I Don't Need You to Save Me

“My don’t you look overly warm?” Her friend asked her while she was ripping off the extra hoodies and jacket she had on.

“Fuck it’s hot as balls, I love being home!” She exclaimed. “Oh yeah, Johnson Gabe, Gabe Johnson.” She said introducing us.

“Sup bro?” Johnson said shaking my hand.

“Ready?” Harley asked grabbing her bags, “Is Keith bringing my Gal back?” She asked as we followed Johnson to where he parked.

“Dropped him off this morning.” He told her.

“Fuck yeah, god I love that little fucker.” She sighed making him crack up.

“Yeah, yeah we know you love anyone from eighteen visions except your brother.”

“Exactly.” She nodded. “So what has everyone been up to?”

“Mick started up his clothing line again, James is home, Keith and Trevor just got back in the studio, you obviously know where Brandan and Pepe and everyone are. And Mia is currently slaving away on inventory.”

“No one missed me?” She exclaimed making both of us laugh.

“They swamped themselves with work to get over you not being here.” He told her, as he drove off.

“I knew it.” She nodded.

“So Gabe is this going to be your first time in Orange County?” He asked me.

“I’ve been to Anaheim before.” I told him, as I heard Harley chuckle.

“He ain’t been to the real OC.” She told him.

“You know we could use that to our advantage?” Johnson laughed.

“I’m pretty sure he realizes the show is fake. Right Gabe?” She asked me.

“Duh.” I laughed.

“See you’re one up on Jona.” She laughed.

“So this is Newport.” Johnson said after an two hours of traffic and driving.

I looked around, it’s amazing how such angry music and people could come from such a quiet looking town.

“I missed home.” Harley told Johnson.

“You always do.” He laughed turning down a street, and then parking in front of an apartment complex.

“Thanks Johnson, I’ll probably see you later once the doofuses come home.” She told giving him a hug after we pulled out bags out.

“For sure, Gabe it was nice meeting you.” He told me shaking my hand.

I followed her inside and up the stairs until we got to her apartment.

“So I can’t remember if it was messy or not.” She told me with a smirk as she unlocked the
door and we walked in.

“Wow,” I said in awe, you could definitely see that she was an artist. She had murals on one of her walls in the living room as well as a hallway filled with framed old horror movie posters.

“Sorry if the monsters give you the creeps.” She laughed bending down and picking up a small grey, white and black kitten. “Motek shal le.” She said rubbing her nose with the kittens.

“Sure call the cat cute.” I told her sarcastically coming over to rub it’s head.

“He is cute, look at him.” She said holding him in my face.

It tilted it’s head and meowed and then licked my nose.

“Adorable.” I laughed as she put him down.

“So if you’d like I could take you to the beach or something.” She told me.

“How about we spend the day in here, its hot I’m tired and jet lagged.” I began.

“That works for me.” She nodded. “So do you want the grand tour?” She asked me.

“Sure” I nodded following her after I had taken off my jacket.

“Kitchen, bathroom, closet, this is supposed to be a bedroom but I turned it in to my studio.”
She said opening a room that was filled with blank dry wall and a few easels, shelves of paint and brushes as well as jars, and a desk. Papers were scattered all over the floor as well as a few drawings were hanging up.

“Nice.” I nodded looking around, before she lead me further down the hall.

“And this is my room.” She said opening the door to a light purple room with tons of nightmare before Christmas memorabilia on the walls and shelves, a black carpet and curtains, as well as a huge black and white poster of Marilyn Monroe over her bed.

“I’m impressed angels, sweet pad you got here.” I told her as I pulled her down on top of me on to the bed.

“Thanks,” She said avoiding eye contact with me.

“Are you still mad at me?” I asked her.

“I don’t know.” She sighed letting her head crash on to my chest.

“Come on, talk to me.”

“Do you wish I wasn’t edge?” She asked me.

“Of course not, it’s who you are.” I told her.

“I really like you Gabe, like a lot and I just hope you can see past straight edge.” She told me.

“I have.” I told her kissing the top of her head, as Gal came up and jumped on her bed.

I napped and watched TV for the rest of the day while she went in her studio to work on pieces for her show. The next few days, were spent her working non-stop and being on the phone talking to people. However, a week later Brandan had come back from tour so we had a barbecue to go to.

“She’s alive!” Mia exclaimed opening the door of what I believe was Brandan’s house.

“Sorry for going hermit.” Harley said hugging her.

“Yo Gabe how you liking the west coast?” She asked me hugging me.

“Well her apartment is great.” I told her.

“She hasn’t taken you anywhere yet?” She asked me and then looked at Harley who was
hugging Brandan. “You haven’t taken him anywhere yet?”

“Trying to get everything together for the show.” Harley told her.

“Don’t worry Gabe, I’ll show you around. We’ll go to Disney land.” She assured me.

“Hey Brandan how’s it going?” I asked him.

“Not bad.” He nodded and then walked away.

“He doesn’t like me does he?” I whispered in Harley’s ear as we headed outside.

“He doesn’t like anyone.” She told me.

“Who Brandan?” A blonde woman with glasses asked.

“See everyone knows it.” Harley smiled, “Gabe this is Brandan’s wife Nicole.”

“Nice to finally meet you!” She exclaimed hugging me. “If she gives you any trouble, I’m the one who’s finally figured out how to keep the Schieppati’s tame.” She added making Harley laugh.

“Yeah, yeah sure.” Harley laughed.

We took seats around their pool away from the table of people on the other side.

“So how was New York?” Nicole asked Harley while she taking a sip of the water she had just grabbed from Jona.

“Good, had a lot of fun.” Harley told her.

“And how are you liking Orange County?” She asked me with a smile.

“Well Newport’s nice.” I laughed, “Haven’t see much cause she’s been working non-stop.” I told her watching Harley blush.

“Yeah, this one always gets caught up in her work.” She chuckled. “Now speaking of work, what’s the whole art show going to be?”

“I mean, Cam and I are still working it out, but its’ going to insane. Music, drinks, we’re still
thinking of like a final theme.” Harley told her.

“Nice, and what do you have going on after the show?”

“Not sure yet, I put all deals on halt so I can get this done. So we’ll see.”

So the three of us sat there and talked while Brandan started up the grill. I really liked Nicole she was funny and you could totally understand why her and Brandan were together.

“Can I talk to you for a second.” Jona said coming up to Harley right as the food started coming up.

“Uh yeah, sure?” Harley said glancing at me confused.

“Go I’m going to go talk to Ryan.” I told her getting up and going to the other table.

While I talked to Ryan about touring I kept glancing over at Jona and Harley. Harley looked worried, and then when Mia walked over the three of them seemed to be trying to plan something so I excused myself and headed over there to see what was going on.

“Okay well like, try and make Wednesday run outside if she’s with him, then I’ll run out the back and then you just send Gabe out.” Harley was saying.