In Joy and Sorrow

March:

When Beth heard I had a new boyfriend, she insisted I take him down for a double date in Philly with her and Billy. I myself was hoping to run into Bam and give him a taste of his own medicine.

When I asked Jake if he wanted to go meet my sister, he literally called his job right away and took a weekend off. I called Beth and let her know we were coming down. We packed the car that Friday, and off we went. Jake drove my car, with me pointing the way to West Chester.

We pulled into Beth's neighborhood and began to drive down Ape and Phil's street. I looked over at their yellow house to see Bam about to get in the Hummer watching my car drive by with a smile on his face.

Good. Now he knows I'm in town.

Jake and I decided to go out to eat, since Beth and Billy were both still working. I chose Kildare's Pub, after seeing the Hummer parked there.

We walked up to the hostess who grabbed two menus and lead us toward a table. As we walked by the bar, I glanced over and saw Bam and Dunn drinking and smoking away.

The hostess sat us at a booth where Bam and Dunn would have been able to get the perfect view of us. We sat and picked up the menus. I kept sneeking glances at them. Dunn had spotted me and pointed it out to Bam. Okay, now it was time to act like I hadn't seen them. And get cozy with Jake.

'What are you gettin Babe?' I asked reaching my hand across the table to hold his.

'I think a burger.' He said smiling at me. I smiled back. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Bam's jaw tighten as he watched us.

I leaned forward and kissed Jake, letting him deepen it.

'What was that for?' He asked when we broke away.

I shrugged as someone suddenly slid onto the bench next to me. I didn't have to look to know it was Bam. Dunn slid in next to Jake. Both ignored him and looked right at me.

'Rian.' Bam said.

'What?' I said sharply, turning to face him.

'Who's this?' Dunn asked.

'This, this is my boyfriend, Jake.' I said. Jake gave a slight wave as Bam and Dunn combed him with their eyes both giving him a death glare.

'Jake, these idiots are--'

'I know.' He said. 'The Jackass guys.'

'Yeah.' I said. 'This is my friend Dunn. And my ex friend Bam.'

'Ex friend?' Bam scoffed.

'Yeah. As I recall, I said I never wanted to talk to you again.' I said.

'Not going to happen.' Bam said. 'In fact, I need to talk to you. Now!' He grabbed my upper arm and pulled me off the bench with him.

'Bam!' I said as he finally stopped once he had pulled me into the hallway where the bathrooms were. 'Well, I can see you're still a dick.'

'Rian. What the fuck do you think you're doing?' He asked.

'What's your problem?' I asked.

'Him. He's my problem. He's not right for you.'

'How would you know?' I asked. 'What makes him not right for me?'

'Because he's not fucking m--' Bam stopped himself.

'He's not what?' I asked.

'Nevermind. He's just not, okay?' Bam said.

'Whatever Bam. Look I don't have time for this.' I walked back towards the table.

'Dunn!' Bam yelled as I sat back in my seat. 'Let's fucking go.'

Dunn got up and followed after Bam who was clearly angry.

'See you later Ri.' He said as Bam slammed the door of the restuarant behind him.

'What was that about?' Jake asked looking uncomfortable.

'I'm so sorry. It's a really long story.' I said. 'Can we just forget it?'

The fight at Kildare's was the frist stage in an all out war between Bam and I. It seemed he was following me the whole weekend. We went to Philly, he was there sitting at the bar, hitting on the waitress. We drove by Ape and Phil's, he was in the driveway skating or washing Ape's car.

He must think I'm stupid.

Saturday night, we decided we'd go to Duffer's. The night was going really well. Besides the fact Jake was looking at this girl across the bar the whole night. I thought nothing of it, until Beth and I came out of the bathroom to find him full on making out with the slut.

'Jake!' I screamed.

'It's over Rian.' He said.

I reached across the table and punched him in the face. Then I spit on him. The bartender threw him and the girl out of the bar when he flipped the table over.

So Bam had been right. He wasn't right for me. I was so sick of men at this point. I walked right up to the bar and placed my hand down.

'Can I have a cosmopolitan?' I asked. The bartender nodded and made me my drink. He passed it to me and I walked back to Beth and Billy guzling it.

'What are you doing?' Beth asked. 'You don't drink.'

'I do tonight!' I said.

The last thing I remember from that night, is ordering a second cosmo.

I woke up the next morning feeling an arm around my waist and a warm familiar body flesh against mine. I didn't know who's arms I was in, but they felt like they were built for my body. I laid with this person for a few minutes before some of the events from last night came back. I suddenly felt fear course through my body. I got drunk and I'm in bed with someone. And, I realized, it didn't feel like I was wearing any pants.

My eyes shot open and I came face to face with Ville Valo.

Well, a poster of him.

I suddenly had the urge to puke. I threw this persons arm and the blankets off of me and ran towards a door. Luckily it lead to a bathroom. I made it just in time. As the last of the contents of my stomach poured out, I felt a hand rubbing my back and another holding my hair back.

'You okay there, Thumper?'

I was with Bam. I breathed a sigh of relief.

'I'm fine.' I said turning to look at him as I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. 'Besides this fucking head ache. Ow!'

He laughed a bit and reached into the medicine cabinet. He produced two advil and grabbed a glass off the counter. Filling it with tap water he handed both to me.

'You have to be the biggest light weight I've ever met in my life.' He said with a laugh as I drank the water and swallowed the pills.

'What do you mean?' I asked handing him the glass.

'Rian, you only had four cosmos.' He said laughing harder. 'You were drunk off your ass when I found you.'

'Help me up.' I said holding my hands up for him to take. He pulled me to my feet and led the way back to his bed, which I had just realized how much I had missed. 'How'd I get here?'

'Well, I went to Duffer's last night with Dunn and Dico. We walked in to find you dancing with some college Freshman who thought he was getting laid. I had to push him off of you and drag you away from the bar. The bartender told me you had only had four cosmos. He was hoping your sister would come back and get you. He was thankful I was there to take you. I think you were pissing him off.' Bam said while I placed my hands over my face in shame. 'You are such a bitch when you're drunk. You would not shut up about how much you hated my guts. You must have hit me a good five times.'

'I am so sorry Bam.' I said looking at him.

He shrugged and then smirked. 'It's okay. You give great head by the way.'

'Bam!' I almost screamed.

'I'm kidding!' He said laughing. 'Rian you were begging me to have sex with you. It took all the power in my being not to. If I was shitfaced, we probably would have.'

'Oh my God. Don't fucking do that to me.'

'Did you honestly think I would use your drunk ass for my own sexual needs?' He asked. I was still looking at him. 'I had to jerk off stale fish in the bathroom after you fell asleep.'

'Ew.' I said making him laugh. He climbed onto the bed next to me. 'I'm never drinking again.'

'Good.' Bam said. 'You're a scary dunk.'

'Thanks for leaving me at the bar.' I said walking into Beth's kitchen where she was filling the dishwasher talking to some girl.

'This is my sister Rian.' Beth said to the girl. 'Ri, this is Sharon.'

'Hi.' I said giving her a wave and a smile. 'So, why'd you leave me?'

'Rian, you were shit faced. You told us to leave.'

'And you listened to me!?' I asked. 'I could have been raped!'

'But you weren't. You were with Bam.'

'I could--' I stopped. 'How'd you know I was with Bam?'

'I called him and told him to go get you. I knew you would leave with him.' She explained. 'So see, I'm not as bad of a sister as you think I am.'