Baby, Just Close Your Eyes

“I’m going to stop by Daray’s apartment and then I’ll meet you back at the hotel.” I said waving to Garrett and Kennedy and stepping onto the ferry that took me back to Jersey.

Daray’s loft was easy to find and it was the perfect idea of what I wanted. It was no use thinking about a loft in Los Angeles now. A week after I confirmed with boxEIGHT that I would be going to Africa the house went up for sale and I was waiting on the closing bid so I could send the money to my dad and sister. It was weird to sell a house at 19 but I was doing it whether I understood the process or not.

She opened the door smiling in a beautiful dress. The tag still hung off the side flashing the name Marcasa in the light.

“Holy shit, girl. Marcasa? That’s not cheap.” She laughed.

“Believe it or not a professional namer makes a lot of money. I can afford these things.” Daray said stepping aside.

“Or it’s fake. No one warned you about China Town?!”

“That’s terrible! It’s real. I promise! Why aren’t you dressed?”

“I’m going back to the hotel after this. I just wanted to confirm that everything was going as planned.”

“Yep. You want to see the dress?”

“The wedding dress?”

“And the reception dress!”

“Of course! Where are they?” She led me into her bedroom where they both hung in plastic bags hindering anything from getting onto it. The wedding dress was just as breath taking as it had been the first time we had seen it. The reception dress was drop dead gorgeous. “I’m stealing that, bro.”

“Ha. You wish. This is mine.” She said touching the plastic delicately.

“I bet your wedding budget could have put some poor kid through college by now.” She laughed.

“Probably. It’s only happening once so I mind as well make it fucking epic, right?” I nodded.

“It’s going to be beautiful, Daray. I’m so happy for you guys. A bit unconventional for the time but whatever. You guys have so much…..I don’t know what it is but you just fit.” I said leaning against the door frame and biting my lip.

“It’s weird. I was with Jared forever and it was fun….but…..it didn’t feel long term or serious. Then, I met Alex, and we…..we connected and got so close so fast……he has plans and somehow I’m apart of those plans.” She smiled sheepishly at the confession.

“I think you guys are going to be just fine. You’re both strong headed and have ideas and plans and you’re going to follow those together. Don’t worry.” She nodded.

“So now that we’ve talked you have to go get ready! Serious plans tonight!”

“Serious?” I asked disbelief in my voice.

“Shut up and go!” I laughed and waved.

@__@

“I didn’t even know they made that and its certainly not going on my head!” I said leaning away from one of Daray’s new “friends”. She held the penis head band out to me trying to put it on me.

“Come on! It’s a party!!”

“I like boy parties better! They just drink and paint weird things on their bellies!” I said sliding over to the other side of the limo.

“Every party needs a popper; that’s why we invited you!” Daray slurred. It had stopped being fun at about the third strip club. We were on the eighth.

“Guys, can you drop me off at the hotel? I’m tired.” Katy said leaning back and crossing her arms over her belly. I kicked a feathered dildo out of my way and sat next to her. They sighed and told the driver.

“I think I’m going to go too. I have some stuff to catch up on. You guys have a great night! Don’t forget there is a wedding tomorrow.” I said opening the door and helping Katy out of limo. We watched the car pull away and sighed in relief.

“What the fuck was that?”

“The oddest thing I’ve ever seen. I didn’t even know there were that many penis shaped objects…..or male strip clubs.” I said shaking my head.

“We’re far too mature for that. I mean…..maybe it’s the ~rock star lifestyle we’ve been living for the past few months that has us out of contact with girls though. I don’t know.”

“We’re not really the multiple girlfriends kind of people anyway. Hello, our best friend was Quinn.”

“He’s not a boy though!” She said sitting down in the lobby. I laughed and sat down next to her.

“We should go upstairs.”

“I don’t want to walk though!” Katy whined.

“Shush ya mouth and walk!” I commanded grabbing her hand and helping her up.

“Ugh. You think the guys are back?”

“I don’t think so. How come they don’t have vagina hats? Only penis hats.”

“And, they’re so ugly too. Penis while great for some things…..hat wearing is not one of them.” I doubled over in laughter.

“Stop talking. This is so awkward. Oh my god.”

“Hey….Annabelle….can I talk to you about something?” She asked her voice taking on a new tone. I looked up quickly.

“Uhm…..sure.”

“We saw Slade the other day….and while Justin was out he just kind of spilled his guts about a drunken kiss.”

“Oh.” I looked at the carpet.

“So….”

“Yeah. I didn’t know if it had actually happened and I can’t just tell John cause he’ll freak out and drink his way to oblivion again and I don’t know. I can accept everything about him but that. His dumb hair when he’s really into writing and doesn’t shower that day or his obsessive amount of videos of weird moments or the cups he leaves sitting on the floor beside his bed. I can accept that…..but he drinks and…..I hate it. It doesn’t even make him seem like a cool person or whatever reason he drinks. I don’t understand the need for this dumb shit.” I said clenching my fists.

Alcohol had affected every part of my life from the time I was young and it had done nothing but tear my family apart. I didn’t know how a substance that made you act like a insane douche could hold one person under such a person but it does.

“It’s just a drink.”

“No. It’s not just a drink.” I sneered. “It tears people apart. Never mind the harm it does to your body think about all the people that get hurt when you drink.”

“Is this about your dad?” I slid the card through the slot on the door and pushed it open.

“No. It’s about John. It’s about all the stupid mistakes I’ve made. I didn’t want to drink but when you’re constantly surrounded by the shit you drink. I’ve got a boyfriend with a drinking problem and I binge when things get rough. I was too drunk to think when that thing happened. I know I make my own mistakes but it does hold a key in that mistake.”

“Don’t drink then.”

“I’m done with it. Can you not mention that thing to anyone though?” She nodded.

“You guys are going to get through this. He’s going to see the error of his ways; or what he’s doing to himself eventually and then he’ll stop. Until then just do your best.” I nodded and hugged her.

“Thanks Katy. You’re always there for me when I’m doing something idiotic.”

“I’m the best friend. It’s what I do.” She smiled and left. I sighed and changed into my bed clothes and opened my laptop.

John strolled in three hours. Everything was good until he leaned down and kissed me. The alcohol was on his lips. Maybe I was being ridiculous but I didn’t want that life. He repeatedly apologized watching me throw his pillow and spare blanket on the floor.

“Have a nice night.” I growled and got back into bed. He continued to apologize for the next 20 minutes until I threw the remote off the bed and hit him in the stomach.

“Hmph. Love you.” I didn’t reply. “Annabelle?”

I looked at the picture I had left pulled up on my phone. He was smiling like a doofus, his hair sticking up in the kind of way that only John could make look adorable.

“Why can’t you just leave it alone until I leave?” I whispered.

“You want me to stop for the next ten months?” He asked from the floor.

“Yes.”

“Okay.” His arms wrapped tenderly around me. I turned over and stared at him.

“You truly mean it this time? No more chances John Cornelius.”

“I mean it. I’m sorry I didn’t abide by my promise earlier.” I kissed his forehead and rolled back over. “So….do I still have to sleep in the floor?”

“Yeah.”

“What?!” I groaned and slid my pillow from the middle to the other side of the bed.

“There. You can sleep up here.”

“Night, baby.”

“Whatever.” He chuckled and slid into bed. I was secretly happy he had promised…..a promise that sounded real this time. I didn’t want to lose my rock just yet.