The Artist - 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐅𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐧

𝕱𝖎𝖋𝖙𝖞 𝖙𝖍𝖗𝖊𝖊

April's POV

"That was freaking amazing!" I jump in the air grinning at Chase. He puts the board away and walks towards me smiling. I give him a towel so he can dry himself off. "I know right it's so fun, we're staying after filming is finally done today. I could teach you some surfing."
"Yeah right did you not see me on the long board with Rudy a few days ago. I'm literally incompetent of holding my balance." I laugh and he laughs with me because I really looked stupid on the board. "Yeah that looked a bit..sad." He puts his arm around my shoulder and we walk towards a tent where he can change. "How kind of you to tell me that." I say.
"Soo..you still staying for a week? Because we all have time now that filming is done." He stands in front of me. "I'd really love to but I think I finally have to get back to LA start working again, I miss Joaquin and my friends. But if you and the others could visit me that would mean the world to me." I tell him looking him into his eyes. They have an intense look in them and they're in a lovely brown which feels so good to look into because they're not in a familiar burning blue.
"Of course I'm going to visit you April it's not fun without you and besides you are important to me." He takes a step forward and I gulp. Oh oh. I probably should've taken a step back at this point or said something because I knew what was coming next but my stupid ass is paralyzed. "And I wanted to tell you that for a long time but I know you got here just to escape all of that..but I can't deny it anymore." He puts his hands against my cheeks which are comfortingly warm against my skin. He leans down and before I know it he presses his lips against mine softly. For a moment I consider to just kiss him back let someone new in my heart even if it's too early for that because I'm not over Hero. Fuck it hurts even thinking his name.
I ignored the topic for almost two months since I've been here and no one talked about him as well. I quickly push against Chase chest to get some distance between us and look up at him completely overwhelmed. "Listen Chase..you're a really good friend of mine and you're important to me as well but-" "You're not over him." He sighs and takes a step back. He looks to the left observing the waves crashing against the water. "I just think it's not fair to you..I like you and I think that possibly there could be something between us but it's a fucked up situation I'm in right now and I wouldn't be fully investigating in this relationship. I hope you can understand that and we can still be friends because you're too important to me to step out of my life completely." He nods and a small smile makes it's way onto his lips. "Let me change and I'm going to drive you home okay ?" He asks me and I smile knowing that he's not angry at me and that he took the rejection pretty well. I nod and he leaves changing inside the tent. Something burns on the left side of my face and I turn my head to look at the old factory which is  opposite the ocean but I don't see anyone. I could swear I felt someone staring at me. And now you have paranoia April great.

I let the keys of my apartment drop onto the dresser against the wall and sigh. Chase dropped me off after he changed and I'm relieved that Madison is still out with the others which means I can turn up the volume on the music and listen to the song I listen too for the past two months.
I put the volume on the highest number and the singer's voice fills the small apartment.
"We're a half-written story without any ending
You left me to figure it out
Filled me with ecstasy, left with the best of me
But where's the rest of me now?"

I get rid of my jeans and top and change into some ugly pajamas. I dance over to the small fridge beside the dresser and grab the cup of Ben and Jerry's with a spoon. It's brownies my favorite flavor.
"Your name hurts
I don't say it no more
It's like the worst of words
You don't even know "
I shove a spoonful of ice cream in my mouth and hop on the bed getting ready to scream the refrain of the song.
"FEEL'S LIKE BURNING ON MY LIPS THE ONES THAT YOU USED TO KISS NO WAY YOU AIN't FEELING IT TOO I HOPE MY NAME HURTS-" I scream at the top of my lungs but get interrupted by someone clearing their throat behind me. "Ahh!" I yell and stumble over my feet landing on the bed. Phew the ice cream stayed in my hands. Madison starts to laugh at me holding her stomach. I glare at her and my lips turn into a pout. She still laughs but manages to turn down the volume of the music box.
"What in gods name are you doing April?"
I shrug my shoulders at her question not wanting to talk about it shoving the ice cream in my mouth. A sad smile makes it's way onto her lips because she knows what's going on with me. The realization that I still can't forget about Hero and it still hurts like hell makes tears well up in my eyes. "Come here." She sits down on the bed beside me and pulls me into a hug. "I really am trying you know? But it just needs one thing that reminds me of him or god knows what and I can't breathe. The hurting doesn't stop." I sniff and her hand strokes my hair comfortingly. "It's going to be okay April I promise."
"But I don't know how, tomorrow's my flight back and I'm totally not ready for it but I don't think I'm ever gonna be ready."
"And it's alright to not be ready. The whole cast is going to come to LA a week after you and you're not going to be alone okay? You can come to our premiere and we're going to have fun." She tells me and I look up at her smiling lightly. She wipes the tears from my cheeks kissing the top of my head. "Thank you Maddy." She nods. " What are friends for."
"You wanna trade you comforting me for some ice cream." I hold up the cup for her and she takes it but shakes her head. "I think you had enough for the two of us let's get to sleep." I nod. How lucky I am to have good friends.