Blue Eyes Don't Lie

When we got the venue I was nervous. I knew Sam was going to be there, and I hadn’t told any of the guys. Max thought I was gonna tell him to fuck off again, and Josh didn’t even know about the texts. I didn’t want to lie to him, but technically I wasn’t. Yet. I knew I’d have to come up with a way to get away from him for a bit.
“Hey Josh, I’m gonna go for a walk for a bit, I need to stretch my legs.”
“Okay, I’ll see you at sound check?”
“Sure,” I smiled, grabbed my bag and went out.
Meet me out the front of the venue.
Shit, what was I doing?
I could see his blond hair coming towards me.
“Hello,” he said when he approached me.
“Hi. We’re gonna go to the coffee shop around the corner. I need to be back here for 4 for sound check.”
“Okay, Liz. I am sorry for doing what I did with Sarah. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I don’t even know what happened. One minute I was walking by her, and the next she was kissing me.”
“You kissed her back, obviously. And I could see a fair bit more than kissing going on.”
“I know. I’m just a dick. I loved you. I really did. I still do.”
“I don’t. I moved on.”
“I can see.”
“He treats me better than you did.”
“Oh really? How many drunken fucks have you guys had? Huh?”
“I don’t know. None.”
“Really? None? Are you sure?”
“Yes, the only times he’s been drunk are when I have been too. And one time the other night.”
“I believe you.”
“Yeah? You should; because I’m telling the truth. I always have.”
“What did you mean he treats you better than I did?”
“You messed me around for a while before we got together, after the drunken party.”
“Yea, I didn’t know what to do. I liked you but I knew I’d hurt you.”
“And this is just proof of that. There was no spark between us either. I realized that everything between us was forced, nothing between us was natural. We were always trying to do stuff that didn’t feel right.”
“Were we? I felt spark.”
“You were the only one then.”
We’d reached the coffee shop, so we ordered two hot chocolates, and sat there glaring at each other. He didn’t like the truth, obviously.
“Look, Sam, I don’t know what you want me to say?”
“Say you miss me too.”
“I can’t. Because I don’t. And you know I hate lying.”
“Oh, but Liz, you do miss me. If you didn’t you wouldn’t be here.”
“I only came to get you off my back.”
“That right there is a lie.”
“Fuck sake; you cannot tell me what part is a lie, and which isn’t. I decide; and right now everything I’ve been saying is the truth.”
“So when did you and him get together?”
“I don’t know… we just sorta did.”
“So you didn’t get with him a few days later?”
“Maybe I did.”
“So you do move on fast.”
“Like I said; he is better for me than you were.”
“Again; how was I not good enough for you?”
“Cause you were a massive cunt.”
“Liz, tell me how I wasn’t good enough.”
“You messed with my head, you cheated on me. Hell, I bet it wasn’t just Sarah. Am I right?”
“Do I have to answer?”
“That means I’m right. Who else was it?”
The waitress came back with our drinks. I took a sip while I was waiting for him to answer.
“You want the truth?” I nodded. “There were 4 other girls.”
“Fuck. How did you manage to get away with it?”
“Obviously I didn’t; but when I said I was going to visit my Nan, I was almost always with a girl.”
“So… that must have been at least 10 times, with each girl?”
“Yea; I do regret it though Liz, believe me. That’s one of my main regrets.”
“I don’t care Sam. You fucked up multiple times. And I came here to tell you that I don’t want you. I don’t miss you. I fucking hate you now.”
“You did love me when we were together thought, right?”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know?”
“I didn’t have with you, what I have with Josh.”
“So you love him, but you didn’t love me?”
“Exactly.”
“You are such a bitch.”
“Thank you,” I got up. “I’m going now.”
I left a few dollars on the table, and I walked out, not bothering to look behind me. I walked back to the venue, and let myself in the back. I went and tried to find Josh.
“Hey there, beautiful.” I heard from behind me. I smiled.
“Hi there,” I walked over to Josh and kissed him. “When’s sound check?”
“In about… 20 minutes?”
“Okay,” I smiled and kissed him again.
“How was your walk?”
“It was good. I love America. I wanted to come here when I was younger, and now I’m here. Thanks to you.”
“You’re welcome,” he said smiling against my mouth. “I missed you.”
“I was gone for like an hour?”
“I know, but I still missed you.”
“I have to admit; I missed you too.”
“Good, I love you.”
“I love you too, but right now I have to go talk to Max.”
“Okay?” He kissed me then let me go.
I walked round the building trying to find Max, it took me forever but I found him on the stage, playing.
“Max,” I half shouted at him.
“What’s up?”
“I met up with Sam.”
“Liz!”
“Nothing happened! Jeez!”
“So what did happen?”
“Not much. Found out he’d cheated with 5 girls instead of just the one, and at least 10 times with each girl.”
“Oh right.”
“Yeah, then he said I was a bitch cause I said I didn’t love him when we were together then I left.”
“Sounds like a fun morning.”
“Eh, it was alright. I’ve had worse.”
“I’ll bet you have,” he laughed. “Don’t meet up with him again yea?”
“Of course not. I’m not stupid. I got what I wanted from him, and that’s it.”
“Good. You gonna tell Josh?”
“No, he’ll go all weird, and honestly there’s no reason for him to know. I didn’t do anything wrong, I just had to talk to him.”
“I think you should Liz.”
“Max, don’t. I don’t want to tell him, he’ll freak over nothing. I want everything to stay this way for a while.”
“Fine, fine. But he’ll find out eventually.”
“He won’t, because there’s nothing to find out.”
“I guess, just… be careful, yea?”
“Always am,” I smiled then walked away.

--

I got back into the swing of things that night, I was photographing again. I really loved this. I honestly did. I didn’t want this tour to end. I didn’t want to go back home. I knew I’d have to though. I could feel someone watching me. A lot of people normally did, but this felt different, I felt like I was in danger. I needed to get out. I looked up at Josh to see him watching me, but I could still feel the eyes boring into my back. I motioned to him that I was going backstage; I pretended my battery had died. I went all the way to the door leading to the bus, and I saw someone lurking in the shadows. Make that a group of someone’s. I didn’t know who they were or what they wanted.
“You had this coming for a long time Liz.” I knew that voice. Sam. He was heading this.
“I’ve had what coming for a long time?”
“You’re about to find out.”
They started. They punched me in the face, and got me to the floor. They pulled my hair and I could feel bits coming out. I didn’t know what to do, so I stayed silent. They kicked me in the ribs and I heard a crack. They kept punching and kicking me. I heard someone gathering spit in their mouth before they launched it into my face. This is what it’s like to be beaten. I was still silent; I didn’t cry, beg or fight back. In hindsight, I probably should have.
“Now go back to your whiny boyfriend, and tell him to watch his back.”
I lay there on the floor, incapable of movement. I heard footsteps coming towards me.
“Please,” I gasped. “No more.”