She's With The Band

Jack squealed with excitement when he saw Gabe show up outside their van. He threw himself at Gabe’s feet and kissed his ankles as everyone fell to their knees in hysterics.

“Gaaaaaaaaabe!” Jack cried, standing up and giving him a bear hug. Gabe hugged back excitedly and they bounced back and forth. Imelda yanked the camcorder Matt gave her out of her messenger bag and filmed the embrace. The boys happily humored the camera, screaming and singing and dancing like maniacs. When the recording light went off, the madness ended and Gabe went back to Imelda’s side.

“Ah. You’ve met the little woman, I see?” Jack acknowledged, rubbing circles into Imelda’s palm and kissed her wrist gently. Gabe made a face and pouted. Imelda giggled and pushed his shoulder.

“Actually, Gabe and I have known each other for a reaaaaally long time. I told you guys I didn’t grow up with my biological father, but he’s the closest thing I ever got,” she explained, linking her fingers with Gabe’s and smiling up at him like a daughter would to a father she loved and looked up to. Jack’s jaw dropped and Alex rolled his eyes, pushing his mouth back in place.

“You’re shitting us,” he insisted. Gabe shook his head.

“Imelda’s mom Holly and I went to cotillion together in high school,” Imelda visibly flinched and the boys snickered at Gabe’s confession, “Shut up. So our moms made us do this cotillion and we were two punk-assed teenagers sitting in the middle of New York City’s finest society. We bonded and became really good friends and I ended up being her escort at the debutante ball.

Turns out her attitude impressed the public- she became a socialite. We were still best friends as she dated different guys, went to different parties and eventually met Imelda’s dad. He got her pregnant and she was quickly banned from everything that she was forced to be a part of. She was sent down to live in D.C. with her aunt, Imelda’s grandmother’s sister, and I followed. My parents were pissed- I was supposed to be another prep school boy with more endless society soirées. I ditched that idea and raised Mel like she was our daughter.

But I fell in love with Holly and when she was scared to commit to love me, I ran. I never saw Imelda again after she was twelve.” Imelda shifted uncomfortably again as Gabe ran a hand through his hair. Zack patted him on the back as Jack collected Imelda in his long arms.

“Gabe… she’s here,” Imelda croaked from her spot on Jack’s shoulder. She buried her face
into his neck when she saw Gabe’s face crumple into disappointment.

“She’s… here? Like, literally?” he gasped out in a raspy voice. Imelda just nodded sadly.

“Wait, wait, back up. I’m so fucking confused!” Danny insisted.

“Gabe was heartbroken by Imelda’s mom and now she’s here to visit her on the tour,” Evan clarified. Danny made an “O” shape with his mouth and Gabe kicked the bumper of the van and began swearing in Spanish.

“Mierda! Cogida! Goddamnit!” he screamed. Jack rubbed Imelda’s back softly and sighed.

“Gabe. You don’t even need to see her. Just avoid our booth at all costs,” Matt advised, clapping a hand on his shoulder. Gabe nodded and rubbed his red face. Imelda groaned and unraveled herself from Jack’s arms. She walked to her father figure and held his hand, swinging it back and forth gently.

“I don’t think she ever stopped loving you…” Imelda confessed quietly, causing Gabe’s eyes to lift from her feet to her face. She smiled sadly at him and excused herself to receive her guests.

As Imelda walked away, a tremor of excitement and anxiety ripped through her body. She rested against the side of the booth, staring off at the crowds beginning to form outside the gates. She felt someone behind her and she quickly spun around, expecting Gabe but finding Jack. When Imelda saw the hesitant expression on his face, she broke down in tears once more.

Jack quickly brought her into his chest, rubbing her back and kissing her forehead as she sobbed into his sweaty Forgive Durden shirt. Jack was never good with tears, and Imelda’s break down was no exception. He awkwardly rocked them back and forth as Imelda fought to steady her breathing.

“I never thought I’d see him again…” she whispered, taking a slow inhalation of his scent- sweat and raspberries.

“It’s ok, Mellon. It’s gonna be ok. He promised he wouldn’t leave you again,” Jack reassured her. Imelda sighed and stood back, crossing her arms over her flat chest.

“He said that last time…”

Jack shifted his weight uncomfortably, unsure of a way to help her. “I’m not good with comforting people, babe.”

Imelda grinned. “Neither am I. I get so awkward. I never have any idea what to say to people.”

Jack laughed. “Well, I can always do this…” Jack held her by the waist and leaned in to kiss her hard. Imelda quickly responded by placing her hands on either side of his face and dragging her tongue against his lower lip.

“Gross!” someone whined from behind them. Imelda jumped away and shrieked.

“MAE! You little fucker! I missed you!” she screamed, jumping into her friend’s arms. Their embrace ended when a teeny blonde cleared her throat.

“Shut up, Darla, we’re bonding!” Mae whined, swatting at her girlfriend.

Darla rolled her eyes and walked over to Jack as the girls caught up. She held out her teeny white hand and smiled.

“Jack, right? Darla D’Onofrio,” she introduced. Jack smiled shyly, obviously embarrassed by her beauty.

“Back Jarakat. I mean, Bear Jackakat…” he trailed off after messing up his name and Imelda raised an eyebrow.

“You mean, Jack Barakat?” Imelda finished for him. Jack sighed and nodded lowly, ashamed of finding any other girl beautiful like Imelda. But Darla really was gorgeous.

Darla stood next to a proud-looking Mae with a big smile and a short skirt, Jack’s favorite kind of woman. Darla was remarkably small and pale, with hair much like Imelda’s but with leopard and zebra print near the crown of her head. Her perky breasts were held up by a skimpy silver bikini top and her short, skinny legs were clad in a neon orange miniskirt with the back pockets torn out, exposing the back of the other half of her small bathing suit. Jack looked her up and down, his eyes finally settling on Darla’s bright blue eyes that sparkled with mischief and were slathered with yellow eye shadow and thick black liner.

Jack cracked a half smile and Mae frowned. Imelda clicked her tongue sharply and locked her jaw to keep from shrieking. When Jack looked back from Darla’s overly made up appearance to Imelda’s expression his eyes widened. Imelda’s calm on the outside, fiery on the inside look scared the shit out of him, and she knew it.

Jack Barakat stepped as far away from Darla as possible, who simply let out a sharp cackle and smirked in Imelda’s direction before swinging her hips as she walked away. Mae followed behind her quickly and Imelda looked up at Jack.

“So. She’s a little overbearing, huh?” Jack laughed nervously. Imelda shrugged indifferently and immediately headed for the gates.