Life Starts Now

Lexi was doing her homework. Not that journalism homework was really long or hard to do, but she received a really boring topic to write about. She loved to write reviews about some album release or any show. Seemed like journalism teachers were more into politics and economy these days.
She had a long night. She pissed her sister off by talking about Andrew and Adam. Skye hated talking about her private life. She was a shy person who kept most of her emotions inside. In fact, Lexi learned about Adam only a few months before their story ends. On the other hand, Skye story with Adam gave Lexi the chance to meet Neil. Somehow, their personalities were compatible in a weird way. Even though they were born six years apart, they felt like they were meant to know each other. This is how they became close friends, being linked by Skye and Adam.

When everything went wrong between these two, they decided that it would be best if they each go their way to take care of their loved ones. They kept in touch, calling each other really often, giving information about the other two. That’s how Neil learned that Skye was not going to the concert.

Her cellphone rang and without even checking it, she knew it was Neil.

«Hey you! » she answered with a smile.
«Hey darling! Are you missing me? »
«You know I am. Wish we could have seen each other today. » she moaned.
«I know… That’s why I’m calling you. » he said. «Adam got back to the hotel after meeting up with Skye. »
«Oh no…», she said, her mind beginning to picture the worst.
«Yep… And he’s mad. Freaking mad. He threw a chair in the wall. He’s been screaming for the last hour. Brad and Barry are looking for him. He said he needed his medicine and he took off. »

She held her breath a few seconds. If Adam went crazy after meeting with Skye, it also meant everything went wrong. That also meant that Skye might be freaking out all by herself at her place.

«Have you called her? » she demanded.
«I tried. She won’t answer. »
«I’ll call. Try to find Adam. I’ll try to fix her up. I’ll call you back. » she said, closing her books and looking for her coat.
«Good. I’ll text you when we find him. See you later. »

She hung up and put her coat on while dialing her sister’s phone number. Skye answered quickly.

«You talked to Neil. » she said with a trembling voice.

Lexi knew Skye had cried. She exhaled loudly, relieved that she did answer. She was scared that her sister might have decided to keep every single emotion she felt for herself.

«Are you okay? » Lexi asked her.
«No. But I’ll be okay soon. »
«Soon? Don’t do anything stupid Skye. » she said nervously.
«Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. » and then she hung up.

Lexi slammed the door and took off.

Skye wasn’t at her place anymore. She was already on the bus to get to Andrew. After Adam left, she felt she had some things to clarify with her ex-boyfriend. Even if he was furious at him, he shouldn’t have hit him that hard. Andrew knew the guy was the main reason she broke up with him, but Skye never told him the whole story. In the bus, she tried to make everything clear in her head so she could explain it all.

After the big party night in Montreal, she had a huge hangover. She had some flashbacks of the night but everything else was a total blur. She woke up in Andrew’s bed, not even knowing how she managed to get there. Later that day, Andrew told her some guy called him with her cellphone to get the address to send a cab to bring her home. The guy had paid for the taxi. On her phone, she found a new contact; Adam and Brad had added their phone number. She kept that for herself, knowing it would not be good for her future relationship with Andrew. Because at that time, thinking of her and Adam being together was unimaginable. Few days later, Andrew and Skye were together. She could not recall how exactly it became official, but she remembered it made her happy.

She met with the band a few times afterward, at shows mostly. Adam would text her to know if he should be looking for her at the concert. When she could, she went to the show, with Andrew almost every time, waited for the set list and spent a few minutes chatting with either Adam Brad or Barry, which she got to know a little more. It took almost a whole year before she followed them to a bar again.

The bus stopped and she got out. It was almost 4 pm. The wind was blowing; she hid her hands in her pocket. She walked a few minutes before seeing the barn. She stayed still a few seconds, trying to calm down. Seeing Andrew again was a big deal for her. She hated to hurt someone and she knew she broke his heart. She also knew that some things needed to be said. She breathed and went to the front door. She knocked and looked at her feet. At that precise moment, she forgot everything she was here to say.

Andrew opened the door. He stared at her in silence. She could she in his face that he was repressing in anger. His eyebrows were full of tension and she could see that he was clenching his jaw. She smiled timidly, trying to look nice.

«May I come in? » she asked.
«What for? I’m not sorry for hitting that asshole. » he answered rudely.
«I don’t care what you did. We need to talk. We need to get things straight to move on with our lives. »

Andrew looked straight in her eyes for a moment. He knew they had to talk about it someday. He moved away and let her in. She took her shoes off, walked straight to the kitchen counter and sat on a stool. He followed her and sat in front of her. He could not stop the anger raging inside of him, so he let her speak first.

«You need to know that I did not cheat on you. » she said straight.
«Nice way to start a discussion. I don’t believe it but go on. »

She sighed. He would not be easily convinced.

«I met Adam at the Foxboro concert. Remember you had to use the restroom and I was waiting for the set list. He gave it to me, we talked a little. Then we talked again at the Toronto show. After Montreal, I asked you to come to the bar, you said no. I went with the guys. » she explained.
«You said a friend invited you! » he remembered.
«He was kind of a friend. » she said. «We had a blast that night. We danced, we talked. And he paid for the cab. »
«What a gentleman. I don’t care how everything started. You cheated on me with him and I can’t forgive you. »
«Listen. We kept in touch, we called each other sometimes, we met at their show a few minutes and it was over. Then, he gave me VIP passes, you could not come with me, I brought Lexi. We went out with them. Later, Adam was having some drugs issues. I wanted to help. »

Andrew was mad just to hear his name. He got up and took a beer in the fridge.

«I did not sleep with him while I was dating you. I did help him to get through a hard time, we got closer but I never crossed that line. I broke up with you before I crossed it. I know you are not in a mood to hear it, but it is the truth. » she said, standing up. «Now you know. And by the way, Adam did not deserve a beat down. »

She walked to the door. Andrew followed her.

«You guys were really close? » he asked, feeling his anger was slowly drifting away.
«I was falling in love with him. And he was too. I broke up with you at that moment. »

He sighed and she left.

Lexi got to Skye’s apartment and her phone rang. Skye told her she was on her way. Lexi exhaled loudly and sat on the floor, back on her door. Her sister did not say much but at least, she was alive. Without even thinking about it, she dialed Neil number.

«Did you find him? » she asked, relieved.
«No. I’m afraid he might do something bad… really bad. » Neil said taking a long breath.