Reason to Live

“New York?” Debbie asked, yawning.

“Yeah. Don’t you know that’s where KISS are from?” I laughed.

“So let me repeat this, so that I maybe can make some little sense of what you’re telling me. You’re going to sleep for three hours. And when you wake up, you’re taking your bags and not going home, but to New York to live with Bruce Kulick.”

“No, Debbie. I’m just staying the weekend. He wants me to be in the audience for some tv show thing their doing Sunday night,” I explained.

“No, he wants to fuck you,” Debbie said bluntly, getting up to go to the bathroom.

“Debbie!” I whined, chasing after her.

“Well, I’m pretty sure he doesn’t want you there to hold his hand in case he gets nervous Aud,” she yelled through the closed door.

“Well, duh. I know, I..”

“Do you really know what you’re doing?” she asked, opening the door to look me in the eyes.

“Of course, I..”

“You’re being a groupie,” she teased.

“Deb. That’s not funny..”

“Chill out, I’m kidding.”

“ First you’re at me to meet a guy, and when I finally do, you act like this! It’s not some slutty chasing after a rock star thing. I genuinely like him,” I justified.

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” she said.

“Well, don’t be. He’s not Liam, ok?”

“I know and I’m sorry Audrey. It’s just, after what happened with Liam..” she began to say, flopping onto her bed. “I just don’t think I can see you go through that again.”

“You won’t have to. Bruce is different, I mean, anyone is better than Liam, right?”

“You know, I thought you were going to die,” she said quietly.

“What?” I asked, sitting next to her on the bed.

“I care about you a lot Audrey. You’re like a sister to me, and there’s no way I’m letting you go through the same kind of torture that Liam put you through. He beat you and used you and, I lived in fear that one day he’d go too far, and you’d...” she stopped and looked as if she was about to cry.

“Deb, It’s all over. I wouldn’t date another guy if I thought it would happen again.”

“I know. And Bruce seems like a great guy, but he’s a rock star!” she argued.

“So you keep telling me,” I said, annoyed.

“Sure he seems sweet, and I’ll admit, he’s fucking gorgeous..”

I started laughing. “ Than what’s the big deal? So it’s a fling? It’s no different to me being with any other guy for a few weeks.”

“But, you’re falling for him. And I don’t trust him.”

“Well, trust me. I’m not stupid. I make my own decisions,” I said.

“I know. Anyway you should get some sleep,” she said, and turned off the lamp. Debbie and I were sharing a hotel room.
I got into bed, lying there for a few seconds before giggling insanely. “What now?” Debbie groaned.

“Joe Perry touched my arm!”

“Groupie,” she laughed.

When I woke up at six am, I tried to creep around without waking Debbie. Dressed in my favourite Van Halen t-shirt, jeans and bright pink converses, I waited impatiently for that knock at the door. He was right on time.

“Hi,” I whispered, when I opened the door.

“Van Halen.”

“New York Mets.”

We laughed as we both commented on each other t-shirts at the same time.

“Cool shirt,” Bruce smiled.

“I think so,” I smiled back.

“So, do I have to sneak you out of here, or have you got permission to be out with me?” he joked.

“I have permission,” I laughed.

“Oh, I was looking forward to running away with you. Now It’s just, not as fun,” he smiled.

“My friends are very protective.”

“I don’t blame them. You’re worth protecting,” he said with a kiss. I stood there smiling like a dork, as he took most of the bags from my hands.

“So have you ever been to New York?” he asked, once we boarded the plane. A woman stared at us the entire flight, probably recognising Bruce as the lead guitarist of KISS.
“Once, to a wedding. It wasn’t all that fun though,” I explained, looking over my shoulder at the gawking chick behind us.

He placed both his hands on my face and gently turned my face towards his. “You should be used to people staring at you,” he said.

“Well, I’m not, it creeps me out,” I replied.

“Really?” he asked.

“Yeah.... Stop it!” I laughed, realising that he was deliberately staring at me too.

“I can’t help it,” he smiled. I laughed and moved myself closer to him. “You look tired,” he said.

“I am. I was too excited to get much sleep,” I explained, resting my head on his shoulder. “I promise I will stay awake though.”

He kissed my forehead. “Good, it’d be a boring trip if you didn’t.”

“I’ll try,” I yawned.

“That doesn’t sound too convincing.”

“Keep talking dimple boy,” I whispered, closing my eyes.

“Ok. How long have you been playing guitar for?” he asked, trying to keep me awake with conversation.

“Eleven years,” I answered. “I taught myself when I was fifteen.”

“You taught yourself? So you’ve never had lessons?” he asked surprised.

“Nope. Oh, well I lie. I actually had two lessons, but they were when I was like, twenty. I didn’t learn anything.”

“Then why’d you go?” he laughed.

“The teacher was hot,” I answered.

“Oh, right. I see.” He said, smiling at me.

“You see, I think guitarists are very..”

“Awesome?”

“That, and sexy.”

“So glad I didn’t become a drummer,” he laughed. I looked up at him and smiled. His big, brown eyes were watching me closely. I leant forward and kissed him. He started to smile, separating our lips. “You are the best looking guitarist I’ve ever seen,” he said to me softly.

“I could say the same about you Bruce.” He gently pushed my hair out of my face and resumed our kiss, making this one ten times more passionate.

“Awake?” he asked.

“Very,” I replied.

Turns out I was wrong, because I remember Bruce waking me up by poking at my cheeks. I grabbed his finger and looked up at him shocked.

“You broke your promise,” he pouted.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” I said, sitting up, a little confused.

“It’s ok, I was only kidding,” he laughed. “I gotta say, you slept pretty peacefully. I have no idea how you can sleep like that on a plane.”

“That’s how tired I was,” I said, blinking.
Bruce stood up, and grabbed my hand. “What are you doing?” I asked.

“I’m getting off the plane. Why, do you want to stay?” he asked sarcastically. I looked out the window and noticed we were on the ground.

“I was asleep the entire flight?” I asked, shocked.

“Yeah,” he laughed. “I just sat there, listening to you snore.”

“I do not snore!” I argued.

“Oh, believe me, you do,” he teased.

“I know for a fact that I do not,” I told him, as he pulled me through a crowd of people.

“How could you know? You’re asleep when you do it,” he said, smiling at me.

“Well, I’ve asked people.”

“Well, honey. People lie,” he said, handing me my bag as we collected our luggage.

“Yeah, you lie. I know me, and I know that I do not snore,” I said, confidently.

“You think Eric wouldn’t mind picking us up? I’m over catching cabs,” he asked, searching for a pay phone.

“Don’t change the subject!” I complained.

He smiled at me, looking impressed. “You like to win, don’t you?”

“Yes, yes I do,” I replied.

“That makes two of us. Ok, here it is. Because you’re pretty, I’ll let you win this time,” Bruce said, dialling Eric’s number.

“You’ll let me win? You don’t have to let me win. I can win all by myself....wait, did you just say I’m pretty?” I asked, my voice drifting off a bit gradually. I suddenly fell to his command, once realizing that he thought I was pretty. He winked at me, while I stood there in a dream-like state.

“Yeah, It’s Bruce. Where the hell are you? You’re never home when I call! ... oh hi Marie. Yeah, I was going to leave another pointless message on the machine. Where’s Eric at? What? He went to rehearsals early? That’s unlike him. Yeah, I just wanted him to give Audrey and I a lift. Yep, she is. I know, she’s gorgeous.”
He pulled away from the phone and whispered to me “She thinks you're cool.”

“Tell her that she’s cool too,” I smiled.

“Hear that? Yeah. I know. But she snores ya know?” he grinned. I playfully punched his arm. “Ok, thanks. See you soon.”

I glared at him, moving closer. “What? Did I say something wrong?” he asked, laughing.

“You...you just wait,” I said, not having much of a comeback.

“Ok, I’ll be waiting for a while though.” He smiled. I just laughed.
“Alright, maybe , because we were on a plane and the altitude, I dunno. Maybe you don’t snore. I just think..” He slid his arms around my waist, pulling me closer to him. “I think I need another chance to see you sleeping.”

“Cunning. Very cunning,” I smiled, throwing my arms over his shoulders.

“But it’s working, right?” he asked, smiling.

I tilted my head up a little and met his lips with mine. “Yep,” I answered, with the cutest smile I could manage.