You Should Know

Sadler waved to me as she walked into her building and I drove off. I was going to meet the Victoria and Nate for dinner later now that I had the night to myself. I just had the best time I had in a while. I had forgotten and missed how goofy and dumb we could be with each other and then we could have really serious and deep conversations. I don't know if I had ever met someone like her that just got me; even after years apart.

"So....how was your date?" Victoria asked as we sat down for dinner.

"It was not a date," I said sternly.

"How was the non-date...date?" Nate laughed with Victoria.

"It was fun. It was nice to catch up," I tried to be non-chalant about it. I didn't need them in my business championing something that was non-existent. They wanted me to be happy, which I appreciated, but I also didn't need the excitement over potentially nothing.

"Did you win at all during bowling?" Nate asked. He knew my bowling skills were lacking.

"Of course not," I laughed. "I lost all three games and only one game did I come close to her score."

"You would have let her win anyway," Victoria smiled.

"Nah...We both play to win. Neither of us would have thrown a game to be nice."

"Sounds savage," Nate nodded.

After dinner I headed back to the apartment all the guys were staying in. Victoria was staying with friends while we were in LA rehearsing and getting ready for tour. I couldn't stop thinking about Sadler and just was actually happy. Today had been a great day.

****

My phone started to ring. I looked at the caller ID; it was Sadler. I smiled to myself. "Gabe, what are you doing tonight?" She asked before I could even say "hello." This was a typical burst when she was nervous; it was cute.

"We've got rehearsal. Why? What's up?" I laughed.

"I just wanted to see if you wanted to grab a few drinks... I had fun yesterday and I wanted to get some hang time with you before I left."

"What about Jake?" I asked. I assumed she'd want to hang with her boyfriend before leaving. I wasn't complaining she wanted to hang with me, but wasn't trying to get in the middle of anything either.

"Jake left this morning for some last minute business stuff. He won't be back before I leave. So, do you want to hang out or not?" She laughed.

"Oh, so you're just bored," I teased.

"Yes."

"At least you're honest," I was smiling like an idiot while talking to her. She had a boyfriend. "Why don't you come to our rehearsal later and then we'll go from there," I offered. I didn't trust myself alone with her after yesterday.

"That sounds like fun."

"Do you remember where we are?"

"Yeah, what time should I come over?" She sounded excited, which was nice to hear.

"Come around 8, we should be ready by then."

"Sweet, I'll see you at 8."

"Can't Wait." And I couldn't.

I drove to the studio with Nate, Ryland and Alex – Victoria was going to meet us there. We got there around 7 to set up and be ready. The group was excited to have an audience, even if it was just one person. Sadler did have a good ear and could help us out if we needed.

She arrived at exactly 8, always on time, if not early for everything. She looked so beautiful. She had her dark brown hair in a ponytail and her bangs framing her face. She had light make up, but red lips that made me want to just kiss them. She was in a pair of skinny jeans that were ripped all over, a pair of white converse and a hot pink top. I am sure my eyes were wide and I was obviously gawking at her as she walked in, but I couldn't help it.

"Hey, am I too early?" She asked nervously pausing in the middle of the room. Maybe it was how I was looking at her.

"No, no..." I finally got out.

"Please, come in!" Ryland motioned for her to come in all the way.

"Hi," She said with a smile. The band reintroduced themselves to her and she was lit up and seemed more at ease.

"So, just sit here..." I said pulling out a chair to the middle of the room. "Have this beer," I handed her a drink from the fridge in the room.

"This is both exciting and absolutely terrifying," She laughed. "Sitting here while I watch you guys and you watch me for a reaction..."

"Don't roll your eyes too much or fall asleep on us, okay?" I gave her a smile and patted her shoulder.

"I can't make any promises. I saw you dance at your shows and it may be hard for me to not laugh," She smirked and sipped her beer. "Go. Play for me," She commanded playfully shooing me.

I was nervous like this was the first time I had sung in front of her. Like she'd never been to a rehearsal or acoustic show or any show for that matter. We played for about 2 hours and Sadler danced in her seat and standing – she was a great crowd; very encouraging. It was awesome.

We then sat around just drinking and shooting the shit. The band seemed to really like Sadler, enough to start telling her everything they could that was embarrassing about me to them. She then shared her stories about me, which they ate up; they did not need any more ammo against me.

"Please, do not let him get his hair cut by anyone that is drunk on the road," She teased messing up my hair.

"Of course he let someone drunk near his head with scissors," Victoria shook her head.

"It was awful."

"You said I looked cute," I acted hurt and offended at her words.

"Well, it was your dad and your brother against you. I had to be the good girlfriend and defend you."

"So many lies..." She just shrugged and smiled.

"Oh my God..." I heard Sadler grumble. I finished up in the bathroom and opened the door to let light into the bedroom.grumbled. "Where am I?" She asked as she slowly sat up. She then quickly ran past me and started to get sick in the toilet.

"Sadie, you poor thing," I said and pulled her hair back and rubbed her back with my other hand.

"What did I drink?" She collapsed around the toilet.

"You had a few too many shots probably..." I tried not to laugh; she had tried to keep up.

"Ugh...why did you let me?" She asked sitting back up.

"I tried to stop you, but you're still as stubborn as shit."

"I'm so sorry..." She sighed before getting sick again.

After awhile she seemed to have stopped puking and fallen asleep on the floor. I scooped her up and brought her back to my bed. I had brought her home with us when it was apparent she was way too drunk to go home alone. I put her in my bed, but stayed on a chair in the room to watch her and not to cross any lines.

"Thank you. I'm so sorry," She mumbled as she reached out to her side. I handed her a bottle of water. "I guess I didn't know my limit tonight. I think after all that throwing up I actually feel better." She chugged the bottle; it was impressive.

"Don't be sorry. You're a fun drunk and the rest of the band loves you. They thought you were hilarious and they loved all the embarrassing stories you shared about me," I said picking up the blanket I had been curled up in that was now on the floor.

"Really? Or are you just trying to cushion the embarrassment?" Sadler covered her face with her hands.

"No, you were drunk, but you didn't get sick till I took you back here."

"Thank you for taking care of me," She rolled to her side to look at me.

"It was nothing," I said putting my feet up on the bed as I nestled in the chair.

"Gabe, it's a huge bed, come sleep in it." She patted the side next to her.

"I'm totally fine here. You rest up," That thought was too dangerous.

"Don't be stupid with your tall frame in that small chair."

"Fine," I relented as I hopped over her and into the the empty spot in the bed. "So much better," I sighed as I settled in. We both laid on our backs.

"A six foot four man does not fit comfortable in any arm chair. And by the way, you have some really good stories."

"I do and now I'll be teased relentlessly, thank you," I smiled glancing to the side at Sadler. She had her arm draped over her eyes; she was hurting.

"No, thank you. I owe you. I mean, it's only three in the morning and we're home...lame," She groaned.

"Maybe you should have paced yourself instead of getting drunk before we even went out," I playfully kicked her feet with mine.

"I'm sorry, again and I will make it up to you somehow."

"You sure will. Now get some sleep," I instructed and rolled on my side to try and fall asleep too..

"Sadler...you okay?" I asked as Sadler started to talk, well mumble in her sleep and whimper. It startled me awake. I had never heard her talk in her sleep the entire time we were together. It sounded like maybe she was having a bad dream.

I rolled on my other side to face her and shook her a little bit. She opened her eyes abruptly and they were glassy and looked like they were teared up.

"Bad dream?" I asked as I propped myself up to look over at her.

"I should go," She quickly wiped her eyes and sprung up in a a panic.

"You still asleep?" I asked. Was she sleep walking now? "You need to sleep it off, so lay back down," I sat up fully and gently pulled her back down and pulled her into me. I held her tightly.

"Remember that same surprise trip when we went to the movies?" She asked as she wiped her face.

"Yes. Why?"

"I had this terrible dream about it. That when we fought that first night you sent me home," She sounded so conused. "That you hated me, but then...I didn't leave and then it was when we went to bed. I remember you were so cold..."

"This was so long ago Sadler," I sighed. I hated to see her so upset..

"That night when we got into bed, you turned your back on me...and in the dream a wall came down. I cried that night...So, I guess that's why I'm teary now?"

"You cried that night? I had no idea," She had rolled away from me. I moved to lay my head on her shoulder and put an arm around her waist. She stiffened, but I didn't care.

"You never turned your back on me. When you did and after you were so mean and cold to me, I thought the worst. I do not know why I just had that dream. So stupid." She put a hand on my arm. She groaned at her dream.

"I am sorry for the way I acted on that trip," I told her.

"I don't want to lose you," She said suddenly after laying in silence.

"You won't. We'll find a path," I assured her. I didn't want to lose her either, but I definitely couldn't wait for the space, the distance between us; being this close was hard.

She rolled over on her side toward me and hugged me tightly. She sighed deeply and I felt her body relax.

"I saw the tattoo on your foot," I told her as we were still wrapped up in each other.

"Oh, yeah?" She bowed her head into my chest. I rubbed her back and smirked to myself.

"When did you get it?" Sadler rolled away from me.

"Don't smirk like that," She smiled. "The day I fucked everything up," She laughed uneasily.

"Why?"

"The song was how I was feeling about you...I...I wanted affirmation I guess," She seemed embarrassed.

She had gotten the Midtown lyrics "It's safe to fall, if you just trust the ground that you stand on," on the side of her foot. I thought it was pretty sweet. Unexpected from Sadler, but made me feel good and that our relationship had mattered.

"Maybe we'll put it up on our myspace," I teased with a wink.

"Don't you dare," She yawned.

"Okay, can we sleep for more than an hour please?"

"Ugh, you know I'm an awful sleeper when I drink, but I'll try..."

I woke up around 8 to my phone buzzing. I was in bed with Sadler, who was still asleep. I silenced my phone and looked at it. It was Morgan. I hadn't talked to her in two months. Why was she calling me? It almost felt obvious that she'd be calling since I was here with Sadler. I looked over to her sleeping body; she was passed out cold.

I walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind me before I picked up Morgan's call. I didn't know why I was answering or what I'd say, but my body took over and I had the line open now.

"Hello."

"Hey..." She sounded sad.

"What's up?" I didn't know what to say or how to be. Casual? Friendly? Cold?

"Gabe...my...my brother was killed in a car accident," She cried hard into the phone.

"Oh baby, I'm so sorry," I said sincerely. My heart sank. She and her brother were very close and he was a cool kid, full of life. I liked him a lot too.

"I know this is going to be weird...but, I really want you here with me."

"No, it's not at all. I'll figure it out and come to you. Are you home or am I going to Boston?" Morgan lived in New York, while her brother lived in Boston.

"Come to Boston...I'll pick you up, just let me know the details. I miss you," She had composed herself mostly, she only hiccupped trying to hold back the tears.

"I miss you too. I'll be there as soon as I can," I told her and everything I had to do began racing through my head.

"Thank you," She said and we hung up.

I immediately went out into the hall and down to Ryland and Alex's room. I knocked on the door. It was early; they were going to hate me. They got wasted too.

"Who is it?" I heard Ryland shout groggily.

"It's Gabe," I asked politely.

"Come in," Ryland opened the door and then went back and threw himself in his bed, face down.

"Ry, I haven't figured shit out, but Morgan's brother was killed in an accident. I need to be there for her," I said from the doorway.

"Are you serious? We need to go..." He was completely awake now and panicked. "I need to call Kristen," Ryland looked around for his phone.

"What about the fact that Sadler is in your bed?" Alex chimed in with his voice muffled in his pillow.

"She was too drunk to be home alone and we're friends. I loved Morgan and I loved her brother. I need to be there for her and her family. Pay my respects..." I didn't need to explain anything to him, he should have known the deal.

"Let's look up flights," Ryland said as he hung up with Kristen.

"The way she talked about you dude...she really cares about you. Even the embarrassing stories you could tell," Alex said flipping over onto his back.

"Well, we have history, but we're friends. But, we have more important things to do, Suarez," I snapped.

"Let's just pack and go to the airport and see what is available..." I offered.

"Okay, I'll meet you in thirty," Ryland sprung into action.

I went back to my room and just watched Sadler as she slept for a bit, even with her mouth wide open and hair a mess she was beautiful. I didn't want to disturb her and I was a coward; I didn't want to discuss Morgan with her. Sadler had a boyfriend, so it shouldn't matter, but I didn't want talk about Morgan to Sadler as much as possible. I told her I had to go and be with Morgan and pay my respects, but I had the best time with her. I apologized for not being able to see her off, but that I'd be in touch and maybe she could meet up with on tour.

I put the not on the pillow next to her. I kissed her forehead gently. I grabbed my backpack and headed out the door. I figured the best thing would be to get to the airport and see what they had leaving soon and if Ryland and I could get on a flight.