Like We Used To

“Lina, baby, can you please stay home today?” my boyfriend Austin whined as he help onto my waist to try to keep me in his bed. I giggled as I brushed my fingers through his messy bed hair.
“Austin, I really do need to go; I haven’t seen Stephen and John in three years and it’s just not right. I already promised them I’d go,” I told him as I attempted getting out of the bed only to be pulled back in by Austin. “Austin! Please let me get up,” I yelled with a laugh before I finally managed to break free of his grasp and jump off the bed, heading towards Austin’s dresser that also held some of my clothes.
“Baby come back!” Austin sang jokingly as I laughed and pulled on a pair of shorts and changed into a tank top.
“You’re such a dork,” I teased him and pulled my hair into a messy ponytail.
“See you in a couple days Austin, love you!” I yelled as I made my way out of his room. I slipped on my black Vans before going outside in the hot Arizona heat that August brings. iPhone in hand, I opened a message to send to my cousin.
To Stephen:
Be there in about three hours, meet me outside the venue?
My apartment was only a few streets over so I just walked home. A few minutes later, I received a reply.
From Stephen:
Ok, can’t wait to see you! Everyone misses you…especially Brian.
I gulped as I reread the last line over and over while walking up the steps leading to my apartment and then walked up the stairs leading to my room so I could try to think of a reply. After several minutes I finally figured out what to say.
To Stephen:
I miss him too, Stephen, so much more than anyone would understand, but I have a boyfriend now and you know that.
The reply was almost instantly:
From Stephen:
But he doesn’t…
“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath. Of course Brian wouldn’t be aware I had a boyfriend; I haven’t talked to him since June of 2007. We promised to stay in contact, but that obviously didn’t work out well.
Instead of replying when I reached my apartment room, I laid my phone on the counter and headed to my bedroom to get a pair of skinny jeans and a Glamour Kills sweatshirt before going to the bathroom to shower.
Once I was showered and dressed, I brushed my hair and decided to let it air dry. I picked my eyeshadow up off the counter and put some on before doing my mascara and eyeliner. Once I was done, I went back to my bedroom and put my black Converse on and packed a duffel bag full of clothes for the weekend I was spending in my hometown of Scottsdale.
I left my apartment then, stopping long enough in the kitchen to write a note to my best friend and roommate that I was leaving and would be back on Monday afternoon, and made my way towards my car. The ride to Scottsdale would be almost two hours, so I put Cartel’s self titled album in the CD player before making my way to Scottsdale all the while dreading having to see Brian again.

A little over two hours later, I pulled into the venue where The Summer Set was playing tonight. The Martini Ranch was a venue I have been going to since Stephen snuck us in the night of my 16th birthday to see Coldplay, one of my favorite bands back then. The concert was only for people 21 years or older, but somehow, my seventeen year old cousin had gotten us fake IDs so we could see them live as his birthday present to me. That was honestly the best birthday present I’ve ever had because I got to see Coldplay live while spending the night hanging out with my best friend and cousin at a venue we weren’t technically supposed to even be allowed in.
I laughed at the memory as I turned my car off and got out. I glanced around the parking lot, my eyebrows scrunching up in confusion when I didn’t see Stephen anywhere in sight even though I told him I’d be here now.
“Lina?” I heard someone call my name and I instantly turned around in the direction of the voice.
When I spotted the face that went with the voice, I swear my heart skipped a beat and my breath caught in my throat as I looked at my ex boyfriend and best friend. Brian changed so much over the two years and yet he looked the exact same, maybe just more mature.
“Hey Brian,” I finally managed to say though my voice seemed to go up several octaves as I said his name, making me instantly blush in embarrassment that he could get me so nervous and he smirked.
“I thought Stephen was meeting me outside,” I stuttered as I neared him and brushed my bangs out of my face.
“Well he had to do something so he asked if I could come find you instead,” Brian explained and I mentally cursed at my cousin; I should’ve figured he would do this. Stephen knew about Austin and even met him once before, but he never really liked him, saying he wasn’t ‘my type’ but in truth, Stephen had always been mine and Brian’s number one fan and hated to see me someone else.
“Oh,” I said then an awkward silence filled the air, one I never thought I’d experience with Brian.
“I missed you, Lina,” Brian finally said only loud enough for me to hear before pulling me into a hug.
“I missed you too, Brian,” I muttered into his shoulder as I hugged him back, and I meant it, more than I wish I did.
I still had feelings for Brian Logan Dales.