‹ Prequel: Everything I'm Not
Love's Requiem
Too much
I woke up to the sound of Jack laughing at some thing loudly in the front of the bus, which was nothing unusual for me now. I slipped out of my bunk, and pulled out clothes for today before I headed to the deserted back lounge closing the door to change in to a pair of denim shorts and the Hajduk shirt Denis gave me for my birthday that I had cut the shoulders off of, as well as the blue Nike's Jesse had given me.
"We get it you're Croatian!" Jack exclaimed looking at me as I walked to the front checking through what today's schedule was.
"Huh?" I asked looking up
"The shirt Bella, the shirt." He said motioning at my shirt.
"Oh yeah, duh." I said as I looked down and let out a laugh and sat next to Alex. "Okay, so here's what's happening today." I paused before I began reading through, "Jack and Rian you two have an interview in the Vans' tent at noon, Alex you have an interview at 2 with Keep a breast, and I got a text from Gabe he wants you to help out with their set today at 7:30, and you play at 8 and signing at 3:45 ."
"Cobra's are playing today?" Alex asked me.
"Yeah they're doing a few dates starting today." I explained as he headed to go meet up with Gabe.
As usual I was busy making sure everything was set up for today, and then hung out with Vinny at the merch booth for a while until I noticed it was 1:15 and I probably should begin to find Alex. After searching the bus, and any possibly place I could think of I gave Alex a call only to find out he was at the one place I had forgotten to check, catering.
"Good afternoon Bella, might I say you look hotter than the sun today?" Gabe said as I walked up to the table him and Alex were at.
"Sell out," I mumbled rolling my eyes. "Interview, you, now." I said pointing at Alex.
"Alright, Gabe I'll see you later." Alex told Gabe, as I dragged him by his hand.
"So Bella I wanted to say sorry, you know about last night." Alex said a few minutes later.
"Don't its cool Alex, shit happens right?" I said with a smile, as I adjusted my sunglasses.
"Are you sure?"
"Really Alex, it's okay." I assured him as he headed in to the interview.
What else could I tell him? Yeah Alex, it’s fine because I still love you and wish I could get past my stupid ego and just tell you that?
Later in to the day towards the evening, Jack and I took off to get something to eat as well as to watch Nofx, Saosin, and Bayside. Towards the end of Bayside's set we realized Cobras were going in in 15 minutes.
"Wait I need to go to the bus first!" I exclaimed as Jack and I ran to the bus.
"What are you planning to do this time?" Jack asked as we ran on the bus.
"A silent protest." I explained as I grabbed a sharpie and piece of paper and scribbled something on it as I folded it and shoved it in my pocket before we ran off again.
"What did you write?" Jack asked as we finally got to the stage by the end of their first song.
"Bring back Midtown, I'll stretch your cunt over your head in Croatian." I told him as we laughed hysterically while we headed to where Rian, Alex and Zack all were watching.
I stood there holding up the paper so Gabe could see it as I watched him read it while he sang and danced.
"Bella what does that even mean?" Rian laughed as he saw me.
"Bring back Midtown, I'll stretch your cunt over your head." I told him still holding the sign up.
The next song," Gabe began as he looked at me shaking his head, "This next song is for the Dalmatian sex fiend who gives me death threats that I don't even understand, this is hot mess." He said going in to the next song.
Throughout the song, it felt like he was paying a little too much attention to me. But, I ignored it and joked around with Rian and Jack like always making them laugh.
Once Cobras had finished I was off to the stage the guys were playing to make sure everything was there that had to be there and was beginning to be prepped and ready for set up. While I watched the guys walk on to play their set Gabe showed up, and started talking to me. Don't get me wrong he's a nice guy and all but is way too forward at times.
"Sup Bella Donna?" Gabe said coming from behind me while I was texting Niko.
"Hmm?" I asked looking up. "Hey sell out." I replied making him smirk.
"So Bella how was Croatia?"
"How'd you know I went there?" I asked confused.
"I remember Alex mentioning it to me that you two were going."
"Oh, it was great any chance to see family and friends is always a plus." I told him, as I felt him move his hand to mine.
"That's a nice ring, did Alex give it to you?" He asked me.
"No, he didn't" I replied as my phone began ringing since I had begged Niko to call me.
"Hold up, zdravo Niko, kako si?" I began as I headed off behind the stage.
"Alright so what was so bad that you needed me to call you?" Niko laughed.
"This guy I'm friends with must have found out I'm single and is trying to get in my pants it seems." I explained as I paced the area.
"Tell him they’re my pants?" He suggested making me laugh.
"Technically I'm wearing your shirt."
"Dinamo Jersey?" He asked me.
"Close the Hajduk one from Denis, though I changed it up a bit."
"How so?"
"Cut off the shoulders."
"How nice," He chuckled.
I talked to Niko a little bit longer until I heard the guys start playing their last song.
"I must go, work calls." I told him.
"Alright, talk to you later Isabella." He told me as I hung up and headed back to the stage area for breakdown.
"Hey Bella, how about later on you stop by my bus and we'll jam over midtown songs?" Gabe asked me while I took Jack's guitar from him.
"Uh yeah sure I guess." I said not wanting to miss an opportunity to hear my own personal midtown performance.
"I'll give you a call later on." He said kissing my cheek as he left.
"What was that all about?" Jack asked me.
"No idea, but you're coming with me."
"What am I your body guard or something?" He asked me.
"You're my personal confidant?"
"I'll take that as Bella talk for best friend forever." He laughed. "I'm going to make you a friendship bracelet once we go to Wal-Mart."
"Besides, if you were my body guard you'd be carrying me everywhere singing Whitney
Houston."
"Just for that, I will do that for now on." He told me as we headed off the stage with everyone after breakdown.
"No, Jack don't." I told him as he chased after me trying to grab me.
"It's my job Bella, I must protect you!" He exclaimed as he got me and threw me over his shoulder, Alex sped up to walk behind him and talk to me.
"What's this all about?" Alex asked me.
"You don't want to know. Jack put me down!" I said kicking my feet.
"So I'll go, but I know I'll think of you every step of the way," Jack began to sing loudly, "And I will always love youuuuuu ooo yeah!" He screeched.
"Fuck my life." I groaned giving up and rubbing the bridge of my nose as he went on.
"Let me guess you made a body guard reference?" Alex asked.
"Sadly." I sighed.
"Will always love you! You my darling you! oooo I will always love you!" He went on.
"I now see why they don't let you sing." I told Jack, as I felt myself be dropped on to the ground. "Fuck, my ass."
"That's what she said!" Alex, Rian and Zack exclaimed.
"Jack doesn't serenade haters." Jack said in a snobbish way before Alex helped me up and we continued walking.
"Therapy, Jack you might want to look in to it." I shouted to him making Alex laugh as we got back to the bus.
"We get it you're Croatian!" Jack exclaimed looking at me as I walked to the front checking through what today's schedule was.
"Huh?" I asked looking up
"The shirt Bella, the shirt." He said motioning at my shirt.
"Oh yeah, duh." I said as I looked down and let out a laugh and sat next to Alex. "Okay, so here's what's happening today." I paused before I began reading through, "Jack and Rian you two have an interview in the Vans' tent at noon, Alex you have an interview at 2 with Keep a breast, and I got a text from Gabe he wants you to help out with their set today at 7:30, and you play at 8 and signing at 3:45 ."
"Cobra's are playing today?" Alex asked me.
"Yeah they're doing a few dates starting today." I explained as he headed to go meet up with Gabe.
As usual I was busy making sure everything was set up for today, and then hung out with Vinny at the merch booth for a while until I noticed it was 1:15 and I probably should begin to find Alex. After searching the bus, and any possibly place I could think of I gave Alex a call only to find out he was at the one place I had forgotten to check, catering.
"Good afternoon Bella, might I say you look hotter than the sun today?" Gabe said as I walked up to the table him and Alex were at.
"Sell out," I mumbled rolling my eyes. "Interview, you, now." I said pointing at Alex.
"Alright, Gabe I'll see you later." Alex told Gabe, as I dragged him by his hand.
"So Bella I wanted to say sorry, you know about last night." Alex said a few minutes later.
"Don't its cool Alex, shit happens right?" I said with a smile, as I adjusted my sunglasses.
"Are you sure?"
"Really Alex, it's okay." I assured him as he headed in to the interview.
What else could I tell him? Yeah Alex, it’s fine because I still love you and wish I could get past my stupid ego and just tell you that?
Later in to the day towards the evening, Jack and I took off to get something to eat as well as to watch Nofx, Saosin, and Bayside. Towards the end of Bayside's set we realized Cobras were going in in 15 minutes.
"Wait I need to go to the bus first!" I exclaimed as Jack and I ran to the bus.
"What are you planning to do this time?" Jack asked as we ran on the bus.
"A silent protest." I explained as I grabbed a sharpie and piece of paper and scribbled something on it as I folded it and shoved it in my pocket before we ran off again.
"What did you write?" Jack asked as we finally got to the stage by the end of their first song.
"Bring back Midtown, I'll stretch your cunt over your head in Croatian." I told him as we laughed hysterically while we headed to where Rian, Alex and Zack all were watching.
I stood there holding up the paper so Gabe could see it as I watched him read it while he sang and danced.
"Bella what does that even mean?" Rian laughed as he saw me.
"Bring back Midtown, I'll stretch your cunt over your head." I told him still holding the sign up.
The next song," Gabe began as he looked at me shaking his head, "This next song is for the Dalmatian sex fiend who gives me death threats that I don't even understand, this is hot mess." He said going in to the next song.
Throughout the song, it felt like he was paying a little too much attention to me. But, I ignored it and joked around with Rian and Jack like always making them laugh.
Once Cobras had finished I was off to the stage the guys were playing to make sure everything was there that had to be there and was beginning to be prepped and ready for set up. While I watched the guys walk on to play their set Gabe showed up, and started talking to me. Don't get me wrong he's a nice guy and all but is way too forward at times.
"Sup Bella Donna?" Gabe said coming from behind me while I was texting Niko.
"Hmm?" I asked looking up. "Hey sell out." I replied making him smirk.
"So Bella how was Croatia?"
"How'd you know I went there?" I asked confused.
"I remember Alex mentioning it to me that you two were going."
"Oh, it was great any chance to see family and friends is always a plus." I told him, as I felt him move his hand to mine.
"That's a nice ring, did Alex give it to you?" He asked me.
"No, he didn't" I replied as my phone began ringing since I had begged Niko to call me.
"Hold up, zdravo Niko, kako si?" I began as I headed off behind the stage.
"Alright so what was so bad that you needed me to call you?" Niko laughed.
"This guy I'm friends with must have found out I'm single and is trying to get in my pants it seems." I explained as I paced the area.
"Tell him they’re my pants?" He suggested making me laugh.
"Technically I'm wearing your shirt."
"Dinamo Jersey?" He asked me.
"Close the Hajduk one from Denis, though I changed it up a bit."
"How so?"
"Cut off the shoulders."
"How nice," He chuckled.
I talked to Niko a little bit longer until I heard the guys start playing their last song.
"I must go, work calls." I told him.
"Alright, talk to you later Isabella." He told me as I hung up and headed back to the stage area for breakdown.
"Hey Bella, how about later on you stop by my bus and we'll jam over midtown songs?" Gabe asked me while I took Jack's guitar from him.
"Uh yeah sure I guess." I said not wanting to miss an opportunity to hear my own personal midtown performance.
"I'll give you a call later on." He said kissing my cheek as he left.
"What was that all about?" Jack asked me.
"No idea, but you're coming with me."
"What am I your body guard or something?" He asked me.
"You're my personal confidant?"
"I'll take that as Bella talk for best friend forever." He laughed. "I'm going to make you a friendship bracelet once we go to Wal-Mart."
"Besides, if you were my body guard you'd be carrying me everywhere singing Whitney
Houston."
"Just for that, I will do that for now on." He told me as we headed off the stage with everyone after breakdown.
"No, Jack don't." I told him as he chased after me trying to grab me.
"It's my job Bella, I must protect you!" He exclaimed as he got me and threw me over his shoulder, Alex sped up to walk behind him and talk to me.
"What's this all about?" Alex asked me.
"You don't want to know. Jack put me down!" I said kicking my feet.
"So I'll go, but I know I'll think of you every step of the way," Jack began to sing loudly, "And I will always love youuuuuu ooo yeah!" He screeched.
"Fuck my life." I groaned giving up and rubbing the bridge of my nose as he went on.
"Let me guess you made a body guard reference?" Alex asked.
"Sadly." I sighed.
"Will always love you! You my darling you! oooo I will always love you!" He went on.
"I now see why they don't let you sing." I told Jack, as I felt myself be dropped on to the ground. "Fuck, my ass."
"That's what she said!" Alex, Rian and Zack exclaimed.
"Jack doesn't serenade haters." Jack said in a snobbish way before Alex helped me up and we continued walking.
"Therapy, Jack you might want to look in to it." I shouted to him making Alex laugh as we got back to the bus.
