Lost in the Echo

“Over here.” He pulled me over to where there was a blanket and a cooler. “So I dunno if you drink or not so I guess I shoulda asked you that?”

“I do… I’m a bit of a vodka whore.” I laughed. “But anything really.”

“Cool.” he said and opened the cooler. “Then… wanna drink?”

“So how did things go after you left mama’s?”

“They wanted cereal!” I whined. “Misha is 24. Nikita is 19. Andrew is 22. Cyril is 21. And not one of could find it in themselves to make cereal! I’m eighteen I don’t want kids yet… and I am stuck with four grown should be men that refuse to feed themselves! What in the hell?!”

“Maybe… and I am not sure because I do feed myself… but maybe they like having a mom figure. You told us about how none of you really had parents growing up so maybe they just want that… it makes sense.” he said and leaned his head on my shoulder.

“Yeah but I am younger than all of them and shouldn’t it be the other way around? I mean I owe Misha my life so yeah but Nikita… what if we don’t really make it as a band? Me and Andrew are the only ones that have had real jobs.”

“What happened with Misha?” Tony asked quietly and put his tattooed hand on my stomach.

“Um my dad… he was-is a bad bad raging alcoholic. One night he was really drunk and angry. I was getting ready to head out. I just needed to wait for Misha to show up and get me… we were practicing at his place. I had talked on the phone with him and sometimes I call him Fishie… my dad heard that and got angry because I was leaving. He cornered me and pulled out his pocket knife and… literally tried to gut me like a fish but that is when Misha walked in… well he busted through the door. I was screaming so loud I couldn’t hear it anymore. He hit my dad once and he was out cold. I don’t remember anything past going numb and the last thing I remember seeing or hearing before I woke up in the hospital was him picking me up and saying ‘Maria Mist Fuentes don’t you die on me. Don’t you fucking die. You are gonna be okay and we need you so you cant die.’ I will never forget that. I wont ever be able to forget seeing them when I woke up either. Cyril was crying… he never cries. I never saw him cry before that and I haven’t seen it since. Andrew was perched in a chair next to me like he was guarding me. Misha was holding Nikita who was a blubbering mess. When they saw I was awake they all pretty much fell onto the tiny bed next to me and started talking. Nikita was spitting out Russian and Cyril kept saying ‘sorry’ and Andrew tried to play it cool and said ‘dude you missed band practice’ then was punched in the shoulder by Nikita who was never very violent and Misha said ‘When you are ready to leave I will take you home.’ I started crying and he said ‘Not back to that piece of shit… home.’ Waking up in that hospital room was the best day of my life. It was the end of being beaten by him and it was when we all became more than just close friends. We are like family.”

“Wow.” he said then brushed my cheek with his thumb and I realized I was crying. “I just… wow.”

“I know.” I murmured and kissed him. “I come with a lot of problems but I promise I’m worth it if you’ll have me… but if not I understand.”

“I will not go unless you tell me to.” he said and kissed a tear off my cheek. “And I mean it. I promise that I will be the best boyfriend you ever had.”

“I… um never have had one.” I laughed nervously.

“Really? Pretty girl like you?”

“Well I had my brothers… I didn’t think it was worth the risk because every time I tried to get to know someone they would disappear. The one guy that I almost ended up dating died in a boating accident.” I said and scratched at my wrist… it was a nervous tick that I had.

“You think I’m worth it?”

“Yeah.” I smiled. “You saw me at my worst and have heard the horror story that is my life and you’re still here. Turtle most people cant get past that I have a scar let alone hear about how I got it.”

“Well then they sure as hell don’t deserve you.” he laughed. “A lot of people can’t get past my tattoos… or my piercings.”

“Phsh! I see tattoos as art and I love your piercings. I have a tattoo and the only reason I don’t have more than just snake bites is because I really don’t like needles.” I laughed and kissed his cheek. “I don’t know how people can still let the color or colors of someone’s skin get in the way of how they see the actual person.”

“I look mean I guess.”

“But you are one of the sweetest guys I have ever met.”

“What is your tattoo?”

“It’s an octopus.” I said and leaned forward so I could show him the tattoo on my lower back. “No other reason than I love the ocean and I love octopuses.”

“Why do you like them?” he laughed and traced it with his finger.

“Because they are really cool looking and they can camouflage. The next one I get I want to be a seahorse or a sea dragon.” I said and sat back. “But that can’t be my next one.”

“Why not?”

“Because this year on July 17 I am getting a Day of the Dead skull tattooed on my right bicep. I want it to be about the size of a quarter piece of notebook paper and it needs to be colorful and intricate. Tribute to Alejo Madera my friend that died in the boating accident. He always wanted one done.”

“Why the date?”

“It is his birthday and the day he died… Day of the Dead maybe not the official day but I lost him so…”

“I think it is a cool idea to do that do you want the main colors to be?”

“Blues and greens.” I said and nodded. “Maybe a little purple.”

“That’ll be on tour… are you sure you have that day off?”

“No but one way or another I will get it.” I murmured. “What time is it?”

“Sometime in between five and six am…. Do you need to be home?”

“Nope. Just wondering. We have been out here for a while.” I said and laughed quietly. “It only feels like a couple of minutes.”

“Time flies.”

“Yeah it does at that. I like this. I don’t want it to end… is that weird?”

“I sure as hell hope not.” he laughed and kissed my forehead.