Page 7 of The Jaded Notes

“We’ll be there in October.”

“Wow. It’s hard to believe I won’t see you for that long. It’ll be over a year.”

“We just have to FaceTime more until the concert.”

My stomach turns, a quiet ache following. “Yeah.”

“What’s with the dreadful tone, Livianna?” His concern barrels through the line.

“I don’t know.”

“Yes, you do. Cough it up. What’s going on in your head?”

“I don’t want to tell you.”

“Oh, okay. Now you have to. You can’t just drop that and think I’m gonna hang up without getting you to talk.”

“You’re going to be mad.”

“Just tell me, Livianna.”

“Fine, but try to understand before you flip out.” I brace myself for his reaction, my blood flowing faster than before. “I don’t think I’m going to your show when you get here.”

“What? Why? I support you whenever I can. Why wouldn’t you do the same?”

He has a point, but…

“Bren, I’ve made a decision about seeing Callum. I can’t do it anymore. I need some time to let him go. Going to a gig and being around him will only prolong the inevitable.”

“You two will never be through.” There’s a moment of silence, and then Bren forces out a deep breath. “What makes you think this time will be different from any of the other times?”

“I’m in Paris now and won’t be running into you guys when you’re home on a break from touring. This is the first time since I ended things overtwoyears ago that I’ll get time away from him without bumping into him and stirring up old emotions.”

“What’s the longest you two have gone without seeing each other since you broke up?”

“Three months, at most. Do you know how hard it is to move on from someone when they keep showing up in your world, reminding you of everything you ever felt about them?”

“I’m sure it’s not easy, but by October you’ll be fine. That’s plenty of time to get over him.”

“I don’t know. We’ll have to play it by ear.”

“I think that’s enough time for you to move on, like really release the past.”

“Bren, think. Think about how Callum will be if he knows I’m going to be at your show.”

Bren pauses for a second. “Who am I kidding? Cash won’t let you go. Fuck. I hate the situation he put us in.”

“Me too, but it’s always the same story. He calls and texts, saying he loves me and promises me he’ll change and get his life together. Not a day later, I read something about him and some chick getting together.”

My insides burn. “Why won’t he let us both get on with our lives when he obviously wants to be with other women?”

Bren huffs. “That’s not what he wants. He’s just running from his nightmares.”

My defenses go up. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Relax. I wasn’t talking about you, Livianna. He drinks and does drugs to escape the rest of his life. Women throw themselves at us. It’s hard to walk away when your brain is fucked up.”

“So that’s what you say.” I shake my head and roll my eyes. “Being altered isn’t an excuse for crossing a line. I never had a hard time staying faithful.”