Happy Birthday to Me

MARISSA

I woke up bright and early the next morning. I wanted to fit in as many things as we could today and we pretty much did.

After I woke up the rest of the band, yes including Gerard, we went straight to Caesar's Palace and checked out the world-famous Forum Shops. It was a luxury shopping mall and one of the most successful high end shopping malls in the United States. I when I say most successful, this mall got more action than Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California. It included shops like Calvin Klein, Dior, Gucci, Fendi, and Louis Vuitton, shops that I would never afford to drop dollars at even in my dreams.

Next we checked out Circus Circus' Big Top. Although it features a pretty big amusement park known as the Fundome, we didn't check that out. Instead we watched a few circus acts and played a few arcade games. It wasn't long until Gerard got bored with all the 'kid stuff' and we moved on the the Stratosphere.

Although most people think the hotel rooms are in the Stratosphere Tower itself, they'd be wrong. The tower is just a tower with rides and a restaurant at the very top. We rode and elevator all the way to the top and rode a few of the rides as well as checked out the view from the top. It was amazing.

When we got back to the ground, Mikey, Bob, and Gerard asked if we could go back to the hotel and rest. Well, Mikey and Bob asked. Gerard practically demanded it. I was pretty tired myself, so I agreed to the idea. It was about 4 in the afternoon anyways and we had been up and moving since 7 that morning.

Once we got back to the hotel room everyone went to their respective rooms except for Frank and I. Frank crashed on the couch and said, "I know you wanted to see a lot of stuff, Marissa, but I think it's impossible to see everything here even if we DO have four days."

I sat down on the couch across from him and smiled, "Then I guess you guys are just going to have to visit me the next time you're in town."

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Frank sat up straight and stared at me, "What are you talking about?" he asked.

"We made a deal when I got on the bus that I could get off wherever I wanted." I replied.

"But why in Vegas?" he asked again.

"Because this place feels like the perfect place to start over."

Frank was quiet for a moment before he nodded and said, "Alright, I understand. We did have a deal and I plan to hold up on my end. .....Let me make a few phone calls and see what I can do." He got up from the couch and shuffled into his room, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

I knew he was sad. His new buddy was going to be leaving him.

But I knew I couldn't mooch off of the band forever and give Gerard the opportunity to call me more than just their 'crazed fan.'

I needed to get my own feet on the ground and I knew I could either do it here in Vegas where there were so many job opportunities or I could do it in the next town the band's bus stopped at. ...Wherever that might be.

This was the best thing for all of us and I planned to follow through on it.

I stood up from the couch and walked into my own room. I sat on the edge of the bed and turned on the tv to TMZ. I needed to get out of my head and catch up on some celeb reality.

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A few hours later there was nothing on tv and I was getting bored as well as hungry. I left my room and found all of the guys sitting on the couch talking. I sat down next to Ray and asked, "So what's for dinner?"

"I guess we could go out." Mikey replied.

I smiled, "Cool with me. Let's get going, I'm hungry."

Mikey, Ray, and Bob suggested something simple like In N Out or Fat Burger. Gerard wanted to go to some super expensive restaurant with white table clothes. We ended up agreeing on some karaoke bar at the New York New York and we sat at a big table in the back of the restaurant where the band was less likely to be bothered.

Unfortunatly for some of the guys, the waitress chick recognized them and continued to come back to the table too many times and practically hung all over the guys. It was a little disguesting. I knew I was looking at a crazed fan.

When the drinks came, she accidentally spilled mine on me. When the food came, mine was ice cold.

I knew she was jealous of me.

Ray had told me "If your food is cold, just send it back to the kitchen."

I told him, "I'm kind of afraid to do that cuz I don't want her to end up spitting in my food." Ray understood and let me pick off of his plate. When Frank and Bob found out why I was doing what I was doing they let me pick from theirs as well.

"What are you doing?! Eat from your own plate!" Gerard snapped when I reached over him to get a piece of chicken from Bob's plate.

"I can't. The waitress isn't being very nice to me." I replied.

"What are you talking about? She's the nicest waitress we've ever had." Gerard said.

I rolled my eyes at him, "Of course she's going to be nice to you. You're famous and she wants to get laid."

Gerard surprised me when he got up and said, "Don't worry. I'll straighten this out." and with that, he walked away.

I raised an eyebrow, "Was that just me or was he totally out of character just now?"

"Yeah. With the way he's been treating you, that was totally weird." Mikey muttered.

Bob slurped up some noodles before he added, "Maybe he's seen the error in his ways and he's trying to turn over a new leaf."

Ray chuckled, "Don't forget this is Gerard we're talking about."

Bob shrugged and went back to eating.

Gerard walked back with a huge smile on his face and said, "Everything has been taken care of."

"I don't like the sound of that." I said quietly.

Our waitress chick stepped up to the karaoke stage and tapped the microphone to life, "It looks like we're going to start karaoke night up early tonight. Marissa, get on up here girl! You're first!" she said as she looked right at me.

"I told you I didn't like the sound of that." I muttered.

I didn't make a move to get up, so the waitress chick jumped off the stage, ran up to me, latched onto my arm, and literally dragged me up on stage.

I tired to move past the waitress chick to go sit back down, but she wouldn't let me pass.

She smirked at me and covered the microphone and lowly said, "Either sing of don't sing. You're still a nobody who is only with the band because you're a worthless groupie and they feel bad for you."

My eyes narrowed at the chick before I turned away from her and fiddled with the karaoke machine. I turned back to her just as music started to play and smiled a determined smile, "Get ready to eat your words."

I skipped the Woahs at the beginning of the song because I always did when I was singing this song, usually at a blasted volume.

I'm waking up to ash and dust
I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust
I'm breathing in the chemicals

I took a deep breath and held it in, just as it's done in the song.

I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus
This is it, the apocalypse
Whoa

I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive

I raise my flags, don my clothes
It's a revolution, I suppose
We'll paint it red to fit right in
Whoa

I glanced over at Gerard. He looked pissed. I was a great singer. He had tried to put me on the spot and embarrass me and he failed.

I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus
This is it, the apocalypse
Whoa

I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive

All systems go, the sun hasn't died
Deep in my bones, straight from inside

I was really getting into it toward the end. It was one of my favorite songs and I sang my heart out every time I heard it.

I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive

When the song ended, everyone in the restaurant was on the feet cheering for me.

I smiled and took a bow before I hopped off stage and went back to our table and sat down.

Frank was smiling from ear to ear upon my return, "Where the hell did that come from?!" he questioned.