Catalyst

"Wait- down the boulevard?", he asks.
"Yes, Andy! I sent you the directions!"
He laughs. "Sorry- sorry! It's a bit confusing- all these streets!"
I laugh along with him. "Do you see some apartments?"
"Yah.. Surrounded with orange groves?"
"Yep. I'll wait outside so you could see me and park."
"Alright."
I hang up and pull on my black coat. I grab his jacket, then walk outside to the cold twilight.
My black heels tap against the concrete as I walk out into the street.
I see a car make it's way. I wave my hand, suspecting it's Andy. The car stops and the window rolls down.
"Found it!", Andy calls out.
I smile and walk to the car door.
"Here you go, Andy.", I say and hand him his jacket.
"I forgot all about this! No wonder- I couldn't find it anywhere.", he laughs.
"Oh really? I thought it was all about your little plan to meet up again or something."
"Well...", he shrugs, "Maybe.."
I laugh and put my seatbelt on.
"Where to, my lady?", he asks. "Oh wait- dinner."
I laugh and nod. "That's what I was expecting. Yes."

"So, how was tour?", I ask.
"It was amazing. All the shows were amazing. The bands, they were amazing."
"That's pretty amazing.", I laugh.
He chuckles. "How have you been?"
"Pretty good actually."
He nods. "That's good. Hope you don't mind me asking, but, are you and Tony..."
"Oh- well, we talked. Everything is okay now."
I play with fingers on my lap. "He got a little bothered that I had this date with you."
He chuckles. "Good.", he mumbles.
I look up at him. "I don't want you two to like, hate each other."
He shakes head. "Of course not! I'm just messing around. I know that he really cares for you.. You guys aren't together..?"
"No, no."
"Okay. Just making sure."
We turn into this Thai restaurant and he parks right in front of it.
"Oh, this place looks nice.", I say.
We get out of the car and walk into the place.
"How many?", a lady dressed in cultural clothes asks.
"Two.", Andy answers.
"Follow me, please."
We follow her into this small hallway leading into a big room full of tables and people having their dinner. It's decorated in paintings and Thai artifacts. Just outside- a garden with lights.
She sits us down in this booth in a corner.
"Here you go-", she hands us the menus. "I'll be right back for your orders." She gives us a smile and walks off.
"This place is really cute.", I say looking around.
"Isn't it? I haven't been here in a long while."
I open up my menu and look through all the dishes. "Wow, I have no idea what to get."
"You should try the Pad See-Wee noodles. They're delicious."
I close up my menu. "I'll take your word."
He closes his menu up as well and looks up at me. "I already know what to order too. So, tell me about yourself."
"Don't you already know enough?"
He smiles. "We only spoke on the phone like two times through out this week. And it was mostly about touring and stuff. It's your turn."
I mess around with my fork. "Well, I don't know. You already know all the basics."
He nods. "Vet. College. Tell me more though!"
I sigh. "Okay, well..." I try thinking. "I really like going to shows?"
He laughs. "You do?"
"Yeah, it depends I guess. Tony used to take me with him to close by shows. Those were really fun times. Sometimes I'd stay in the tour bus and chill. Wait till their done, then go back stage and hang out. Then we'd go to the hotel and party and drink. I miss those times."
He stares at me smiling. "Keep talking. It's about time I hear some stories from you."
I look down and feel the blood rush up to my cheeks.
"We ready?"
I look back up and see the waitress lady standing there with a little notepad.
"Yep.", I say. "I'll have water for a drink. And the Pad See-Wee noodles."
I hand her my menu.
"And I'll have the Sweet and Sour Chicken with a Sprite."
"Okay.", she gets Andy's menu. "Thank you. You'll food will be here in a moment."
We nod and she walks away.
"Okay, so, where were you?"
I smile and lean my head against my hand. "Well, yeah, I miss those days I guess. It was fun."
"Have you gone to any shows recently?"
"No... No.. I haven't. I got real busy with college and work. I never really have time for shows anymore. Or partying. I guess I got disconnected with band people and that whole group.."
He nods. "I'd like you to come to one of my shows some day! If you have time."
"I'd love that. And I've had a lot more time on hands lately. Just give me the details and I'll go."
A guy comes up to us and hands us our drinks. I take a sip of my water and swish the straw around.
"So, Andy. Tell me about yourself."
"No! I'm not done with you. I talk way too much."
I laugh. "Well, I don't know what else to say!"
"Just talk about random things. Like how you brought up the shows thing- then you brought up a memory from it."
I bite my lip. "I have a puppy. She just turned a year old."
"I want to meet her!"
"Oh no- I don't let her meet just any guy! You need to go through me first."
He laughs. "I still need to prove myself, don't I?"
I laugh and look down.
Time passes and we finally get our food.
We eat and talk about many things. Topics going from how busy life can get to how boring it could get.
He tells me a lot of stories from tour. A lot of crazy ones. He tells me about his family, his brothers, close friends. I tell him about my family. The two sisters I have who live two hours away from me, my parents who moved to Mexico. We get personal then we make jokes.
Overall, I'm having a great time.
Once we're done with dinner, we head out.
"That place was delicious.", I say and get into the car.
"I'm glad you liked it.", he says turning the car on. "Wow, we were there for a while. It's about to be 11."
"No way. Damn."
"Guess we should just head back."
We drive back to my apartment and he parks at an open space parking.
"I'll walk you to your door. It's what a gentlemen would do."
I giggle and step out of the car.
We get to my front door and stand there, silently.
"Here's your leftovers.", he says handing me the white box.
"Sure you don't want them?"
"No- no. I'm good. Did you have a good time?"
"I had a wonderful time, Andy. Thank you."
He smiles. "I forgot to tell you- you look really nice today."
I smile and kick my feet around. "Aw, thank you."
As we stand there, I look back up at him. He gets closer and slyly wraps his arm around me. Our faces get close together and I feel his warm breath on my lips.
"Gabby?", I hear.
I jump, startled. Andy turns around quickly, and we're shocked to see Tony standing there.
"Tony?", I call out.
Tony walks towards us and stops a couple of steps in front of Andy. "Hey...", he says slowly.
Andy looks straight at him, confused.
"What the hell are you doing here?", I say, still shocked that's he's here.
"I- I just thought that I'd stop by and give you this back-", he waves a key at me. "The key to your... Apartment.. I forgot to give it to you."
Andy puts his hands in his pockets and looks down.
"Hey- Andy? What's up man?"
He looks up and waves. "H-Hey Tony. Nothing much."
"How you been?"
"Pretty good, you?"
Tony nods. "I'm doing alright. How was your date?"
"Tony- enough. I think you should leave.", I say sharply.
"What?", he says.
"No- no. Its time for me to go anyways, it's getting late."
Andy turns to me. "I had a great time. Thanks. I'll call you later?"
I smile and nod. "Yes. Please."
I hug him and kiss his cheek. In the background, I see Tony glare. He looks at me and smiles, then turns away.
"Night Tony."
"Goodbye Andy.", Tony says without looking at him. Andy drives off and I let out a deep breath.
I walk to Tony and snatch the key out of hands. "I cannot believe you!", I yell.
I unlock the door and walk in, throwing my coat and bag on the couch. Tony shuts the door and I turn to face him. "You're fucking ridiculous. You know that?"
He just stares at me. "I'm sorry, did I interrupt your kiss with him? Darn." He snaps his fingers and makes a fake, apologetic, face.
I shake my head. "Get out."
"What?"
"Get out, Tony. I'm done with this."
"Gab!"
"I'm serious!"
"Look, I'm sorry, really. I just thought you'd be home. I wanted to come and-"
"And what?"
He sighs. "I'm sorry."
"Look, I had a really great time with Andy today. He's a real nice and funny guy. And I'm done trying to push him away because of you."
"Because of me?", he says and points to himself. "I'm not stopping you from doing anything."
"Oh- okay. Then I should call him right now and ask him to stay over for a bit."
I take my phone out and Tony comes up to me. "You don't need to do that."
I sigh. "What is your problem?"
"I just- I love you, don't you love me?"
I stare at him and look down. "I honestly don't think that I do anymore, Tony."
"What...?"
"I just went on this small date with Andy, and you go crazy. You even came here-"
"I didn't know that you two were still on your date!"
"Then why'd you come?"
"Because- I- the key! Because of the key!"
I stare at him. "Really, Tony?"
He sighs and looks down.
"Or because you thought I'd be a good pit stop? You felt lonely?"
He just stares at me, silent.
"I bet you still talk to her.", I murmur.
"No! I don't! I haven't, actually!", he says, his voice raising up. "But you know what- I should. What's the point right? You're dating some other guy-"
"Tony! It was one fucking date!!"
He shakes his head. "Fuck it. Maybe it's time we actually just, end it. All of it."
"All of it?!"
"Not even be friends."
"Why not?! Why are you- what the fuck?"
He turns around and starts to walk out the door. I come up behind him and shove him. "Whatever! Get the fuck out! I don't care!"
He turns around and grabs my arms. "Okay! I'm out! You won't see me!"
I slap his chest and push him. "I don't fucking care! Get out! I hate you!"
He grabs my wrists and stares at me. That look, that scary look staring back at me; where it seems like he's about to snap.
"You hate me?"
"Yes!", I yell in his face, tears threatening to push out.
He pushes me off.
"I hate you more than I hate anything else in my life. You've mistreated me, you've played with my heart and emotions, and you've had sex with other girls on the side of our relationship- or whatever the fuck it was! You don't appreciate me or anything I do for you- and I've done so much, Tony. I'm not happy with you nor will I ever be! So, I'm don't! I hate you!", I yell. I reach up to my face, wiping away the tears.
He rubs his face with his hands. "I get it! I fucking get it, Gabby!", he yells and tries grabbing me.
I shove him away. "You're actually the worst mistake I've made! I regret you, Tony!", I say between sobs.
"Okay! Okay- okay! Shut up! Shut the fuck up, please! I fucking get it!", he yells out desperately, tears starting to roll down his face.
I can't stop my mouth from speaking such harsh words to him. I'm not sure if I mean all of them 100%, I'm not sure. But they're spilling out of my mouth and I can't stop them from doing so.
I walk up to him, face to face. "No- no you don't! You don't get it! You never fucking will! You weren't stuck in this fucking apartment waiting for hours! Crying! Knowing that the person you love is out fucking somebody else! Fuck you! Andy is three times the man you'll ever be! Now, could you at least do me the favor of getting the fuck out of my life and apartment!"
My face, my whole body, hot from all the anger. My hands shaking.
He stares at me, dumbfounded and lost. He doesn't bother wiping away his tears as they fall into his mouth. "G-Gabby.. I-I-"
I push him out the door since he doesn't move an inch.
"Get out!", I yell out for the last time before I slam the door shut and lock it.

I walk into my room and take off my necklace and earrings. As I stare into the mirror, I start to break down. I sit down on the ground and sob into my hands.
What the hell just happened...