Reason to Live

Quick! This time they’ll kill me for sure!” I giggled as Bruce and I chased a taxi down the street.

“I won’t let them kill you baby, I can’t live without you,” Bruce said following behind me. Like always, my decision to sleep with Bruce resulted in me rushing because I was late for something band related.

“Stop! Taxi!” I screamed.

“Uh, Aud. We’re in France, remember?” Bruce said laughing.

“Oh crap, quick say something French!” I told him. He looked at me confused.

“...Bonjour?” he said slowly.

“What? That’s not going to get me to the photo shoot!”

“Why do you expect me to know how to speak French? I’m from New York!”

“You don’t know anything at all?” I laughed.

“Well, I know a lot of things that Marie yells at me in French, but uh, I’m pretty sure they’re insults.”

A woman with long ,black hair dressed in a salmon coloured mini dress, looked at us oddly.

“Hi,” I said, being a little freaked out.

“Don’t you mean “Bonjour”?” Bruce said, quite smart arse like.

“Shut up,” I nudged him.

“My name is Audrey,” I said slowly. “We... are... from... America.” The woman was smiling widely.

“You’re from Australia,” Bruce corrected me.

“Shh Bruce, I know what I’m doing.”

“Oh, well my name is Carol,” the woman replied in perfect, fluent English. “And I’m from Seattle.” I felt like such a dickhead.

“Ohh,” I said, biting my lip as I do in awkward situations. Bruce couldn’t stop laughing. He wrapped his arms around me and I hid my face against his chest in embarrassment.

“My name is Bruce,” he said, shaking her hand.

She laughed. “Nice to meet you Bruce. I couldn’t help but overhear, you’re looking for a taxi?”

“Yes, we are,” he laughed.

“I can help with that,” she smiled. This gorgeous woman strutted to the side of a busy street, waved her hand so elegantly, and sure enough a cab pulled up, almost magically.

“How the hell did she do that?” I asked, amazed.

“Hey, thanks! That was really nice of you Carol,” Bruce said.

“You’re welcome Bruce. So where are you going?”

“I’ve got the address here written down,” he said, handing her a café menu that Debbie scribbled the address on.

“Oh, I’ve done some modelling there. Nice place,” she said, then turned to the driver and started talking to him in French. She turned to face us again, twirled around as if to show off, then grabbed Bruce’s arm. “Have fun Bruce,” she said softly, then walked off smiling. I gave her the filthiest look, I’m sure. Bruce looked at me and smiled.

“Get in,” I said, annoyed and feeling inadequate.

“Where the hell were you? Oh,” Debbie said as I walked into the building, followed by Bruce.

“Hey Debbie,” Bruce smiled.

“What are you doing over here? Kicked you outta KISS huh?” Debbie joked. “Thought this time they’d keep a guitarist for more than two years.”

“Ha... ha. Yeah, I’m thinking about joining this band instead. I can replace you. Complaining isn’t hard,” Bruce said with a cocky smile. Debbie punched his arm and laughed.

“Umm. Why are you dressed like a hooker police woman?” I asked unimpressed. Debbie just pointed to a door.

“Don’t ask, just go.”

We walked through the door and was almost attacked by this short, nerdy looking dude by the name of Earl.

“No, no,no! You, the hairy one, out!” he ordered.

“Don’t speak to my girlfriend like that!” Bruce joked. The guy just stared.

“He’s with me, It’s ok,” I said.

“You must be Audrey. Hmm. From now on, you’re alone ok? Run along pretty boy, I have work to do!” Earl ordered in his weird little accent.

“Pretty boy?” Bruce laughed. Earl shot him a threatening glance. “Alright, I’m gone, I don’t wanna make anybody cry,” Bruce said and kissed me goodbye. Earl huffed once he left.

“Who the hell are you?” I asked, really confused.

“I, my dear, am Earl Alexander Nissim. Your photographer,” he bowed. “Now I need to get you out of these dreadful rags and into your costume. Here,” he said, throwing a pile of clothes at me. Holly walked past looking pissed off.

I went to get changed and almost dislocated my arms pulling on that stupid little leather mini skirt. I didn’t get why we were told to dress like strippers, but police women.

“Ok, Where’s Dave?” I screamed.

“Shh. He’s hungover,” Billie whispered.

“So am I! And I’m not wearing this crap. Hey you, pansy boy, why the hell are we dressing like hookers?” I yelled at earl.

“Sweetheart, don’t curse, it makes you look cheap,” he replied.

“And this choice of outfit doesn’t?” Holly joined in.

“You girls requested this!”

“What? At what point did we ask “dress us up like little bitches?” Holly yelled.

“Crypteia means “secret police” no? So that’s what you are. Police!” he announced.

“There’s nothing secret about this!” Billie said, proudly looking at her cleavage favourable cop shirt.

“It’s sexy. And I can’t be fucked to argue, just do it,” Dave said, looking almost dead. He stormed out of the room, leaving us not much choice.

“Well, this ought to be fun,” I said sarcastically.

Later on as we left the photo shoot, Holly talked to me, sounding hopeful about our future. “One day, I swear, we won’t have to put up with this bullshit. It will be our way, when we say. Nobody will tell me how to dress, how to act, how to play the drums.”

“Ya know, I don’t get this whole chasing fame thing,” I told her.

“It seems like my purpose ya know?”

“I used to think so too. But don’t you realise that you once had all those things you just said? There was a time when you were able to play the drums in your Black Sabbath t-shirt, with a bottle of vodka in one hand while you played,” I laughed.

“And Audrey. One day I will do that, but make millions doing so. That’s my reason to be alive,” she said proudly.

“Well, it’s always good to know your reason,” I said, noticing Bruce waiting in the lobby. He had his feet on a coffee table as he stared at the mosaic on the ceiling. He looked so amazing dressed in jeans and the leather jacket of his that I love. I started smiling at the sight of him.

“Maybe you’ve already found yours,” Holly winked, and walked away.

“Ya know, pictures on walls are easier to look at,” I said, standing in front of where Bruce sat. He looked down at me and began to smile. The way his eyes brightened made me feel so incredible. I looked behind me just to make sure that he wasn’t looking at somebody else. That face was for me.

“I looked at the paintings on the walls for long enough,” he smiled.

“Did you wait out here for me all this time?” I asked shocked. He stood up and wrapped his arms around me.

“No, I did sneak into that room and saw some of the photo shoot.”

“What? No! You didn’t!” I laughed embarrassed.

“Yeah, I did. I have a whole new appreciation for law enforcement now,” he said before kissing me.

“It was so stupid, that guy is a dweeb,” I complained.

“Please tell me you got to keep the costume,” he grinned.
I shook my head, smiling.

When my head hit my pillow that night, I was ready to fall asleep with a dorky smile on my face. I had a great day with Bruce, but was bummed out that he had to leave so soon. I missed him like crazy.
I closed my eyes, and instantly heard knocking at my room’s door. “What?” I yawned, answering it to see Debbie standing there in her pyjamas.
“I gotta talk to you!” she said, pushing her way into my room, smiling sweetly.

“But I’m... sleep... no...” I mumbled, curling up on the bed.

“No, wake up Audrey, you need to hear this,” she said as she patted my back.

“Ok,” I said, sitting up and looking at her. She sat next to me on the bed.

“So the girls and I have been talking and, we all have agreed on one thing.”

“Yeah? What’s that?” I asked.

“I never thought I’d say this but... Bruce is in love with you,” she smiled.

“Huh? ... why would you think that?” I asked confused.

“He got one day off from his tour and he spent most of it on a plane! He flew across the world, just to see you. For a few hours! Not only that, we can just tell by the way he looks at you. He loves you!” she giggled.

“That could mean anything really,” I denied it.

“Audrey, believe me. He does. I guess it’s ironic me telling you this, given how we started on the issue, but I think you should go for this. Tell him how you feel, because I know he loves you too.”

“When we were at the hotel, he said to the receptionist that I’m just his girlfriend. Like he really stressed that we were only dating, nothing more,” I told her.

“Are you sure?” She asked.

“Oh I don’t know!” I said, burying my face into my pillow. My voice was a little muffled.

“Sleep on it. Maybe in the morning you’ll know for sure.”

“Hmmm bye, bye,” I said, lifelessly waving my arm up and down at her.

“At least you can be sure that I love ya Aud,” Debbie said softly.