Disasterpiece

“I know some of those magazines are probably worth a nice piece, but I’ve never seen someone stare at them for that long,” Brandon’s voice cut into my thoughts. My head snapped sharply to the right to see Brandon sitting on the couch across from me in the lunch room, a stupid grin on his lips. I had been staring numbly at the pile of magazines on the coffee table for so long that I didn’t notice him slip in for his break.

“Oh, um yeah...” was all I could manage as I stood up and walked over to my locker, back turned on him. It was the day after the Adventure Land ‘adventure’ and through all the excitement and prospects of a new totally mind blowing tour experience, I had forgotten that going with Corey would mean leaving Uncle Frank, Uncle Frank who had stood by me through everything and now had nothing left except this bar and me.

I sighed and pushed my fist into the cold metal locker. Of course this job was not something I had dreamt of and worked hard to get, but I had been given it as kind of like a special last-chance-effort to fix my life from the dredgers it had been in after Mr Squiggle. Uncle Frank had done everything he possibly could to pull me out of that slump and as soon as I had walked into work this afternoon I was slapped with the harsh reality that if I went of this self indulgent tour, I would be turning my back on my biggest supporter.

I jumped and squeaked as a hand fell onto my shoulder, flipping around rapidly I came face-to-chest with Uncle Frank who was looking down at me with a face full of concern.

“What’s wrong?” he asked softly, I let out a giant gust of breath and looked away guiltily. Maybe I should just thank Corey for the offer and tell him I am needed here? “Vixen Jessica,” he probed lowly to show that I didn’t have a choice in the matter.

I groaned and ducked under his shoulder, walking over to the couch I sat down where Brandon had been a few minutes before, all my bets hedging that he had gone and told Uncle Frank of my dismal state. Uncle Frank followed and sat down next me, never taking his firm stare off me. I sighed again and leaned onto his shoulder.

“I don’t want to leave you,” I mumbled, just low enough for him to hear what I said. He shifted in confusion and took my hands in his.

“Why would you be leavin’?” he questioned, rubbing his thumbs soothingly over my skin. I closed my eyes and pictured Corey and Uncle Frank standing in front of me waving good bye sadly, a lump built up in my throat but I didn’t actually frown until the picture changed into Joey standing there waving good bye. My eyes popped open and I sat up straight, startling Uncle Frank. It would be outrageously hard to leave either Frank or Corey, but the mere thought of leaving Joey just after we had started to really connect scared me, like if I did leave him we would end up back at square one again...or we wouldn’t get a chance to explore that feeling I got when we held hands yesterday.

“Corey asked me yesterday to go on tour with his band next month working as a merch girl or something, but if I go it would mean leaving you for I don’t know how long and I don’t want to leave you,” I explained sadly to Uncle Frank who sighed and stroked his roughly shaved chin.

“Would you be happy on tour?” he asked seriously, watching my every move to decipher exactly if my answer matched my thought progression. I paused and thought of watching Corey sing on stage every night, then seeing Joey’s face as he walked off the stage, ripping his mask off to reveal his flawless facial features. I smiled warmly, a tingle going up my spine and nodded to Uncle Frank.

“Then there’s no question is there?” he said with a weak smile. As good as it felt to know I would be going on tour with Slipknot, a small nagging hole was still expanding in the pit of my stomach. I hope I am doing the right thing.

Later that night after work and after the long smelly bus ride, I walked in the front door and was greeted with yelling and loud banging noises. Either Sid and Josie were using saucepans as swords again or Daniel was over. I was going with option two considering his car was in the driveway.

“I’m not doing this with you Josie and I’m not waiting around for seven more years for you to decide whether or not I am good enough for you!” I heard Daniel yell. I quietly approached the kitchen to find Daniel filling a large brown box with all his kitchen utensils and Josie trying her hardest to get in his way and stop him.

“I’m not asking for seven more years and you are good enough for me, you’re better than good!” she cried out as he pushed her out of the way to put the last of his possessions in the box. He turned towards her with a dark face and nostrils flared.

“If I’m better than good then how come I’m not good enough to marry you huh?” he spat darkly. She blinked a few times, her face going blank. I could see she had a million things running through her mind but not a single answer to give him. He rolled his eyes and picked up his box, pushing past her he stormed out of the kitchen passed me and went out the front door – Josie still stood there as if frozen in the moment.

“Josie...” I said carefully, stepping out of the shadows. Josie blinked again, shook her head and looked at me as if realising her surroundings for the first time. With a jolt and leap from her heart she bounded out the front door after Daniel. I quickly followed to make sure she didn’t do anything stupid, but by the time we were outside Daniel was already reversing hurriedly down the driveway.

“Wait Daniel!” Josie screamed in desperation, attempting to run after the car. But he was driving down the street before she could get to the end of the driveway. “Daniel don’t go, Daniel please don’t leave me I love you!” she screamed after him, finally collapsing on the concrete, tears cascading down her absolutely distraught face. My heart twisted into a knot, I wanted to cry myself but I knew I had to be strong for Josie. Daniel had become like a second best friend to me, and Josie was my best friend so to see them both so incomplete and hysterical tore shreds through my gut.

I walked down to Josie and knelt beside her, wrapping my arms around her quivering body and lulling her with quite shushes. “It’s ok, it’s going to be ok,” I whispered, but she just shook her head over and over again like it was broken and stuck on repeat.

Half an hour later I finally managed to get her inside where she collapsed on the couch and curled into the foetal position, her tears still falling without mercy. I sighed and sat across from her, at a complete loss at what to do. She may have said ‘I don’t know’ to Daniel’s proposal but it was more than obvious that that didn’t mean she didn’t love him, and this break up was going to take a considerable amount of healing that I wasn’t sure I was capable of offering her, which sucked because she had been there for me after Mr Squiggle.

Pulling at my hair, I bit my lip and stared up at the ceiling in frustration. She had been so good to me after my break up, but then that healing was mostly cursing the guy who hurt me, in her case however she still loved the guy who hurt her so the same methods she used don’t apply here. I stood up and stalked into the kitchen, pacing back and forth on the cold tiles racking my brains for a solution.

I finally let out a frustrated groan and slid down the kitchen counter to the floor, staring across to the open cupboard in front of me. I blinked a few times as I looked at the saucepan sitting innocently on the bottom shelf and it hit me. Scrambling to my feet I ran into Josie’s room in search of her bag, upon finding it I grabbed her cell and searched the contacts until I found the one I was looking for and pressed call.

“Hello gorgeous,” came a greeting from the other end.

“Sid, it’s Vixen and I really need you to come over here now,” I said.