My Baby, My Darling.

“Hurry up, bitch! We're already late."

"I swear to God, Nicole. If you call me bitch one more time this heel will without a doubt make contact with your head." I hissed, trying to pull one of my nude heels onto my feet as I stumbled behind her.

"I highly doubt that's gonna happen. You aren't even coordinated enough to put your shoes on, much less throw them at me." she muttered, pulling me by the arm towards the club that was now packed with nearly 300 people and a line wrapping around the building. Nicole pulled me all the way up to the front of the line, sending the bouncer a smile before he pulled the rope back, letting us in.

I stumbled in after her, allowing her to weave my body through the sweaty crowd, toward the back doors of the club labeled "Authorized Access only" and easily pushing herself through the door, pulling me in after her.

"Hi, Steve." she smiled, letting go of my arm before striding over to a guy with headset over his ears. I rolled my eyes and followed after her. "Do you know where I can find Daryl? He told me to meet him back here before the show."

"Yeah, I think he's still in the dressing room with the rest of the band. You should hurry though, Nicole. They go on in fifteen."

She nodded officially, sending him a wide grin. "Thanks Steve. It was nice seeing you again!" she waved before hustling towards the door, which I was assuming was the dressing rooms and making her way through them, me following loosely behind.

"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up, babe." Daryl pulled her into a hug, lifting her up off the ground as she squealed the way she always did around her many love interests.

Daryl was one of the many guys that fancied Nicole. She'd been dating him for a couple of weeks and dragged me along to his band's show today. They were pretty big in the East Coast, but still qualified as Indie because they weren't yet signed with a label. And for the time being, Nicole was crazy about him, Daryl Reeves, lead singer of Spinnerbait. She begged me to come down to the venue today to meet her new beau. I have to admit, I didn't want to come at all, but she guilt tripped me by saying that I never spent as much time with her since I started dating Dexter, which was partially true. But it was mainly due to the fact that I was so busy lately with moving, work, and school. She couldn't blame me, but I still needed to play the role of the supportive best friend even though I knew that within a weeks time, she'd lose interest in Daryl and move onto the next guy falling at her feet. That, was why I was now standing awkwardly in the back dressing room of a club surrounded by a group of musicians that were now eyeing me as I leaned against the dressing room door.

"Are you kidding?" Nicole laughed loudly, pulling away from him. "I wouldn't miss this for the world, babe!"

She turned so that she was now gesturing towards me, smiling up at her blonde haired beau. "This is my best friend, Chelsea. I think you've met her a few times before, but I'm most sure."

He waved, extending his hand out to me. "Chelsea. My girl has told me so much about you. It's nice to meet you." His Irish accent surprised me as he sent me a wide grin.

I shook his hand, grinning lightly. "Same here. It's like I've known you my whole life."

"Dude. We go on in ten. We gotta to set up." One of the guys, carrying a set of drumsticks slapped his shoulder as he made his way out of the room, the other three band mates following close behind.

"Alright. I gotta go, babe. But I'll see you after the show?" he placed a kiss on her lips, pulling Nicole close to him before making his way out of the room, smiling lightly at me as he passed.

"Isn't he great? And his accent. Not to mention his eyes! They're like blue pools of heaven." she smiled brightly, nudging me with her shoulder and biting her lip as she watched him walk towards the hallway leading to the stage.

I nodded, raising me eyebrow at her. "I take it you come here a lot? When do you have time for this?"

"I've gone to nearly all of his gigs, most of them you were busy with Dexter or moving into your apartment and stuff." she nodded slowly, linking her arm in mine as she led me out the backstage area, towards the crowd of people now gathering around the stage.

"I'm sorry I've been so busy lately, Nikki!" I yelled over the start of their set and the cheering of the crowd as we took a few seats at the bar.

She waved me off, raising her voice over the noise. "You have a boyfriend now! It's to be expected, you know?"

I shook my head slowly as she waved over the bartender, calling out for a vodka martini. "I should be setting my priorities straight. Hoes over bros, right?"

She pulled out her fake ID, flashing it to the bartender as she looked at me, throwing her head back in laughter. "Honey, that rule doesn't apply when you have a man like Dexter. Y'all are hooked to each other. Besides, you'll make it up to me. Where is that fella tonight anyways?"

I flashed the bartender my fake ID, half-heartedly asking for a beer. "He's out watching a hockey game with his Brother. It's kind of their thing."

"Way to keep your tabs on the boy! It's like you two are married or something." she laughed, turning her attention to the band as she took a sip of her martini.

I shook my head, throwing my head back in laughter. "Calm down! No one is married."

"Who's not married?" a familiar voice called out from behind us.

We both spun around, meeting Travis's eyes as he smiled widely at us.

"Hey, Travis!" Nicole yelled over the music, gesturing towards the band. "I didn't know you were a fan."

"Oh, I'm not. I mean, not really. I'm here with a few friends from work." he gestured towards a booth on the far end of the club. "What, are you guys fans?"

"Nicole's dating the lead singer." I yelled, pointed up at the stage, towards Daryl, who was now jumping around on the stage, belting into the microphone in his hands.

He nodded, his eyes quickly darting towards Daryl's and scanning the club before settling on mine. "No Dexter tonight?"

"Hockey game with his brother." I shrugged, taking a swig of my beer. "I guess it's a girls night."

"Sounds like your type of scene." he laughed, signifying sarcasm and leaning over the bar and asking the bartender for five beers. Travis knew me well enough to know that I wasn't really one for the partying scene, much less a crowded club.

"Gotta do what you gotta do." I laughed, gesturing towards Nicole, who was now swinging around in her bar stool, mouthing the words to a song I'd never heard before.

The bartender handed Travis his drinks as he threw his money down onto the counter, thanking the bartender. "Hey. Annie's over there if you wanted to come by and say hi. I know you two are friends and all." he gestured toward his table on the far end of the club. "Plus, I need some help carrying all these beers."

I smiled lightly, looking to Nicole for confirmation. However, she was now making her way to the front of the stage, swaying her hips back and forth as she brushed past people. I laughed lightly and finished off my beer, sending Travis a slight nod as I grabbed a few beers off his hands, following him through the crowd, toward the table.

"Guys, this is Chelsea. Chelsea, this is Greg, Peter, Raven, and you know Annie." He gestured between me and his co-workers, handing out beers in the process.

I smiled, giving a nod to each of them as Annie made her way over to me, already drunk. "Chelsea! You guys, this is...this is, Chelsea. She makes the best….blueberry muffin in the state of New Mexico."

“Annie, we’re in Connecticut.” Travis spoke hesitantly from behind me.

“Oops.” Annie widened her eyes in surprise before throwing her head back in laughter and stumbling over to me, reeking of alcohol.

I caught her as she stumbled into my torso, pushing me backwards a few steps, into Travis. I gave an apologetic smile to Travis before turning my attention back to Annie. "Annie. You look wasted. How long have you guys been here?" I shook my head sternly as I tried to steady her.

"A little under an hour." Travis squinted his eyes, trying to remember.

"But that girl has been downing shots like it’s her job." A bearded guy, who I'm assuming is Peter, spoke loudly over the music, placing an arm around the red-headed woman next to him, Raven.

The other guy, Greg, who looked to be a few years older than everyone else, probably nearing his thirties, stood to shake my hand. "I'm Greg, owner of Liberty Records. Nice to meet you."

I smiled, surprised by his professional demeanor for such a scruffy figure before shifting so that my right arm was holding up Annie and extending the other to shake his hand. "Right back at you."

"Are you a fan?" he gestured toward the band on stage who were now starting up yet another song.

I shook my head, and opened my mouth to answer him. However, Travis beat me to it.

"Her best friend is dating the lead singer."

Greg nodded, crossing his arms. "I actually have to go meet up with the band's manager right now. If you'll excuse me. Staff, would you care to come along?"

Peter and Raven shrugged, standing up from the booth and nodding a goodbye to me as they followed Greg through the crowd.

I sat Annie down onto the booth slowly. I knew how crazy she got when she was drunk. In fact, it was the state I had seen her when I first met her. I examined her quickly before seeing that she wasn’t quite at that state yet, but at the rate she was going, she would be there quick.

“I’m cutting you off, Annie.” I muttered before slapping her hand away as she reached for yet another shot.

She pouted, turning to face me. “No fair. What, are you going to d-doctor me just like big brother?”

“No. I just don’t want you to overdo it like last time. Remember that?” I spoke loudly over the music.

She waved me off, standing up from the booth in a drunken fashion and slurring her words. “Whatever, honeybunches! I’m going to dance. Or..or is that ag-against the rules too?”

I shook my head, smiling lightly as I waved her off. “Be careful. You’re already a fucking hazard.”

She scurried off, stumbling into another sweaty body on the dance floor with every other step she took. She swayed back and forth, dancing along to the beat of the music.

“She’s sure something.” Travis called over the music as he plopped down next to me on the booth.

I laughed, watching as she made her way to the front of the crowd, facing the stage. “I wouldn’t expect anything less. She’s been like that ever since I met her. So carefree, always the life of the party. Sometimes I wish I were more like Annie, you know?”

He shook his head, taking a swig of his beer. “You’re fine the way that you are, perfect even.”

I threw my head back in laughter, “Now that’s a goddamn lie, and you know it.”

“I’m serious.” He nodded slowly, placing his beer back onto the table in front of us. “Girls should be more like you.”

“You mean awkward?” I joked, shaking my head.

“I mean simple.” He spoke loudly, fiddling with the neck of the bottle of his beer. “No bullshit. I can always count on you to get right to the point, and to tell me the truth. You know? And you’re modest, not like all the other girls out there that are throwing themselves at guys. You’re independent. You’re your own person, if that makes sense.”

He muttered lightly under his breath, “Or at least you used to be.”

I nodded slowly, “It does, I guess.” I met his eyes for a brief moment before he turned his head, facing the dance floor. “What do you mean, ‘used to’?”

He shook his head, raising his beer to his lips and breaking eye contact, “Nothing.”

“No.” I raised my eyebrow at him, turning so that my body was facing him. “What did you mean by that?”

“Just forget it.” He shook his head, giving me a light smile.

“I won’t.”

“Really, it’s nothing.”

“Clearly.” I nodded, hinting sarcasm to my voice. “Just tell me what it is, Travis. You know I can take it.”

“It’s just,” he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before placing his beer onto the table and turning so that his head was facing me. “You’ve been different lately, you know? I don’t mean to offend you in any way, but ever since you started dating him, you two are practically one person, if that makes any sense. I don’t know.” He searched my eyes, looking for any type of emotion that would force him to shut up. I merely stared back at him, absorbing what he was saying before he continued. “You might hate me for saying this, but you’ve sort of lost a sense of…the old you.”

I blinked, taking in his words. “The old me?”

He nodded, pleading with his eyes, hoping that he didn’t offend me.

“You clearly don’t know me that well, Travis.” I spoke slowly, careful with my words. Normally, if I had heard that from anyone else, I would be fuming with anger, spitting out absurdities left and right about how he didn’t know anything about me or how he had no right to make that assumption about my relationship. But it was Travis. I’d never, in my life, showed hostility toward Travis. He’s pretty much the only guy I had never been hostile towards, which shows a lot considering my naturally opinionated personality. I respected his opinions, if that means anything. He was one to protect me, he understood me without having to say anything. I couldn’t bring myself to yell at him at that moment. I needed to process it, carefully analyze his words before I acted spontaneously, which I would probably regret later on. What I needed at that moment was to remove myself from that situation before I did something I would regret. This situation alone left me confused.

“I should go.” I bit my lip, nodding slowly as I scooted out of the booth, away from him. I stood up, smoothing out my dress and avoided his eyes, which were now fixated on my frame.

“I didn’t mean to offend you.” He called out to me, causing me to turn around. He was now standing, about to follow me.

I held up my hand, smiling lightly, “It’s fine. I just, I need to go. I’ll just, I’ll see you later.”

He nodded slowly, not sure whether to push the situation any further or not as I spun around and made my way towards the back room as the band on stage finished their set. As I made my way through the “Authorized Access” door, I stationed myself alongside the white hallway as I spotted the enthusiastic, sweaty bodies of Spinnerbait as they flooded back into their dressing rooms, rejoicing in their successful night, Nicole and Daryl following closely behind as her girlish squeals could be heard from down the hall as he lifted her up off the floor, throwing her over his shoulders. And there I was, plastered alongside the dimly lit hall of the crowded club, trying to decipher my own thoughts.