you have reason to be, I led you on and if I’m being honest with you, I used you a bit. I know it was wrong, but I’m hoping you can forgive me, you’re my best friend you were my first friend, and I don’t want to lose that. So could we please go back to the way we were before all of this? I can understand if you don’t want it to be straight away. But I’m just hoping that maybe soon.”
I stared at him then said, “I forgive you.”
“Really, just like that?” He asked, looking shocked.
“Yeah, like you said, we’re best friends, and I don’t like holding grudges, plus I don’t want it to ruin the band. So maybe, we can’t go back to exactly the way we were, but I definitely want to go back to being best friends with you. Forgive and forget, for real this time.”
“I agree. Soo, can I hug you then?” He asked.
“Yes, you can hug me.” I answered smiling, and almost immediately he pulled me into a bone-crushing hug.
“Are you going to tell Rachel what happened?” I asked him.
“I probably should, it would be the right thing to do.” Alex replied.
“It’s your relationship, do what you think is right.” I answered.
“We’ll see how everything turns out.”
I would like to say whatever feelings I had for Alex disappeared that night, but love doesn’t work like that.

The next morning we packed up and headed to the airport some of us nursing hangovers and we were officially homeward bound. We flew into Baltimore in late afternoon. It was nice to see the familiar skyline, and to know that I had a comfortable bed waiting for me at home. Rachel greeted us at the gate and the moment Alex caught sight of her he dropped his bag and pulled her into a tight hug. Then she proceeded to hug the rest of us.
“I’m going to catch a cab home, I’ll see you all when I get out of hibernation.” I joked.
“You sure you don’t want a ride home, Jack?” Rachel asked.
“Thanks for the offer but I’ll be fine.” I said. I pulled her into one more hug and said, “It was nice to see you Rachel.”
“Nice to see you too Jack.” She replied. “Hopefully I’ll see you a little more often, I’m kind of missing you in my life.”
“We’ll make some time.” I replied.
I caught a cab and there seemed to be no traffic so I got home pretty quickly. Without thinking I dropped my bags at the front door and rushed to my bed, collapsing on it and falling asleep immediately. If there was anything I missed most while on tour, it was my bed.