It had been ten years since they’d gotten together, the five of them. It was supposed to just be for the show, you know. For the viewers. A band of teenage boys all singing their hearts out. Most of them were from modest backgrounds which was obvious enough, and it had caused Easton to stick out early on. The son of a rock legend, working his way to earning his own name in the music industry. He was doing his best.
Five years had passed since the band had split because of amicable differences, each of them wanting to continue to grow in the industry as solo artists. There was no bad blood between them, for the most part. Time and distance caused them to lose touch, friendships straining to the point where it could hardly be called that anymore. Easton didn’t even remember the last time he’d spoken to any of them face to face. Which was why it felt like the text message was practically burning a hole through his phone.
They’d all sent messages in the little group text they’d created to stay in touch. Happy tenth, boys, he’d sent at midnight, receiving various reactions and excited responses from the each of them, which was all normal and expected. Miss you all. x, he said before bidding them goodnight. Five minutes after the excitement of the group chat had died down, he got a text from one of the other members. His screen lit up, the notification bar across his screen reading Oliver Oakes. It took Easton longer than it should’ve to unlock his phone.
Miss you the most, though, the text read. He was sure that that was what it said, having read it over about twelve times. At first, it seemed likely that he was hallucinating. Maybe he’d had more wine then he’d realized. But, no. There it was, literally spelled out in front of him. Easton paused.
Oliver was different from the other boys. Easton had a vivid memory of the last time they spoke. It had ended with a screaming match, a phone bent in half and a glass vase shattered. Loud voices overlapping in nonsensical accusations until suddenly their lips were crashing together, doing what they did best. Getting lost in each other behind closed doors. It was after that night that they knew that whatever it was between them needed to end.
He placed his phone down on his bedside table, rolling over in bed to drape his body over the back of Tori’s sleeping form. Soft, sweet little breaths puffed out between her sex swollen lips, and he pressed a small kiss to her shoulder, relaxing the best that he could against her. The tension in his body was evident even to him, and the cause was obvious. He sighed, knowing himself too well. Regardless of how they’d ended, he knew that the guilt would eat away at him if he never replied to Oliver. They were friends, after all. Friends first. The rest came after.
Easton pressed another gentle kiss into Tori’s hair, whispering a soft little “I love you,” before he got up, swiping his phone off the nightstand and making his way into the living room. He plopped down onto the luxurious sectional, allowing his body to sink into the cushion. He looked at his phone hesitantly, unlocking it and typing out a message before he could think better of it.
The second he hit send he knew it was a mistake, but there was no taking it back. There it was, already received and opened. I miss you, too.