A Million Nights

"Please stay here with me. I know you must think I'm a pervert or something. But I'd love to spend the night here with you, just talking or just hearing you singing. Please, stay!"Annie didn't say a word. She just stared intensely Brian. She wanted to stay. Something made her want to stay there. There was something between them, something very strong, we both couldn't explain. They only heard the sound of breaking waves.

"Annie?"

Brian started to get a bit confused with that entire atmosphere that enveloped them. Possibly he had before him what he was looking for. He couldn't stop looking at her. His heart exploded every time she did something. Only a glance, a smile, or just the way she reacted to various situations.

"Brian, I'm sorry. I really have to go."

Annie grabbed her things and she went on her way without even looking for Brian.

"Will I see you again?"

She stopped. Turned back to him, she smiled and said:

"If what happened today was destiny, let him deal with it!!"

*** Brian’s POV ***

And there I was, watching her leaving. My God, how I wanted her to stay. I sat up a bit in the sand, watching the sea. She is so special. I was joking saying was destiny but I’m thinking even that is really it. Destiny! It was so good to spend those hours beside her. Her words don’t come out of the mind. Much less every detail of her face, her eyes, her smile, her delicate hands playing guitar, her unmistakable voice. I wonder how she didn't recognize me. But it was late and I decided to go home too.

I was coming when I saw Zacky's car next to mine. I looked inside of his car but he was not there. Probably he was inside the house. I opened the door and there he was in the living room, sitting on the couch. But something was wrong with him. He was very sad. I have not seen him like this since... well, since the death of Jimmy.

“Hey man, what’s up, bro?”

“Hey Syn. I need to talk, man.”

“What’s wrong, Zacky? You look so… sad… so… hopeless.”

“Gena and I… we… oh man… we broke up!”

“What??? You and Gena broke up? What happen?”

“Well… she was talking about you and Michelle. She started saying about how weird it was your divorce. And that most likely you would finish your relationship even if Jimmy ... even if Jimmy hadn't died. And I thought this conversation was becoming very strange and I asked her why she was saying that. And she told me she was already thinking about breaking up with me for some time ago and that she only didn't it because of all happened and because she felt sorry for me ... how she could have sorry for me? If she had sorry for me she wouldn't never ever do this.”

“Man, I’m sorry but I understand her side. She didn’t wanna hurt you. Of course that she did a big mistake but… she supported you in a very difficult time. She never left you alone. And it was what Michelle did with me.”

“You’re right, man. But she left me anyway. She found another person. A coworker who supported her every time we did a tour. That son of a bitch!”

“I’m so sorry, bro! Well, we both are single now! Beer?”

“Of course, man!”

I was really sad about what Zacky told me. I never thought Gena would find another person. I always thought that she really liked Zacky.
I got up from the couch and I went to get some beers. But there was something that was always in my mind: Annie.

“Here we go! Take it, Zacky!”

“Thanks Syn! A toast?”

“To Jimmy!”

We toasted in memory of our good friend Jimmy. An enormous sadness was visible to our eyes. However, Zacky could see that something had happened to me. He stood looking at me with a lewd grin, with a beer in a hand and one arm on the couch.

“So Syn, how was it your day?”

“Nothing special. Just took a walk on the beach!” - I answered without looking at him. Zacky knows me very well and he knew perfectly that something had happened to me. And it was a good thing.

“Hmm… you just took a walk on the beach… did you find… a lost mermaid or…?

I was about to burst. I had to tell someone what happened on the beach. My heart nearly explodes every time I remember that moment. I need some advice and Zacky knew to do it perfectly.

“Fuck, bro! Ok I’ll tell you!”

“Wow! So that means… you know what you have to do now! Tell me everything like if we were women!”

“Oh man! - (I took a deep breath) – I woke up at 2 pm with a big headache. I ate something and I went to the studio to play guitar, but I started to feel bad. I began to remember moments with Jimmy ... I miss him so much! The truth is I can't live with his absence. I look at everything around me and everything reminds me of him. So I decided to going out. I thought about calling you but I went to the beach to put the ideas in order. I walked, walked, walked ... until ... Oh God! She was right there in front of me…”

“She??? You said she??? Syn, are you in love?”

“Shut the fuck up! Let me finish.”

“Ok, ok! Wow, it’s so fucking amazing!”
Zacky was very excited about what happened to me! It’s like if he had forgotten what happened to Gena. And I continued:

“So… I was watching something surreal. Before me was the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. She was singing and playing guitar. You have no idea of the effect that her voice had on me. I wasn't able to move myself. Until she stopped singing and I was talking to her.”

“And…”

After tell to Zacky everything what happened between me and Annie, he started laughing and he couldn't stop.

“I knew I shouldn’t tell you!”

“Fuck Brian, I’m sorry, ok? But it’s so funny!”

“Why is it so funny?”

“Because you are completely in love, bro!”

“Jesus Christ, Zacky! I’m not in love, for God sake!”

“If you aren’t in love, you feel something very strong for her! Will you deny that you wanna see her again? Will you deny that she is always in your mind?”

“No, I won’t deny it! And this is the problem! I don’t know if I’ll see her again. She’s new in the city. I don’t even know where she lives or where she works. I just know that she’s living with her best friend Rita.”

“She has a friend, uh? Anyway, Syn if she felt the same as you, I think she will go back to the beach again."

“I don’t know, man!”

“You can try! Or let destiny handle it like she said! Well, it’s already late. I think I'll come back home!”

“Are you sure about that? You can stay here. I know you and I know that if you get lonely you’ll become depressed. And I want my friend being Zacky that everyone knows! And tomorrow morning we have to go to the studio so…”

“Ok Syn. Thank you very much for all!”

“No problem!”

*** Annie’s POV ***

“Rita, I’m home!”

“Finally! Where ha… have you… been? Oh shit! That smile! Annie?”

“What? What smile?”

“Annie, what happened? Now I wanna know everything, with details! Who is he?” Fuck Annie! We arrived here 3 or 4 weeks ago and you already have a boyfriend? Why do…”

“Rita, Rita, stop it! God! What’s wrong with you? I don’t have any boyfriend and nothing happened…”
I tried to keep a straight face but I could not hide that stupid smile because of Brian. Rita knows me very well. We are like sisters. I don't need to say anything. She just looks at me and she knows exactly what's going on with me. I packed all my stuff and I sat on the couch. She was on the stairs.
She went downstairs and came to me. She sat on the couch, took my hand, she looked at me with a curious smile and she said:

“Sis, look at me! LOOK AT ME, GOD DAMN IT!”

“Calm down, girl! I’m looking at you. Tell me. What’s up?”

“Annie, Annie… I can read your mind and also I can read your heart. I know that something happened. Look for this smile at your face!” - I looked away and I sighed. I was quietly looking at the floor. I went back to look her, always with a smile on my face.

“Rita… I… I met a guy on the beach!”

“Ahhhh! I knew it! Tell me about him! Who is he? How is he? Is he a good kisser?”

“Oh dear Lord! Rita, come on! Do not make things more difficult…”

“Ok, I’m sorry! But tell me everything, please!”

“I don't know much about him. I only know that his name is Brian and recently lost someone very special.” - Rita stared at me with a look of boredom, stood up and began to walk from one side to the other in the living room.

“Are you fucking kidding me, right?”

“No, I’m not. Why?”

“Whatever. Tell me what happened exactly on the beach.” - I told everything to her, including details, and she almost hit me!

“YOU WERE SO STUPID! Why did you astray of him when you were going to kiss each other? I know you two just met today. but imagine if you won't see him ever again. And since he was so honest with you praising yourself that way, why did not you do the same?”

“Do you think I'm not going back to see him again?”

“I don’t know babe. Nobody knows. But I'll tell you something: people don't appear in our lives by chance! Think about it!”

She got up from the couch again and gave me a kiss on the forehead. I hugged her and I thanked her for everything. She is my best friend and every day she gives me more proof of that. I don't know what my life would be without her by my side.

“Well Annie, it's almost 9 pm. Let's have dinner.”

We went to dinner and we would talk a little about the week. Friday night and we were both at home. We thought about going out but I was too tired and I was always thinking about what had happened on the beach. We spent the night watching movies and homemade videos we made when we were younger. We cried with laughter.

"My belly already hurts from laughing, Rita. I think I'll sleep. Tomorrow do you want to do something special?"

"We could go to the mall and then we'll take a spin around town since we haven't had time to do it. Perhaps you will find your Mr. Muscles. If I were you, I would return to the beach tomorrow."

"I'm not going back, sis. The destiny will have to take care of it. If I meet him again, it will have to be something unexpected. And don’t make fun of me!”

“Oh my God, you’re so in love!”