I Ain't Waiting For The World To Change

I laughed really hard! „I promise you a second date,“ I answered. „Oh and for the record it's Emma.“ I saw their confused glances and added: „It's my second name.“
„Kimberley Emma Aldrin?“ Brian asked and laughed. „That's so stuffy!“
„Thought you'd know my mom,“ I said and shrugged.

„Okay, think we're done here and think you can go back on your feet now, Christ,“ Matt directed at Johnny. We walked out of the room and I saw Nap on the floor – taking a nap.
„Do you have plans for tonight?“ Zacky asked.
„No, why are you asking?”

“Gena is visiting her family tonight, thought you'd like to come over and we could watch a movie or something like that,” he suggested.
“Hitting on my girl?” Johnny asked while his arms were around my shoulders.
“She's not your girl, if you're only dating,” Zacky corrected and put his arm around my waist.
“Okay, guys. Arrange it among yourselves!” I said and got rid of their arms. I whistled shortly and Nap raised his head. “Come on buddy, we're heading home,” I said and patted my thigh. He was at my side and we headed towards the door.

“See you at eight. And bring some beer,” Zacky yelled after me and I nodded, not sure if he had seen it.

-x-

“Be sure you drive safe,” Papa Gates said. I was sitting in the car and was still tired. Matt and I had brought Bella, Napoleon, Majesty and Icky. He would take care of them while we were on the road.
“Next stop Vengeance Manor,” Matt said and drove the way to Zacky's house. When we arrived most of them were already there. We would drive in two Vans and one car. Matt and I would drive the car with the dogs, while the others would take the Vans.

“Who's missing?” I asked after letting the window down.
“Christ, Syn and Michelle,” Zacky answered. I nodded and lent my head at the frame while closing my eyes. I heard them talking but didn't listen what about.
“Am I the last one?” I heard someone next to me and frightened. I opened my eyes and saw Johnny in front of me.

“No, Syn and Michelle are still missing,” I answered and eyed the coffee cup in his hands.
“Oh yeah, for you, I know you're grumpy without coffee,” he said and handed me the cup.
“Sweet, thanks,” I took it gratefully and smiled at him.
“Aw, that's so cute,” I heard someone behind us and guessed it was Val. Johnny walked around the car and opened the trunk door so Peanut could take his place. We had rebuilt the car so there was more space for the dogs and no backseats.

I saw Michelle, Brian and their dog walking towards us and yelled after Matt. From there on it didn't take us long to be on the road. I put on my CD and drank my coffee luckily.

“Matt, there's a restaurant and I bet there's some coffee, too. What 'bout calling the others and asking if we take lunch? And the dogs also need some under run.”
“Call them,” he simply said and I took the cell.
We met on the parking lot and headed towards the restaurant and earned some confused glances. We were a really big group and the guys all tattooed. They didn't have a table for all of us so I ended up at a table right between Johnny and JB on the opposite from Michelle and Brian.

Brian tried to tease Johnny and me but we both put it off. Of course he had told Michelle what was going on, but JB had no idea.
When we were about to leave I told them to wait so I could grab another coffee. “I don't think it's that healthy to drink that much coffee a day,” Michelle said when I joined them with a big cup in my hand.

“So, you're all smoking and I don't complain 'bout it,” I said and walked towards the car where Matt was already inside. He had started the CD and 'Pretty Fly' was blaring.
“You're kidding me,” he said while I took my seat next to him with a smile on his face. I started to sing along while Matt started the engine.
“Give it to me baby,” I roared along The Offspring. “Come on Mattie, that's fun. Sing along,” I said.

“Give it to me baby,” I sang again, louder this time and Matt took the “Uh huh, uh huh!” part. When Matt left the parking lot, we passed the van where Johnny, Val, Gena, Zacky and JB were getting into the car and started laughing while we drove past them and sang along. I put out my tongue and got a rebuke from Matt 'cause I had missed my entry.
The next song started and we sang along too. It was pretty much fun even if I'm not the greatest singer.

“Living easy, loving free, season ticket on a one way ride,” we started as my phone was ringing. I answered it while Matt was still singing.
“You're okay there? 'cause from what we heard you were deep in pain,” Zacky said.
“Everything's fine. Matt and I are having fun, you're just jealous. And if you excuse me please, we're now on our highway to hell,” I said and disconnected. We still had a three hour drive – at least.

After two hours we had to take a stop again. The dogs were getting nervous. “I'll take a walk with them,” I told Matt who was on the phone and simply nodded. I walked a bit and turned around as I heard footsteps right behind me. It was just Johnny. “Gosh, please let me drive with you,” he begged.
“'Cause Matt and I am having fun?” I asked.

“'Cause they're bugging me and asking me questions for two fuckin' hours. Please I'll take a seat with the dogs, just pleeeease save me.” I chuckled.
“Ow come on, can't be that bad. And it's just another hour till we arrive,” I tried to cheer him up.
“A hour is far too much!”, he mumbled.
“You know if our stuff had already arrived?” I changed the subject.

“Yeah, it's all there. Your new drums also,” he answered. It hurt to know that I had to play on new drums, especially some which I didn't know. It may seem strange, but I had my drums for so many years and got used to them.
“Okay,” I said and put on a fake smile. “Think we should go back on the road, if we don’t want to be late,” I said and turned around.

-x-

“So, where are my new drums?” I asked as we entered the hall.
“Just wait a bit, I need to check them first,” JB said and disappeared. We didn't have the time to check in our hotel. We followed some guy who headed towards our wardrobe room. By the way I didn't know what I should wear that night. I couldn't wear my usual stuff 'cause my shoulder was ugly as fuck!

I searched between the guys’ clothes for something to wear. “What are you doin'?” Brian asked.
“Searching for something to wear, as my clothes don’t fit,” I answered.
“Yeah I also noticed you earned some weight the last days,” he said and I turned around.
“Oh, oh,” I heard from the others, while I glared at the men in front of me.
I decided to let that subject drop and turned around. “Is the merch already here?” I asked.
“Yeah, why?” Zacky responded.

“I need something,” I said and walked out of the room and searched for the right boxes. When I found the VU boxes I took a big shirt out of it and walked right back to the room. “How much time till the show starts?” I asked.
“About two hours,” Val answered.
“God, I'll see what JB is doin'.” I turned towards the door after dropping the shirt. “Oh and Val, I'll need your help later.” I walked down the hall and followed the signs. I saw the stage and I don't know why, but I had a bad feeling. MB saw me. “Don't be nervous. I promise you, we'll check everything twice by ourselves,” he promised. I nodded and continued my way towards the drums. I don't know why, but they seemed familiar.

It took me some minutes until I finally recognized them. “They gave me Jimmy's drums?” I asked confused. JB nodded with a big grin on his face. I gulped and he laughed.
“You know we all trust you, so trust yourself,” he said and faced the drums again.
“Everything alright?” I heard someone behind me and recognized Johnny's voice.
“Yeah,” I said and my voice cracked a bit.
“You know you're not fat, right. Don't take it to heart,” he said.
“I don't give a shit 'bout Brian's comment,” I answered truly.

“Then why does your voice sounds like you're crying?”
I turned around and looked into his deep brown eyes. “'Cause I'm touched that I got Jimmy's drums,” I said and he wrapped his arms around me.
“I would've kicked Brian's ass if he'd made you cry,” he said and I chuckled.
“As if that would ever happen!”

He let me off and we stood there and watched while JB was doing his job. “Try them?” he finally asked and grateful I pulled out my drum stick – which I basically always had in my pockets and hit the drum. I tried some basics and then a big grin appeared on my face which also caused JB and Johnny to grin. “Perfect,” I said.
“How much time is left?” I asked.
“They'll open the doors soon.”

„Think I need to change, you do the fine-tuning?“ I asked JB who nodded and headed back. „Where's Val?“ I asked.
„She's at the merch boot. May I help you?“ Gena asked.
„Yeah, if you don't mind. Uhm, I need to change my bandage and...“
„Sure, let's go to the bathroom,“ she said and I grabbed my things. I could hear some screams so the crowd was inside the hall now.

In the bathroom I took off my shirt and my bra and covered my breasts with my left hand. Gena turned towards me and gently removed the bandage.
„Ouch, doesn't look good. Does it hurt?“ she asked while she creamed the injured skin.
„To be honest it burns like hell when I move it much.“
„But you have to be on stage for over an hour...“
„...and I hope the adrenalin will make me forget the pain. I can't take some painkillers, I get sleepy when I take them.“ She put on a new bandage and I put my bra on before slipping into the shirt. „Are there scissors in the box?“ I asked. When Gena had them in her hand I told her to cut the bottom and the left sleeve of the shirt.

„Maybe one of the guys should rip that apart,“ she suggested and I nodded. She left the room so I could take care of my business. I walked back and when I opened the room I could hear Gena's voice. “She can't play. She's in pain,” she said.
“What should I do? If she says she can play there's nothing I can do about it” Zacky said.
“Right,” I agreed and they all turned around. “So I need some helping hands over here.”

The show was fuckin' painful. I wished I had taken some painkillers but I couldn't risk to be slower because of tiredness. I took a quick glance at the set list – we still had four songs to go. You can handle it, I told myself. Three more songs... One more song before the encore. I waved JB nearer and told him to get some painkiller. We left the stage and the guys were full of adrenaline. I searched for JB and saw him, running towards me right in time before I had to enter the stage again. I took the pills and took the bottle he was handling me.

I saw Johnny's worried expression and walked faster. Two more songs! I fucked up one time and after we finished everything and Matt thanked the crowed I stormed off the stage. I was pissed at myself!
I was the first one in the room. But soon after I entered Gena came also along with a paramedic. “What's that about?” I asked and raised an eyebrow.
“Let him have a look at your shoulder,” she said. Right then the guys entered the room.
“Fine,” I sighed. “Get out of here” I told my band.
“No, we'll stay. We want to hear what he says,” they insisted.

“Fine,” I sighed again and turned around. I tried to get off my shirt and hissed in pain. Gena came towards me and helped me first with my shirt and then took of the strap of my bra.
The paramedic got off my bandage and I heard the guys hiss as they saw my skin. “Why didn't you tell us, that it's that bad?” I heard Matt saying.
“You were in hospital, right?” the paramedic asked.

“Yeah, they gave me some salve and I know I should rest and... listen, we both knew I won't do that. I mean I rest at day but I have to play at night. Aren't there any painkillers that won't make me sleepy?”
“There's some, but I'm not quite sure, if this is the best,” he began but I interrupted him by asking if there would be any scars left.

He touched my shoulder lightly and I flinched a bit. “If you take care of it I doubt it. But I think you need to see a tattoo artist 'cause the upper top of your tattoo is missing,” he said and I nodded. “Also I would advise you to not wear anything with tight straps like bras. And be sure the bandage isn't too strong.”
“I think you can take your hands back now,” I heard Johnny say and I smiled a bit as I heard the jealousy.

“Be sure to take off the bandage when you're at home, so it can heal better,” he said and I put my shirt back on and turned around. He told me the name of the painkillers and how to get these and disappeared. The guys hit me with questions but I flipped them off and asked if we could drive to the hotel since I was tired.
We couldn't leave all at once as the instruments and everything were still there so Gena suggested to drive me to the hotel. We took the dogs and drove to the nearest hotel. We checked in and I quickly disappeared in my room and fell on the bed. I was tired and I had to force myself to got up again and change into pajamas. I set my alarm at six a clock.

I woke up at six o'clock. My injuries weren't that bad and I decided I should follow my plan and walked towards my bag to get my clothes. I dressed in a ¾ bloomers, a bandeau bra and a shirt before getting my jogging shoes.
It was quiet on the floor and on my way to the lobby I only saw some people walking towards the breakfast hall. I asked the receptionist to show me a good way for a run. She got a map and showed me a direction. I thanked her before walking out of the hall. It was pretty cold out there but when I started moving I didn't notice it anymore.

I listened to music and moved my feet to the rhythm of the music which was blaring through my speakers. I found the little park the woman had showed me on the plan. I jogged about thirty minutes before I decided to go back.
I walked out of the park and was confused! Which way to go? I wish I had paid more attention to the roads! As it was early there weren't any people on the street. Out of the corner of my eye I saw an elder woman with a walker. I shouted an “Excuse me, please,” and ran towards the woman.

She took a quick glance at my direction and walked across the road without paying attention if there were any cars. Guess she didn't hear that I just wanted to know the directions. I let out a sigh until I recognized I had my phone in the pocket with GPS.
15 minutes later I was at the hotel again. I walked towards the elevator after deciding I had enough movement for a morning!
Right in front of my door stood Syn and knocked on the door without tracing.

“Everything's okay?” I asked from behind him and he shrieked before turning around.
“I thought you were dead in there! I was knocking for 15 minutes,” he said a hand on his heart.
“And you decided to get me back from the dead with knocking on my door?” I asked chuckling and opened the door with my card.

He cracked a smile. “It was worth a try. Whatever, we're leaving in,” he took a look at his watch, “35 minutes. Get ready, we're meeting in the lobby.”
“Ay, ay, sir,” I said and closed the door.

-x-

We were in the bus on the road again, heading towards New York. As we were so many people we had to stop at a hotel for the night 'cause we couldn't sleep in the bus all together.
When I told the guys about my morning they laughed at me and called me affectionately “granny's horror” while the girls blamed me for jogging.
I was at my hotel room, reading a book as I heard a knock on my door. I rose and opened it, the glasses still on my nose.

“You've got plans for tonight, little nerd?” Johnny asked. He always called me that when I wore my glasses. I shook my head. “Now you have,” he said and grabbed my hand.
“I have?” I asked.
“Yes, we're having our second date right now!” he said.