Petit Monde (Rye Beaumont)

LOVE

   After he left, I just sit back on the sofa and continue reading the poems.

• • •

   I walk into the room and smile at them, though I realize that one of them isn’t in the room.

   “Where’s Rye?” I ask.

   “I think he’s with Ella.” Mikey replies.

   “Ella, who’s tha–” I stop when I saw Rye walking into the room, but it isn’t just him.

   A girl with dirty blonde hair walks into the room after Rye, I must say she is really pretty.

   “I am proud of you, Rye pie.” she sweetly says, as she pinches his cheeks.

   Rye spats her hand away whilst trying to keep a straight face, “Stop calling me Rye pie.”

   “Why not, because you’re already famous?” she smirks, crossing her arms.

   “No, that’s not what I meant, El.” he shakes his head and walks over to the fridge and gets himself a bottle of water.

   Ella smiles and takes out a handkerchief from her bag and wait for Rye as he drinks his water, before tossing the handkerchief to him.

   “You’re all sweaty.” she says as she sits down next to him.

   I feel a bubbling ping of jealousy as I watch the two of them, Rye seems to have completely forgetten that I am in the room as well; looking away, I take my stuffs with me and head to the door.

   “Alexa, where are you going?” Andy asks just before I leave the room.

   I turn around and look over at Rye and Ella, who looks at me from head to toe; catatonically, she looks away and continues to talk to Rye who just smiles at me a little before turning his attention to Ella.

   “Oh, um,” I try to think of an excuse, as I look back at Andy. “I am just going to the bathroom.” I reply, my voice subtly cracking.

   He looks at me for a couple seconds as if he’s trying to figure out what I am thinking, “Okay, be back in ten minutes cause we’re leaving in like fifteen.”

   “I will, don’t worry.” I assure him with a small smile and continue to walk down the hallway.

   My smile disappears when I am already alone, I find myself sitting at the edge of the stage where a few staffs put their equipments away. As I sit there by myself, I start to overthink things; shaking my head imperceptibly, I try to stop thinking about it and continue reading the book.

   “Why are you here all by yourself?” it was Robbie.

   I look up at him and smile a little whilst shaking my head, “Nothing.”

   “You seem pretty deep in thoughts though.” he sits down next to me, our feet dangling on the edge of the stage.

   I honestly want to ask him about Ella, but I don’t want to look like I am obsessive of his brother when I don’t really have the right to. Furthermore, I don’t want to look like I am nosy and intrusive.

   “Love,” Robbie starts to read the book on my lap. “I don’t know what it is like to love someone who the world tells me I am not supposed to love. I can’t imagine how hard it must be to love someone I am afraid to kiss on the street. But I do know what it is like to love someone who I cannot be with. I know how it feels to have my brain tell me one thing, and my heart another. I know how hard it is to have to love someone in secret.”

   He didn’t say anything, as he turns to face the front again.

   “I honestly don’t know what to say,” he sheepishly laughs. “is that how you feel about Rye, loving him in secrecy?”

   My jaw drops slightly, taken aback by his question, but before I could say anything, we hear Jack calling the two of us from the distance.

   “Guys, come on, we’re leaving!” Andy says, he already have his bag with him and so do the other lads.

   “We’ll be there in a second.” Robbie shouts back.

   My attention diverts to Rye and Ella and I just feel a pain on my chest when I saw Rye’s arm on her shoulder as they talk.

   “Let’s go.” Robbie says to me, snapping me out from my thoughts.

   “Oh, right, sorry.” I mutter.

   He stands up first and puts his hand out to me, helping me get up from the floor.