Until the End

Jimmy had been right, tonight was a night I’d never forget. All the bands played better than I had ever imagined, especially Avenged. I mean, I had watched videos on YouTube but it was nothing compared to actually being there. Even greater, the Berrys had let me go into the crowd for the Avenged set. It was amazing.

“That was incredible!” I exclaimed, hopping up and down when I returned to the stage once everyone cleared out. Everyone laughed at me as the band wiped themselves off with towels.

“I vote we celebrate!” Jimmy exclaimed, pumping a fist into the air. We all just stared at him, blinking. “Bar, duhh.”

“I can’t Jimbo. I’m underage.” This caused the drummer to pout, arms crossed over his chest. Matt let out a ‘hmm’, looking at the watch attached to his wrist.

“Well, if we went out the back gate we could make a liquor run.” Jimmy let out a cheer, dancing in place.

“Okay well you guys go and we’ll pack up. Hopefully we’ll get done by the time you get back,” Jason spoke. We all nodded in agreement and the five hopped off stage as we began to take everything apart. Twenty minutes later, the fastest I think we will ever do this, and I was pooped. I let out a sigh, sitting cross legged on the empty stage. We had even packed everything onto the trailer already.

“So tired,” I moaned. The Berrys sat down on either side of me, Jason draping an arm across my shoulders.

“Don’t worry, usually it’s not so tiresome. We kind of just rushed it so your muscles probably wanna kick your ass,” Jason informed.

“You can say that again,” I muttered. I looked at my phone to see it was only nine o’clock. The night was nowhere near over, I just knew it. Just then, as if on cue, a giant jumped on stage, a brown bag held above his head.

“Momma, the alcohol fairy is back!” Jimmy shouted, pulling me off my butt to dance with him. And by that I mean jump around the stage like an idiot.

“Has he been drinking already?” I called to his band mates who were calmly walking onstage, each with their own small brown bag holding some form of liquor in it. Johnny clenched a white, plastic bag in one hand that probably held even more alcohol.

“Half that forty is down so he’s buzzed,” Brian replied. I looked up at the tall man still holding one of my hands as he paused. On his face was a shit eating grin that would put the Cheshire Cat to shame.

“Let’s get fucked up!” Jimmy exclaimed, forcing the bottle of alcohol into my hand. I sighed, grasping the neck of the bottle.

“Bottoms up,” I said before taking a swig. I almost choked on it as it tried to flow down my throat. Instead I tuned my head to face off stage, since we stood at the edge, and spat it into the grass. “Oh fuck that. Please tell me someone bought some rum.”

“Got it,” Johnny announced, raising the bag in his hand to reach belt level.

“Now we’re in business boys,” I informed, grinning.

- Time Lapse -

“You can find me in the club, bottle full of bub. Look mami I got the X if you into taking drugs. I'm into having sex, I ain't into making love. So come give me a hug if you into to getting rubbed.” Jimmy and I sang together. We were both pretty gone. Well, I actually just had a really good buzz while Jimmy was fucking smashed. Someone, I can’t remember who anymore, had brought out a boom box and placed in a mix CD. Most of them were ‘clubbing songs’ so me and Jimmy were living it up.

Jimmy swayed forward suddenly, my small frame having to catch him before he face planted it. I, for some reason, began to giggle uncontrollably. “Whoa there Jim Jam, maybe you should just sit down.”

“Yeah, you’re right Hades,” Jimmy replied laughing a bit. I helped him sit beside the bus so he could lean back on it. Matt, Johnny, and the Berrys had retired to bed twenty minutes ago. It was now about twelve-thirty and I think we were suppose to be leaving soon. Thor was getting last minute arrangements done and Zacky and Brian were on the bus, drinking and watching movies.

“Stay here for a minute, okay Jimbo?” He numbly nodded, letting me know he had heard me. I unplugged the boom box from it’s extension cord, taking both electric items onto the bus. I placed them both on the couch that was unoccupied. I ran a hand through my bangs to brush them backwards over my head and mix in with my hair. Brian was passed out on the couch with Zacky too engrossed in the movie to notice my presence. Plus I think he was a bit tipsy so he probably couldn’t notice anyway.

As I walked off the bus I could hear Jimmy muttering some incoherent words under his breath. I kneeled down to see the drummer have his eyes closed, heading bobbing up and down once in a while like he was trying to fight off sleep. I lightly shook his shoulder which caused him to groan. “Fuck off Leana.”

“Leana?” I echoed, utterly confused. His attitude literally seemed to get violent in a blink of an eye. His eyes shot open, but they seemed misted over. I tilted my head to the side, biting my lip nervously. “Jimmy?”

“Don’t call me that,” he snarled, causing me to jump and fall back onto my butt. “You are a vile little bitch. I hope you fucking rot in hell.”

“Jimmy, it’s me! Hades!” I exclaimed, holding up my hands in defense as Jimmy was leaning forward, looking more and more pissed as each moment passed. Suddenly his face went blank, his head tilting to the side in a fashion familiar to how I had only a minute before.

“Hey Hades. I’m really sleepy. I’m going to bed.”

“No Jimmy, not out - ” Before I could finish my sentence the drummer fell sideways onto the ground, a light snoring exiting his mouth. I sighed, slapping a palm to my forehead. Now how the hell was I going to get him inside? I stood to my feet and walked onto the bus again. “Zee!”

“Yeah?” He paused The Grudge to look over towards me.

“Come help me with Jimmy.” He nodded, standing to his feet. I led the way off the bus over to the passed out man. Zacky chuckled, shaking his head a bit.

“He never knows when to quit.”

“Well help me out.” Together the two of us stood him to his feet, his right side slouching for the simple fact I was much shorter than Zacky. Somehow we dragged him up the stairs and to his bunk. Zacky gave the final push so Jimmy laid in his bunk before walking off to fetch Brian. I covered Jimmy with a blanket before pushing back his bangs from his forehead. “What’s going on in that head of yours Jimbo?”

“God Brian, you are fat,” Zacky groaned as he dragged the guitarist into the room.

“Fuck you tubby,” Brian muttered. Zacky all but tossed him into his bunk, sighing as he headed back off into the living room. I looked between my bunk and the living room before deciding to follow Zacky. Just as I crossed the threshold of the bunkroom the bus jolted into motion. I fell forward, not so gracefully landing on my face. I groaned, flipping myself over.

‘Fucking buses,” I muttered sitting up. Zacky chuckled and patted the spot next to him on the couch as he pressed play on the movie. I sat next to him, staring at the screen though I wasn’t sure what was happening. I finally sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Hey Zacky?”

“Yeah?”

“Who’s Leana?” There was a pause for a moment. After what seemed like an eternity he spoke.

“Where’d you hear that name from?”

“Jimmy freaked out on me outside. He called me Leana. Said she was a vile bitch and something about rotting in hell.” Zacky sighed, pausing the television yet again.

“Leana was his ex from a few months ago. She was actually his fiancée.”

“Fiancée?” I echoed. He nodded. “What happened?”

“Once day Jimmy comes home and catches her in their bed with another man, simple as that. Through a few fights they had Jimmy found out she had been seeing the other guy for two months. He went ballistic, dumped her and tossed all her shit out the window.”

“Poor Jimmy,” I sighed, shaking my head. Who the hell would do that to someone like him?

“And adding insult to injury, Leana was pregnant. Came out that she laughed in Jimmy’s face and said, and I quote, ‘who the hell would have a child with you? You don’t deserve to be a father.’ Jimmy really took that to heart. His father told him the same thing when he was a teenager. He’s been beating himself up over it ever since then, even if he won’t admit it.” I let this sink. I suddenly felt an uncontrollable rage towards this Leana girl. She had been so cruel to Jimmy who didn’t deserve it in the least. “You okay Hayden?”

“I’m fine, why?” He pointed to my hand. I looked down to see my nails had dug into my palms so much that I had begun to bleed a little. I quickly unclenched my fists and took a deep breath through my nose. I stood to my feet, looking anywhere but at Zacky. “I’m going to bed.”

“Goodnight.”

“Night.” I quickly left the room to head into the bunkroom. I was too lazy to go change in the bathroom so I tossed off my shoes and just climbed in fully clothed. I turned on my side so my back was to the opening of the bunk and pulled my comforter over my body. I vowed that I would never let Jimmy be that hurt again, not as long as I’m around.