Bad Blood

I stood outside, listening to Josh and Kellen's beautiful performance. I saw Alex, confusion so clear on his face that it hurt. Once they finished, they stood around awkwardly, before Kellen pointed to the flowers. Alex looked down and pulled my note out of the flowers. I saw him read it and calmly ask Josh and Kellen to leave. Once they were outside, I saw it. The heartbreak on his face. I saw him collapse behind the desk and his sobs ripped through the shop. It took both Kellen and Josh to stop me running in. My heart was breaking hearing him breaking.

Kellen and Josh put me into the car that Kellen had driven here and Josh got into the van that had brought the piano from his house. Kellen drove me back to mine and tears welled up in my eyes, not knowing if Alex was alone or not. How could I leave him alone like that? I didn't want him to be alone. Josh tried to convince me that he'd be okay, but I knew better. Alex's heart was breaking. I couldn't have been helping much either. But I needed him and he needed me.

We got back to mine, the plan for tomorrow already beginning to be organised. I felt bad for what we were doing to Alex, though. He didn't deserve the pain he was in. He deserved better. I went upstairs as soon as I got through May's front door, and found my way to my bedroom. I collapsed on the bed and curled up, tears streaming down my face. I just wanted to fix him. I didn't want him to have to hurt anymore. Eventually, my tears lulled me into unconsciousness.

Roughly half an hour and some horrific dreams later, my phone's ringtone pulled me out of my sleep. I picked it up and, without looking at the caller ID, answered. It was either going to be Josh, Kellen, Vic, May or Zack. Groggily, I managed to speak.

"Hello?"
"Jack." The voice I heard pulled me out of sleep and into full alert.
"Rian. I can-"
"Whatever you're planning, I'm in," he said.
"Wait... what?" I replied, confused.
"Whatever you're planning, with this Alex thing, I'm in. You'll need all hands on deck, and who better than his best friend?" Rian replied.
"When can you come over? I'm at May's," I said.
"I'm actually not that far away. I'll be there in five," he replied and hung up.

My heart started to race as I realised that with Rian on my team, I was bound to win Alex back. If Rian thought it was bad, he'd never agree to do it. He'd never agree to help. If he thought this was gonna hurt Alex more than it was gonna help him, he'd tell me to call it off and leave Alex alone.

I jumped out of bed and ran downstairs, screaming in delight that Rian was in. May squeeled and started tidying up, realising he was on his way over. Josh, Kellen, Vic, Zack, Matt, Vinny and Chelle all got their asses over to my house and we all waited in anticipation for Rian to arrive. There was no way I wasn't gonna get Alex back. This plan had to work, I had confidence in that now.