We've Got Unfinished Business

I literally ran out the front door of my California apartment early the next morning prying not to be late my first day back. With a piece of toast in my mouth, a hand shoving a shoe on, and another grabbing a coat I headed out the door. After finally jamming the shoe on my foot I closed and locked the front door. Within minutes I was speeding down the road to get to the Hopeless Records headquarters. However I’m sure that it didn’t matter if I was just a little late since most bands were late themselves. I eased my foot on the gas petal and at just the right time too since a cop had passed me. Maybe it was a sign of good luck? Nope I never had much luck these days.

As I arrived in the parking lot and went to park in my regular spot I braked fast, someone stole my usual parking space.

“Motherfu-” I was cut off when all of a sudden someone came full speed at my half turned car. I jammed my foot on the accelerator and missed the car by inches since they also swerved just in time.

“Life is out to get me,” I yelled throwing up my arms and accidentally hitting the horn which scared me further “What the fuck did I do to deserve this?!”

I knew the answer just chose not to acknowledge it. As I found a parking spot I grabbed my bag that I leave under the passenger seat and hopped out of the car. I jogged to the front door and then rummaged through my bag to find my ID card that lets me in. When I found it at the bottom of my bag I scanned it and then entered swiftly.

“Oh so you finally showed up,” Rob shouted down the hall way as he came up to me.

“How late am I?” I laughed scratching my head.

“Not too late just,” he looked at his watch “five minutes.”

“Well that’s not bad for being away for two months now is it?” I smiled as he patted my on my shoulder and continued to walk down the hallway and into his office. I then went into my studio to find in deed a band. We all introduced ourselves and I learned that that band’s name was Break the Silence . They were a bunch of nice guys, some older some younger, but all in all nice. Working with these guys I think would be quite easy.

My day went by in a blur and since things had been moving along very smoothly. These guy weren’t going to have that long of an album, more of an EP really, that contained about six songs. However by the end of the day were only completely finished with one. I was will to pull an all-nighter so get in the swing of things and so I could finish up a second song, but for some reason I just felt like I should get home. There was no one to tell me not to, tell me to come home, call to check on me.

I pulled a coat on that I had found lying around that I had never taken home and pulled it on since I hadn’t worn one and it was windy out. I grabbed my bag, locked up, and headed for my car. When I got to the car I couldn’t believe my eyes. I rubbed my eyes then looked again and I let out a huff.

“Alex what are you doinghere?!” I shouted happily as I looked at his calm face with a smirk planted on it. I couldn’t stop myself from running over to him and hugging him tightly. It had only been a few weeks, but I hadn’t really come in contact with any of my friends all that much after I had left tour.

“Nice to see you too!” Alex laughed hugging me back and rubbing his face against mine. I laughed and pinched his cute cheeks which made him slap my hands away.

“Owie” he complained rubbing the side of his face adorably.

“Oh you’ll live Alex. So tell me! What are you doing here?” I asked with a wide smile. He patted the car hood indicating he wanted in so I unlocked the car and we both hopped in.

“Well I came on a mission!” Alex exclaimed as I lightly laughed.

“And what crazy mission that brings you to California be?” I questioned.

“Just drive home. You’ll see!” Alex replied with a wide smile. I didn’t like that smile. It was all to innocent. I was hesitant on letting it drop, but eventually I did stick the key in the ignition and started the car. The car wasn’t all that quite that’s for sure.

“Man you shouldn’t have left tour Case you missed some shit and damn now I have to fill you in!” Alex complained kicking his feet up on the dashboard.

“Things like what? Wait. Do I even want to know?” I laughed.

“Well lets see. Gabe got really freaked out because he was positive that you were going to pop out at any moment and prank him or something. Oh! Then Jack did this hilarious thing! Oh damn he was on stage and he had a fucking boner I do not know how that happened but he did all of a sudden and it was great. Fuck then I was all like copying his thrust moves near em and the crowd wooted and shit and,” Alex went on and on about what had happened without me. It almost depressed me. I mean I knew things were going to probably be better without me there, but man did that confirm that no one had cared. Well I’m sure people cared, but just didn’t show it right?

As we arrived at my apartment, he insisted that I let him come in and not drive him to the place they were staying at, I went to unlock the door. However the door was already unlocked. I could have sworn I locked it this morning while I was rushing out. I opened the door and screamed when Rian and Zack popped out at me. We had a few laughs and smacked each other around until finally I asked why and how they had broken into my house.

“We knew you liked to hide things in weird places so we checked right on the top of the door and there was the spare key.” Zack explained and I nodded recalling that I had told them something about a key at one time.

“Ok that explains that, but why are you here?” I smiled. I didn’t care one bit that they were here. I enjoyed their company the most. Then it hit me that I hadn’t seen Jack. Was he still angry at me? So angry he didn’t want to even look at me? Was I that hideous to him?

“Oh . . . Just something that may help two very in love people out.” Rian shrugged as I looked at him confused. I could guess who the two people he was talking about were, but I think that it would take a decade to get Jack to listen or trust me again, not to mention he wasn’t here.

“How’s that?” I glumly asked looking down and picking at a loose thread that was hanging from my jacket sleeve. Then next thing I knew someone else came through the door. It was Vinny practically dragging a complaining Jack into the room. Then Alex slammed the door shut and locked all the locks and stood his ground at the door. Don’t tell me they were planning on forcing us together.

“What the fuck guys?! What the fuck?!” Jack shouted as he finally got out of Vinny’s grip. He hadn’t noticed me. He said, “I’m having a smoothie at Panera’s and then next thing I know I’m being dragged out and driven here! Where the fuck am I?”

Then Jack actually looked around and noticed the place and then noticed me. My heart bet rapidly as I blinked a few times quickly and as I looked away I could have sworn I saw him roll his eyes. Then I thought, why am I looking away? I’m not scared. I can face Jack. I can face him if that’s what they’ve dragged him here for.

I lifted my head up confidently and looked Jack in the eyes. He didn’t look the happiest, but it wasn’t as bad as it had been when I left him and Martin all together.

“Ok! Here we go!” Alex shouted as he hopped to Jack’s side and my side as he slung his arm around both our shoulders. He lead us over toward the couch.

“Now try not to get a boner buddy.” Alex joked patting Jack’s pants.

“Dude that’s my junk!” Jack shouted swatting his had away.

“Hey I’m just checkin is all.” Alex shrugged as I tried to conceal my laugh, but wasn’t successful. Alex then pushed both of us down on the couch side by side, shoulder to shoulder. Then Alex sat to the right of me as Rian sat to the left of Jack squeezing us closer together. I sighed and mumbled a sorry to Jack.

Then Zack pulled out a DVD and placed it in the DVD drive in my DVD/VCR player. Zack grabbed the remote, plopped down on the love seat next to Vinny and then pressed then play button. I could only imagine what was going to play. What type of video or picture was going to show up that was going to make Jack fall head over heels for me? Make everything better.

Just like old projector films a count down came on and I slightly smiled.

“I hope you guys like this it was a bitch putting this together.” Rian huffed scratching his forehead. I chuckled and then put my eyes back to the screen just at the one went off the screen. Then I came up and I was talking into a camera, but it was a younger me.

“Help! Its rape I tell you! Jack the molester sneaks into my bed bunk and thrusts me!” the me on the TV whined. Then Jack came up besides me and grabbed me from behind has he thrusted me. I screamed and then it went to a different video clip. This time it was me on Jack’s back for a piggy back ride as I held a red plastic cup out in front of him and yelling ‘mush!’.

After a few minutes of watching these video clips I had a smile that I just could not wipe off my face. This was affecting me, but I hadn’t yet looked at Jack in case his expression were to ruin my mood. However next thing I knew when the next thing came up it was just a photo and it was of me and Jack at the zoo together laughing and pointing to the monkeys. I even laughed out loud recalling the Pat’s incident. Then I felt a finger wrap around my index finger. I glanced down and saw that it was Jack’s. Was this really getting him too?

I as the next picture came up I wanted to take a chance and lean my head on his shoulder so I did and he didn’t protest. I smiled just a little more and as the video came to a close the last picture was of our very first kiss. I sighed and then next thing I knew Jack lifted my chin up and planted a sweet kiss on my lips. I needed to thank everyone who helped with this video because it sure did stir something up in the both of us.

“Oh the love birds are chirping once more!” Alex shouted as he collided with me and hugged me as I pulled my lips from Jack’s persist ones.

“Ok our job is done here now we let them have sex again.” Rian commented as he stood up and stretched. I blushed and went to protest when Jack said “Thank you come again”

Jack wrapped his arms around me and I shouted for help. Alex came over and I shouted “No! You’ll make things worse!”

“Oh no I won’t!” Alex happily stated and then next thing I knew Alex was piled on top of me. I huffed out and FLASH. Another one of Rian’s photo ops took place.

“I knew I should have brought the camera” Rian smiled looking over the picture he had just taken.

“Rian!” Jack, Alex, and I shouted as we scrambled to get up and chase him. When we did we chased him all the way out the door and out side were we tackled him in a pile of raked leaves. Things felt. Normal. Like the past two years had never happened and everything had gone smoothly like Jack had never left. Like all the all the drama had never happened. I believe that we were back to our old ways, or close enough. Just Jack, Alex, Rian, Zack, and me.