Waking up in Vegas

It was the day of The Maine’s last show on tour and they were in Tempe at a venue I had been to many times to see Of Mice & Men and Pierce The Veil. Of course I made the girls come with me as I still partially blamed Cassie for this. And the others weren’t without fault either because they had just gone along with everything she said.

John and I had actually texted each other a lot in the days leading up to the show. It was kind of weird and I really just wanted to ask why he was even texting me when we were just planning on getting this thing annulled and being done with each other. But I never did. I just replied to the texts and enjoyed our conversations.

He’d made sure we would be able to get in before doors actually opened so it was nice not having to wait in line, which was actually pretty long. It was good to know the band had a lot of fans.

I didn’t even know anything about the other bands that were playing, but I had promised John that I would be there. I was just glad that my girls were with me. We made our way to the bar and took a seat while we waited for the show to start.

The show was absolutely amazing. I really enjoyed their music and I sang along to the couple songs I had been listening to and knew most of the words. John was a really good front man, interacting with the crowd and getting them all riled up. It was obvious that everyone in the crowd was having a great time.

John had texted me before they went on and told me to meet their merch guy Peter after the show at the table so he could lead us backstage to meet up with the guys. When the show was over we headed back and said hello to all of them. Of course they were planning on going out since it was the last night of tour and they invited us to go with.

“Are you sure this is a good idea? Do you not remember what happened the last time you got drunk?” Cassie asked me with a stern look on her face.

“First of all, since when do you turn down going out? And second of all, we already got married! Like, what is the worst that could happen?”

“I guess you’re right,” she replied with a thoughtful look on her face. “Then fuck it! Let’s all go out!”

So we did. We followed the guys to a local bar that we had been to plenty of times. It was still so weird that they lived in the same area as us and I wondered if we had ever seen any of them in town before and just not realized it. I guess it really is a small world after all.

I hung around with my friends and we all had a great time. But I also talked with John and we kind of got to know each other a little bit more over drinks. I was able to loosen up a bit with alcohol and it was easier to talk face to face than texting each other.

John ordered two shots and sat one in front of each of us.

“I hope you like Jack,” he said as he pushed the shot glass closer to me.

“It’s my favorite,” I replied and he looked kind of surprised. I didn’t drink much but when I did, it was usually whiskey.

“Good, because we’re playing never have I ever and we’re getting drunk.”

“Ok, I’ll start. Never have I ever been in a band.”

He gave me a look and downed his shot before flagging down the bartender for a refill.

“Never have I ever had two gay dads.”

“Touché,” I said with a grin and took my own shot.

“Never have I ever gotten a tattoo,” I fired back and John took another drink.

“Never have I ever gotten a piercing.”

Another shot for me.

It went back and forth, each of us deliberately saying things that would make the other have to drink. A couple other friends joined in and by the time we decided to stop playing I was probably as drunk as I had been that night in Vegas. I probably should have just gone home. But I stayed.

“Let’s sing karaoke!” John shouted excitedly when they announced over the loudspeaker that it was time for karaoke to start. Of course it had to be karaoke night.

“Oh god no! I don’t sing!”

“Come on it will be fun!” He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the small karaoke stage. I fought but I was little and he was way stronger than me so I ended up on the stage standing next to John. “What song should we sing?”

“Nothing!”

“Ok, I’ll pick something.”

I groaned and covered my face with my hands. I really did not want to do this. I didn’t sing in public ever. I barely even sang in the privacy of my own home I was so bad. And I groaned even louder when the music to Summer Loving started and I saw the lyrics show up on the screen. It was such a horribly cliché duet song.

John started singing his part and even super intoxicated still sounded amazing. It was getting closer and closer to the girl part of the song and John was giving me a look that said you better not let me down and that combined with the alcohol I had downed gave me the extra little push that I needed and I sang quietly, putting my hand over my eyes again. If I can’t see them they can’t see me, right?

As the song progressed John got more and more into it and when I finally uncovered my eyes I saw him dancing all around. He grabbed my hand and started twirling me around and I couldn’t help but giggle. Even though this was terribly embarrassing and I was never going to be able to show my face at this bar again I was having fun. I started singing louder and with more confidence and by the time the song was over I thought I was Olivia Newton John herself.

The cheers started as soon as the last note ended and John and I took a bow, and I never stopped smiling the whole time.

We walked off the stage and made our way back to our groups of friends. Camrynn handed me a drink as I met back up with my girlfriends. John informed me that he had to pee and would be back.

“What the hell was that?” Jayla asked with a grin on her face once John had walked away.

“What?” I asked innocently.

“Since when are you the karaoke queen? We have tried to get you to sing with us SO many times and you would never do it!” Mallory added.

“But now Mr. Perfect comes along and you’ll do anything for him,” Cassie teased.

“Guys stop! I’m drunk! That’s all there is to it,” I defended myself.

“Yeah right. We see the way you look at him. And you’re still wearing the ring!”

“What?”

She grabbed my left hand and held it up in front of my face. There was indeed a ring on my ring finger. I honestly had no idea why it was still there.

“I honestly forgot I even had it,” I replied, taking it off and slipping it into my pocket.

“Whatever you say.”

“Ooh, here comes loverboy now,” Camrynn said with a giggle and I forced myself to not turn around. I didn’t want them to say anything else.

“Hey wife,” John greeted me with a grin.

“I told you to stop calling me that!”

“Come on, let’s talk.” He pulled me away from my friends who were all giving me knowing looks that I just wanted to slap off their pretty little faces.

“Where the hell are you taking me?” I asked John as we walked out of the bar and down the street.

“Somewhere quiet.”

“So people can’t hear me scream?”

“The only thing you’d be screaming is my name,” he replied with a cocky grin on his face.

“Oh my god, I need to leave.” I stopped and turned around like I was going to walk in the opposite direction.

“Oh no you don’t,” he grabbed my arm and spun me around and I ended up face to face with him with less than an inch of space between us.

He looked down at me with heavy lidded eyes and licked his lips. I swallowed in nervousness and looked up to meet his eyes. Before I even had a second to think about anything John closed the gap between us and kissed me right there in the middle of a crowded sidewalk.

After a couple seconds I pulled away. “What are you doing?” I asked quietly.

He didn’t answer; he just leaned in and kissed me again.

“John,” I said, placing my hands flat on his chest and pushing him away slightly.

“What Kendall? We’re married. We can kiss. I like kissing. Just kiss me!”

When he put it like that how could I say no? Who didn’t like kissing? So I leaned forward and I kissed him.