Music was pounding, bodies were swaying , drinks were spilling yet I still couldn’t get Audrey off my mind, this party seemed to just make things worse. I pulled out my phone. My fingers dancing on the screen not knowing what to tell her. Finally, I got to type:
“Please talk to me, let me explain.”

  We met freshman year, became close sophomore year, and had every class together junior year. Senior year was about to start in a few weeks and she still has not thought of me as more than a friend. I was determined to sweep her off her feet and make her mine.

I was in my room playing 2k when Audrey was bangging on my door. As I opened the door she ran in for hug and when she pulled away my white shirt was now covered in black eye makeup. She had rose cheeks and swollen eyes. I asked her what was wrong but she wiped her eyes and asked if she could play the game too. In the middle of the game she brought up that her brother wanted to enlist for the army.
I paused the game, “Is that why you were crying earlier?”
Audrey looked down at the controller, “Yeah, he knows that’s how our father died. I can’t stand the thought of losing Eric too; he’s literally my other half.”
“Give him time, I’m sure he’ll change his mind.”
We continued to play the game, watched Netflix and ordered pizza, her favorite. Audrey was smiling by the time she left.
“Thanks for everything, AJ. It means a lot,” she kissed me on the cheek as she left.
I smiled, “anytime Dre.”

The next time I seen her was at a party, a few days later. She was with Eric. Everyone was drinking, including them. Once Audrey seen me she asked if I could take a shot with her. Her breath smelled like she had been drinking for a while. I put the shot glasses down and took her to get water to sober up a little.
Eric stopped us, “AJ, she’s my sister. She doesn’t need you to take care of her she has me with her”
“Bro, chill. You guys have been here a while and you both been drinking and one of yous have to drive home.”
Eric continued to try to act hard with me and next thing I know is that we were on the floor fighting. I didn’t want to but he was drunk in my face. It took a few guys to break up the fight. I felt so bad. I went home, I didn’t know what to do.

I text Audrey a few days later:
“Haven’t heard from you since the party did you get home okay? Message me when you can.”
I wasn’t expecting a reply right away but she did. It was a paragraph too. She was explaining how both me and Eric hurt her that night.  How the two most important guys in her life got into a fight. How she didn’t want to be in the middle of the situation. How she didn’t want to talk to neither of us. I knew I hurt her bad and the only way to make it up to her is to make mends with Eric but I know that wouldn't happen. He’s too stubborn. That didn’t stop me. I messaged him but he blocked me on everything. I didn’t know what to do so I went to his house. Audrey answered the door. Once she seen it was me, she tried to slam the door on me but my foot stopped it from closing all the way.
“AJ, stop,” she yelled at me. “I don’t want to talk to you.”
“I’m not here for you, Audrey. Is your brother home?”
“No. And if he was he wouldn’t want to talk to you either.”
“Well then let me explain to you what happened that night.”
“AJ, I don't want to hear it,” as she closes the door on me.
I left and went back home. I took a nap and when I woke up I had a message from my friend Mike asking if I wanted to go to a rave with him. I didn’t want to go since time last time I went to a party I was in a fight with my best friend’s twin. Mike was very convincing and got me to go to the rave with him and some other friends of ours.
Music was pounding, bodies were swaying , drinks were spilling yet I still couldn’t get Audrey off my mind, this party seemed to just make things worse. I pulled out my phone. My fingers dancing on the screen not knowing what to tell her. Finally, I got to type:
“Please talk to me, let me explain.”