Denial Used to Feel So Good

Gabe was the first to search for me. He didn't say a word as he sat next to me on the ground. Crushing my cigarette, I felt my cheeks flush with color. I was such a diva. I couldn't believe that I threw a fit like that, in front of everyone, in front of Gabe.

"You really hate it here, don't you?" He whispered, turning his head to look at me. I nodded solemnly.

"I mean...I could deal with it when I lived here." I began quietly, "When I had no choice. But I didn't think I'd be coming back after this tour. Maybe only to get all my shit...if even then...This town makes my head hurt."

Gabe was silent for a minute. I heard him sigh until he finally asked, "So...the guy who turned you against this town...he was really a mistake?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat, "Yeah," My voice cracked, "he was really a mistake." Gabe put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into him, resting his head on top of mine.

"Well, we'll have to get you out of here then, won't we?" He murmured, kissing the top of my head. I shrugged, sniffling through my tears.

"I'll only end up back here again. As much as I don't want to, as much as I talk about leaving. I know it. We'll get back from tour and everything I've promised myself will fly out the window. We'll all stay here."

"You don't have to if you don't want to, chica." His arm tightened around me, "I'll help get you out..."

"Where am I going to go after that?" I was making up excuses now, "It's not like I have another place to stay."

Without hesitation Gabe said, "You'll stay with me."

"What?" I breathed, pulling away from Gabe, "St-stay with you?"

Gabe quickly looked down and blushed, "O-only if you want to...of course. I-I mean, I know... that seems a little...quick...but it-it doesn't feel quick...does it?" He looked back up at me with hopeful eyes and a feeling of warmth washed over me. My lips crashed onto his.

"Absolutely not." I smiled when I broke away.

"Really?" He asked cautiously, "You want to live with me?"

I rolled my eyes, "Absolutely not Gabriel. Because I didn't just agree to it." He stuck out his bottom lip, not liking being mocked.

"You're mean." He pouted.

"And you're adorable as hell when you do that." I grinned, kissing his pouting lips. He smiled into the kiss and wrapped his arms around me when I tried to pull away, "Gabe!" I scolded, hitting his chest playfully, when my attempt to break free failed and ended up with us both rolling onto the pavement, with Gabe lying on top of me.

"Planning on getting up there, fatty?" I questioned Gabe, trying to roll him off of me. He only grinned in response adding a simple, 'nope'.

"Kyle? Gabe-" The back door flew open, "Where are-You guys are so lucky that it was me." Vicky rolled her eyes and raised a curious eyebrow at our scandalous position, "You guys weren't going to have sex were you?" She grimaced, "Because you're in the parking lot of a shitty bar. That isn't classy."

Gabe sighed, "Damn, Vicky-T. You caught us in the act." He smirked and stood from on top of me, reaching down to grab my hand and pull me up as well.

"Vicky," I frowned, "you know that I would at least make Gabe rent a hotel room or something."

She tried to hold back her smile, "Well, he already did that, so I thought maybe you guys were going for something new and exciting."

"Oh yes, an afternoon delight right next to the dumpsters," Gabe quipped, "Sexy."

"Anyway," Vicky changed the subject, "if you two are done being indecent than, perhaps you'd like to join the rest of us? At the signing?" She then, slipped back inside.

I sighed, "Does she think the only thing we do is have sex?"

"Well she was the one who almost walked in on us." Gabe shrugged.

"Yeah and she knows your reputation." I joked, poking Gabe in the stomach, "Can't keep it in your pants."

"Hey!" He protested, grabbing my finger before I could poke him again, "Not true."

"Keep telling yourself that." I smirked, heading back inside that venue.

"Welcome back," Kale greeted me, once inside, "you better, now?" I sighed, ready to retort but a loud ruckus caught my attention.

"Do you really think I'm going to go out there and talk to our fans when I look like this?!" William's loud voice rang throughout the entire backstage, "I could barely sing!" I stifled my laughter and looked around to say something to Gabe, but he was no where to be found.

"Bill, seriously," Mike tried to reason, "It's not even that bad..." He was lying through his teeth and William knew it.

"Shut up, Mike." He rolled his eyes.

"You're such a diva, Bilvy." Sisky laughed. I sighed, relieved that everyone had forgotten about my tantrum and was now focusing on William.

"Okay, so where are we doing this?" I asked Kale. He smiled and slung his arm around my shoulder.

"Right this way, milady." He guided me through a series of hallways and important looking equipment before leading me into a room with three long card-tables set up. One for each band I assumed. Ours was on the far side, TAI's was in the center and Cobra was on the opposite side of us. Kale pulled out my chair and then took a seat next to me with Colin on his other side and Tony at the end.

Cobra Starship was already in their seats and Michael and The Butcher were the only representatives from TAI that were present. I sighed, fiddling with one of the three sharpies that were sitting in front of me. I didn't think that I would need three sharpies because I didn't think we'd have that many fans, but none-the-less each of us got three sharpies.

"Do you think they'd mind if I stole these?" I wondered aloud, twirling the sharpie around in my hand.

"Nope." Colin answered, "I'm pretty sure they have a shit-load." We continued with our pointless small talk about sharpies until William Beckett decided to grace us with his presence. Although he didn't seem entirely happy about it. I didn't blame him. He looked like shit.

At the time. It didn't even occur to me to ask where his injuries had come from.

The doors finally opened and kids flooded in, picking their favorite band and forming blobs (not lines) in front of their tables.

To say I was stunned by the amount of people flocking to our table, would be an understatement. We had just as big, if not, bigger line than Cobra and TAI. I wondered if it was because of our music, or because they wanted to come up and tell us that they knew us from high school. If I had to hear another person say, "Oh, I don't know if you remember me, but I'm so-and-so. You know, we went to school together!" it will be too soon.

And let me tell you, I did not remember any of these fools. And there were some pretty vivid characters at our high school. But I smiled and signed our band poster anyway. Although I would always give Kale a side-ways glance when someone said that. He sometimes he would nod, telling me that they did in fact go to our high school, or shake his head. He would remember better than I would, anyway.