Chase Away the Darkness

The next day consisted of an eight hour-long drive to Colorado. I quickly was learning that maybe drinking, as much water as I did was not a good idea when it came to driving from location to location. I must’ve asked the bus driver to pull over 10 times already just so I can use the bathroom in the other bus. It was completely embarrassing when the band laughed at me every time I came out of the bathroom.

“Girl can’t you hold it? We’re going to be late for our set tomorrow by the rate you are going,” said Jaime.

I apologized again and ran back to the smaller bus. For now on I’m holding it in, no matter how long the drive. I couldn’t take anymore of Jaime’s comments without going red.

“So what do you think?” asked Hanna as I sat down on the bed. She was holding two different outfits in front of me. One outfit consisted of jeans while the other that consisted of a skirt. I picked the one with the jeans even though I know she was going to pick the one with the skirt anyways.

“I think I’ll wear the skirt,” she said as I had predicted.

She started pacing around the room and asking me random questions. When she stopped talking, she began biting her lip and starting organizing things that didn’t need to be organized. Wait a minute. I know my best friend. These were all signs of her having a secret.

“Hanna you know we’ve been best friends since high school. You’re lip is going to start bleeding. Might as well just tell me,” I said.

She sighed. She sat down on the bed not facing me. I prepared for the worst.

“Sam called me,” she said.

I did not saw this coming. Fuck. What did he want?

“Wait…what? Sam called you? What for?” I asked panicking.

“Calm down he was just asking how you were doing,” she said.

“So what did you tell him?” I asked

“I just said you were doing better. Are you?” she asked finally facing me.

How was I doing? I thought to myself. To be quite honest I wasn’t really thinking about Sam a lot lately. My mind was on someone else. He crept back in my thoughts. No Mickey, you promised Hanna. No more Tony.

“Yeah I think I am,” I said trying to reassure myself that I was okay. Who am I kidding?

“Good I’m happy to hear that,” said Hanna.

Later that night there was yet another party. Apparently too many people were invited so it took place outside in the parking lot.

I was having a conversation with Jaime about how I hated watching sports while I drank with him.

“So you’ve never watched one soccer game and yet you’re telling me you’re not a fan of sports?” asked Jaime

“Yup,” I said to Jaime laughing. He looked distraught.

I lost count of how many drinks Jaime gave me. I was getting a little dizzy and queasy. I didn’t even notice Mike walked up to Jaime and I until he spoke.

“Yo!” asked Mike, “have either of you guys seen Tony?”

Jaime and I both shook our heads. Now that he mentioned it I don’t think I’ve seen him once all night. Not that I was looking for him or anything.

“What did you need him for?” asked Jaime.

“Audrey called me freaking out, he hasn’t answered any of her calls tonight. I told her I would find him for her,” said Mike, “ but I give up, I asked everyone. I’m going to go roll a joint.”

I was about to ask who Audrey was but I had a feeling that I already knew who she was. Audrey must be Tony’s fiancée. My stomach turned. Oh no I think I drank too much alcohol for this.

“Do you need to pee again?” asked Jaime noticing that I was looking a bit uncomfortable.

“Um, yeah be right back,” I said and I ran to the only bus with a bathroom. All I heard was Jaime laughing behind me.

I was ashamed of myself for not being able to keep my liquor down. Good thing no one was in the bus to hear the contents of my stomach exciting my mouth. When I felt like I couldn’t vomit anymore I rinsed my mouth out and exited the bathroom. I was about to open the small door when someone else on the other side opened for me. I forgot to lock the door. That was smart. I looked up to see who the person was and my jaw dropped.

In front of me was a shirtless Tony in only his boxers. Oh my god. He had bed head and he looked like he just woke up. Damn was this the hottest scene I’ve ever seen. All those tattoos….

“I’m so sorry I didn’t know someone was in the bus,” he said running his had through his hair. Fuck Tony stop being so damn cute. Trying not to check him out anymore, I looked down pretending that I was more interested in my shoes.

“It’s okay, I just…” I couldn’t finish my sentence.

“Threw up? I know the gagging kind of woke me up,” he laughed.

I was mortified. This has to be the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever done. Great Mickey and Tony just called you cool the night before. There goes your coolness now.

“Oh my god, I am so sorry,” I said apologizing. I covered my face with my hands. I wanted to cry with embarrassment.

“Oh no don’t worry about it,” said Tony. I can hear it in his voice that he felt bad. He grabbed my hands and uncovered my face. I focused my eyes above his shoulders with difficulty.“ I knocked out on the trip over here and I guess no one bothered to wake me up when the party started. Thanks to you I’m awake now and I can drink,” he said.

Then I remembered that Mike was looking for him. Maybe now he will confess to having a girlfriend.

“Oh, by the way Mike was looking for you. Something about an Audrey calling you?” I asked.

His face went from happy to sad. I automatically felt guilty for bringing it up.

“Shit, well I guess I’ll see you back out there,” he said and with that he walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind him. Well so much for that.

Two hours later I was sober and about to call it a night. Hanna and I left the party half an hour ago to catch up on sleep for next day’s shift. I was about to change into my pajamas when the bus shook followed by a noise that startled me. I looked at Hanna making sure I didn’t just imagine it and she looked scared too. Then it came again. This time I heard people screaming and yelling outside. Hanna and I hurried up and ran outside to see what the hell was going on.

As we walked outside everyone was looking on the roof of our bus. There on top was Tony jumping up and down completely drunk, with a half empty bottle of beer in one of his hands.

“Tony!” yelled Vic, “Why are you on the bus?”

“Why are you not on the bus?” slurred Tony.

If this situation weren’t completely dangerous it would’ve been totally funny. Dave came running out of nowhere trying to calm down the situation.

“Tony I swear if you don’t get off this instant I will send you home and replace you for the rest of this tour,” yelled Dave.

Well that was a bit harsh but it seemed to work because Tony began climbing off the bus.

Dave helped him off the rest of the way.

“I’m fine!” yelled Tony, obviously not. He tried to break free of Dave’s grasp on his arm but Dave wasn’t having it. Dave turned to me seeing I was the closest to the bus and held out Tony’s arm for me to take. Uh oh.

“Mikayla, take him to his bunk. Don’t leave until he knocks out. I’m going to try and calm everyone down. Hanna can you come help me please? I don’t want Kevin finding out about this and kicking us off the tour,” said Dave.

Since Dave was my boss I had to listen.

There goes any hope of sleeping tonight.