Hold Your Breath

"Do you really want to this?" Derrick asked me one last time.

I gazed at my suitcases and looked out of the window. The sky was clear and the sun was shining. There was no better day than now. The people around me hustled and bustled, moving every which way and that. Some talked loudly and some talked softly, but the overall atmosphere was eletric. I turned back to Derrick and nodded.

"Well, I can't say that the guys won't be upset," Derrick said somberly, "But it is your decision."

"I'll miss you Derrick," I said with a small smile, "The best of luck."

Derrick nodded and embraced me one last time.

"Flight 438 to Boston, boarding now," announced a cool female voice over the PA system.

"Well, that's me," I stated, refusing to let a tear roll down my face, "I'll see you next time."

Derrick frowned at me, "Don't be a stranger, alright? You have me number and I have yours."

I gave him a sad smile but didn't reply, "Goodbye Derrick."

And with that, I turned away from him and got in line for the plane. Once on board, I sat in my seat and stared out the window.

"Hey," a voice said to me.

A body sat itself in the seat beside me.

"Hi," I said quietly greeting the girl.

She looked at me briefly and shook her head while turning away. Then she took a double take and open-closed her mouth several times before speaking.

"Um, excuse me Miss," she said politely with some sort of electricity in her voice, "I don't mean to intrude or anything, but aren't you Brittany Victoria Grant?"

I winced at the use of my full name, "It's just Vic. Why?"

She beamed at me and stuck a magazine under my nose that had a picture of me, Mike, and Ryan on it, "You wouldn't mind signing this for me, would you? I don't think my friends back home would believe this."

I forced a smile and signed my name bitterly. What had this world come to?

Derrick's POV
"Hey Derrick," Topher and Riley greeted as I was walking back towards the hotel.

"Hi guys, what's up?" I asked.

"We're going out to get some drinks, want to come?" Riley stated.

I frowned at them, "It's 2:40pm, sound check is like in twenty minutes. Are you guys crazy?"

Topher and Riley looked at each other amused and laughed.

"You haven't heard?" Topher asked, "Our tour's been cancelled as of 10:00AM yesterday."

"Yeah, where the hell have you been?" Riley asked.

"The tour's cancelled?" I asked bewildered, still not believing.

"Yeah," Topher said glumly, "Mike and Ryan had a falling out the night before last. I'm surprised you didn't hear about it. Mike really nicked Ryan good. Anyways, we're going to celebrate."

"You're celebrating that our tour got cancelled?" I asked still confused.

"No, you duntz. We're celebrating the fact that Ryan finally had the guts to do what he should have done a long time ago."

I shook my head in disbelief, "You're honestly going to drink to that? That's kind of messed up, and shouldn't Ryan be with you?"

Riley frowned at me, "Look, it doesn't matter what we're celebrating, we're going to get drunk and you're coming whether or not you like it."

"What about Mike?" I asked.

"GEEZZUS," Riley exclaimed, "Shut up already Derrick so the story can end."

"Alright, Riley," I said decidely, "Let's drink our faces off."