Disenchanted

The next morning it was time for Bob to leave on his tour. It was about 10 o’clock when the bus rocked up for Bob and I was nervous. I was nervous about being alone with Will without Bob. I was nervous about Bob going away for so long. I was nervous about how everything would change. I chewed on my lip as Bob lugged all his stuff downstairs.
“Hey, I’ll be back before you know it, I promise,” Bob reassured me.
I nodded but still threw my arms around him.
“I love you,” I murmured.
“I love you too. Take care of yourself and Alex,” he responded softly.
I nodded and squeezed him tight as a couple of tears slid out. I let him go and watched as Will clapped him on the back, wishing him well.
“Take care of my sister,” Bob reminded Will, and he nodded.
The boys all clambered down from the bus and helped Bob get his stuff on the bus.
“I promise, we’ll be back soon,” Mikey called out.
I nodded mutely, chewing on my lip.
Will stood next to me and slid his arm around my waist, gently pulling me to him.
“They’ll be back soon. They get days off all the time, plus they’ll call so much it’ll be like they never left,” Will assured me, as a tear slid down my cheek.
I wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned against him.
“I hope so…” I sighed.
I watched the boys get back on the bus and the bus took off a minute later.
“Bye,” I whispered.

The next two days I was upset. After constantly being surrounded by people, it was odd to not be constantly with people. Will tried to give me my space, and that helped. It allowed me to adjust without having to worry about anyone else.
“Hey,” I said softly, peeking my head into Will’s room.
“Hey, how are you feeling?” he asked, looking up from his journal.
“I’m okay. Thank you for leaving me be,” I said, stepping through.
It had been three days since the boys had left and Alex was down for a nap. Will and I had agreed to keep our relationship hidden from him, until we were sure on how it was going.
Will gave me a warm smiled and set down his journal.
“It’s no worries at all, I just want you to be okay,” he said to me.
I smiled at him and then joined him on the bed. He lifted his arm up and I smiled, lifting my head up. He slid his arm behind my head and I reached up to twist my fingers in with his. He pressed a kiss to the top of my head and I smiled up at him. It was still only very early days, but Will was lovely. A complete gentleman, and Pete was right. People did change in relationships. I had already noticed it with Will. He was all about making me happier. He did little things like making me a coffee in the morning. Taking care of Alex in the morning so I could sleep in. Just small things.
“I started painting again,” I said to him.
“I didn’t know you could paint,” Will replied, a note of surprise in his voice.
“I can do a little bit. I think once I considered doing it as a profession,” I mused.
“I think you should do what makes you happy,” Will said sincerely.
I looked up at him thoughtfully.
“What makes you happy?” I asked him.
“I love… looking out from behind a microphone and seeing all those faces. I love hearing stories about what music has done for people… and you. You make me happy,” Will said, turning to gaze down at me.
I smiled.
“You are an incredible person Will...” I murmured softly, looking back up at him.
I felt a slight tingle inside as his free hand cupped my cheek, I leant into his hand and he smiled down at me.
“You are beautiful,” he whispered, before leaning down and brushing his lips against mine.

I let go of his hand and reached up to run my fingers through his long, soft locks. I tilted my body slightly and I pressed against him, my hands running down his back. His mouth opened and I felt his tongue swipe across my lips, I smiled and granted him access. He pressed slightly harder against me and I responded in kind. His hand began to trace down my body, to my hips, before coming back up. I could feel my heart pound in my chest and I broke from the kiss to nuzzle into his neck, where I gently attacked him. He let out a soft noise before he put two hands on my hips and flipped us over so that he was supporting himself above me.
I smiled and laced my fingers behind his head. He was starting to become out of breath and I could see his lips were swollen as his eyes roamed my figure. I grinned cheekily at him and pulled his head down to mine. Just as our lips were about to touch my phone rang loudly. Will gave a breathy chuckle as I groaned. I grabbed my phone and answered the call.
“Hello?” I asked.
“Bella? It’s Chester. I had a listen to that cd you gave me and I like it. I’m going to organise an interview with the boys and I would like you to conduct it,” Chester’s voice came through.
I was surprised and elated for Fall Out Boy.
“That’s awesome! I’d love to conduct it! When?” I asked him.
”I was thinking tomorrow. Does that work for you?” Chester asked.
“Yes! Definitely!” I agreed automatically.
”I’ll have to schedule it a bit earlier than you usually work, around nine pm. So, just do your normal amount of hours from then and you can go home early,” Chester explained.
“That sounds perfect! I look forwards to it!” I said, giddy.
“See you tomorrow, Bella,” Chester said before hanging up.
I closed my phone and looked at Will with a massive smile.
“What?” he asked.
“I’m going to be interviewing Fall Out Boy tomorrow! I helped them get on the radio!” I squealed happily.
I was excited to be doing something good for my friends, helping them.
“That’s great, Bella,” Will said, not quite as enthusiastic as I was.
I knew Will still had a bit of a sore spot where Pete was concerned.
I just grinned and crushed my lips to his passionately. I could feel Will’s surprise and I couldn’t help but smile against his soft lips. I pulled away and grinned at him.
“This is good for me too. They’re not going to be in my usual time slot, but I still got asked to do it! That means he respects me as a presenter!” I gushed.
I was practically glowing with delight.
“I have to make cupcakes!” I squealed.
I liked cooking when I was happy. Will smiled at me and pecked my nose, before moving to let me go.
“I’m happy for you,” he said, twisting a lock of my hair around his fingers.
“Thank you,” I giggled, giving him a peck on the cheek.
I jumped up and proceeded to skip downstairs.

I ducked into the kitchen and as usual turned on the radio to sing along to. I pull out the flour, chocolate chips, vanilla essence, sugar, salt, milk, eggs and butter. I measured out the dry ingredients and threw them into a large bowl before adding the wet ingredients and I started combining it.
“Mmm… Chocolate chip cupcakes are the best!”
I saw a finger dart into the bowl and scrape a bit off the side.
“Will! Don’t eat it! You’ll get salmonella!” I scolded him, slapping his hand away.
He just smirked at me and licked the little bit of cake batter off his finger. I looked at him astonished and hit him lightly.
“What part of ‘you’ll get salmonella’, do you not understand?” I asked in an incredulous tone.
“All of it,” Will shrugged with a grin.
I just shook my head at him and moved the batter away from him.
“No more batter for you,” I teased.
“But, but, no faiiir,” he whined.
“It’s for your health,” I told him firmly.
I turned my back to him, keeping the bowl well out of his reach. However, Will was not to be deterred so easily. He spun me around and lifted me up, setting me back down on the bench. I looked up at him—I was sitting on a bench and I still had to look up—in fake betrayal.
“Will!” I squealed.
“Bella!” he mocked me, with a smile.
He then stole the bowl from me and snuck a finger in.
“Wiiilll!” I whined. “That’s gross!”
He looked at me in shock and horror.
“What?” I asked.
“You don’t like cake batter?” he asked.
“Pff. No. I prefer not to get salmonella from the raw eggs in the batter,” I enunciated at him, trying to hint it to him.
He thought for a moment.
“Have you ever tried cake batter?” he asked me.
“I… Well no. But salmonella makes it pretty unappealing, to be honest,” I answered sarcastically.
He then dipped his finger back into the batter and held it in front my lips. I looked at it and then back at him with an eyebrow raise.
“You want me to try it?” I asked.
“Yep. I will stop attacking the bowl, if you try your batter,” he bargained with me.
I looked at the goo on his finger, then to the bowl before sighing.
“Fine,” I agreed.
I opened my mouth and closed it around Will’s finger, licking the batter off. I ate it but had to agree that it tasted okay.
“Well I guess—”
I was cut off by Will taking my face into his hands and crushing his lips to mine. His tongue quickly darted into my mouth and I made a soft sigh as he pulled away a moment later.
“What was that for?” I asked, in surprise.
He grinned at me.
“I love cake batter and you taste like cake batter,” he responded.
“That was your plan all along!” I gasped, poking him in the chest.
He laughed and nuzzled his face into my neck, gently kissing it.
“Guilty-kiss-as-kiss-charged,” he said, kissing my neck in between each word.
I locked my ankles together behind Will and smiled.
“You don’t have to make up an excuse to kiss me, I’m your girlfriend now,” I laughed.
“Well, in that case…”
His arms snaked around my body and he pressed his body against mine as he collected me up in a heated and passionate kiss. His hands trailed down to my hips and ducked under the hem of my shirt to rest on my bare skin. His teeth captured my lower lip and he bit it gently, sending me into overdrive.
“Will…” I sighed against him, my hands fisting in his shirt and pulling him closer to me.
I’m sure it would have gone further had furious banging not started on the door. I groaned with Will and we both pulled back from each other.
“I’d better answer it,” I sighed. “Can you please put the batter in the tins and put it in the oven for me?”
“Sure thing boss,” Will agreed.
I slid off the counter and walked to the front door, to answer the incessant banging.

I swung the door open and was immediately engulfed by four men.
“Ahh!” I cried out.
“BELLA—”
“YOU’LL NEVER—”
“GUESS WHAT—”
“YOU ARE—”
The men all started at once. I could detect crazy hair, pale skin, and I know I heard Pete’s voice.
“HOLD UP!” I called out from underneath everyone.
Everyone stopped talking.
“Okay, my son is sleeping so be quiet. Now, can someone tell me what’s going on?” I ordered.
The men all moved off me and I smiled as I saw Pete, Patrick, Joe and their drummer whom I still hadn’t been introduced to yet.
Pete opened his mouth and I looked at him.
“Yes, Petey?” I asked.
“We got a call from your boss. We’re going on tomorrow night at nine with a presenter to be interviewed about the album. You are the greatest person I know,” Pete said, fighting to keep his voice down.
I beamed brightly at them.
“I’m just glad I can do my bit to help you guys, you make incredible music and it’d be a shame if no one got to hear it,” I complimented them.
Pete went to say something but I interrupted him.
“Now, before I forget, my name is Belladonna, or Bella for short. I’ve been introduced to everyone else in the band, but I don’t actually know who you are, I’m afraid,” I laughed lightly, looking at their drummer.
“Oh, hi, I’m Andy, lovely to meet you,” he said quietly.
“He doesn’t talk much,” Pete said.
“Lucky he knows you then,” I teased Pete lightly.
Pete and Joe snickered as Pete gave me an offended look.
“Now come in, Will and I just put some cupcakes in the oven,” I invited, walking away from the door.

The next couple of weeks flew by. The boys talk on the radio went amazing and we were getting requests for them all the time. Will and I were growing closer each day and more comfortable in this new status of ours as boyfriend and girlfriend. Alex had stopped reacting to strawberries and was as happy as ever.
Oddly however, I didn’t hear much from My Chemical Romance. Bob was only ever able to call about once or twice a week and I barely heard from anyone else. Mikey once a week. Frank once maybe twice a week and Ray only every now and then. I didn’t hear from Gerard, big surprise there.
Finally, Chester was even more pleased with my work and had started asking me for my ideas on the radio shows and what we could talk about. I was getting real recognition at work and I was elated.

“And there you have it, that was Fall Out Boy’s single, Chicago Is So Two Years Ago. Next up is Three Doors Down’s Here Without You. If you have someone special there with you, why don’t you have a nice slow dance together?” I put on the track and carefully played with some knobs and dials before leaning back and relaxing.
I jumped suddenly as my phone began to buzz in my pocket. I must have forgotten to turn it off, before coming in. I couldn’t answer though so I just ignored it. I’d call them back tomorrow, it was probably Bob, not realising what the time was over here.
I saw the call waiting light flash up on the sound desk and I chuckled. I loved how popular I was with my listeners. I smiled as I waited until the end of the song, and then put my headphones back on.
“Alrighty folks, looks like I have a caller waiting. Hi! How are you?” I asked cheerfully, pressing on the button next to the light.
All I could hear was this crying and I frowned.
“Hello? Are you alright?” I asked.
“Bells?”
I was shocked. That was a voice I never expected to hear.
“Bells, I’m going to kill myself.”