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Friends are happy for me
Or they're honey-suckle phonies

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"Mr. Urie will be one of the few entertainment acts featured at my club when it opens next week," Moretti announced, giving Brendon a friendly pat on the shoulder as he stood up from the piano. "I hope to see you all there!"

Applause erupted from the guests and Brendon bowed his head in gratitude. He made eye contact with Tilly who watched the entire show from the top of the stairwell. She motioned for him to meet her upstairs and he nodded.

"Henry looks happy," she said, leading Brendon down the hallway. "You sounded beautiful as always."

"Thank you. I guess I earned my $250, huh?" he asked, taking her hand and swinging her arm back and forth.

"Most definitely. You deserve every penny. I'm so proud of you." Tilly flashed a smile and opened the doors to a balcony area. "I recommend you write a new song for the opening next week. Partly because it would make you look good in Henry's eyes and partly because I can't get enough of your work." She shut the doors and immediately threw her arms over his shoulders.

"That sounds like a great idea," Brendon responded, squeezing her waist. "Maybe I'll write a love song this time."

Tilly smirked. "A love song? About who?"

"Who do you think?"

She rolled her eyes and held Brendon by the lapels of his suit jacket. "You're sweet."

"Henry wouldn't mind me singing about you, would he?"

Tilly let her eyes fall to the floor. "I don't know. I hadn't thought about that."

"I didn't mean to-"

"I'm not upset. I just really hadn't thought about it. Or this, I guess."

Brendon frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I've been so caught up with other things I haven't really thought about the consequences of this little..." She paused. "...romance, I guess you could say."

"So are we...?"

"We?" Tilly gasped, removing her hands from Brendon's chest. "No, there's no 'we', Brendon, we-I, I can't do that."

Brendon shoved his hands in his pockets. "I understand."

He could feel Tilly's eyes on him as he stared out over the landscape. Her gaze burned a hole straight through him and he couldn't help but blurt out his true feelings.

"I like you, okay?" he said. "You're beautiful and honest and extremely kind and I'm crazy about you even though I know I shouldn't be."

Tilly's face grew red and she shifted her gaze between Brendon and the floor. "Crazy about me?" she asked.

Brendon nodded and took her hand. "Yeah. Wild."

"That's really nice of you to say."

"If I could be with you I would've made you mine the moment I saw you, darlin', believe me on that," he assured her.

"I do believe you, I do."

"I just wanted you to know how I feel about you if it wasn't obvious already. I know we can't make anything between us serious but it would be stupid of me to not be as honest as you are with me." He raised her hand to his lips and she held his face in her hands.

"I feel the exact same way, darlin'," Tilly joked, kissing his cheek.

"I'm glad." He grinned as she ran her thumbs over his skin. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Can I kiss you?"

She giggled and bit her lip. "I don't know, maybe. Go for it and see."

Brendon lifted her chin with his finger and dipped his head down toward her ruby red lips. His mouth hovered over hers and she closed her eyes in preparation. The double doors opened before his lips touched hers.

"Oh my gosh, Mr. Urie, I'm so sorry," Mary stammered, her face growing red.

"Mary, what's going on?" Tilly asked, pushing Brendon away from her.

"Mr. Urie's bandmates wanted to see him," she responded, stepping aside to reveal Dallon, Ryan, and Spencer.

"What are you guys doing here?" Brendon inquired. "I didn't know you were invited."

"I feel like we should be asking you that exact question," Dallon retorted, folding his arms over his chest.

"So you really are screwing the rich bitch? For what? A check?" Ryan scoffed, shooting a dirty look at Tilly.

"Excuse you?!" Brendon exclaimed.

"Mary, can you give us a moment?" Tilly requested, shooing Mary away.

"So you tossed the band away for her?" Dallon asked. "I can't believe you just took Moretti's offer without asking for our opinions first!"

"What was I supposed to do? I wanted to keep singing!"

"And you didn't think we didn't? You're so fucking selfish, Brendon," Dallon said.

"It wasn't like that, you guys," Brendon argued. "I promise."

"Then what was it?" Ryan exclaimed.

"He had to make a decision," Tilly interjected. "Henry was expecting an answer and I told him to take the job. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you all so upset. I know how much you love playing together."

"Tilly, don't-"

"So it was you?" Dallon cried. "We should've known! You chose her over us? Over the band?"

"How much is she paying you to fuck her, huh? She's engaged, what are you? Some man whore?" Ryan scoffed.

"Shut the hell up," Brendon seethed. "All of you were telling me to go for it anyways and when I actually do I'm a 'man whore'? Are you serious?"

"This is all your fault," Dallon hissed at Tilly. "You had to have him, didn't you? You're engaged!"

"I'm sorry," Tilly repeated. "I seriously didn't mean to break you apart."

"I don't care what you meant to do," Dallon spat, stepping toward Tilly. "You're nothing but a dirty homewrecker and you did you job breaking up this little family."

"Leave her alone," Brendon commanded, stepping in front of Tilly.

"Is she paying you to defend her?" Dallon smirked at Tilly. "Does it turn you on when he gets defensive, Matilda?"

"Dallon, stop," Spencer insisted, breaking his silence to pull his friend back.

"Maybe it's better that we're not a band," Brendon concluded. "I can't believe something so trivial is gonna break us apart."

"You chose her over us, Brendon!" Dallon yelled, pointing in Tilly's face. "You chose your slut over us!"

"Shut up!"

Brendon shoved Dallon backwards and he responded with a swift left hook. The two went at each other as Spencer, Ryan and Tilly struggled to break them up, dodging their punches and nasty commentary.

"Fuck you!" Dallon screamed, squirming in Spencer and Ryan's grip. "This is all your fucking fault!"

Brendon didn't respond and wiped the blood from his nose instead. He hated to lose his band but it was for the best if they were going to act like this.

"Your face..." Tilly said, touching the bruises beginning to form on his cheek. "Let me help-"

"No, it's fine," Brendon interrupted, taking her hand away from his face.

"Brendon, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Tilly, seriously, it's okay." He ran a hand through his hair, temporarily replacing the loose strands. "I'll see you later."

He left Tilly alone on the balcony and hurried down the stairs, ignoring the gasps and stares from other partygoers. Mary had his hat and jacket for him when he got to the door. He accepted both articles of clothing and exited the house without a word. He now had the memory of Sandburg's as well as the fallout of his band to keep him up at night, as if he wasn't losing enough sleep already.