Let Me Go

Chapter Two

~ Briar ~
 
"Taylor! Taylor, over here!"
 
"Briar! Briar, smile!"
 
"Let's see that good side!"
 
I glanced at Taylor who linked her arm in mine, pulling me close as the flashes became quicker and brighter. The red carpet. Something that people dream about, and I'm walking all over it with a bright smile on my face. Fans were screaming, paparazzi were arguing over who got the better shots and the press were eager to shout questions towards us.
 
It was almost enough to make me forget who was about to walk out of the white limo behind me.
 
I said almost.
 
Because the moment that I stopped paying attention to all those distractions, was the moment that he stepped out onto the red carpet. And before I could even convince myself to stop looking, his brown eyes met mine, and I was a gonner.
 
I don't actually know what caught my attention the most. Whether is was the noticeable bags under his eyes, or the just the way his eyes had lost the spark. Or maybe, just maybe, it was the way I saw the tiny tears that everyone around us seemed to ignore..
 
"Briar sweetie, come on, we don't have to do this" Taylor whispered into my ear, making me nod while my eyes still seemed captured with his. "Remember who the real enemy is Briar"
 
Those words. Those were the words that finally made me snap back and lock my jaw towards him. And as soon as I had shook my head sharply, his eyes dimmed down even more. I saw Theadora get out, before looking to me and giving me a wave, I gave a polite wave back before finally rushing away with Taylor.
 
Any longer and I would have felt my heart pull myself towards him, and I can't afford to let that happen..
 
"Thank you so much for that" I breathed out as we walked inside, standing in the reception area as I wasn't quite ready to go and sit down since that was all I'd be doing for the next 2 and a half hours before I got to perform. "I just, I don't know what came over me.."
 
"Hey, you haven't seen him for 5 months, you were bound to get emosh" Taylor smirked, making me groan as loudly as possible before shaking her shoulders. "You are so weird. Anyway, we should go to our seats, you're okay though, right?"
 
For a few moments, I didn't know how to answer that question. Was I okay? I mean, was I suppose to feel something? Apart from guilt of course..
 
No, no I'm fine. And the sooner I convince myself of that, the better.
 
"Yeah, yeah, actually, I'm great" I grinned, feeling a sinking feeling in my stomach. Probably nerves or something..
 
"Good! Final steps of getting over the douche" She giggled, pulling me along to get to our seats.
 
As we sat right up front, I decided to have a look around, so many people! How many would I be able to meet in one night? How many possible paths would I be able to create? This was a huge opportunity for me!
 
So why couldn't I focus on it? Why was I so intrigued on looking towards the entrance door to see him? Because in theory, I shouldn't care. I broke him and left him. I was the one who changed my number to stop getting his calls, I was the one who told Eden to keep him away from me. It was always me who gave the push to keep him back.
 
So why the fuck did I want him to speak to me, just so I could shut him down again?
 
"Maybe because he did that to you so many times"
 
I quickly looked up, my heart racing as Theadora weakly smiled down at me. I jumped up, wrapping my arms around her as she did the same to me. Theadora and I are strange friends, because we both admitted to doing some horrid things and we both hate what Caelen has become, but we both want what's best..

Plus I am touring with her godmother..
 
"Hi" I muttered into her shoulder, finally pulling back with a slight smile as Theadora sat down beside me. "No, please say you're not sat here"
 
"I'm sat here, yes, and Caelen is sat next to me. But don't worry, I think we both agreed not to let him speak to you" Theadora explained, making me bite my lip and glance at Taylor who grinned at her.
 
"I-I can't-" I began, pressing the balls of my hands into my eyes to stop myself from crying.
 
"Yes, you can" Taylor ordered, pulling my hands away from my eyes and giving me a supportive smile. "You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only option.."
 
"God, does she bring out the optimistic quote bullshit every time you panic too!?" Theadora chuckled, earning a slap on the arm from Taylor. "I wish that worked for him"
 
I found myself biting my lip as those words left Theadora's mouth. What did she mean by that? Was he getting worse? Was he not listening at all anymore? Because I know. I know how stubborn he is and how he loves rebelling against the rules, but he'd never do something so goddamn bad that he'd be in danger..
 
"Is he, you know, still doing it?" I whispered, making Taylor furrow her eyebrows, she couldn't hear me properly and I didn't want her to know that Caelen was using bad things. She'd call the academy and get him away from her goddaughter for sure.
 
"The weed? Yeah, a whole lot more these past few days because of this event, but I don't think he's managed to get hold of anymore heroin since Ryland caught him last time" Theadora muttered back, making me sigh with relief. At least I knew he was kinda' safe. "But I keep wondering how much further he's gonna' go Briar, every single morning, I wake up dreading to call his name-"
 
"And I wish I could help Thea, but I can't" I sighed, leaning back and crossing my arms over my chest. "Because like you said, he did it to me so many times before and now, it's his turn to suffer-"
 
"Maybe, but he loves you" She snapped, making me squeeze my eyes shut. "And you know it. You know it so well now but you can't forgive him because let's face it, he was cruel to you. So cruel..But don't forget how you felt when he did those things-"
 
"I felt broken" I hissed, my hand tightly gripping the arm rest. "It killed me, it tore me open every time he said something so disgusting! It ruined me. And why should I be the only one to experience that pain when he was happy enough to dish it out in the first place?!"
 
"Because, you're more willing" Theadora shrugged, making me shut up. I was so taken back by her comment that it made me inquisitive. "You know the pain you felt was everything and more. It made you feel alive, and wanted. Because he kept coming back and filling you with poison, the exact posion which made you so strong-willed to get him to realise that he loved you..And he does"
 
Before I even had a chance to reply, I saw Caelen sheepishly making his way towards us so I quickly turned to Taylor, making an excuse to rush off to the restroom. Anything is better than sitting so close to him with Theadora's past words circling my head..
 
~ Caelen ~
 
"Right, come here, I need to put this under your eyes" Theadora ordered as the limo made its way to the AMA's.
 
She had been 'sorting me out' in her own words, which otherwise meant 'Making sure you don't look like shit'. She had some creamy skin coloured shit in her hand and she wanted me to let her smear it under my eyes, but I didn't know whether it would even make a difference.
 
"Why?" I whined, pulling away which made her growl in frustration. "I look fine!"
 
"Tell that to the black bags under your eyes" She hissed, finally pulling my face towards her and smearing the cream under my eyes. "There, not so noticeable."
 
I pouted in the corner of the limo, not bothering to say anything more as she began to pack her make-up away again. I could see that look again, the look of disappointment and fret.
 
I was worried too, because this would be the first time in 5 months in which I would be in reaching distance of Briar. I was practically shaking from my nerves, what if I lost the chance? What if I screwed up in some huge way and made her even more disgusted in me?
 
Just what if?
 
"Please stop looking like that" Theadora whispered, making me turn to her with furrowed eyebrows. "I can see you Caelen, even though you might think I can't, I can. I see you sitting there, out of depth as you think about what she might say or do. You're worried you'll let her slip away again when the truth is you haven't even got to her yet. You're worried that this is just another mistake in the big book already made.."
 
Silence fell over us as I didn't say a word. I was stunned over the fact that she knew all of that. I was out of my depth, because I didn't even know the first thing about how to win  Briar's heart.
 
The first time she gave me a chance was just out of sheer luck, she didn't want to fall in love with me, she was completely against the idea after everything her parents had told her. It took me so many long weeks to get her to walk into my arms and give me a chance..
 
'Goddamn it Dwayne, LET ME GO!' Her shrill voice screamed as her fists pounded against my chest.
 
I was pinning her up against the wall of the shelter at the park, which may sound bad but it's all in good spirits. Her screams continued to fill the air as I tried to grab her hands in order to stop her from punching me anymore.
 
"LET ME GO! I NEED TO GET TO SCHOOL!-" She exclaimed, panic filling her voice as she realised she was now defenceless. "This isn't going to make a difference!"
 
"How do you know if you won't hear me out?" I chuckled, looking into her dark brown eyes as she looked up at me with innocence. "Why won't you just give this boy a chance?"
 
"Because" She huffed out, a cheeky little smile across her blossom pink lips. "This boy has a reputation around this part of town"

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her response. She couldn't know that much of me from the media, I mean, papers always mentioned me with my father's name when speaking about the academy being built, so she could know of me but I certainly knew of her. Briar Lena Rosehem, aged 15 and 1/2. She had just transferred here to England from Dallas, making her a very noticeable new girl in this town. I mean, sure, my dad is famous, but that doesn't mean nothing here anymore. Which is precisely why I wanted Briar to want to know me.
 
Which she swore against.
 
"Oh yeah?" I smirked, resting my forehead on hers as she tried to wiggle free of my grip. "Tell me pretty lady, what reputation have you heard about?"
 
"The bad one" She stifled a laugh, finally stopping her movement and resting her top set of teeth across her bottom lip as she leaned back willingly against the wall. "The one which everybody knows, the one that my daddy warned me about, the one that my mama' swore against. You're not a nice person at all Mr Dwayne"
 
"That reputation could be a whole lot of rumours Miss Rosehem" I sighed with a smile, pulling my head back and cocking my head to the side as she checked that my grip was still tight on her wrists, though I knew I wasn't hurting her in anyway. "How do you know the real me, if I'm not even sure myself?"
 
"Same goes for how do I know you're a good person? How do I know you won't take my chance and break my heart like every other boy in this neighbourhood?" She asked, raising her eyebrows at me as I shrugged slightly. "My mama' warned me about boys like you, I've dated a boy like you in Dallas, and I do not need another one-"
 
"I'm not like those boys Rosehem, and I could prove it to ya'" I whispered, allowing my nose to brush against hers which made her words get caught in her throat. "But you gotta' give me that chance"
 
"And if I say no like any sane person would?" She wondered, turning her head so that I wasn't so close to her.
 
I don't know what made me want her so bad. Whether it was just the fact she was a challenge, or whether it was just the way her innocent heart compelled her against me. She just seemed like one of those girls that you'd ponder over for weeks on end, and if you ever let her get away, you'd regret it. I didn't want to be like that, I wanted her to see all that I was, without my famous input.
 
"Then I guess I'm just gonna' have to keep tryin'" I shrugged, releasing her wrists and taking a few steps back.
 
Briar didn't move at all at that point, which had surprised me 'cause I really expected her to start running to her parents and demanding for me to be arrested. But she didn't. Instead she stood there, looking at me as if there was something inquisitive standing before her.
 
"Why are you so destined to get your hands on me?" She muttered, straightening her posh school skirt and fixing her bag on her shoulder. "I'm nothing special. Just a girl, a girl who doesn't want to be pestered by people like you"
 
"Want me to be honest?" I questioned, raising one eyebrow as she waited for a moment before slowly nodded her head with her lips closed. "I don't know. There's just somethin' in your smile, and the way you're so sure on everything in life. The way you think anything can happen and the way you look out at the world as if it's greeting you with open arms.."
 
She raised her eyebrows in curiousity, taking a few steps towards me whereas I stood still. It wasn't until she stood right in front of me, looking up at me with her brown hair falling in front of her eyes.
 
"You're not like other people, are you?" She asked, though I could tell it was a rhetorical question. "You, you're not like the boys my daddy described. But you're, I don't know, bad. Rebellious. You're dangerous"
 
"Danger makes the heart grow stronger" I smirked, beginning to walk backwards with a grin. "But alright, if you ain't up for a challenge-"
 
"Fine" She exclaimed, making me stop and turn my ear to her.
 
"I'm sorry, what was that?"
 
"I said fine" She sighed, folding her arms and looking away from me. "You got one chance to prove you ain't like those boys that my daddy warned me about, that my mama' swore against. You gotta' prove that you're the danger I've been lookin' for"
 
"Caelen? Caelen?! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Theadora's voice came cutting in, making me realise that she was shaking my shoulder roughly.
 
"Huh?" I choked out, looking at her as she furrowed her eyebrows.
 
"Caelen, you've been mumbling and crying for the last 10 minutes of the drive" She whispered, wiping my tears away for me as I sat up straight and ran my fingers through my hair. "Are you okay?"
 
"No" I muttered, sniffling slightly as I realised that we were already at the AMA's. "I let her down, I proved her right"
 
"What are you going on about?" Theadora sighed, looking at the door as I began to get ready to get out.
 
"Her daddy was right." I finally croaked out, my hand on the door handle as I began to open it. "Her mama' swore right"
 
With that, I walked out into the flashing lights of the media, my eyes immediately meeting with her innocent ones..