Something Else

"K you never come out with us! Come on, just one night."

"Alright then," I said. "Stop your groveling and get off the ground, you're embarrassing me."

John laughed as he stood from the blacktop. We continued toward the venue with the issue of my hermit tendencies behind us. We’d been touring for weeks, but I had yet to spend a night out on the town with the guys. I’d been participating in days off, and tagging along to sample the specialty of whatever city we were stopped at, but bars weren’t my thing. I probably hate them even more now.

"You'll have a good time tonight, K. Promise. I don't know why you haven't come out with us before," John said as held the door open for me.

"I'm not too big on drunkards," I explained as I stepped inside, thanking John with a nod. "Too many bad experiences in New York."

"Well, me and Ken'll take care of you," John promised.

"Until you're so pissed you can't see right?"

"Even then," he responded with a laugh.

I rolled my eyes and pushed the door to the green room open. Jared was sitting on the couch with an acoustic in his lap. He waved briefly as John and I entered and then returned to his guitar. John passed me to take the single chair, and I looked about for Kennedy. He, along with Pat, Garrett, Matt and everyone else were missing.

"Where've they all gone?" I asked Jared.

He looked up from his acoustic again and shrugged. "Don't know. I've only been here for two minutes."

"Aren't you guys playing next? Austin's on his last song I think."

"Maybe they're watching?" John offered.

"All of them though?"

"Yes, all of them," John mocked. "Hey, Jare. Guess what."

"Hmm," Jared answered.

"K's gonna come celebrate Vito's last day with us!" John spoke as if my agreeing to go out was a miracle, though it may have seemed so to him. I thought he was being a bit ridiculous, but Jared seemed just as amazed as John.

"No!" he shouted skeptically.

"Yes!" I said.

"Yes what?" It was Max. "You guys all set? You're on in about twenty minutes."

"Sure thing," Jared answered. "Hey, Keagan's coming out with us tonight! Isn't that crazy?"

I rolled my eyes as Max gave me a surprised look and then agreed how crazy it was. I didn't realize that it was so improbable that could go out for a few drinks and some fun. I must have been spending too much time on the gallery, and focusing on merch. I decided then that if I wanted to fit in with Kennedy's group of friends, I had to go out with them a few times. I'd had no trouble going out with my NYC friends, but when I returned to Arizona, I thought I wouldn't have to do that anymore. Then again, I never expected that I'd be following the guys on tour.

I don't know why it surprised me that the guys didn't really get too rowdy once they were drunk. The only one who was over stepping any boundaries was Austin who repeatedly hit on me. Kennedy and John made sure to keep him at bay, and true to his promise, John continued to do so despite his inebriation.

"No, man," John slurred as he pushed Austin's shoulder lightly. "Believe me, you're not helping your case. I know from experience."

Austin only shook his head and moved over toward a pretty girl at the end of the bar. I rolled my eyes and watched amusedly as John struggled to mount the stool next to me. I couldn't hold in my giggles as he slipped a bit before finally taking a seat.

"Stop laughing at me, K," John reprimanded, but he was smiling and laughing a bit himself.

"You know from experience?" I asked referring to his comment to Austin.

"Oh, come on. How many times did I hit on you in high school? It obviously didn't work."

"I think that because I saw right through your charm," I explained. "Not because of your horrid lines, which haven't improved since then."

John laughed and nodded in agreement. "Haven't had much practice, I guess."

"Are you telling me you haven't hit on a girl since I knew you?" I asked disbelievingly.

"Nah," John said as he motioned for the bar tender. "I just slowed down a lot."

"Not on the drinking though," I observed as he ordered another whiskey. "How much whiskey have you had so far?"

"Not enough," he answered, as the bar tender placed his drink in front of him.

I eventually lost track of John and I mingled with the guys on tour. I wasn't the only one who remained relatively level-headed throughout the night, but I was the last sober person to leave. By the time I was ready to go, it was just John, Vito, and Austin left at the bar. All three of them were pissed, but John was definitely in the worst shape. It wasn't that he was getting sick, or even making a fool of himself. In fact, the only thing wrong with him was that he couldn't stand up properly. I had gone looking for John with the intention of having someone walk back to the bus with me, but I found him sitting on the floor, back to the wall, with his eyes struggling to stay open.

"Keag," he mumbled when he saw me. "Keagan, hey."

"Hello, John," I said with a laugh. "Rough night, or top night?"

"Top night," he answered. "Definitely top night."

"Alright. We'll see if your answer's the same tomorrow morning."

I bent down and pulled John up by his forearm. He stumbled a bit and fell into me, but I was able to keep him standing. I pulled John's arm around my shoulders and started to the exit, glancing around for Vito or Austin.

"Where're we going?" John asked.

"We're going back to the bus, John. Alright?"

"Sure, yeah." John's words were long, drawn out.

I shook my head and then spotted Vito. He was standing at a booth, where Austin was flirting with two pretty girls. I rolled my eyes I pulled John toward them.

"Hey guys," I said, causing the group to look at me. "Just wanted to tell you that me and John are heading out. Make sure you don't get back too late, yeah?"

Vito nodded and Austin only turned his attention back to the two girls. I rolled my eyes and started to pull John along again. The minute we stepped outside, I regretted wearing the heels I was. I knew that making it back to venue would be a trek. I shifted underneath John, to get a better hold of him and started in the direction of where the bus was parked.

"K, how are you even holding me up right now?" John asked through a laugh. "You're like a twelve year old girl."

"Well you're like a really tall twelve year old girl, Johno," I said smiling. "Seriously, how much weight did you lose since high school?"

John gasped and brought his hand to his chest in an offended way. I was surprised he could perform such a complex motory function at his level of intoxication. "Are you saying I was fat in high school?"

I laughed at the thought, and shook my head. "Of course not."

"I thought you were so pretty in high school," John mused.

I laughed again, but stumbled as John wrapped his arm tighter around my shoulders. I took a moment to steady the two of us, and looked over my shoulder in the direction we came. We'd barely made it a block. I knew that I wouldn't be able to make it all the way back to the bus on my own, so I sat John on the sidewalk and pulled my mobile out of my pocket. Garrett picked up on the third ring.

"Keagan? Everything alright?"

He'd been sleeping, I could tell, but he was the only person I could think to call. I'd considered Kenny, of course, but he'd been in no shape to get back to the bus on his own when he and Pat left. Garrett had been the least plastered when he left the bar, and I got the feeling that he'd be willing to help John out.

"Yeah," I answered. "It's just, Johno's well pissed and I don't think I can get him back to the bus on my own. Are you alright to come and help me out?"

"Sure, K," he said. I could hear the thump of his feet hitting the floor as he slid out of his bunk. "Give me two minutes. I'll be right there."

"Thanks, Garrett."

"Gary's coming?" John asked after I ended the call and turned back toward him. He'd scooted to the curb, and sat between two parked cars.

I nodded and then sat next to John on the curb, pulling my pack of Mayfairs out of my pocket and lighting up. John tried to reach over and steal a fag, but I easily averted his hands. I laughed as John struggled to have a go at the cig in my hand next.

That first night out with the boys, in itself, wasn't special in the least bit. Relatively, however, it was probably the most important night on the tour. From then on, my relationship with John progressed. We fell into a routine I've come to loathe with all my being. I don't know if it was because of that first night that things progressed the way they did, but I knew that it all started then. The drinking. That routine of pulling his pissed arse out of whatever bar, and calling Garrett to help me get him into the bus became the norm. That routine became the basis of our relationship, and stayed that way for too long a time.