{Brandon Flowers} It's Hard To Say {Eight}

"How was your date?" Ronnie
wanted to know as soon as I got in from my date with Tyler. I closed the door
behind me, looked at him strangely and stood before him, my hands on my hips. He
waved his hands in dismissal. "Oh, everyone is either asleep or ... no, I
think they're all asleep."

"What're you doing here, awake,
then?"

"I wanted to know how your date with
Tyler went. So ... spill."

I raised my eyebrow and carefully stepped
around him to collapse in a chair, then asking him, "Are you sure you're
not gay?"

"You know very well I'm not," he
answered and then stamped him foot impatiently. "Now, stop avoiding the
question! How was it?"

"I was alright," I said absently,
picking at the fluff adorning the material on the arm of the chair I was slumped
in. I felt him sit in a chair himself and then heard him scoot it over. When I
looked, I found him extremely close, staring at me.

"Uh-oh," he said. "That
doesn't sound too promising." He paused and then sung, "What
happened?"

"Nothing."

" 'Nothing'?!" He repeated.
"Did you or did you not go out on a date with this guy?!"

I shrugged. "Yes."

"So how the hell was it - wait! He
didn't-"

"Ronnie," I interrupted,
"don't. He was fine," I sighed, "The date was fine."

"Well then I want details!"

"You're sure?" I asked, giving
him an odd look.

"What - oh. Yes, I'm sure I'm not
gay!"

I laughed and held up my hands. "Okay,
okay. We went to see a movie and had dinner, end of story."

"No, not 'end of story'. What kind of
movie did you go see? What did you order? What did he order? Did he put his arm
around you during the movie? Did you get a kiss goodnight? H-"

"Ronnie. Please," I started,
already pleading him with my eyes, "don't ask. I just don't know at the
moment."

He looked at me closely. "Mel, are you
alright?"

"Yes."

He looked at me disbelievingly. "No,
you're not!"

"Fine, I'm not - but I will be. I just
need to be alone, you understand, right?"

"Yeah I do." He stood and
stretched a bit. "I think I might head off to our suite and to bed,"
he said whilst smothering a yawn.

I stood also. "I think that's a good
idea." I stood on 'tip-toe' and kissed his cheek. "Thanks,
Ronnie."

He didn't ask what the 'thanks' was for, he
just kissed me on top of my head and said, "Good night, Mel'.

I managed to avoid everyone for a week, up
until the day we would be leaving back to the States - unfortunately, not back
to Vegas, but to New York; even though we weren't going directly home I knew I
would feel alot better back in North America.
The first real communication I had with any of the others for seven days was
with Mark when he told me, to my dismay. that Francine would be coming back with
us to New York City.

I stared at him until I managed to say,
" 'Coming back with us'? More like following us back, don't you
think?"

He laughed and slung an arm around me to
hug my shoulders. "Yeah, I'll agree with that."

I looked up at him with hope. "Does
that mean you don't like her either?"

"Not very much. Though not for the
reason you don't like her."

I stared at my shoes and swallowed. "I
don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone
else."

"I never said -"

He smiled kindly. "You didn't have to,
Mel."

I opened my mouth and then closed it
helplessly.
"What're you doing here for?" I finally said, weakly.

"Our whole suite's packed up so I
thought I'd come over here. What're you up to? I haven't seen you out of your
room in ages."

"Staring at the ceiling got
boring," I replied, shrugging, "go figure."

"So are you alright?" He asked
with concern.

"Of course I am. I just needed some hibernation/
alone - time."

"Brandon was worried about you."

"He was?" I asked excitedly and
too quickly and then let my head drop back to where it was before, asking, with
less enthusiasm this time, again, "I mean, was he?"

Mark was holding back laughter, I could
tell. "Yeah. I think he thinks that Tyler did something to you."

"Hmph," I grunted, "figures.
Um, well, if you don't mind, I think I'm going to go back to staring at ceilings
for awhile."

"Go ahead."

I smiled back at him and scurried away into
my room, not coming out until later that afternoon. When I did, I found the
lounge area empty apart from Francine, who was looking beautiful as ever,
unfortunately. I turned to leave but her voice stopped me.

"Melissa," I froze when she said
my name and stayed to listen to the rest of it, "please don't go."
I looked at her to find that she was patting the spot on the couch next to her.
"Come sit; we never did get to talk."

Cautiously, I sat next to her, folding my
hands neatly in my lap. "So, how are you liking England so far?"

"It's great! I am a bit home-sick
though," she admitted.

I smiled genuinely. "Tell me about it.
So, I hear you're coming back with us to New York?"

"Yes. Wait," she looked at me,
apparently worried, "you don't have a problem with that, do you?"

"No, not at all," I lied through
my teeth.

She sighed. "Good. 'Cause I thought it
might be a bit awkward between us since ... you know..."
I shook my head politely.
"You know... how you walked in on me and Brandon ... doing -"

"Yeah, I got it." Curious, and
determined not to let on about mine and Brandon's 'relationship', I asked,
"Why?"

"Seeing one of your oldest friends in
that situation must have been at least a little unnerving."

Lying again, I reassured her, "I'm
fine about it now."

"Good," she sighed again. "I
didn't want to start a relationship in that kind of circumstance."

"What kind of circumstance?"

"With another woman in the mix."

I looked at her, with mock-concern.
"Why would-"

"Don't be stupid, Melissa," She
snapped, suddenly harsh. "I'm not blind ,so don't think I can't see the
sexual tension between you and him. But now I'm in the picture and you don't
stand a chance anymore."
She flashed a smile.
"Do we understand eachother?"

Open-mouthed, I sat motionless on the
couch, my grip on my knees so hard it left indented nail marks. Now I had
another reason to hate her - not only was she beautiful and had Brandon both
physically and emotionally, but she was downright horrible.

Before I could make some kind of response,
Brandon appeared in the doorway. "Fran- Oh, Mel! You're out of your
room!" I smiled weakly. "Are you okay?"

Well aware of Francine's displeasure of
Brandon's paying attention to me, I answered, "I'm fine, thanks."

"Uh, well, are the two of you both
packed?" When we nodded, he continued, "Great. Go grab your stuff and
we'll all go to the cars together."

"Are we going to the airport,
sweetie?" Francine asked. I noted how different her voice was when she was
addressing him.

Brandon nodded and looked at me one last
time before I left to go and get my luggage.