Can I Be Your Memory?

Chapter 22

Hey, meet me at our restaurant. There’s something I wanna tell you. Miss you, Ere.”

Erelin put down her phone again after looking at her text message from Brendon. She had something to tell him too, and it was boiling inside of her. She sat there nervous about this meeting. She had a revelation about Blake. More like she got fed up with his criticisms about her life and what she wanted to do with it.

Since her accident almost three years ago, she had a change of heart. She wanted to do something better with her life than just being a doctor, what she was studying to be in her previous life. She wanted to help people, but in different way. But first, she wanted to see the world. She got a second chance in life. Why not take that advantage? She knew that school would always be there. Jobs will always be there as well. She just wanted to explore more options. Her family was skeptical at first, but understood and respected her wishes.

The next person she needed to tell was Brendon. Since Brendon went on tour a month and half ago, she really couldn’t tell him in person. That’s what she wanted to do, was to tell him about her future. She wanted his approval too. Since he was finally at the Chicago stop with a couple of days before their 2 day performances, they both immediately wanted to meet up to talk.

So as Erelin sat there in their restaurant waiting for him to show, Brendon pulled up to the parking lot with Erika in tow. He didn’t want to bring her there, but the news also involved her too. Erelin had the biggest smile on her face when she saw Brendon walk into the restaurant. Her heart skipped a beat from not seeing him for almost two months. But then her heart felt heavy and jealousy wash over her as she saw Erika following him and holding his hand.

They walked over to her and gave her a hug and hello. They caught up while looking at the menu, picking a dish to eat and giving their orders to their server. The two best friends talked ‘til their appetizers came as Erika sat there awkwardly, not getting a word in inch ways. He talked about crazy tour stories so far into tour, and she talked about the new bands that she knew very well he hasn’t heard of that he should have already. As their actual meal came, they talked about Brendon’s family back in Vegas and how he has another niece. Erelin talked about her kids that she watches after at the Kinder Care she works at. Both of them were enjoying their conversation, almost completely forgetting the fact that Erika was even there.

Deep down though, they were upset and nervous for what they were about to say to each other. They didn’t know how the other one would react to it. With nothing else to talk about and their food already done and gone, they had no other choice but to say what they needed to say.

“So… what did you need to talk about?” Erelin asked anxiously.

“Well…Uhhhh you first,” Brendon said.

“No, I asked you first!”

“No you!”

“Brendon…”

“Erelin…”

“I’ll say it…” Erika said, finally speaking for the first time.

Brendon and Erelin both looked at her as if she was the pink elephant in the room.

“Why would you say it?” Erelin asked confused.

“Well… we wanted to let you know that… Brendon and I are engaged,” Erika said with a smug look on her face.

Deep down, Erika hated Erelin with a passion, and she couldn’t wait to see the look on her face when she told her about the engagement. Deep down, Brendon still doesn’t know what he got himself into. He didn’t even get down on one knee and do it on purpose. They just agreed on it. Brendon and Erika were friends from Vegas, and just met again in Chicago as she was attending University of Chicago, and he was here on for a visit. Deep down, Erelin was in shock and had to hide for Brendon. She didn’t know what to even say to him… or her for that matter. She just felt her heart breaking in pieces, but she had to put up a front.

“Really? Engaged? Wow… Congrats, loves!” Erelin said as she plastered a smile on her face staring at Brendon.

Brendon stared back her, looking for any signs of sadness. He knew not to look at her smile, but her eyes. He could see a bit of sadness in them. That’s when he felt his heart, and her’s, start to break as well.

“Yea! I know right? I can’t wait to finally walk down the aisle and become Mrs. Brendon Urie,” Erika said.

A sigh of relief washed over Erelin as she heard her phone going off.

“Wow…” was all Erelin could say as she grabbed her phone to see her father calling her.

She grabbed it and answered. He asked her where abouts and when she would be home. She told him she was with Brendon, and that she would be leaving right now. He told her not to rush, but she wanted to leave. She didn’t want to see Brendon decode her actions right now. She knew that Brendon could read her like a book, and she didn’t want to show any signs of sadness.

“That was my dad. I gotta go home. He’s not feeling well,” Erelin said as she hung up the phone and put it back in her purse.

“Is he alright?” Brendon asked, worriedly.

“Yea, but he’s home alone and just got home from work. Plus, my sisters are out right now, so I’d better go just in case something happens,” Erelin said as she pulled out her wallet.

They put in money for the bill and tip, and left the restaurant. Erika walked away happy finally being able to state her claim of Brendon. She got into Brendon’s car, without saying goodbye to Erelin. Brendon and Erelin though lingered out of the car.

“Tell your dad I said hi, ok?” Brendon said.

“Of course,” Erelin said, “I better go before he gets mad or something. Don’t want to keep Erika waiting.”

“It’s ok…”

“No…go on. I’ll see you tomorrow,”

“Wait, you didn’t even tell me what you needed to tell me.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s not like I won’t see you tomorrow or something.”

“True… Ok, well drive home safely, please?” he pleaded.

He was always nervous of her driving to this day ever since the accident. Scared that something worse could happen to her.

“I will. Promise,” she said with a soft smile.

They both leaned in and hugged, never wanted to let go, but knowing that they didn’t have a choice. They broke apart and smiled at each other.

“Bye…” Erelin whispered.

“Bye,” Brendon said.

He then leaned in and kissed her on her forehead, something that he never does with Erika. As Erika witnessed that, she felt the anger boil up inside of her. The minute that Brendon is in the car, she was going to yell at him for it.

Erelin sighed and thought in her head to keep herself calm. She didn’t want to break down especially not in front of Brendon. She didn’t realize it as she backed out of her parking spot that Brendon was waiting for her, and wanted to follow her until she had to turn on to her street to get home. From the moment he turned on his car, Erika was down his throat, yelling at him about the kiss. He obviously was not paying attention to her and was paying attention to Erelin. He followed her until they hit the red light. She was in the left turning lane, and he was besides her, going straight down the street. As Erika kept bickering about the kiss, then changing the subject about the wedding, Brendon looked over at Erelin.

Erelin was staring hard at the red light, waiting for it to turn green. Just another minute or two, and she would be home. As Brendon watched her, he noticed how she was gripping the wheel hard, and she was clenching her jaw. At that moment, they both knew what would happen next. Erelin couldn’t hold it in anymore, and Brendon felt that sharp pain he always felt when he knew what Erelin would do next. He watched a few tears started to flow down her cheek and drip down to her shirt. As Brendon was about to reach for his phone and call her, the light turned green for her, and she accelerated, turned, and sped off to her house, all the while the tears just kept going.