You Fall Apart and Then You...Stop!

Chapter 2

I stood outside the door for a while, contemplating whether or not I should go in or if I was really fine and could stop at any time and just leave this stupid place.

I took in a deep breath, and ever so quietly snuck back into the room. No one noticed. I found her standing over by the refreshments table still trying to get rid of the coffee on her white I The Mighty T-shirt. Something about her familiar black hair with a snow white piece in it matching her milky white skin, and bright cherry red lips had me dying to talk to her. I walked over to her.

"Again I'm-"

"Sorry" she interupted again, "I got it the first two times."

"Why aren't you over there, telling your story of alcohol addiction?" I asked, trying to make joke out of the situation.

She wasn't taking the bait. Instead, she kept her focus on her shirt, "Could ask you the same."

"Already took my turn," I lied focusing my attention on the donuts, sticking my hands in my sweater pockets.

"Your butt just buzzed," she told me as she grabbed more napkins.

"Huh?" I asked.

"Your butt, just buzzed" she repeated, much slower this time.

I took out my phone from my back pocket and checked my texts. "How's it going?" Ronnie texted me.

I ignored it, I didnt want to talk to him right now. He's the one who made me come here in the first place. He had promised not to tell anyone that I had slipped as long as I went to daily meetings, or as many as touring allowed.

Once I put it away, and looked up I found her staring at me curiously.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Where do I know you from?" she asked.

"Uh, I'm in a band." I told her.

"Huh, which band?" She asked.

"Kind of in the in between actually. Just left my old one, in a new one, but also in another new one."

"Which band?" She repeated.

"Violent New Breed and Falling In Reverse," I answered.

"Holy shit, Max Green," she said, "didn't recognize you very well under that hoody, and your very subtle attempt to wear big sunglasses inside a very dimly lit room," she said checking her own texts.

"Yeah, well gotta stay unrecognizable." I mumbled with a nervous laugh."Where the hell do I know you from?"

She shrugged, "I hang around Wal-Mart a lot" she replied.

I softened a little at her attempt at a joke, "So you're not so sarcastic and hardcore all the time then?" I asked, joking back. I saw her crack a smile, something she needed to do more of.

"So where do I know you from?" I asked again.

"You uh, you're wearing my bands T-shirt" she said nodding to it.

I looked down. "Catholic Knees" was sprawled across my shirt. Holy shit. I looked back up at her, knowing exactly who she was. I was currently touring with her band. "Andy Smiles"

"Bingo," she says before she walks towards Benny who had called her over.