I Must Be Dreaming

As soon as the bus pulled to a complete stop, Zacky way out the door, Syn and Johnny behind him. Matt and I followed after them, shaking our heads and laughingat the trio. "Hey Matt?" I asked looking up at him through my polarized Raybans.
"Yeah Bean?"
"I want to sing 'In the Arms of an Angel' as a tribute to Jimmy tomorrow. I figured it would bea good song since this is going to be the first show on the first tour without him. Well not fully without him but you know what I mean."
"Huh yeah that would be nice. I'll talk to Max and see what he thinks. I'm not sure if you should sing before or after."
"Well I think before. It is a somewhat sad song and then they'll have your gorgeous voice to pump them all up again. We want these fans going home with smiles not tears." I replied, twining my fingers with his. I couldn't help it, it was like I needed to touch him to feel whole. It was the most disconcerting feeling ever, having to need someone. I had always depended on myself to get me through and now I needed him.
"I like the way you think my dear." He replied with a smile that showed his dimples.
"So I'm curious. What are we going to tell everone else? That we're dating or just close?" I asked hesitantly.
"Well it doesn't really matter to me what we tell people, I just figure it's better we tell people where dating since we can't stop touching or being around eachother." He replied as we walked into the shade of the building.
"Okay, works for me." I claimed, dragging him towards the vending machine in the corner. "Ohh look hot cheetos!"
He laughed and said, "I didn't know you where so easily distracted."
"I'm not what're you- Johnny!" I said pointing my finger at him.
"Did you inhale sugar at any point of the day?" Matt asked amusedly.
"No silly I snorted it. That shit is fucking bomb!" I replied. He looked at me for a second before I hit his arm "I'm not serious! Jeez, you seriously need to start learning from me, the guru of sarcasm."
"Hey! I tried snorting sugar once, that shit burns!" Johnny said rubbing his nose in remembrance of the pain. I laughed and Matt just winced at the memory.
your a crazy bitch
but you fuck so good I'm on top of it
In my dreams
I'm doin you all night
Scratches down my back
but keep it right on

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and Matt gave me a wierd look. I stuck my tongue out and looked at the caller I.D. before saying, "Porns R Us. Pick your pleasure." I said it with such a serious face that Matt andJohnny burst into fits of laughter.
"Funny Nicky. Anyways I was just calling to tell you that painting of the weeping willows sold for almost $200 at the auction and the painting of Merilyn Monroe sold for $500." Monica replied.
"Okay thanks Monica, I really appreciate you holding down the store while I'm away." I replied, "Any new orders?"
"Yeah there's one. A picture of a mother and her newborn. I'll send it to you and how big a canvas she wants it on via text." She said after flipping through some books.
"Kay, bye hun talk to you soon." I said before hanging up.
"Business?" Johnny asked before wrinkling his nose.
"Yup. I get to paint a picture of a mother and her newborn." I said excitement radiating from me. Painting always had done that. Matt smiled at me and took my hand again leading me into a stage area
"This is where we're performing tomorrow night." He said, excitement in his voice.
"That is a ginormous stage." I said in awe.
"Yeah. We're going to have like flames and sparks showering all through the night. And some fog effects too. Just a fair warning." Johnny said looking out at the stage as well. We stayed there for a bit longer before heading back to the bus. My phone buzzed in my pocket so i pulled it out and looked at the picture Monica had sent me of the mother and child. A soft smile took over my features as I stared at such a beautiful sight. I hooked my phone up to my laptop and hit 'print.' After the picture was successfully printed out, I looked over it to make sure I had all the right colors.
"Is that your new inspiration?" Matt asked coming to stand behind me to look down at the picture.
I smiled and nodded, "It's beautiful isn't it? The unconditional love between mother and child." I whispered.
"It is." Matt agreed, kissing my temple before leaving me to my reverie. I suddenly felt saddened and extremely jealous of the small child. Her mother would be there for her throughout everything, while mine barely made it past my toddler years.

MATT'S P.O.V.

I went back to my bunk after leaving Nicky to take a nap. Almost as soon as I fell asleep images began behind my eyelids like a movie. First it was a much younger Nicky,she was maybe two, in the arms of a woman who looked to be her mother. Next it was her and the woman blowing bubbles at eachother. Then it was her and her mother down at te beach making a sand castle. And finially, it was a dark mahogony casket with white roses adorning the top, and a silently crying Nicky placing her small hand against it. I jerked awake, nearly hitting my headon the top of my bunk in the process before going to find Nicky. I could feel the sickening grief in her as clearly as if it where my own. I found her sitting in the back lounge area, a blank expression on her face and still clutching the picture. Knowing no words could possibly comfort her, I gently removed the picture from her grasp before sitting next to her and drawing her to my chest. She didn't respond for a moment, then wrapped her arms tightly around my waist, holding me as if I was going to slip away any second. I pulled her to my lap and let her bury her face in my chest. I silently rubbed gently circles on her lower back, trying to relax her. We sat there like that for I don't know how long. To anyone else they would think she was fine, she wasn't sobbing. She just wasn't one for crying I had learned but to me I could tell their was a grief insde her so deep that it was like a painful splinter that you cant completely get out, only break peices off and dig in your skin to try to get the rest of it. Slowy though, her grief began to subside and she sat up, looking me in the eys with a look thay said 'thankyou.' I nodded and pressed my lips to her cheek before squeezing her again.
Sunlight flooded the room and lit up her eyes in the most enchanting way. Her eyes looked so old then. Worn down by her life experiences and grief. But if you where to look past that and see what I see, a strong amazing wonderful person, then you would love her as I do. I hadn't told her I loved her yet because in truth I wasn't sure if she loved me yet or not. I had promised myself I'd tell her before I accidentally just blurted it out.
She looked at me then, straight in the eyes before leaning in to gently press her lips to mine. "Woah dude! Was not expecting that." Syn said, sddenly bursting into the room.
I sighed, annoyed before saying, "You really truly honestly have the worst timing in the world!"