The Party Scene Got The Best Of Us...And Look Where We Ended Up.

“Hey, guys-you gotta get up. Help me pick up the place a bit, would ya? My dad just called and said he’s coming home tonight.” Travis told his half-drunken, half-asleep friends.

“Dude, do you think he’s actually gonna come home this time?” Ian grinned, spurting a normal wisecrack remark.

“Shut the fuck up man Yes, I do think he’s gonna show this time…” Travis trailed off.

His faith in his father had been dwindling as of late, but he always had a little spark of hope that he’d show up. Travis wasn’t sure what the occasion was that he was coming home now, in the middle of the week, but he didn’t care. As much as Travis seemed like the hard, partier all the time, he still enjoyed seeing his dad once in awhile.

“Seriously, would you help me pick up?” Travis shouted to the remainder of the party, a whole four guys and one girl who were ditching school that day.

“Yeah man, calm down. We’re on it,” his friend Charlie yelled back. It took the six of them almost four hours to get the house done, though the party was confined to the living room, kitchen, and Travis’ basement room. After the final cup had been thrown out, Travis kicked his friends out so he could start on dinner for his dad’s return.

Three hours later, Travis heard his father’s giant suitcase hit the living room floor before he heard his voice. Immediately, he ran to the stairs to greet his dad.

“Hey kiddo, how’ve you been?” Matt asked, jokingly.

“Ah, same old, same old, old man. How was tour?” Travis replied.

“Who’re you calling old?! Anyways, it was good. Last few dates got cancelled because our singer had something wrong with his throat, don’t wanna push him too hard.”

“Yeah, yeah, of course. I made some dinner, lemme heat it up while you put your stuff away,” Travis went to the kitchen and heated up the pasta he had made earlier. After setting the table, Matt walked in and sat down.

“Mmm, you know pasta’s my favorite! What a great homecoming meal,” Matt stated, rubbing his stomach.

“Okay, don’t eat too much or you’ll get fat like a certain Gaskarth man we know…” Travis retorted as they both chuckled.

“Hey, cut the guy some slack. With two of you running around I’d look even worse than him. Especially Ian…”

“Well, maybe if you’d be home more you’d get the chance to experience some of that,” Travis replied, somewhat coldly.

“Hey now, we’ve had this talk before. You said you were cool with me going back out on the road, is that still the case?” Matt said, a bit hurt.

‘Yeah, sure, whatever. It’s just sometimes…it’s be nice if you were home for once. As strange as it sounds, running around being able to do whatever I want sometimes isn’t all that fun. Some guidance from a wiser one than I would be nice every once in a while.”

“Travis, I can stay home if you want. I’m supposed to head out again nest Tuesday, but I can just tell the guys…”

“No, no. Touring is part of your job, I have to suck it up. I understand,” Travis stated, used to his father’s guilt tripping by now. This time, he’d decided to try a bit of his own. “I can always just go to Rhode Island and live with mom.”

“No. No, absolutely not. Out of the question,’ Matt responded quickly.

“Why? You’re never here to monitor what I do anyways, I may go there every time you’re gone and you just never know.”

“Bullshit, I know you’re here because half of my liquor’s gone. Bring up your mom again, and I’ll send your ass to your grandparents house whenever I’m gone. You know they don’t approve of me letting you stay here alone. I trust you, though, and I have to be able to trust that you’d never run off to your mother’s. I might take you out with me on the road next time, set you up with some tasks to do.”

“No. I’m staying here. I want to be able to see mom sometimes, though. Maybe I’ll go up there for next break.”

“No, there’s no way that’s happening-” Matt started.

“Just because she left you doesn’t mean she left me. She’s my mother and I still love her. It’s not my fault you fucked up and drove her away. I’m going to visit her. This weekend. This time, you can go to the dinner without me.” Travis yelled as he stormed off to the basement. He turned on the TV, about to play Guitar Hero, when he saw his phone blinking. He picked it up, and ignoring the missed call from Ian he had, he opened it and scrolled through his contacts until he came upon the one he was thinking about. Contemplating the outcome of this decision, he quickly hit ‘call’ and hoped for the best.