A Poison In My Brain

Joe's POV:

I stood on the side of the stage, jumping up and down a bit with my brothers. I was trying to loosen up before the show, even though I do this every single night, I still get so nervous. Swallowing hard, the lights dimmed in the arena, which was mine, and my brother's, cue that it was time to go on. I stepped onto the stage, taking my place in the center, Kevin on my left, Nick on my right, as always.

"I make the most of all this stress. I try to live without regrets. But I'm about to break a sweat. I'm freakin' out," Nick sang and then the lights shone on the stage.

The screams filled the arena and huge smile came upon my face. This was what I lived for, this was my dream. My brothers and I had worked so hard at this and hearing the screams of a thousand people every night is just amazing.

"It's like a poison in my brain. It's like a fog that blurs the sane. It's like a vine I can't untangle. I'm freakin' out," Nick sang before it went into the bridge. "Every-time I turn around, something don't feel right."

"Just might be paranoid!" I sang into the microphone and then Nick sang his part as I walked out in front of the crowd on the catwalk.

"Can someone stop the noise?" I sang and looked out into the crowd and I swear I saw her. My eyes widened as they tried to focus on the figure but it was gone when I second glanced at it.

"I'm paranoid," I sang slightly breathless after Nick sang his part.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Once we got off stage, I threw off my shirt immediately, tossing it to the side. I raced outside to the bus so that I could get the shower first. I got into the bus and grabbed a pair of basketball shorts and a clean pair of briefs so that I could change after I had taken my shower. Walking into the bathroom, I tossed my stuff into the sink and pulled off my jeans and briefs, turning on the water after-wards. The hot water soon began to fog up the mirror and I lifted my hand, wiping a section away so I could look at my face.

My heart leaped into my throat and began racing as I saw her next to me in the mirror. I turned around quickly and she wasn't there. I swallowed hard and shook my head, stepping into the shower. I ran my hands over my hair then scrubbed shampoo into it. With my eyes closed, I reached for the soap, my hair still rinsing in the stream of water. Once I reached out to get the soap, I felt someones hand. I jumped backwards, slipping and falling in the shower.

My eyes snapped open and I was out of breath, this was outrageous why was this happening to me. She was getting to me. I sighed, shaking my head and standing up. I ran the bar of soap over my body and stepped out, wiping my body off with a towel and pulling on my pair of briefs and basketball shorts. When I walked out I saw that my family was in the small living room space in the bus. I pulled on my black tank-top and sat down next to Nick.

"Was what that loud bang in the shower?" Kevin asked.

"I slipped."

Nick looked over at me before he began laughing softly. "Oh man, classic."

My eyebrows narrowed at him before I sighed, getting up. "Well, I'm going to head to my bunk. See you guys in the morning."

I got a few 'good-nights' and 'okays' before hopping into my bunk. Snuggling into my blankets, my mind began to wander. It wasn't that I didn't love Faith, it wasn't that at all. I didn't mean to make the mistake I did. It was an accident, I wasn't thinking. Kissing the other girl was the biggest mistake of my life. Faith and I were so perfect together. She balanced how hyper I was and I balanced how shy she was. We were perfect.

Everyone thought that I would be the next to tie the knot in a year or two just like Kevin. How wrong were they? Soon I felt myself drifting off to sleep and I let the feeling take over me.

There I was, sitting at the piano and just playing it a bit in the empty arena before I heard a door open and shut.

"Hello?" I called out, my voice echoing as I looked out over the seats and towards the door.

"It's just me," Faith called out and made her way to the stage.

She walked up to me at the piano and sat down next to me and I looked over at her, a smile on my face. Her lips curled into a smile before I leaned over and pressed my lips against hers. We moved them together a bit before pulling apart, resting our forehead against each others.

"God, why did you have to cheat on me?" she whispered, lifting her hand and placing it against my face. "I love you so much."

"I know it was stupid...pointless," I whispered, shaking my head. "I regret it, Faith, I really do."

"Well that doesn't change things."

I let out a deep breath through my nose and nodded. "I know."

She slowly got up, slinging her purse over her shoulder again. "Well I've gotta go."

"Where are you going?"

My eyes began to adjust to her skin tone and the way it was slightly turning red.

"Faith, what's going on with you?"

"You cheating on me just tore me apart," she whispered.

My eyebrows narrowed as I looked back over her skin and watched as the thin layer of olive tint she had began to rip apart, her blood and bones now showing. I hopped off the piano bench falling backwards and-

I landed hard against the floor and I jumped up, looking around. Nick poked his head out of his bunk, his eyes squinted.

"Dude, what the heck?" he asked groggily.

"Sorry, bad dream. Fell out of the bunk."

"That's the fifth time in the past two weeks, what's going on?"

"Nothing, it's nothing," I whispered, shaking my head. "Go back to sleep."

I heard Nick mumble something incoherent as he stuck his head back in his bunk. I got back inside mine and stared at the ceiling. Our song was the story of my life.

I'M PARANOID.