Beautiful Tragedy (A Standalone Romance Novel) (16 page)

Megan shrugged. “There’s a lot of whispering going on
with you two,” she said.

“He was talking to me. It’s loud in here,” I said. In
our defense, it was the truth.

“Jake says he used to sing a lot of hard rock and
suddenly he’s all about the love song. Did you notice that Molly?” she asked me
with another giggle.

I was saved by the band that struck up once again.
Megan and Jake went off to dance and I turned down three guys while they were
gone. There was no reason for it, I just didn’t want to dance…with them. I was
saving one, and we would see where that went.

The band played three more songs, picking up the tempo
a bit with Joe’s wife doing most of the singing. Brock sang with her for one of
the songs, but for the rest he just played his guitar. I liked watching his
face when he played. It was so intense, like his very life depended on getting
every note just right. I watched him as he stepped up to the microphone. I
thought he was getting ready to sing his last song, but then he said, “I want
to dedicate this song to a very special person here tonight. I think she knows
who she is, and if she doesn’t yet, I hope to convince her someday.

Megan reached over and squeezed my arm. When I didn’t
look back at her she said, “He was talking about you.”

I laughed and said, “You think so?”

Brock started singing then, and as I listened to the
words and music, I realized he was doing “Somebody’s Heartbreak” by Hunter
Hayes. It was one of my favorite songs, and now he was singing it to me. While
he stood under the spotlights of the stage and crooned out the melody, I felt
things inside of me that I didn’t even know existed. He carried the microphone
to the edge of the stage and as he looked right at me he sang the lyrics.

Megan and
Jake went to dance again but I couldn’t take my eyes off of Brock. I could
hardly catch my breath. Then, the unthinkable happened. I was staring across
the room, up onto the stage, looking into Brock’s eyes when suddenly someone
was standing directly in front of me. I looked up to tell whoever it was to
move, or more accurately, to get the hell out of the way. Looking back at me
was my ex-boyfriend Zack. I was stunned. I hadn’t seen him since just before I
started school here and he had decided that he wasn’t up for the whole sick
girlfriend thing. While he stood there, the last person in the world that I
hoped to see, the song ended and Brocks beautiful voice stopped singing.

“Hi Molly.”

Hello,
coward.

“Hi
Zack.”

I didn’t
see the need to be confrontational. Play nice for a minute and he’ll go away.
After all, I already knew how good he was at walking away.

“How are you?
Are you still sick? Do you still have those nasty tumors on your kidney?”

“I’m
fine, thanks Zack. How are you?”

He
smiled, “I’m good. It’s really nice to see you. You look really pretty.”

“Thanks,”
I said.

Now go
away.

“Hey
Molly, are you okay?” Megan had walked up then.

“I’m
fine, Megan. You remember Zack?” Megan gave him a distasteful look, like there
was something sour in her mouth.

“Hi
Megan!” he said with a big smile and way too much enthusiasm. Even if he wasn’t
smart enough to figure out that I wasn’t happy to see him, he had to know
without a doubt that she wasn’t.

“Yeah,
hey,” she said, dismissively. “Were you riding home with Brock tonight?” she
said. Good ‘ole Megan.

“Yeah, I
think so,” I said. “I’m just waiting for him to finish up.”

“Okay,
Jake and I were going next door to get something to eat. You sure you don’t
want to come with us, just until Brock’s ready?” She looked at Zack every time
she said Brock’s name. I love this girl.

“No
thanks, Meg. He shouldn’t be long.” She hugged me and whispered, “Tell him to
take a hike, a long one, off a cliff.” I laughed and said, “Don’t worry, I
will.” When Megan left, Zack said, “Can I sit for a minute?” I started to say
no, but then he said, “I just want five minutes Molly. I need to apologize to
you for being such a big jerk.”

“Okay,” I
said. I liked hearing him call himself a big jerk.

He sat
down and said, “I loved being with you in high school, Molly. I haven’t been
able to find anyone even remotely like you since. I miss you, and I never
should have walked away.”

“Thanks
Zack,” I said. I appreciated the apology, for what it was worth. I mistakenly
thought that was all, however. Then he went on. “My fraternity is having an
after-party tonight. Why don’t you go with me?”

“No
thanks, Zack. I have plans.”

“Okay,
another time then? We could have dinner, catch up?”

“Zack…What
exactly is it that you want to catch up on?” I asked him. Things were fine
between us until I got really sick, then he was gone. Does he really want to
know how I fought it, got better and now have to start the fight all over
again?

“It would
just be nice to talk and find out how you’re doing, what you’ve been up to….I
miss you, Molly,” he said again.

“I’m
doing fine. I’m going to school and working….and I still have cancer Zack.”

“Oh,” he
said. Here we go. “You look so….healthy,” he said.

“Looks
can be deceiving like that. You can run away now,
it’s
okay. This time, Zack I won’t even bat an eye.”

“Aw, come
on Molly. I was a kid.”

It was
less than a year ago...but okay, sure…we were kids.

“I was
looking at getting out of high school and going on to have a great time in
college…with you on my arm, Molly. Then I found out how sick you were and I
freaked out. I didn’t know how to handle it….”

“So you
walked out on me when I needed you the most.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

BROCK

“There
was nothing I could do, right? You were in the hospital and me sitting by the
bed watching you; well I just thought it would be pointless. Molly, I’m sorry.
That was probably wrong…” That was when I walked up on this conversation. At
first I held back, because I didn’t want to intrude…

“You
think, Zack?” Molly was saying. She sounded annoyed, and if I wasn’t wrong,
like she wanted him to go away.

His face
was red now. Good, at least he felt a little bit ashamed. “Give me a chance to
make it up to you Molly. This time will be different, I promise.”

“I don’t
think so, Zack,” she said. “I’m not finished being sick. I wouldn’t want to
spoil your college fun.” Nice sarcasm, she’s doing fine and as bad as I want to
punch this guy I’m hanging back, letting her handle it.

“Maybe we
could just hang out, you know, date. We don’t have to get into anything
serious.” Wow, this guy was a piece of work. She opened her mouth and then
closed it right away. I could tell that she was shocked too and didn’t know
what to say. I hope she doesn’t get mad at me, but I couldn’t keep my mouth
shut any more.

“She said
she’s not interested.”

Zack’s
head snapped up and he looked at me standing behind Molly. She looked at me
too, shocked. It looked like she was wondering how long I’d been standing
there. I was hoping she didn’t mind me getting involved but I couldn’t hold
back any longer.

“Oh,” he
said, standing up, looking back at Molly now, not at me. Then the big chicken-shit
was saying, “Why didn’t you just say you had a boyfriend?”

I still
wanted to punch him, more so now that he was implying if she didn’t have a
boyfriend she would be desperate enough to take him back.

“I’m not
lucky enough to be her boyfriend…yet,” I said. It was the truth, but I also
wanted him to know that Molly didn’t need him, whether she had a boyfriend or
not. “When or if I am, I guarantee you that I won’t tuck my balls and run the
second that the going gets rough. I’m going to man up and be deserving of this
fine, beautiful woman, unlike you. So run along cowardly pup and leave the lady
be.”

Zack’s
face was bright red now. I think he was more pissed than embarrassed. He looked
like the kind of guy who had been the high school jock, the homecoming king,
the guy all the girls wanted to go to the prom with. Now here he was being told
off by a musician. He looked like he wasn’t going to leave for just a second,
but first he looked at Molly, who was grinning and then he sized me up one more
time. Then, proving he was the biggest loser ever he said, “Call me if you ever
want to hang out, Molly.” Molly and I watched him walk away. Both of us in awe
of the guy’s nerve I think. Finally, we made eye contact and laughed.

“I’m not
even going to ask what you saw in that guy,” I said.

She just
grinned and said, “Thanks, because I don’t know if I could answer it. Is it
okay if I hang out at your apartment with you for a while, tonight?”

“Of
course.”
Yes please!

She went
on then to say, “I think Meg and Jake have plans and I really don’t want to sit
in the room by myself tonight.”

“Sure,” I
said. “Although just for future information I would prefer something along the
lines of, “I really can’t stand the thought of leaving you Brock; you’re so
handsome and debonair. I can’t stand the thought of being away from you.”

She
laughed, “Debonair, really? I don’t think I’ve ever used that word in a
sentence.”

I have no
idea where I heard it, probably an old movie. It sounded good though. She
turned serious then and I forgot all the words as I listened to her say, “But
handsome, you most definitely are. And your song to me….it gave me chills. And
thank you for sticking up for me with Zack.” Now she looked like she wanted to
kiss me. I thought about going in for it, but I remembered my promise to her.
She would let me know when she was ready. My lips were aching.
 

“That guy
doesn’t deserve a woman like you,” I told her. Then I remembered something and
said, “I have a present for you.”

“A
present? It’s not my birthday or anything.”

“It’s not
a big deal. Just something I saw and thought of you,” I told her. “It’s in my
bag on Suzie. But first…don’t you owe me a dance?”

“I
believe I do,” she said. I led her out to the dance floor, timing it again when
a slow song was playing. Go me! When we found an open spot, I turned to face
her and pulled her into my chest. This time was different though, instead of
holding onto my hands and leaning back somewhat, she had her head against my
chest, one hand in mine, and the other on my shoulder. She felt so good against
me like this, and without thinking I stooped over just a bit and I rested the
side of my face against her head. I loved the way her silky hair felt against
the side of my face, and of course I loved the way it smelled. The only problem
with any of it was that the stupid song ended way too soon. It was so damned
hard to let go.

“Thank
you,” I told her with a smile.

“Thank
you,” she told me. “I had such a great time listening to you play and sing
tonight. You really are very good.”

I don’t
admit this out loud, but I’m kind of a conceited guy. It’s not that I think I’m
better than anyone else, or that I deserve more because I’m kind of good-looking
and I can sing. But I know what my assets are, and because of being sick, and
the deficits that brought with it, I’ve learned to use my assets to my
advantage. Long story short, I wasn’t usually fazed by praise. I usually
already knew what they were telling me about myself. With Molly though, like
everything else I guess, it was different. Her praise went straight to a place
of honor in my head and in my heart.

“Thank
you,” I told her. “I’m really glad you came. Let’s go get your present.”

When we
got to the bike I took the present out and handed it to her. It was wrapped in
tissue paper.

“Can I open
it?” she said. She was cute, like a little kid at Christmas time.

I nodded
and smiled and she ripped off the paper. I felt bad at first, because as she
saw it, tears sprung to her pretty brown eyes.

“Oh,
Brock!” she said, and then she surprised us both I think by throwing her arms
around me and giving me a hug. It was our first official hug…I think.

“It’s the
most thoughtful present anyone has ever gotten for me.”

There’s a
scene in
Benny and
Joon
,
where he puts an old Jack-in-the-Box on her front doorstep and knocks so when
she opens it there’s nothing there but the box. It’s a really cute scene, and
one of her favorites. The box was exactly the same and it looked about fifty
years old.

“I saw it
in the window of the antique store by the university and I thought of you
instantly,” I told her, honestly, with a grin. I was glad she liked it so much.

“I love
it, thank you.”

I handed
her the helmet she wore when we rode Suzie and we climbed on the bike. Feeling
her hold on to me as we rode has always been a great feeling, but tonight
seemed different somehow. I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what it was, but
it felt…safe, and warm and comfortable. I liked it…a lot.