Pandemonium

“So Bam is planning his annual party for Phil and April,” Missy began before taking a sip of her soda. She’d met me for lunch later after I’d dropped Bingo off at her mother’s house. We were sitting across from each other in a booth at a mutual favorite restaurant.

I didn’t look up, suddenly too interested in my French fries.

“Is it that time already?” I offered, unintrigued as I took a long drink of my own beverage. I glanced up through my eyelashes to see her watching me intently. I tried to ignore the look in her eyes.

“It is. We want you to be there.”

“Will he be there?” I asked, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

“The music video is nearly done- they should be gone by then,” she explained, slowly reaching a hand out and hesitantly placed it on mine.

“Wynter we miss you. The old you… ” she cupped my free hand in both of hers, silently begging me to meet her stare. I know she meant well but I couldn’t stop the instinctual flinch.

“We’ll see,” I replied meeting her eyes with a half-smile, pulling my hand away and placing it in my lap. I very rarely went out anymore, occasionally meeting with her for drinks or something small, but I preferred the comfort of my own home.

“Wyn,” she started but I gave her a warning glance and she let the conversation die.

It would take some serious effort on my part to go. I hadn’t really partied with them, partly because for two years I was stuck in college studying my ass off which combined with the Ville incident had turned me into quite the introvert. I’d promised Missy once I graduated, I would be around more, but I just kept coming up with excuses on why I was too busy. I’d joked with myself on more than one occasion about how one day I was going to deal with my problems instead of isolating myself from them but today was never that day.

“Well to change the subject to a happier note, that’s not the only question I have for you,” she changed the mood quickly with a devious smirk.

“Oh?” I lifted an eyebrow. Surely whatever else she had to say couldn’t be any worse.

“So, do you remember that medieval photo shoot I did for Playboy back in the day for that featured celebrity thing? Well they want me to do it again and I want it to be a surprise for Bam so he can’t come with, but I could really use the moral support. Would you be willing to come?” she looked up at me with puppy dog eyes.

“Yeah, I can do that, I’m not participating right?” I questioned with a concerned glance; double checking I wasn’t being roped into something bigger.

“Not unless you want to,” she gave me a saucy smile before taking the last bite of her food.
“Definitely not,” I laughed, pushing my own food away.

“Alright awesome I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning then,” Missy said matter-of-factly as the waitress wordlessly set the bill down and Missy snatched it before I could even glance at it.
“Can I at least pay half? Jeez,” I rolled my eyes playfully.

“I’ve seen your tuition bill. You need all the money you can get. Keep the change,” she nodded to the waitress, slipping two twenties in the little black folder before handing it back to the girl who was too happy to take the money with a rushed thanks.

“So I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said, it wasn’t a question. It was a statement.

“Bright and early!” I smiled with as much enthusiasm as I could muster about the idea of sitting there watching her get seminude pictures professionally taken. It would require socializing on my part. I had to resist the urge to physically shudder. I inwardly reminded myself to stop acting like an angsty teenager as we stood to leave, parting ways until tomorrow.

****
“My love…!” Missy’s voice interrupted our drunken arm-wrestling tournament. Currently it was me versus Bam and the winner had to face Mige who was sitting at the bar chatting idly with Burton. We both turned to watch her come down the stairs, dumping a few shopping bags unceremoniously on the pool table before striding over to our location.

“Well hello gorgeous,” Bam greeted her with a kiss on the lips, releasing my hand that only moments ago he’d had in a vice to wrap said arm around his wife’s waist. “What’s in the bags?”
“Nothing, just needed to do a little shopping for tomorrow,” she smiled coyly. I chose to give them their space and reached over and grabbed the bottle of whiskey at Bam’s side and take a loud drink.
“What’s tomorrow?” he asked with mild intrigue, not taking his eyes or hands off her.

“It’s a surprise,” she replied, planting another peck on his mouth, not giving anything away.

“Oh is it a sexy surprise?” he murmured, the hand on her waist dipping dangerously low.

“It might be. You’ll have to wait and see,” Missy pulled away with a grin much to Bam’s distain, the look of a child whose favorite toy had just been ripped from its’ hands. I had to stifle a chuckle as I watched the two of them. They were a perfect couple in the strangest way. She was the anchor that kept Bam grounded. My thoughts wondered to Wynter. Had she been my anchor? Part of me wished I had stuck around to find out.

“Oh, by the way I’m borrowing the Lambo tomorrow,” Missy informed aloud as she turned to walk away, stopping only to glance back as she grabbed the bags from the pool table and begin to make her ascent to the main part of the mansion.

“The Lambo? Why?” He wondered as we watched her saunter away.

“Because as your wife, half of your shit belongs to me!” She answered loudly, no longer visible.
Bam turned and gave me a look.

“What are you thinking Bam?” I grinned at him. He was cooking up something in that twisted little mind of his.

“I think we should find out more about this surprise,” he gave me a devilish grin before snatching the bottle away from me and taking a swing, slamming the nearly empty flagon on the table and standing to pull out his cellphone. “I’ve got some calls to make!”

****
When Missy picked me up the following morning, I was dressed in a hoodie and black skinny jeans. A summertime thunderstorm had rolled in overnight and was threatening to drown West Chester in precipitation.

“I love how it rains the day of,” Missy rolled her eyes complaining as I clambered into the passenger seat of Bam’s Lamborghini. “My hair is going to be so flat!”

“Hey, you know what they say; when it rains it pours!” I replied cheerfully. Honestly, I loved this weather. I couldn’t wait to get back home to snuggle up on the couch and watch tv.

“You’re quite chipper this morning,” she commented as we pulled off towards our destination.

“I’m not the one who has to look good,” I pulled out my phone to see a text from Bam, asking if I was with Missy. “Hey your husband is asking if we’re together, do you want me to say no to throw him off the trail or..?”

“Ooh, I thought I’d get a head start on him. Damnit. Um, yeah tell him you haven’t heard from me today.” We sped along the country roads, the city just in the distance.

I typed the designated reply, slipping the phone back in my jeans pocket and settling into the seat, my stomach starting to rumble. I’d skipped my opportunity for breakfast in favor of sleeping in a bit longer, but I was quickly beginning to regret that decision.

We reached the studio twenty minutes later, the entire way there I whined about stopping for food, to which I received a firm ‘no’.

“Wynter you should’ve eaten beforehand there’s no time now! I swear you’re just like your cousin sometimes,” she teased as we parked.

“Hey now no low blows!” I replied, helping her with the covered outfits she’d brought along. “So, what did you bring?” I asked, changing the subject and hoping to distract myself from the fact it felt like my stomach was beginning to digest itself in desperation. I was really regretting that light dinner I’d had the night before on top of missing breakfast.

“You’ll see,” she grinned excitedly as we entered through an exit, instantly assaulted with lights and noises as people rushed around preparing.

“Ah, Missy there you are thank god. There’s been a mishap,” a very flamboyantly speaking older gentleman strode up to us, worry painted all over his face as he grasped one of her hands in both of his.

“What’s wrong Niles?” she asked, her brow furrowing as another man approached us as well.

“Tanya isn’t coming. She’s stuck in stand still traffic due to an accident,” the other man interjected fluidly, reaching out a hand to both of us in a greeting fashion. “I’m Roman, I’m your photographer today. Wonderful to meet you in person Mrs. Margera. And who is your lovely friend?”

“Oh, this is my husband’s cousin Wynter. She’s just along for moral support today,” she informed him introducing me, shaking his hand as I followed suit, giving them both a shy smile but remaining quiet.

“Well unfortunately unless you can afford to wait, we’re not going to be able to do the shoot today due to Tanya’s situation,” Roman informed us, releasing our hands simultaneously with a frown.
“Oh no…” Missy groaned in despondency, her shoulders falling dramatically.

“Hmm… now wait Roman, what about this girl?” Niles interpolated, waving in my direction.

“Oh um, I can’t,” I explained, stuttering in embarrassment and took a step back. I had to fight the urge to flee the scene immediately.

“Wynter isn’t really the modeling type,” Missy clarified, placing her only free arm in a soothing motherly fashion across my shoulders.

“Well otherwise Missy we’re going to have to reschedule next month. I am a busy man,” Roman stroked his short stubble thoughtfully as if waiting to see what our next move would be.

“Can we have a moment to discuss this?” I said suddenly. The room felt too hot and my hands were getting clammy, but I didn’t want Missy to miss out on her opportunity for my sake, suddenly feeling guilty at the prospect.

“Wynter,” Missy muttered, pulled me harshly by my arm away from the two men who stood there watching us nonchalantly. “You were just telling me yesterday you didn’t want to do this.”

“Missy I know and honestly I don’t know what I’m thinking right now but I want to be there for you. Plus, I mean you said it’s not fully naked right?” The last sentence came out as more of a squeak than I meant it to.

“You really don’t have to do this if you don’t want to honey. If you’re uncomfortable, that’s more important to me than some dumb photoshoot,” she reassured me, letting her arm drop from where it had rested on my frame.

“I can do this. Weren’t you just saying how you missed the old me?” I shakily laughed and gave her a sideways smile. She might as well have asked me to jump out of a plane. She met my smile with a grin of her own suddenly.

“You’re sure about this?”

“I’m sure,” I reassured her, making full eye contact while trying to remember to breathe.

"Let's get this girl to makeup then!" Niles exclaimed, obviously having been eavesdropping on our entire conversation.

I was about to be in a pornography photoshoot. Holy shit.