Blood for Blood, Hearts Beating

Vic was filling up the bathtub as Mike and Jaime were holding on to Tony for dear life, not letting him leave their sides. It’s not even like he was planning some great escape. Tony was out of it with his eyes half closed, mumbling. There was no way he could have meant any harm.

Once the tub was mostly full, the two boys shoved Tony’s head in the water for three seconds tops. They then proceeded with doing it another two times to really have him wake up.

Tony fell onto the floor, panting. “What the hell was that for?”

“For almost disrespecting a woman. She isn’t a toy won at a fair.” Jaime seemed the most upset about it.

A slight smile appeared on Tony’s face as he walked out of the room and sat on the couch. The guys followed him, giving him the most evil glares.

He then fully started laughing. “That’s right. You guys were giving her away for free.”

Vic tightened his fist, ready at any moment to throw a punch. He knew better though. Vic wasn’t even the one to act on account of his thoughts. No, he was more to speak about how he felt. “We thought you needed some fun and so we thought that she would be a second chance at love for you, dumbass.”

“You’re right and I’m sorry. I’m sorry that she’s proof that I’ll never get a second chance at love. Stephanie was the only girl.”

Mike rolled his eyes. “Get over the bitch. You’re done. Acabado.”

“You’re done. Avacado!” Tony picked up a beer that he had opened earlier and never got to finish. He didn’t mind that it was warm and disgusting nor that it was flat. It was everything that described his life at the moment. He got pretty heated sometimes and his life was disgusting and seemed rather flat.

Mike was going to hurt him so badly if he had the chance to but his brother Vic was on his right shoulder as his angel telling him it would be the wrong thing to do.

Jaime put his hand around Tony. He spoke softly and tried to get through to him. That was another thing he was good at. “You’re heartbroken and I understand that but that doesn’t mean that it’s ever right to. . . You know.”

“You know, she know, he know, they know, we know, ice cream nose.”

Jaime and Vic almost started laughing at how ridiculous that sounded but were able to keep it in, only revealing that they had a smile on their faces.

That was the end of it for Mike though. He was clearly pissed off. He stood up, taking the beer bottle out of his amigo’s hand and smashed it on the floor. “You don’t get it, do you? No one ever cared about Stephanie. You’re just ruining everything that this band could be. You’re a fucking loser, Tony! You’re ruining our lives with your fucking negativity all the time!” He then got up and left.

Tony looked at the floor and sniffed, trying to hold in his tears. He knew that Mike was right. He was a failure. This was the last thing he wanted to happen. His family had a story of alcoholics and he was probably just adding himself to that book.

From an early age, he learned that drinking from depression or anything could only lead to alcoholism. That’s why he only drank when he was in a good mood and around friends. He didn’t want drinking alcohol to become his water.

When he felt tears in his eyes, he got up and went to his bunk as he stared at the bottom of the bunk above him. Tears voluntarily took over his face but he refused to make any sound. He draped the sheet that he had hung from the bunk above so he couldn’t see the aisle or anything. Tony really wanted Stephanie back. He needed someone to love and someone to hold. All he wanted to do was make a girl feel special and for them to love each other. He took his second pillow and held it like it was Stephanie.

“Mike didn’t mean that, Ton. He gets angry sometimes over the little things. You aren’t a loser. You’re a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle who kicks ass.”

Tony’s throat was beginning to hurt. He had to let it out. He wasn’t sure if what he had to let out was puke or scream.

That was when he felt it. He jumped off his bed and ran off the bus to a section where there was some grass. He let it all out there. The never ending alcohol that was in his system.

After a good minute of standing there after he was done, he stood up to Freddy being there with a caring smile on his face and a hand on his back. “Are you ok, buddy?”

Tony knocked his hand off. “Get away from me! You’re the one who introduced me to that damsel.”

“Grace!”

“What?”

“Grace! That damsel’s name is Grace.”

Tony pushed Freddy backwards. “You think I care?”

Freddy somehow wasn’t very upset at his friend. He was drunk and needed a friend now more than ever before. “Tony.” He said softly.

The way he said it made Tony regret his words. “I’m sorry. What do you want?”

“Tomorrow is a new day and you won’t feel so much pain. That’s what I want, for you to not feel any pain.”

Tony dried the tears from his face with his arm. “I need Stephanie so much more than anyone could understand.”

“I get it but your single now. You’re free from it all. Just have fun with us boys. That’s what you need right now.”

As he thought about it, Tony started to see a little clearly. He wanted to think straight and he was so tired of being tired. He didn’t want to be upset anymore. If there was anything he missed more than Stephanie, it was being happy. Truthfully, the last time he actually felt completely at ease was before her.

Tony grabbed Freddy into a brotherly hug. “Thanks man.”

Anyways, Tony found that Grace character pretty hot. It could have always been just the alcohol distorting his vision, but he wanted to find out whether what he thought was true. He was inspired to find her again.