Rebel Yell

I assumed that the feeling I had now, was the best feeling I could have received today. Sure having casual, no strings attached sex with Cheri, would have been a pretty good feeling to have but the satisfaction of knowing I wouldn’t have the regurgitating guilt afterwards and a loving girlfriend to come home too, was brilliant.

Ditching Cheri wasn’t as horrific as I expected, in fact it was little more than a breeze of a thing, she was very understanding but I knew I’d have to deal with Adeline soon enough.
Sure speaking to Marci was fine, I had gotten over the essential nerves whilst briskly walking back to the buses but that was, as my mom used to say ‘the calm before the storm’. After all Marci had nothing to worry about, she had no knowledge of what I intended to do or what I did not do, she simply was aware of my awful bad mood through the past hours. But now it was time to face up against Adeline........the female Mike Dirnt but ten times more wilder.

Adeline was Mike’s everything, he may not seem like he was love smitten in public but he was completely and utterly headfirst deep in love. It killed him enough to leave her to go on tour and I knew that as soon as he saw her today, being it a surprise to him would send him higher than LSD ever could. But first, I’d have to get to Adeline before she tells Mike about my outing with Cheri.

Sure, we had band practice but knowing Adeline as well as I do, I knew where my next protocol would be. It was the one place that I knew she would be whilst Mike did his usual beer glugging before the show. She liked to hangout, incognito with the fans, checking out the new talent and getting them fired up to go in and have a hell of a time.

Mike had quizzically asked his cryptic questions after we were free from Marci’s hearing and I solemnly declared my faithfulness to Marci and pledged my bachelor days over, to him with my hand on my heart. It felt to me like he had taken it better than he had when he first found out about my midnight kisses but I was heavily greatful of the heave of guilt he had thrown on me, being removed by a simple nod of his head.

“Billie where you off?” Mike asked me, a little more suspicious as I packed my guitar away and tried to quietly sneak off to catch Adeline. I spun around, my eyes wide at my best friend,

“I’m just nipping out to the, venues manager; he, er, well he wanted a word with me. Apparently he has already spoken to Marci, so I figured its something routine for them” I bit my tongue, already feeling the lie, fall floppy at Mikes tattered trust. I folded my arms and did the unthinkable to con him a little further “you can come with me if you want” I knew Mike far to well and I knew he had his routine to do before the show and nowhere in that schedule, does it include talking to any made up venue manager. He shook his and waved me away,

“nah, I’m going to-“ he thumbed his bass guitar, set against a six pack of beer and I smiled, good old Mike.

“Ok, suit yourself” I nodded hastily and turned around to make sure he had no time to change his mind and follow me to Adeline.

Adeline and I had been friends for quite a while now, something which hadn’t been seen in Mike’s other dumbass girlfriends but it was mostly due to the fact that she was practically an appendage on Mike and hopefully I was going to use our friendship to swing her around to lying for me. She was though a very strong personality, something which had played havoc in my affairs before and which, I seriously prayed would not to be around today.

I had found a roadie shirt on my way through the labyrinth of the backstage area and decided to wear it, along with a dirty old baseball cap that was stuffed next to a decade old radiator. I looked like Charles Manson, walking through the fans entrance to where small groups of people sat waiting patiently on the cold stone floor. My hair was in scraggily bits hanging in my face and I grew a, hunched crazed look unintentionally, as scanned the room for Adeline.

I didn’t dare to remove myself from this sheltered hunch, in case one of the fans sat on the floor noticed me and that would just lead to more questions to why I was here in the first place. To be honest, I knew I’d never be a spy and this just confirmed it with my crap skills of trying to look inconspicuous. The fans sat on the floor looked at me weary but I didn’t expect any different from them.

I sighed in relief, once I saw a tattooed arm swing in the air followed by a flow of black hair. She was jumping up and down, warming up, as she liked to say and I quickly walked towards the group of people, where she was stood prominent.

“I’ve seen them loads of times, they are really good” she exclaimed, “I’ve been out drinking with them too” I rolled my eyes, as I spotted her talking to a group of young fans. I laughed a little at her statement, as she was usually the one who dragged us out after shows to go drinking with.

“wow, that must be amazing. I heard that they get drunk on stage every night and that the lead singer gets his kit off” I looked at the girl who had spoken in alarm as Adeline laughed melodically “I wouldn’t mind if he did tonight though, he is hot” she fanned her self and I could feel my face drop, should I be scared or happy at this inside information.

“Billie Joe is not hot!” Adeline mentioned and I bit my lip in amusement “Mike Dirnt is the hottest of the lot” she wiggled her eyebrows and everyone surrounded her laughed, everyone but me.

“I disagree, I definitely agree with that girl there” I put on a deeper voice than my own and everyone’s face turned to me, as I nodded to the girl who had called me hot. Adeline eyed me for a moment before grinning madly at me,

“nah, that Billie Joe is a complete waste of time, he even pads his own underwear” she twisted her hair at me and I shook my head,

“shut it Adeline, I need to speak to you” I barged through the people who stood next to her and grabbed her arm. I knew she knew it was me, so she didn’t kick my ass with her (adeline style)judo skills, once I grabbed her and pulled her away.

“what the fuck Billie” she whispered into my ear and I turned to look at her, as I pulled her back through the door I had come through.

“Adeline, seeing me with Cheri today was nothing more than friends getting together over dinner” she pouted, unconvinced and I held her shoulders tightly,

“it didn’t look like it” her hatred for Cheri came out in her words even when her name was not used.

“I have a girlfriend now, a proper one who I care about very much and Cheri was nothing but talking today” she opened her eyes wide and just nodded her head, most probably due to the fact I emphasised ‘proper’. “I just don’t want you to tell Mike or Tre and especially not Marci” I pleaded with her, hoping she’d keep quite for me and she sucked her teeth.

“Conditionally Armstrong, I’ll be kind and do you the honour by erasing such memory but” she pointed her finger at me “I maybe not so generous next time” I smiled and pulled her in tightly for a hug.

“thank you, thank you, thank you” I kissed her hair and she pulled away, sighing. “You’ll love Marci, when you see her you’ll know why I’ve ended my ways” she chuckled and patted my shoulder,

“I have got to get back to correcting your fans on their very confused knowledge. She was obviously on drugs that girl who said you were better looking than Mike” she shook her head before turning on her heels and walking away.

“You just don’t know what you’re missing” I jokingly added and she flipped me off as she carried on walking,

“I’ll ask Marci later on then, we can compare notes and make a reasonable judgment” she smiled cunningly as I turned away.

Thank God that was over but now; it was all down to see if she actually keeps her promise. I crossed my fingers and dashed back off to catch a few moments with Marci before tonight’s’ show. I bloody needed it after today.