Unveiling The Unexpected

We played a show today, and I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to force Kelsey and Remy to spend some quality time together. Every time I try to get the two of them to bond, they resist like opposite ends of a magnet. And as much as I hoped Kelsey would want to spend the show watching from the sides with Remy, I guess I was just being naïve in my thinking. Remy stayed back with Chelsea and the rest of The Summer Set, and Kelsey, well, lets just say I was going to have to have a conversation with her when it was all over.

Standing in the rest of the crowd, a red cup full of alcohol held high above her head, Kelsey spent the show dancing and grinding with people whom she had never met before. I tried to concentrate on the music, but it was hard with Kelsey making such a mess of herself right in front of me.

I knew I messed up on a bunch of songs, and I knew perfectionist-Alex would be livid.

I didn’t stick around after the show with the guys, too afraid to witness the wrath of my friends. Instead I hurried straight to where Remy and the other band was, letting myself into their room. The backpack I had left Chelsea, filled with Remy’s favorite books, some food if she got hungry, and her blanket and Monkey, had been spilled on to the floor. Similarly to the train set incident, Chelsea was holding court with the rest of the band, reading aloud a Dr. Seuss book for everyone, including Remy. While she sat cross-legged on a chair, everyone else sat on the floor, completely transfixed.

I expected Remy to race into my arms, but she just looked up at me and smiled. “Hi, Zacky,” she said. The others in the band voiced their individual ‘hellos.’

“We heard you guys perform, Zack,” Chelsea added, flipping to the next page. Remy squealed – this one was her favorite. “You guys sounded grea–“

“Zack!” I heard a girl exclaim, and when I turned to the side, Kelsey was stumbling down the hallway. Her red cup was still in her hand, clear liquid sloshing everywhere. “Zack I was – I was looking all over for you!” I felt a blush creep up my neck towards my cheeks, and I could hear the guys and girls in The Summer Set’s dressing room whispering behind my back. From the corner of my eye I saw Jess Bowen take Remy into her lap, distracting her from what everyone knew was going to turn into a shit-show really soon.

“Kelsey,” I responded through gritted teeth. “Relax.”

“I am relaxed!” She exclaimed, wrapping a shaky arm around my waste. Vodka spilled out of her drink and on to the floor. I cringed.

I turned my head towards the other band. All I wanted was to go back to the bus and watch a movie with Remy, then maybe read her a book and eventually put her to bed. But it looked like fate had other plans for me tonight. Without even saying a word, Chelsea decided to take matters into her own hands. “Maybe Remy should stay with us tonight.”

I reluctantly nodded.

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“You need to sit down right now,” I snapped. Kelsey’s eyes went wide, but she did as I said and fell back into the bunk. “What the fuck were you thinking!?” I exclaimed, beginning to pace back and forth. “You completely embarrassed me, you embarrassed yourself, and – and –“ When I looked back at Kelsey, tears were forming in the corners of her eyes, and her bottom lip was beginning to quiver. “And you’re not even going to remember any of this tomorrow, are you?” I muttered, sitting down on the bunk across from her.

“I just want you to pay attention to me,” Kelsey whispered. “You spend so much time with Remy, I feel so pushed to the side…”

“Look, I’m sorry… I really am,” I replied honestly. “But I didn’t think this is what it would be like, being back together. Maybe – maybe this was a bad idea…”

“No!” Shouted Kelsey, lunging forward to straddle me. I chalked it up to her just being drunk. “Please, Zack, we can make it work. We can figure it out.” I nodded dumbly, because this was what I wanted, right?