I'm Choking on This Ecstasy

We all filed into the small tented area where we were having a small meeting since it was the first show of the tour. The tour manager guy thingy rambled on about how great it was. I really didn’t pay attention until he call out my name.

“Yes?”I asked.

“I heard what happened at you show,”he said.

“Nothing really happened,”I said crossing my arms and leaning back,”well besides a bunch of disrespectful, juvenile assholes flipping us off and me and Faye telling them off.”

“I got a complaint from them that you threatened them,”he said skeptically.

“BULL SHIT!,”I shouted,”me and Faye never threatened them during or after the concert.”

“I don’t care what happened,”he said-

“Well obviously you do you are bringing it up in front of everyone,”I said scowling.

“Watch your mouth,”he said,”I don’t care what happened just don’t do it again.”

“Fine,”I grumbled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“After Party!”Everyone shouted after the brief mandatory meeting. I walked out and immediately lit up.

Everyone walked over and DJ asked,”So are you going to the party tonight?”

“Nah, I’m actually supposed to go meet up with my brother and my other friends,”I said,”but it sucks cause I get to meet all the new girlfriends so I’m gonna be like the 11th wheel.”

“Well,”DJ said,”I don’t mind missing the party.”

“Nah you should go,”I said.

“No I don’t mind and plus I’m not all that into partying as all of these other people,”he said.

“Fine but try and dress semi nice,”I said.

“Are you kidding me?”he whined.

“Yes,”I said chuckling,”my brother and friends don’t really care.”

“Okay,”he said in relief.

“We’ll leave in a few because I’m gonna go walk around for a few minutes,”I said.

“Okay,”he said.

I walked over to the building where we had the meaning. I crouched down and continued to puff my life away. A tall figure walked over.

“Do you have a light,”the random person asked.

“Ya,”I said and pulled out my lighter. Handing it up to him I said,”Here.”

“Thanks,”he said and lit up. The flame slightly illuminated his face. He looked so familiar in those two seconds. I took my last puff and stamped out my cigarette. I started walk away when the stranger called out,”Hey you.”I heard his feet beating on the side walk.

“Yes,”I said turning around.

“You forgot your lighter,”he said.

“Thanks,”I said and slid into my pocket. I waved goodbye and started walking back.

DJ met me halfway back,”Who was that,”he asked.

“I’m not sure,”I said turning back.

“Well, shall we go?”DJ asked.

“Sure,”I said. We got into our rental car and took off to the restaurant. I was the one driving since I knew where to go.

“So where are we going to eat?”DJ asked.

“It’s my friend’s, mother’s Italian restaurant-diner-thingy,”I said.

“Cool,” he said and leaned back into the seat,”so how was your first time performing in front of a big crowd?”

“It was awesome,”I said,”of course I was overly nervous and I was freaking out but right when I stepped out I knew I belonged out there.”

“You certainly looked like it,”he said, and I gave him a confused like,”what I meant was that you looked like you belonged up there on stage, in front of people, performing and just letting loose.”

“Ya but I guess I can’t really let loose,”I said still slightly pissed from the tour manager guy thingy yelling at me,”I mean come on, those kids were assholes they deserved me yelling at them.”

“Oh don’t worry about him,”DJ said.

“I’m not it just pissed me off,”I said.

“You are so easily pissed off,”he chuckled.

“Ya I know,”I said.

“So are we almost there yet?”he asked.

“Um 10-15 minutes,”I said.

“Awe,”he said,”so I have to suffer with you for 10 more minutes.”

“Well you could always ride on the roof but I don’t think that’d be fun,”I said.

“You’re an asshole,”he said.

“Sue me,”I retorted.

I reached and flipped on the radio. There was nothing on the radio so I plugged my Ipod in and hit shuffle. Kick Start My Heart turned on, I laughed and started rocking out. I was head banging and bouncing in my seat for a few seconds. I turned to see DJ staring at me.

“What?”I asked,”I love that song.”

He laughed,”Yeah I can tell.”

I reached and turned the song up a little bit more. I was nodding my head along to the song.The song ended to soon I thought, and then Maybe Holding Hands Wasn’t Such A Good Idea by Modern Day Escape turned on.

I started singing along with it and partially head banging. I know it’s not safe to head bang but I am awesome and I can.

“So how close are you and your twin and the people we are seeing tonight?”DJ asked.
“Well one is my twin, so we are pretty damn close,”I said,”and the guys are practically my brothers, Val, well I have known here forever and you might want to be aware of her cause she’s basically like my mother, the other girls are awesome even though I don’t know them that well.”

“Ah,”he said.

“You nervous?”I asked.

“Well yeah,”he said.

“Why, it’s not like you have a reason to be,”I said.

“Well,”he said,”what if they think we have something going on?”

“They won’t,”I said shortly.

“He it was just a question,”he said holding his hands up.

“I know, it’s just..”I said trailing off,”never mind.”

“What’s ‘just’?”he asked.

“I told you never mind, by the way we’re here,”I said pulling into the parking lot. I shut off the car and pocketed the keys. I checked to make sure I had my phone and wallet. DJ walked up beside me and he rested his arm across my shoulders.

“You ready?”he asked.

“Of course,”I said,”the question is, are you?”

“Oh, I was born ready,” he said.

We walked into the restaurant and I was met by a giant hug, the smell of Italian food and a flurry of Italian speaking.

“Calmati Maria, mi sei mancata troppo,”I responded to the rapid speaking Italian.

“Sono cosi felice di vedere il mio piccolo è risorto,”she said holding me tightly.

I laughed,”Oh Maria, penso che dovremmo commuta all'inglese perché è probabilmente confuso il mio amico.”

“Ok siamo in grado di passare alla lingua inglese”Maria responded.

“Okay so Maria, this is my friend DJ,”I said.

“Hm, so DJ,”she said,”what are your intentions with my little rose?”

“Mamma, I told you he’s my friend,”I groaned,”nothing more.” DJ just stood there looking awkward.

“My apologies DJ, I just get a feeling from you two..”she said trailing off.

To break the awkwardness,”So where are the guys?”I asked.

“They’re all in the back banquet room,”she said and sent us back.

“So how many people are gonna be here?”DJ asked.

“Well the guys and the girls make up 10 people and I think Papa Gates is gonna be there with Suzy and possibly Mckenna,”I said,”so around 13 people then us which makes up 15.”

“Wow,”he said.

“Yeah, I know I have a huge un-biological family,”I said.

“Well, family is family,”he said.

“Yeah,”I said,”well are you ready?’

“Well there’s no turning back now,”he said.

With that we opened the door.