There Will Be Rain

Gustav

“OH YEAH, WHAT THE FUCK YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT!”

This guy was a complete and utter asshole, period. His eyes were glazed over as he squinted to get me in focus, his legs stumbling desperately getting nearer and nearer.
The girl I held in my arms winced and flinched in my grasp, clutching tighter to my black v neck.

Protectively my skinny, yet muscular arms wrapped tighter around her body bringing her as close to me as I possibly could. I hated boys who hit girls; it was on my many lists of dislikes, violence was another...but this guy was really pushing my buttons.

A long time ago I used to be a guy that craved this sort of shit, picking fights on anybody, anywhere. As a teenager I got worse, I dabbled in drugs, got drunk way too often and got caught countless times on the wrong side of the law. That was the dark side of me, a side I hated; but I waved that part of me goodbye, made it disappear like magic…but slowly tonight, I feared it was going to make an ugly reappearance.

“I SAID WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU…GOING TO DO ABOUT IT!”

He got right up in my face, the once familiar smell of weed causing my nose to wrinkle in disgust, along with the girl’s in my arms. She whimpered softly into my v neck, wetness seeping through as her escaping tears soaking the material; She dug her face further into my chest hiding under the crook of my neck, her beautiful brown hair tickling my neck ever so.

“Please make him stop”

She whispered ever so quietly, her warm breath escaping her pale lips and hitting my neck. It was freezing out here now, in a short amount of time the temperature had dropped considerably. I rubbed her upper arms in a last ditch attempt to warm her up, she was only in shorts and long draping shirt…she must have been freezing.

“Simon”

I whisper yell over my shoulder, trying to catch the glance of my band mate. He cautiously walked up next to my side, looking down at the crying girl incased in my grip.

“Take her back to the bus”

I instructed to him coldly, loosening my grip around her and handing her over to Simon; she looked at me with need embedded deep in her brown spheres. I smiled half heartedly trying to reassure her I would be back and not to worry.

Her friend from before stood close to Me, John, Fraser and Ben, her eyes trailing after her best friend as Simon led her to the bus. I nodded at her and then towards the bus, signaling for her to go ahead and follow. She smiled at me thankfully, her emerald eyes tearing up slightly before she ran to catch Simon up.

Once I had made sure Simon was securely in the bus with the two girls, I turned on my heel to come nose to nose with the guy that was making my blood violently rage.

“You better get the fuck out of here now before I call the police”

I threatened my voice raising a few octaves, pointing a finger at his chest. John and Fraser placing an arm on my shoulder, their faces registering with panic and fear, I just shrugged them off not even acknowledging their gazes.

“Ohh I’m so fucking scared, boo hoo I hit the bitch, she fucking deserved it”

Final straw…

I lurched my tiny frame forward and before Ben, John or Fraser could stop me, clenching my fist into a tight ball I collided it square into the boys face; a earth shattering crunch echoing through the silence, exasperated gasps bringing me crashing down to reality.

The boy grasped his nose tightly inspecting the ruby red fluid trailing slowly down his face, anger surged through his eyes, he launched into an instant retaliation but he was held back by this guy as was I with my band mates.

“You better take him home yeah?”

Ben demanded with a hint of concern and directed it at the boy holding his friend back. He was the boy from before...he was with the two girls, he looked from me to the bus and back again, second guessing whether to do as Ben said or not.

“But my girlfriend Isobelle is on your bus with our best friend…and he is not my friend”

He said simply, hoping this would be a good excuse not to have to leave and take care of a complete jackass. He let go of his grip on the boy I beat, and this time the boy made no
attempt to counterattack.

“It’s alright we’ll look after them, we’ll get them back safe tomorrow morning. They’re in no fit state to leave now”

Fraser spoke up from behind me, he was holding onto the back of my shirt. My heart began to regain normal rhythm, the pounding against my ribcage subsiding. The boy nodded in agreement before escorting himself and his so called mate off the premises.

“Gustav, what the fuck!”

John demanded his eyes fiery with anger and rage. Dipping my head low in disappointment I shrugged my shoulders as the grips on me released. Kicking at the tarmac in the venue parking lot, I mentally cussed myself; I had worked so hard not to return to being that Gustav and in one moment, in a moment of rage, anger and weakness I had easily slipped into old habits.

“I just hate the way boys think they can treat girls like a fucking punching bag”

I spat through clenched teeth, my every muscle tensing at the thought.

“Can we just go check they’re okay?”

Nodding over to the tour bus, Ben, John and Fraser just shrugged their shoulders almost sensing my want to drop the whole subject. Turning on my heel I made my way anxiously into the bus; once I entered I saw Isobelle on one of the couches glaring over to the other couch on the other side. She was glaring at her best friend, the one that got hurt who was sitting next to Simon, legs hunched up to her chest.

Noting our arrival, she looked up at me with her brown eyes her mascara dried into her now reddened face. Nobody said anything, the whole bus was consumed in silence as everyone fidgeted nervously, me and her however never breaking gaze.

After what seemed like forever, she mouthed a brief “thank you”, I shrugged my shoulder and mouthed “you’re welcome” in return, to which she responded with a genuine smile. Her best friend Isobelle however broke the unwelcomed silence, causing her best friend to stare up at her from the couch bewildered as Isobelle stood up.

“Jemma can I talk with you for a minute…in private”

She emphasized “in private” as she gestured to all of us boys, it made me feel slightly awkward and put on the spot. Jemma shrugged and stood up as they made their way towards the back lounge of the bus. The simple shutting of the doors welcomed a silence yet again, their voices muffled as us boys looked at one another not saying a word.

Nervously I fiddled with the laces of my black trainers looking anywhere but at their stares, I didn’t need lecturing not tonight.

“WHAT! Why didn’t you tell me”

All heads snapped up towards the back before Isobelle was Shhh’ed and the level of noise decreased instantly. Sighing inwardly I felt regretful, not because I punched the guy but because I’d become the one person I used to hate and I should feel guilty, but I didn’t not one bit I did it for a purpose.

After what seemed like hours but in reality was only a couple of seconds, Jemma and Isobelle returned to meet us. Both seemed to be more at ease after clearing whatever up and came to sit back down. Jemma sat down by me, while Isobelle sat by John, Fraser and Ben on the opposite couch.

“We should maybe get going now”

Isobelle spoke first, quickly I raised my head making Jemma and Simon jump at my fast reactions, I looked into Isobelle’s eyes before responding with a quick,

“No, you can’t not tonight. I told your boyfriend you staying here tonight; he took him home as well”

Adding as much venom I referred to I guess Jemma’s now ex boyfriend as “him”, Isobelle nodded in agreement before leaning back into the couch comfortably.

“Isobelle…I’m so sorry”

The guys and me all looked up confused, our eyes bouncing to and fro the two girls rapidly encouraging either of them to elaborate, why was Jemma sorry?

“I’m sorry we ruined your 18th birthday”

Isobelle dismissed it off with a wave of her hand and a quick smile over to Jemma; I noticed Simon on my side get tense in shock, oh shit! This kid believed in celebrating all events no matter what

“BACK THIS MOTHER FUCKING SHIT UP….IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY!”

He shouted pointing vividly towards Isobelle, she nodded in response obviously not wanting to think about her birthday after everything that happened with Jemma tonight.

“We need to celebrate then!”

Simon jumped up onto the couch jumping up and down, I swear he had the mental age of a five year old. Isobelle sighed out loud as did Jemma besides me, they were not in the party mood and I didn’t blame them.

“Simon, dude maybe that’s not such a good…”

I began to protest and reason that having a party was not a good idea in the slightest, however as he rapidly keyed numbers and letters into his phone in seconds he slid down the screen before grinning widely.

“DONE!”

A unified groan erupted from the rest of us, Ben held his head in his hand tutting at Simon.
Turning my attention to Isobelle and Jemma I mouthed a silent “sorry”, they just smiled and ignored Simon’s childishness.

This was going to be one very, very long night.