I'll Do Anything to Have Her to Myself

“Morning.” Shawn waved as she came in the door yawning.

“Hey.” She said trying to force a smile onto her tired face.

“Rough night?”

“Uhh, something like that.” She told him . Her bandmates had got there just a few minutes before she did. And they all took notice to how sleepy she seemed. Corey rolled in just a couple minutes later with the same glazed-over, haggard expression on his face. However, his face lit up a little when he saw her.

“It’s about time you got here.” Maxx teased her.

“I worked late.” She said making an unbelieved excuse.

“Where were you last night?” Jackee asked her.

“I’ll explain later.”

It seemed like she was acting a little funny, but Shawn didn’t read too much into it. She probably was exhausted from work the night before. The remaining members of Knot decided join everyone at the studio that day. Craig, Jim, Joey, Mick, Paul, Chris, and Sid came strolling in and Shawn took the liberty of introducing everybody.

“I think I’m gonna grab a drink from the machine.” She announced getting up.

“Hey. Me too.” Paul smiled and got up to follow her. He watched as she pumped some quarters into the drink machine. “Ya now…..I heard some of your stuff….your voice is incredible.”

Her drink fell from the machine. She picked it up and turned to answer him. “Thanks.”

“Between you and me………I bet you’ll be on the next tour with us…”

“What makes you think that?”

“Clown’s been buttering up the guys at the label. Talking to them about you constantly.”

“He’s a great guy. Corey, too.” She said sipping her soda.

“Yeah, Corey’s awesome…..when Scarlett’s not around….”

“Who’s Scarlett?”

“His wife….”

“What?!”

Paul looked at her funny. “Im just really surprised. He never mentioned her to me.” She said trying to disguise her shock.

“Yeah, he doesn’t talk about her if she’s not around…” He added.

“Uhh…I gotta go….think the guys from Roadrunner are here…”

Before the day was done and before they knew it, Flesh Martyr had signed a recording contract with Roadrunner Records. It all seemed pretty surreal to them. They were all pretty excited with the one exception being Addie. Shawn took notice immediately. Something was different. That shine she had in her wasn’t there anymore for some reason. He’d have to figure out what was up.

Everyone was scattering in separate directions. He saw Corey walk up to her and say something in her ear then watched as he followed into the soundproof recording room.

“Can we talk?”

“Yeah, what’s up?” he said flashing that same toothy smile as always.

“In private.”

“Umm all right.” He followed her into the plexiglass framed room where they’d recorded many songs.

“You’re married?” She came right out and confronted him.

A look of guilt and surprise flushed over his face. “Adelaide.”

“So you are.”

“It’s complicated but yeah.” He confirmed. The look on her face was that of pure rage and hurt.

“So, what was last night about?” She asked with a hint of anger in her voice. “Was it just about you getting laid?”

“No.” he said vehemently. “It was about me wanting to be with you.”

“You’re married. Did you just conveniently forget that?”

“So, what are you mad at me now?” he huffed. He could feel his temper starting to build up inside of him.

“Corey….”

“Join the fucking club.” He spat and slammed the door as he left.

Little did they know Shawn had watched their entire altercation, albeit without the thrill of audio. Nevertheless, he could still tell that they weren’t getting along at that particular moment. After watching his bandmate storm out, leaving Addie standing there by herself, he decided he’d try and talk to her. Maybe she’d tell him what happened.

“Everything all right?”

“Not exactly….but I’m fine.” She said unsuccessfully trying to reassure him.

“Really? Hmm….looked like you two were arguing.”

“Because I’m an idiot.” She said sitting down on the couch.

“You’re going to have to elaborate.”

“Corey came to my job last night….and I went to his place after I had talked to you….and things just kind of happened.”

“Things?”

She put her face in her hands and answered, “We slept together.”

“Oh..” he said with a little jealousy. “Look, Corey’s a very volatile person…you just gotta keep an eye on him. He can be a real asshole if he wants to be. You know he’s married, right?”

She nodded, “Paul told me earlier. That’s what that whole scene was about. He never even said a single word about being married. I totally don’t blame you if you think I’m a slut or something. Cause I sure do feel like one right now.”

“I don’t think that. Trust me.” He smiled a trusting smile. “Look, you just signed a fucking recording contract.”

“I did, didn’t I?” she finally smiled.

“Yeah, and we’re gonna celebrate that. We’re having this big thing at my house tonight. Come over and we’ll totally celebrate this awesome shit that happened today.”

“Okay.” She smiled and hugged him. “Thank you, Shawn.”

They were having a great time at Shawn’s kicking back, listening to music, having some drinks, and chilling outside. She’d almost forgotten about all that shit with Corey from earlier. She was sitting on the side of Shawn’s pool dangling her feet in the cool water.

“Quit that and fucking get in this pool.” He demanded.

“I don’t wanna….It’s cold.” She laughed. Without warning Paul and Mick ran behind her, picked her up, and tossed her into the water.

“I’m gonna kill you two.” She said popping up from beneath the water’s surface. They all just laughed. Shawn lumbered up to the pool steps and helped her up them as well. He had just handed her a towel to dry off when it happened. Two cars pulled up. One was Jim. And the other was Corey. He got out of the car and saw Shawn was helping her out of the pool and snarled his nose up.

“Hey man.” Mick waved.

“Yeah…hi…” Corey slurred.

“The fuck you been doing?”

“Nothin…”

He was obviously wasted and in a foul mood. He glanced over at her, shook his head, and searched the cooler for some beer.

“I’m gonna go get dressed….” She said looking for a reason to avoid this awkwardness that had followed Corey into the party.

“Yeah, go do that.” He muttered.

“Dude. Calm down.” Shawn told him as he dried off.

“What? You gonna fuck her too?”

“Watch your fucking mouth, man.”

“Just stating the facts.” He said turning to walk in the house. He stood in the kitchen looking through the fridge. She wasn’t expecting to see him standing there when she came down stairs still towel drying her hair. “So, when are you gonna fuck Shawn?”

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s fucking obvious he wants to. You should just fuck him and get it over with. Then bail on him like ya did me.”

“I didn’t bail on you.” She said lowly. “You lied to me. If you'd just been honest then-”

He cut her off, “Yeah, well, you were just a piece of ass. One of many actually.”

“Why are you being so mean to me?”

“Why the fuck am I even here?” he said chugging a can of beer he’d found.

“Will you calm down?” She asked before walking back outside. He slammed the beer can on the counter and after a couple minutes followed behind her. When she’d come back out on the patio, Shawn called her over and made her sit on his knee as they all tried to sit around cracking jokes to save what was left of their little party. Corey couldn’t stand it. The way they were talking to each other, the fact that she was practically sitting in his lap, and the way Shawn looked at her. He stood there with his blood boiling until he got an excellent idea. There were a couple of girls there that had come with Joey and Sid. They weren’t as beautiful as she was, in his opinon, but they were pretty. He was going to make her as jealous as he was at that moment. She watched out of the corner of her eye as he strolled up to them and used that same silly grin he’d used on her. He glanced back at her frequently to make sure she saw what was going on and smiled in satisfaction that she did. She noticed him disappear around the side of Shawn’s house with one of them and huffed.

“I’m gonna go inside a minute…” she said quietly into Shawn’s ear before getting up. He nodded and watched her walk in to the house and shut the door behind her. He’d also seen what Corey was doing and he knew it was bothering her. He gave her a few minutes alone before going inside to check on her.

“Hey. You all right?” He asked in a whisper.

“I guess.” She said offering him a weak smile.

“Try not to let him bother you. He’s just being….well, himself.” He said sitting down next to her.

“Maybe I should just head out…”

He shook his head, “Don’t do that. Stay awhile.”

“I don’t know….”

“Look, I want you to.” He smiled. “Fuck what Corey thinks. If he doesn’t like it, he can leave.”

She looked at him and he could see that familiar sparkle in her eyes again. “If you say so.”

“I do.” He said brushing her hair out of her face. He stared at her a second trying to coerce himself into kissing her. Just one little kiss…maybe on her cheek. That’s all. ‘Just fucking do it, Clown. She’s right fucking there.’ He thought to himself. Just as he finally gathered up the nerve to press his lips to hers, the door behind him flew open. Corey stood there and his eyes seemed like they were on fire. All the flirting he’d done with those girls outside to make her jealous was no comparison to the envy and anger he felt in the pit of his stomach when he came in and saw his friend’s lips on her. She was supposed to be his. No one else’s. Guess not anymore.

“Fuck the both of you.” He cursed before he took off outside and left in his car.

“Great.” She sighed in defeat. Apparently, nothing was going to go right.

“I’m sorry.” He put his head down.

She lifted his chin up so that he was looking at her. “Don’t be.”