I Wish I Could Be the One

Normal POV…

“Ok, are you boys ready to blow the doors off this place…wait…strike that, this one’s outside…ok, how about…are you boys ready to rip the grass off this field…shit, I am totally not on point today am I?”

“Ah…no, Bear…you kind of sound like a bumbling idiot to be perfectly honest with you.” Johnny replied. “Well, that’s comforting considering whom that comment just came from.” I laughed, as I poked Johnny’s stomach.

“Johnny, leave Berry alone…she’s still trying to adjust to her new role as our resident ‘hot sales lady’…all the money she’s been raking in is going to her head…she can’t think straight.” Jimmy tried explaining my sudden loopy-ness to the little one.

“But, Babe, I’m going to warn you…we’re only going to stand for this ‘but I’m such a hottie’ act for a few more days…then you’re going to have to grow your brain back and start your chores again…the wheels on the van are starting to look really grimy…” Jimmy said, trying to sound as serious as possible and loud enough for everyone to hear. And of course that got him some chuckles…

“Goddamn you, spotlight stealer…do you really think your twisted little humor is any match for ‘Super B’?” I asked, as I immediately went into my best Wonder Woman pose.

“Wow, Bear…you’re going all ‘super hero creative’ on us and shit…now tell us, what exactly does that elusive ‘B’ stand for? Would it be…Super Bitch? Super Boob? Oh wait…I know, Super Boner!” This, from Shadly, the ‘yes I find my feet highly interesting’ guy…

“Geesh, Shads…what are you paying Johnny rent for those jokes? How in God’s name did I ever miss you pulling a sense of humor out of your ass? Take it easy though, ok Buddy…you have to start out slow with that shit.” I snickered as I stood on my tippy toes and squeezed Shads face. “You need to make sure you keep it check, ok? Because if you don’t, this Super Bitch is going to squish your face so hard that I’ll make your darling little dimples even deeper.” I ended up making little red spots on his cheeks after taking my hands away.

“Hey, hey, hey…Super Boob…hands off the ‘merchandise’ baby…I’m going out on stage…my adoring fans need to see me in all my beauty and glory.” Shads said as he grabbed my arms.

“Wow, Shadly, I cannot believe you were just able to say that with a straight face…and if it’s beauty they want…you damn well better send your Benny out there instead, because you sure the hell won’t be winning any pageants any time soon.” I said as I shoved him into Jimmy.

“Hey, what did I do to deserve that? I’m just an innocent bystander here…and you go and throw this ‘big brut’ at me? And I was going to be nice and tell you that you looked very ‘do-able’ tonight.” Jimmy whined.

“I’m sorry Jimmy, my boy, but the time for shameless complimenting has passed. You had your chance a few days ago…you blew it baby.” I teased.

So…yeah…things had pretty much returned to normal, after the emotional fiasco from a few days ago. A couple of nights, filling our bellies with food and beer, can do wonders for a few damaged psyches’. Well most of them anyway. There was still one fellow who hadn’t quite settled back down to normal yet. Which made things a tad uncomfortable whenever we were near each other. There definitely wasn’t a whole lot of conversation going back and forth between Gates and I, that’s for sure. And I was genuinely missing him. I had no idea that he’d react the way he did, and at this point, I was even willing to accept his reasoning for not wanting to be with me…I just wanted his friendship back, in the very least.

“Berry, give the boys their kiss-eez and let’s skedaddle…they have to go on.” Mother Val shouted over to me.

In turn, I gave each one of our boys my traditional ‘have a good show’ pecks on the cheek…Little Dude first…then Jimmy, who always seemed to try and slap my ass now, and Shads – whose ass I’d always slap, then Zacky would make his stop just before heading up the stairs. Gates was always last, but for the second show in a row, he just hurried past me as I tried smiling at him to get his attention…guitar already in hand. So much for his… ‘But I don’t want to hurt her’…excuse. I was starting to over-focus on why I was the one getting punished here, and for what exactly…I hadn’t a clue. I wasn’t about to let anyone know that’s probably why I seemed a little flighty lately…I was preoccupied with trying to process everything I had learned in the past couple of days and none of it was adding up in my head. You could cut the tension with a knife though, and it made me sad. I also kind of noticed I wasn’t alone…he had a tendency to hang back from the boys as well. So I’m not even going to try and figure out what’s going through that man’s head at this point.

“Benny…did you seriously just use the word ‘skedaddle’?” I shouted as I ran to catch up with Val.

******

“He totally wouldn’t look at me again.” I said as I gave Val the update.

“I know, I saw.” She replied, sounding a little bummed out.

“Never mind Val, I’ll just stop talking about him…I’m sorry if I’m bothering you about it.” I said halfheartedly…I mean, she’s my best friend, why wouldn’t I complain to her? I know more about her and Shads than anybody should ever know about another couple.

Yeah…that’s right dumbass… ‘Couple’ would be the operative word in that sentence, I thought to myself, as I was trying to get past the uncomfortable silence that had formed between Val and I.

“Babe, it’s not that I don’t want you to come to me with anything…but, part of why I told you about what he said, was so you might be able to get past your feelings for him a little and start to move on.” She looked at me hopefully.

Was she fucking kidding me? I opened my mouth to respond, but what could I really say…she was right, I guess.

“Well, anyway…you know what happened at a show one of the last times you didn’t get your kisses in…Zacky fell off the stage…it might happen again, only worse!” She giggled, trying her best to make me stop thinking about what she had just said to me.

“Yeah, you’re right.” I simply said as I locked my arm in hers.

“About which part?” Val asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Both.”