So Fragile Yet So Devious

It had been 5 months since they first slept together. And surprisingly, there was zero awkwardness between them seeing as they’d had quite a few repeats of that night. She came to see him on the road once a month and usually stayed with him for about three days. As the tour zig-zagged from state to state, he finally ended up in Des Moines for a weekend. As soon as he got there, her phone rang off the hook. Apparently, he was playing a show with Josh Brainard at a club in town and he practically begged her to come with him and she obliged. She’d gotten herself an apartment in the time he’d been out of town which was good because it saved him from the awkwardness of having to look her parents in the eye after what they’ve been doing over the past few months. They’d probably shit all kinds of bricks if they knew.

“Gonna let me in?” He asked as he stood outside of her door as leaned against the wall with his hands shoved in his pockets.

“Be right there.” She answered him as she struggled to finish doing her hair and throwing on her skinny jeans and Alice Cooper t-shirt.

“Hey.” She smiled at him sweetly when she opened the door.

“God, I fuckin’ missed you, Dolly.” He threw his arms around her and squeezed tightly.

“It’s only been a few weeks.” She chuckled.

“What? You didn’t miss me?” He pretended to pout until she nodded and her cheeks turned a bit red. “Ha! I knew it!”

“Don’t we have a show to get to?”

“Yeah, come on…” He grabbed her hand and drug her down to his car.

As they’re vehicle winded along with the Des Moines streets, he began questioning her about college and how things were going.

“So, how’s those classes?”

“Uhhh, they’re ok…” She got nervous. She hadn’t told anyone yet. Not even Corey.

“You didn’t have any today?”

“I don’t have any….ever….” She began and he just looked at her strangely. “I gotta tell you something.”

“Well…” he said waiting to hear what she had to say. “What is it?”

“I quit school.”

“Why would you do that?’

“It wasn’t for me, Corey. I dreaded it every single morning. But……I got a job…”

“What kind of job?”

“at Skin Kitchen…..”

“Skin Kitchen….the tattoo shop?” she nodded. “Do your parents and brother know about all this?” She shook her head. “What the hell do you do at a tattoo shop?”

“I’m shop assistant…..and apprentice.” He just looked at her. “Please tell me this is okay and that you’re happy for me.”

He half-smiled, “If this is what you want, then you know I’m happy for you. I just don’t know that I could say the same for Mick. Speaking of, that’s where he gets his shit done at….what are you gonna do if he walks in?”

“He always makes appointments. So, when I see that he has an appointment…I make myself disappear for a little bit.”

Finally, they pulled to a stop in front of the club. “I expect see your tattoos….or whatever you’ve gotten done later.” He grinned.

“Who said I got anything done?”

“Dolly, you work at a tattoo shop….i’m not an idiot.” He laughed. “Now, let’s go.”

She watched from a little table in front of the stage as Corey and Josh goofed around. He’d separated his ponytail into pigtails earlier and she couldn’t help but laugh at him. They were calling themselves Audacious P and performing primarily Tenacious D cover songs along with other covers and some commercial jingles.

After the show, she grabbed them some cheeseburgers and ventured backstage. He’d already pulled his pigtails down but hadn’t been bothered to brush his hair out yet.

“Hungry?” She asked waving the brown paper bag.

“Yes!” He exclaimed and waved her over to sit next to him on the loveseat in the dressing room.

“So, what’s up with you two?” Josh asked as he chugged on a can of soda.

“What do you mean?” He asked with a mouthful of burger. She wasn’t going to lie. She was very interested to hear how Corey answered this question.

He eyed the couple carefully. “You know…”

“We’re like….best friends, man.” He answered simply and refocused on the food in his hands.