Let The Walls Come Down

JESSICA BOWEN

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I whispered to Alissa that night as we were sitting on my bed. After the incident this morning, we’ve decided that it’s better for Alissa to stay in my house. Well, at least someone would guard it when I’m over at Stephen’s.

“I don’t know,” Alissa continued to cry.

“Shh, it okay,” I assured her.

“No, it’s not.” And she cried more.

When we were still at Stephen’s, Alissa told us her story. She said she met Brian during our tour in Frisco. Her boyfriend bought her a ticket that’s entitled to position her right in front of the stage. But it’s not during the concert she first met Brian; it was the night before the concert. She saw Brian drinking quietly in an empty bar from its front window. She has mistaken Brian for someone else, so she entered the place and sat on the bar stool beside him. Only to find that he isn’t the guy she thought he is from his back view. Nonetheless, they talked to each other, but he didn’t tell her he was in a band. Alissa said it was love at the first sound of his voice. She learned that he was drinking because of Chelsea. He got drunk and so did she. That night, they made love.

“It’s not a one night stand,” her voice rang in my head again. “When I saw him singing as the front man during the concert, I wanted leave already. I got so scared. I cheated with him on the man I was with at the concert. But when I was about to leave my place, I saw him looking directly at me. And I swear, I can’t – I…” She trailed and continued, “that night after the concert, I told my boyfriend that I need to go to the restroom. But instead of going there, I went to the door of the backstage with hopes that I’ll see him again. And then I did. We left the place together to hang out with each other. I never came back for my boyfriend because I know I can’t continue seeing him anymore with Brian in my mind. That night we made love again.”

She didn’t continue explaining things after that.

“Ali, can I ask you something?” I asked her as her story was imprinted on my mind and it keeps on bothering me.

“Hmm?” She turned to face me.

“What exactly happened after the,” I stopped thinking for the right word, “um, after you guys made love for the second time?”

She sighed, “my boyfriend texted me and Brian took it. He learned about the I’m-cheating-on-you part.”

“Then?” I pressed on.

“He left me lying naked on the floor.”

“Floor?”

“Well, Brian’s a little hardcore on sex. He likes to-“

“Woah, stop!” I cut her and smiled, “I don’t think I need too much information on how Brian does on bed.”

She smiled back at me, “I lied to you, you know?”

“Lied?” I made a face at her feigning hurt.

“I didn’t really know it was you behind the drums,” she continued, “God, Jess, you changed a lot. You’re so pretty, I didn’t even recognize you. And I love it that even though you’re famous now and your appearance changed to fabulous, you’re still the old boyish Jess.”

I smiled at her, unknowing of what to say, “um, thanks?”

She laughed, “you’re really pretty Jess, I mean it.”

“So how did you know it was me?” I tried diverting the subject.

“After he left me, I broke up with my boyfriend. I was devastated – not because I broke up with my boyfriend, but because Brian left me,” she sighed, “I searched for information about the band. When I looked up the members, I was half-surprised to see your name there.”

“Half-surprised?”

“I know you’re in for something big, Jess,” she smiled at me, “I’ve always known.”

~

JOHN GOMEZ

“So you think the bitch’s telling the truth?” Stephen asked me.

“Don’t call her that, Stephen,” I frowned at my older brother as if I’m lecturing someone younger, “she’s Jess’ friend.”

“I call Jess ‘bitch.’”

“And it’s not nice,” I sighed, “she’s your best friend.”

“That’s why it’s okay for me to call her that,” he smirked.

“Respect, Stephen,” I rubbed my face, “girls need that.”

“I’ll keep that in mind then.”

And Stephen left the room.

~

“Hey, have you heard anything from Brian?” Jobe asked the group that has formed in our living room.

It’s been three days since Brian walked out of our house because of Alissa; three days since we last heard anything from Brian.

“It’s all my fault,”

“No, shhh, it’s not your fault,” Jess patted Alissa's head on her neck.

I sat beside the two girls and tried comforting Alissa too. Stephen raised an eyebrow at me. Crying girls get on my soft side while they get on Stephen’s annoying one.

“I shouldn’t have showed up,” Alissa continued crying and I saw Stephen nod at the corner of my eyes.

“No, it’s okay,” I touched Alissa’s shoulder in a reassuring manner, “he’s been a douchebag lately anyways.”

And they all laughed at that.

Suddenly, there a was a knock on the door. Then, Brian’s voice came after, “I hope she’s not there!”

“Oh God, I guess I better leave now,” Alissa said in a hoarse voice.

“No, you shouldn’t Ali,” Jess tried making her stay, but Stephen’s straightforward in a douchebag way to girls he obviously doesn’t like.

“I guess she better leave. She’s the one who cheated on him. She’s the one who hurt him. She’s the one who made Brian even more of a girl. I think the man needs his space.” Stephen stated and earned a nod from Josh.

I didn’t comment on it, but I think he’s right.

“I need to go now,” Alissa abruptly stood up and left the house through the back door. I guess she’s feeling a lot more comfortable here now.

Just in time as Alissa banging the door shut to leave the house, Brian barged in the front door.

“What’s happening? Who just left?” He asked.

“Just a friend of mine,” Jess said then she frowned at Stephen who’s standing by the wall in front of us, “you’re such a douchebag.”

“Friend who?” Brian continued asking as he sat down the couch next to me and Jess.

“No one.”

Then at the same time as Jess’ ‘No one,’ Brian brought up something he accidentally sat on, “what’s this?”

I guess Alissa accidentally left her phone.

Brian’s eyes darkened at the sight of Alissa’s phone hanging in front of him by his hand.

Then he frowned at us, “Ali’s here.”

“Was,” Stephen corrected him.

“Then I don’t want to talk to her.”

~

I frowned at Stephen after the band has left our house for the touring talk that was left unfinished when Alissa first showed up.

“Why are you being an asshole to Jess, Stephen?” I asked him.

“It’s actually not Jess, John,” he said as he sat on the floor by the couch where I was sitting and watched the cooking show I was watching, “it was Ali I was being a douchebag to.”

“But you know it’s pissing Jess off.”

“But you also know Ali deserves it,” Stephen countered back at me.

I guess he’s right, again, but isn’t he bothered that he’s actually pissing Jess off?

“But I thought you’d care that you’re pissing Jess,” I muttered more to myself than to him, but apparently, it reached his ears.

“She’ll always like me anyway,” he retorted.

“Don’t be so confident, Jess has many friends,” I frowned at him.

“Not that ‘like.’ She actually likes me the way you like her.”

So he noticed the obvious too. The I-like-Jess part and the Jess-likes-him part.

“You like her back,” I propped my head with my elbows on my knees as I stare blankly at the television.

“Yeah?” He turned around to raise an eyebrow at me, then he stared directly in my eyes to give me a serious look, “but you like her.”

I sighed and thought about the decision I took years ago. These guys, Jess and Stephen, I know they’re meant for each other. Though it hurts me a lot to say it and acknowledge it, they practically shine when they’re with each other.

“You guys belong together,” I said hoping Stephen would agree and forget about my sake at least once in a while.

But instead of replying, Stephen stood up from the floor. And as he did, I heard him heaved a sigh and mutter a “never mind.”

“Where are you going?” I asked him before he got out of the room.

“Sleep in my room,” he said quietly and he was out of the room. He didn’t even turn around to smile at me or anything like the usual.

I know something has changed between us.