Venom and Hope

When I got back down to my apartment I went straight to bed. This whole day was way too emotionally draining. But sleep did not come easily, I tossed and turned for three hours until I finally gave into sleep and slipped into a nightmare.

I woke up to Jazz shaking me. I looked at the alarm clock to find out that it was 12:00pm. I slept longer than I thought I would.

"How did last night go?"

Oh shit! It just started to sink in that I was single again.

"Um...not too well"

"You guys have a fight?"

"kinda, uh er, we called it off" I couldn't read the expression on her face.

"The wedding?"

"And everything else"

"Sweetie I'm soooo sorry!" She gave me a hug and crawled next to me in my bed.

"Don't be. Reeve and I were never going to get married. Now that I think about it, the whole thing was an awful joke"

"You're just upset" Not just upset. I was starting to get really pissed. The fucker took my hand, lead me on and pushed me off the cliff. I hated him.

"I hate him!" I put my face in my pillow and pulled the covers over my head. "I hate the world"

Jazz just sat and rubbed my back. "You don't hate me?"

"I can't hate you" Jazz could steal my boyfriend, stab my back and kick out of the band and I would still love her. She'd been there for me for 15 years; she would always be my best friend.

"Good" She went under the covers, stole my pillow and hit me with it. "Now get up! We have band practice. We can wallow in self pity later."

"NOOOOO!!!" I whined and threw the pillow back at her. She got up, pulled the cover off my bed, turned on the light and ran away. (With my comforter wrapped around her like a toga)

"Damn it!" I rolled out of bed, went into the bathroom, washed my face and put my hair up and brushed my teeth. When I walked out I ran into Jackson.

"Finally! Hurry up and get ready we have to leave in ten minutes." Then he walked in the bathroom.

I went to find Jazz, who was sitting at the kitchen table eating a bagel.

"Hello beautiful."

"Where's my blanket?"

She looked at me funny. "What?-Oh yeah! I hid it in Jackson's room"

"Ewww! Go get it!"

"Nope. Now go get dressed. Unless you're planning to go in your pjs."

"Fine, you dirty blanket stealer!"

"Fine emo child"

I stole half her bagel and ran into our room and locked the door. I heard her curse me loudly. Oh well, I still had half her breakfast. As I ate I picked out some clean clothes and threw them on my bed. When I finished the bagel, I changed, grabbed my purse and went back into the kitchen.

"You're a horrible best friend!"

"Hey! You woke me up AND stole my covers. Who's the horrible-er one now?!"

"You!"

"LIAR!"

"How about a tie?"

"Hmmm Fine, but only if you go get my blanket out of Jackson's smelly room."

She laughed. "No way!"

I hit her with my purse and she threw her shoe at me. I loved our strange, dysfunctional family.

Jackson appeared in the doorway. "Come on, we're already late"

We all got to practice about 20 minutes late and Tyler was all bitchy about it.

"Why is it that Katrina manages to get here on time, but you three never can?" I folded my arms and stared at him. I wasn't too sure if that was a rhetorical question or not.

"It's Jackson's fault! He always makes us drop off his gay lover at Dairy Queen on the way here" Jazz put her arm around Jackson. "But we love him so we don't judge" Jackson flicked her nose and stared at her rudely.

Tyler sighed. "What ever. Everyone just sit down, I have to talk to you all before you practice." We did as he said and almost paid attention.

"As you all know, or should know, the album drops tomorrow and we are having a record release show." We all nodded.

"But the label also wants us to have a formal-ish release party"

"What do you mean the "label" wants us to?" Katrina hated parties the label threw because she never gets along with most of the artists signed.

"Well, I talked to people there and they think it's a good way to get other artists into your music. And so do I."

It was quiet for a minute or two. Then Jazz raised her hand. Tyler looked at her funny. "Yes Jazz?"

"If it's a label party does that mean that other bands will be there?"

"Yes, I thought I just told you all that."

But I knew Jazz asked that question for my benefit. I got a lump in my throat. What if MCR is there? The thought made my stomach turn.

"Do we have to go?"

"Seeing as it's your release party, I'm guessing you have to go" I groaned. I did know that I would run into Gerard eventually, I mean we are going on the same tour, but I didn't think I could handle it just yet. Especially since what happened last night.

"So, now that that's settled, you four have to practice" He got up and left the room. I looked at Jazz and she gave me a sympathetic look back. We practiced for two hours until we all got too hungry to play and left to go get pizza.