Everything I Used to be is Coming Back to Torture Me
Leaving
Clover stood back and looked at the sleek, silver tour bus that the past three weeks of hard, exhausting practice culminated in. The past three weeks had flown by, and the day of their departure had arrived. In approximately twenty minutes, the band, Clover included—she had to keep reminding herself that she was, indeed, a member of the band; it all seemed so surreal that sometimes she forgot that this wasn’t a dream—would step up into that tour bus and leave Huntington Beach behind for Reading, Pennsylvania. There, they would meet up with the rest of the bands: Hollywood Undead, Stone Sour, and the newbie, New Medicine. Clover felt that this day also marked the official beginning of her new, independent life.
Not that the past three weeks hadn’t been full of new experiences. She’d been putting in twelve hour days at a minimum, arriving at the studio as early as 8 in the morning and rarely leaving until 10 at night. There was just so much to learn. The guys were all incredibly supportive and patient with her, however. They were remarkable teachers; despite having lots of pressure to do well, Clover never felt overwhelmed. They taught everything to her slowly and carefully, making sure she had one thing perfected before presenting a new concept to her. It had been the most exhausting three weeks of her life, but she couldn’t remember a time when she’d been happier.
Training was made easier by the amount of the songs she’d already memorized. The entire band admitted to being rather impressed with how much of the songs she already knew by heart. Sure, there were some parts she needed help with, but Clover proved to be a rapid learner and within no time she knew all the songs that they would play on tour like the back of her hand.
The band constantly told her they had every confidence that she would kick ass live in concert. She even looked good playing the drums; her body moved gracefully as she played and she made it look almost elegant. The band believed she would give the crowd an amazing concert experience. Clover, not used to receiving compliments about much of anything, blushed deep scarlet every time.
Clover turned away from the tour bus to see her band mates all saying farewell, so long, adios, to their significant others and friends. Her heart instantly sunk into her stomach. Seeing them all grouped together, hugging and kissing and laughing and crying, made her more than a little sad that she didn’t have anyone. Patricia and Stephen had insisted on sending her to a Christian private school rather than just letting her go to the public school, where she felt she would’ve been better off. She never fit in at the Christian school; they had all been Christian, but they were rich and snooty at the same time. Clover assumed that was how she’d gotten so good at playing the drums: drums were her life. She had no friends to hang out with so she just stayed home and practiced all the time.
“You’re not all that alone, honey,” Michelle, Brian’s wife, said with a reassuring smile as she walked over to Clover. She’d probably seen Clover standing awkwardly alone and being the sweetheart that she was, decided she hated seeing Clover so forlorn.
“Sure feels like it,” Clover answered, returning the hug that Michelle gave her. Michelle pulled away but kept a firm hold on Clover’s shoulders.
“You have all of us,” Michelle said. “We all care for you. You’re like our little sister. Just know that if ever on tour you start feeling like you’re alone in this world and there’s no one there to catch you if you fall, that we’re all here. We’re your safety net. All of the guys will be available at all times for you to talk to and if they’re busy, then you can call me. You’re not alone anymore, Clover.”
“That means a lot. I don’t think you realize what that means to me,” Clover said. Clover had never been the crying type, but if she was, she felt she’d be crying right now. Michelle had been the one to take Clover under her wing. She hadn’t necessarily been Clover’s step-in mother, but she’d been more like an older sister at least. She had let Clover sleep in the spare bedroom of the Haner household. She had let Clover eat breakfast with them and even packed a lunch for her since the band never went home to eat because they were crunched for time. Clover was grateful for everything she’d done for her over the past three weeks.
“You know, I think I’m going to miss you while you’re gone,” Michelle admitted. Clover smiled and they exchanged another hug.
“Hey, you, stop hogging my wife!” Brian snapped playfully, shaking his finger at Clover as he walked over. He slipped an arm around Michelle’s waist and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips as Clover rolled her eyes.
“You should be concerned if she wants to spend more time with me than with you,” Clover retorted.
“Shush it, you,” Brian grumbled, shooing Clover away. Clover grinned and turned towards the bus, following the others as they climbed up into it after having said their final farewells. Brian kissed Michelle once more before climbing up into the bus as well.
Not that the past three weeks hadn’t been full of new experiences. She’d been putting in twelve hour days at a minimum, arriving at the studio as early as 8 in the morning and rarely leaving until 10 at night. There was just so much to learn. The guys were all incredibly supportive and patient with her, however. They were remarkable teachers; despite having lots of pressure to do well, Clover never felt overwhelmed. They taught everything to her slowly and carefully, making sure she had one thing perfected before presenting a new concept to her. It had been the most exhausting three weeks of her life, but she couldn’t remember a time when she’d been happier.
Training was made easier by the amount of the songs she’d already memorized. The entire band admitted to being rather impressed with how much of the songs she already knew by heart. Sure, there were some parts she needed help with, but Clover proved to be a rapid learner and within no time she knew all the songs that they would play on tour like the back of her hand.
The band constantly told her they had every confidence that she would kick ass live in concert. She even looked good playing the drums; her body moved gracefully as she played and she made it look almost elegant. The band believed she would give the crowd an amazing concert experience. Clover, not used to receiving compliments about much of anything, blushed deep scarlet every time.
Clover turned away from the tour bus to see her band mates all saying farewell, so long, adios, to their significant others and friends. Her heart instantly sunk into her stomach. Seeing them all grouped together, hugging and kissing and laughing and crying, made her more than a little sad that she didn’t have anyone. Patricia and Stephen had insisted on sending her to a Christian private school rather than just letting her go to the public school, where she felt she would’ve been better off. She never fit in at the Christian school; they had all been Christian, but they were rich and snooty at the same time. Clover assumed that was how she’d gotten so good at playing the drums: drums were her life. She had no friends to hang out with so she just stayed home and practiced all the time.
“You’re not all that alone, honey,” Michelle, Brian’s wife, said with a reassuring smile as she walked over to Clover. She’d probably seen Clover standing awkwardly alone and being the sweetheart that she was, decided she hated seeing Clover so forlorn.
“Sure feels like it,” Clover answered, returning the hug that Michelle gave her. Michelle pulled away but kept a firm hold on Clover’s shoulders.
“You have all of us,” Michelle said. “We all care for you. You’re like our little sister. Just know that if ever on tour you start feeling like you’re alone in this world and there’s no one there to catch you if you fall, that we’re all here. We’re your safety net. All of the guys will be available at all times for you to talk to and if they’re busy, then you can call me. You’re not alone anymore, Clover.”
“That means a lot. I don’t think you realize what that means to me,” Clover said. Clover had never been the crying type, but if she was, she felt she’d be crying right now. Michelle had been the one to take Clover under her wing. She hadn’t necessarily been Clover’s step-in mother, but she’d been more like an older sister at least. She had let Clover sleep in the spare bedroom of the Haner household. She had let Clover eat breakfast with them and even packed a lunch for her since the band never went home to eat because they were crunched for time. Clover was grateful for everything she’d done for her over the past three weeks.
“You know, I think I’m going to miss you while you’re gone,” Michelle admitted. Clover smiled and they exchanged another hug.
“Hey, you, stop hogging my wife!” Brian snapped playfully, shaking his finger at Clover as he walked over. He slipped an arm around Michelle’s waist and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips as Clover rolled her eyes.
“You should be concerned if she wants to spend more time with me than with you,” Clover retorted.
“Shush it, you,” Brian grumbled, shooing Clover away. Clover grinned and turned towards the bus, following the others as they climbed up into it after having said their final farewells. Brian kissed Michelle once more before climbing up into the bus as well.
♠ ♠ ♠
I'd like to take this time to promote New Medicine. THEY FREAKING ROCK SO GO TO YOUTUBE AND LISTEN TO "RICH KIDS" BECAUSE IT'S AWESOME.*clears throat*
Just do it.