1991

1991 Part 29

"How is she?" I ask quietly.

Stone shrugs. 

"No idea, she won't let me anywhere near her."

"And...and the band?" 

Stone runs his hand through his hair.

"We're working on it."

I feel a spark of relief. Over the last two weeks I've thought about the band non-stop and how this has affected them. I'd been so caught up with thoughts of Eddie I didn't stop to consider the significance of his relationship with Stone and all the others. Much like how I'd realised Kirst is the most important thing to me I suddenly understood that Eddie and Stone are the most important thing to try to rectify. Yes, Eddie is my idea of human perfection and I adore him but no matter how infatuated I am feeling, a three day relationship doesn't take precedence over the band, no matter how intense it may have felt. It also made me angry with Stone, for kissing me. I wasn't entirely innocent but the thought of him doing that to his bandmate had really begun to piss me off. The fact is this was all so much bigger than me, I could have been anyone, any girl and the outcome would have been the same. It was Stone's betrayal that really caused this rift, this enormous betrayal that had the potential to split the band in two. After all their work, performing and touring, spending days and weeks and months together, living in each others pockets they'd developed this incredible bond. Kev told me how quiet and shy Eddie had been when he'd first arrived and how it had taken Chris to pull him out of his shell. Being the new kid had been really hard, such big shoes to fill as well but he'd done it and slowly become comfortable after not knowing if he would fit in. And then one great big idiot and an even stupider girl had come along and in the space of one night destroyed all that hard worked for trust. I suspected there had been some kind of power struggle going on between the two of them, not major but it was there, simmering under the surface. This had been Stone's band and then Eddie had come along, with his huge voice and charm and talent. It wasn't spiteful or malicious rivalry but it was enough for them both to feel it. Then Kirst and Stone had started this incredibly serious thing way too fast which made them both feel trapped. The whole situation was one big recipe for disaster. The one thing I was sure of was my insignificance in this, all that mattered now was that I try to resolve it. It didn't matter who I was, in ten years Eddie and Stone wouldn't even remember my name but they'd remember the time Eddie punched Stone forever. 

I needed to make it right. And if possible salvage some kind of relationship with my best friend. Everything else was less important. It hurt to not be with Eddie but that was my fault and I'd just have to live with the consequences of my actions.

"And Eddie?" I ask bluntly.

Stone pushes his coffee away.

"We've not spoken yet."

"Have you called him?"

"Not yet, no."

I feel myself start to get irritated.

"Why not Stone? He's really hurt, you need to try and resolve this."

"He really fucking hurt me Sam, this scar is permanent!" Stone points to a tiny pink line at the side of his nose.

"You told him, and everyone else, that you kissed me 'with tongues and everything'. You literally announced it to the entire room. I think you got off lightly," I state, feeling anger rise. 

"I know, I know I fucked up. I get it ok? What the hell do you expect me to do about it Sam? It's not like I can magically take it back. I was off my head, thanks to Dave and his 'hilarious' practical jokes. I had no idea until the next day what had happened and no one told me then. Mike was the only person who would explain why no one was talking. I didn't even know about the acid, I woke up on the hallway floor in Kirst's house!" Stone rants.