Night Songs

Finding Tom clinging to my side gave me a feeling like no other. Having him being here made me the happiest I’ve ever been for a long time. He was still asleep and breathing softly, making his curls sway back and forth onto his pillow. My smile widened when I absorb his boyish features. I reached my mouth to his forehead and placed my lips lightly kissing it, while trying to not wake him.

I scooted to the edge of the bed while the blankets slowly slid off. I almost made it to my feet before I was quickly grabbed onto and thrown back onto my mattress.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Tom tiredly grinned and reached for a kiss.

“Oh, well, to get dressed I suppose…” I giggled quietly to myself as Tom temptingly winked at me.

“Last night sure was something else.” He stood himself up next to me, while scratching his head.

I just laughed and collapsed onto his covered lap. He looked down with a tender smirk, and I just stared into his staggering eyes.

“I’m just too in love with you.” I laughed.

“You’re “too” in love with me, eh?” He laughed back, “what does that mean?” He lifted his brow.

I lifted up from his lap and relaxed on my side of the bed, with the covers over my face.

“Hey now!” He reached and grabbed the blanket exposing my naked body to the cold room.

“Ahh! It’s freezing!” I squealed.

I went back towards the covers trying to pull them back onto me. Tom wouldn’t let go.

“Are you holding back on me?” He sincerely looked right at me. He was hurt.

I got up while my goose pimple body was still not covered. “Tom, not at all! I…I just don’t want to get hurt. I think that’s every girl’s standards, but I love you with all my heart Tom. I believe that we could go all the way with what we have now, together. I can see myself with you for a very long time, honey. But the moments of reality hit me, and I just have this feeling of pain from out of nowhere.” I stood up and walked over to the window, while throwing a quilt over myself. “I just want to be prepared for the worst…”

The forecast shone a light gray with a hint of blue. Clouds swarmed the sky with faint snowflakes falling onto the road, with cars buried in the snow along the sides of the street. My body shivered from the silence and the brisk air the wheezed from the cracks of the window sill. I suddenly heard footsteps and a forceful thud right behind me. I turned to see Tom kneeling on the floor naked.

“What are you doing, Tom?” My tone turned curious.

He simply smiled to me, “you haven’t seen many movies, have you?”

My heart jumped and continued to do so. “What…what do you mean?”

“Faye Opal Moore…will you marry me?” He grabbed my hand with a firm grip.

“I…wha?” I was dumbfounded.

He got up, “will you marry me, Faye?” His voice quivered.

“I…I don’t know.” I couldn’t get an answer out.

I didn’t want to hurt him, I couldn’t, but…I don’t know what to do. A part of me wants to say yes, but then the other part…why would he want to marry me?

“Faye…?” He looked like he was on the verge to break.

“Tom…ye…,” I recollected my thoughts, “yes! Okay! Let’s get married!” I cheered.

“Really?!” His face brightened up and had a grin from cheek to cheek.

“Yes, Tom! I love you.” I leaned for a kiss and he gladly went along.

He chuckled after every peck, “I can’t believe it! We’re getting married!” He yelled.

I laughed, “Shhhh, shhhh….” I quietly whispered.

“Faye?” He lifted from our kisses.

“Tom?” I smiled.

“I love you so much.” He grinned.

“I love you so much, too.” I winked.

We both collapsed right back onto the bed.

“This is pretty convenient, we’re already naked!” He happily shouted.

“Hardee har har. Now where’s my ring?” I scoffed.

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Tom went out for something to bring back for dinner. Jenifer just came through the door while I was watching the 7 o’clock news.

“You’re home late. I thought you were going to come straight home from school today because of your homework?” I turned the T.V.’s volume down.

“Get off my back will ya?” She hissed.

“No. Where were you Jen?” I pounced up from the couch.

“I was at a friend’s house! God!” She threw her backpack across the room.

“Jen, you’re lying to me. I know when you are, you don’t look me.” I crossed my arms in front of her.

“Here! See! I’m looking at your stupid face, happy?!” She glared right at me.

“No, I’m not Jen. I’m obviously not…” I sighed, “You’re almost eighteen. I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“Well, I do! So stop fucking bothering me!” She pounded her feet right past me and went into the bathroom while slamming the door.

I walked to the door and grabbed onto the handle, but it was of course, locked.

I knocked, “Jen! Open the door!” I shouted.

“I’m taking a dump!” She yelled back.

“I didn’t hear the seat lift!”

“Well, you’re very observant, aren’t you?!”

I pounded on the door, “what are you doing in there?! Unlock the door, Jenifer!”

“Fuck off!”

I paused. Then I thudded my body against the door, something was burning.

“Faye! Knock it off!” She whimpered.

I just continued until the front door opened.

“What the hell are you doing, Faye?!” Tom came through the front door and then closed it, with bags in his hands. He put everything down and walked to me.

“Tom, Jen’s in there doing something.”

“Yeah, probably on the toilet if anything…”

I sighed. “I don’t need your help.” I turned back to the door and continued to thud myself against it.

“Whoa, honey. Let me help…”

I stopped what I was doing and stood aside. He lifted his leg and put his whole weight into his kick to the bathroom door. It swung open with a loud bang when it hit the wall next to the toilet.

Jen jumped up from the seat. The whole bathroom was in a fog. A horrible stench not even compared to a cigarette wafted into the whole apartment.

“Are you smoking refer?” Tom laughed.

“What?!” I shouted in disbelief.

I stomped right to her and grabbed what she had in her hand, lift the toilet seat, and flushed it down.

“Where’s the rest of it?!”

“Calm down, that’s all I’ve got left!”

“Sure it is, Jen.” I gave her a doubtful look.

“Awww, c’mon Faye, it’s just pot. It’s not like I was shooting up!” She pleaded.

“Go to bed…” My stare was cold and assertive.

She just looked at me for a minute, and left the bathroom, “fine…”

I went out with her and walked to the kitchen while sitting at the table. Tom came over with me and sat next to me.

“Faye, it’s going to be okay. She’s a kid, and kids experiment and try stuff out. It’s normal.” He pats my hand.

“She’s got her whole damn life ahead of her! I don’t want her to fuck it up!” I shouted.

“Shhh, it’s alright. She’s fine, okay? You’ve done a good job, hun. She just was curious into something that was considered banned. I’ve had my moments with it….and other things, but it’s over. It didn’t last. She’s a bright girl, just like her aunt. I’m sure she’ll be great in the future.” He gently smiled to me.

I sighed, “She can’t be much worse than her mother.” I laid my head into my hands.

“Faye, she’ll be fine. I’ll talk to her…”

“She doesn’t like you, Tom.”

“Since when?!”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Hey, I was wondering if Fred could come over in a little bit. You remember him, right?”

“Yeah, your drummer, is there something wrong?”

“No, I just kinda wanted to tell him the news, that’s all.” He shyly tossed his hair over his shoulder.

“Okay, that’d be fine.” I smiled.

“Great!” He kissed me.

It was two hours later that I heard a knock on the door. Tom bounced from the couch and opened the door.

“Fred!” He shouted.

“Tommy boy!” I heard a familiar man shout.

“Come on in, you remember Faye, right? My fiancé?” He winked down to Fred.

“Your fiancé?! Dude!” He walked in and Tom shut the door behind him. “You’re getting
married, man?!”

“Yep!” His childish grin shone from his boasting.

“Awesome!” Fred walked over and we shook hands. “Nice meeting ya again, and congrats.”
He was very friendly, just like I remembered.

“Here, I’ll get you a chair so we can sit down in the living room.” I smiled.

“Awww, you don’t have to do that. I’ll get Tom to do it,” he looked over, “go get me a chair!”
Tom squinted at Fred, infuriated. He then looked at me, and sighed. He walked over, got a chair, and placed it in the living room. Fred went down to sit, and the chair was pulled out from him. He fell right to the floor.

“Ah, you dick…” He grabs his back.

Tom chuckled and sat down next to me. Fred grabbed the chair and placed it by us.
Tom and Fred were basically describing their past stage step ups and weird experiences backstage.

“I swear to god, I saw a chick with a staple crammed up her-“

Tom awkwardly coughed, trying to remind him I was still in the room.

“Oh, uh, sorry…” He scratched his head.

“That’s fine.” I smiled.

“So, uh, I was talking to Eric, not our Eric, KISS Eric, and he said that Bruce Kulick was marrying a chick with the same last name as Faye.” He had no trouble quickly changing the subject.

“Really? Who is she?” Tom was curious.

“She’s the guitarist for that girl band that just came out. Was it…Crypteia?”

“Huh, never heard of it…”

“Yeah, she’s a babe! Any chick who knows her way around a guitar is just sexy.”

Tom just scoffs while I get uncomfortable.

“What is her name?” I interrupted.

“Oh, uh…Aubrey…no wait, Audrey, Audrey Moore.”

“I had no idea.”

“Yeah, pretty weird. Maybe I should snag myself a Moore girl?” He winked. “Oh! Did I tell you that our Eric got himself a chick?” He slapped Tom’s shoulder.

“No, really? That’s not unusual for Eric. Why you bringing it up?”

“She’s fucking hot! She’s a redhead.” He nudges Tom’s shoulder.

I felt like an unattractive whale in that room. I just turned to the window and stared out of it. Whatever, let them have their fun……Eric got a girlfriend? That fast? Huh…

“So, I gotta get out of here. I need some new pedals, but I’ll call you and keep you updated.” He lifted from the chair.

Tom also got up with him. “Yeah, that’d be cool. I’ll see ya around, Freddy.” Tom pats Fred on the back and then he walks out, with Tom shutting the door.

“Well, it’s that something…” I stretch.

Tom turns and looks at me, “so, you have family in other places, huh?”

I laughed, “no, not that I know of. Just a simple coincidence.” I smiled.

Tom walks over to me, “oh?”

I lift my brow, “what?”

“Oh, nothing, just checking you out is all…” He winks at me.

“Ha ha, suuure.” I slightly move in towards him.

I suddenly got flashbacks of Eric when I closed my eyes to look up at Tom. Why the hell was I thinking about that guy? What’s going on?!

Tom notices something isn’t right. “Is something wrong, sweetheart?” He caressed my cheek.

I shake myself. “Everything’s fine.” I quickly work up a smile.

“You sure, hun? You can tell me, I would really like to know what’s troubling you.” He steps backs.

I sigh. “There is something that I need to get off my chest…” I look down.

“Go on.” He stood without moving an each.

“Your friend, Eric. There was something going on when you were gone…”

The silence began…

“…um, I was spending time with him…as friends!”

“………” He still didn’t move his eyes away from me.

“There was a night where I was having those stomach ulcers…he was there, and he helped me through it when you couldn’t be there. But then it got a little out of hand…and…and he…kissed me while I was in bed. Tom, it didn’t mean anything, I promise-“

“Is that all that happened?” He interrupted.

“………We slept in the same bed that night.”

He took a couple steps back, and towards the kitchen. “Why didn’t you tell me this over our phone calls? Why did you hide it for so long?”

“…I don’t know, Tom. I didn’t think it was important.”

“Wasn’t important?! Some guy just kisses you and you don’t tell me?! You obviously don’t know how to stop somebody, Faye! You just let it happen!” He turned his back to me while grabbing his forehead.

“Tom, no, that’s not it. You weren’t there and I’ll I was ever doing was thinking about you. You weren’t out of my mind for a second! I just got so lonely, and Eric was willing to console me…” I walk over towards him.

He looks back to me, “Faye, I don’t know what to say.”

“I can see you’re angry with me.”

“I’m not angry at you…I’m just angry!”

“Please don’t bother Eric with this…he has a new person in his life. I’m sure he was confused, but nothing else happened between me and him. We’re just acquaintances.”
He takes a deep breath. “I won’t do anything. I think I need to go home. I need some time to think.”

I lower my head and pick it back up, regaining myself. “I…understand…”

Tom left without saying anything to me. I felt so bad…

I walk over to my room spotting Jen asleep in my bed with a record playing. I turn the music off and sat next to Jen. I lightly kissed her cheek and fell asleep myself.