Rum and Coke

“…I have never felt like this
For once I'm lost for words
Your smile has really thrown me
This is not like me at all
I never thought I'd know
The kind of love you've shown me

Now, no matter where I am
No matter what I do
I see your face appearing
Like an unexpected song
An unexpected song
That only we are hearing”

“Ok, that’s enough, Hon. You’re warmed up,” Ryan smiled as he stood up off the couch.

“But I can’t be done if I’m not Astonishing!” Ellie exclaimed dramatically, leaping over the legs of some the stage crew.

“We’ll be astonishing together, on the stage,” Ryan replied, equally dramatic, as he made a great sweeping gesture with his arms.

Kay looked at her father and said, “and why are they on tour with us again?”

“Because,” Jimmy exclaimed, jumping up. “They are awesome and they make great entertainment! For once, short shit is not the butt of every joke,” he added, wrapping his lanky arms around Ryan and Ellie.

Ellie rolled her eyes. “And I’m off to corrupt today’s youth. Come, my minions! We will rule the world, together!” she shouted, grabbing Mark and Ren off of the couch and pulling them out the door. Ryan trailed behind them.

~*~
Waiting in the wings, Ellie cast a quick glance around at her band mates. Ren was casually plucking at his guitar strings. Ryan was hitting his sticks on an imaginary drumset. And Mark? Mark was staring out onto the stage with a blank expression on his face.

Ellie quickly sidled over to the bassist’s side and nudged him softly in the ribs. “What’s wrong?” she asked directly into his ear. The roar of the awaiting crowd was almost deafening.

Mark shot her a small, sad smile. “Nothing, Ellie.”

“I don’t believe you.” She replied. “You know you can tell me anything, right?”

Mark shifted uncomfortably. He was about to speak, but Jason Berry came out and ushered them onstage.

Ellie gave a last, long look at Mark before turning her attention to the crowd. They were the more important ones right now. They were the ones that were supporting her dreams. She couldn’t let them down.

~*~
Ellie glared at her fingers during their third song. No matter what, they wouldn’t move as fast as they were supposed to. They were slow, almost delayed in their movements. She raised her hand- it was still going too slow for her liking- and addressed the teenagers in front of her. “I sincerely apologize for my crap-ass playing. I hate to make excuses, but I actually have to right now since it’s not going to get any better tonight. You see, the muscles in my hands are getting really weak and the neurons connecting them to my brain are dying. So,” she went on, taking her guitar off of her and setting it on the stand, “I’m going to let my new, dear friend, Ren play my parts. And, as compensation since he can’t nearly play it as good as me, we’ll play an extra song- a song that no one has heard. Sound fair?”

The crowd screamed its appreciation.

Ellie smiled into the mic. “But you have to wait until the end. Right now, here’s Pigs on Wallstreet.”

~*~
Ellie took a deep breath and looked back out toward the crowd. “This next song if actually the only love song that I have ever written. It’s about the boy who really taught me how to feel and how to compromise. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. And I hate to leave you guys with a slow and depressing song, but this is “You’re Gone.” Techies, please don’t kill me and go back to the “Little Sister look.”” When the lights were blue on Ellie, she nodded. “and can I have a spotlight on Ryan and I?” The techies gave her light. “Thank you. This is dedicated to Matthieu Davis.”

Ryan slowly started the accompaniment on the keyboard, which had been moved slightly upstage of Ellie.

Look at the clouds slowly passing by
Never thought I’d have to say this,
So don’t laugh when I try to turn away
‘Cause I could never cry in front of you
Could never let my emotions show

Now you’re gone
And everything feels the same
You’re gone
Flying a million miles away
Do you miss me?
And can you hear my song?

I never thought it’d end this way
Never thought I’d turn and walk away from you
Now it’s over and I’m relieved
Because I know what I must do
And who I can be

I never thought I’d feel this way
It’s the first time I’m alone
And I’m not afraid
Not afraid to say
I don’t love you anyway

Oh, I never loved you anyway
And can you hear me?
Hear the songs that I am singing
As you’re wrapped in her arms

No, I didn’t love you, anyway
Say, I never loved you anyway…”

As the notes from the piano faded, so did the lights. Ellie and Ryan booked it offstage. Ellie quickly handed her hands-free mic to one of the stage crew members and headed straight into the greenroom. She found Mark heading outside, so she quickly caught up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“What do you want, Ellie?” he asked, a little startled.

“I want to know what you were going to say to me before we went on,” she said, her hand clasping his.

He looked at their joined hands and gulped. “Nothing, I wasn’t going to say anything.”

“That’s bullshit and we both know it,” Ellie smiled. “Come on, we used to tell each other everything. Tell me what’s bugging you.”

“Ellie-”

“Mark”

“It’s because of Ren, okay?” shocked at his outburst, he lowered his volume. “Are you happy now?”

“What the hell?” Ellie asked, her voice raised.

Mark shook his head slowly. “Just stop. Okay?”

“Stop what?”

“Pretending like nothing’s happened between us!”

“I didn’t even know that something did happen between us!”

Mark shook his head and sighed.

“What’s that look for?’

“Nothing,” Mark mused. “It’s nothing. I was just remembering something that Adam told me before we left.”

“Which was?”

“That you’re just as oblivious as your mother.”

“Mark-”

“Why can’t you just see that I’m still in love with you?!” He yelled before taking ahold of her face and roughly placing his lips on hers.

She pushed him back. “Why can’t you understand that I can’t love?!” she screamed back at him.

Mark shook his head. “You’re wrong. Your mother was wrong.”

Ellie slapped him. “Don’t you ever fucking say that again,” she hissed at him.

Mark, unfazed, stared her blankly in the eye. “It’s the truth,” he said calmly. “I’ve tried to get over you, but I can’t.”

“But Bailey-”

“Screw Bailey. I want you. I’ve always wanted you.”

Ellie sidestepped around him. “I’m sorry, but we can’t always get what we want,” she said before walking away.

“I guess this is goodbye then!” he shouted toward her retreating back.

Ellie looked over her shoulder and nodded. “I guess it is. Don’t worry, I’ll tell the others,” she replied before she continued walking.

“You’ll never be happy with him! With either of them!” Mark shouted as one last, desperate plea. Ellie didn’t turn to look back as she stepped inside Avenged Sevenfold’s bus.”