Hypnotized by the Carbon Monoxide

The crowd had thinned and those still standing around with the bands were having full length conversations they could brag about when they walked through Berkeley High’s doors and point to the spot on the sidewalk they had had their conversations at.

“Who’s riding with who?” Brendon screamed throwing his arms up waving at the two girls being dragged away by one of their parents who had escorted them to the concert, not once intending on staying till nearly one am because they were having a conversation with Brendon Aaronson about peeps and jello balloons.

The group froze looking around. Most of Good Charlotte had already peeled out around midnight in their cars leaving the bus for Paul, Joel, Nicole, and Harlow. Escape the Fate didn’t stick around much longer than an hour after the Donkey Conga game, only Max and Monte had come to say high for all of twenty to thirty minutes before getting back on the bus and having it peel away moments later. Now the only vehicles left to be seen were the large black bus in which Tony was leaning against as he talked with some guy and his friends, Charlie’s little black mustang which she was sitting on the hood of, Puff in her hands Crystal, Jamie and three other kids standing around her talking, and the large golden colored bus.

“Where the fucked my bus go?” Everyone paused, the air growing dead silent as all eyes traveled to Trace staring where his once amber and green colored bus had once been parked. His fingers and hand tangled in his hair as he pushed it backwards, his mouth hung slowly open while his blue eyes darted for any sign of his band mates playing a joke on him. None of the three other members of Metro Station where around snickering, they at the moment weren’t even in Berkeley city limits if he really even wanted to know.

Spinning on his heels he looked at the others for the answer. Everyone shrugged at him lightly.

“You gotta be kidding me!” He gasped spinning back around the keys on his back left belt loop jingling while they slapped at the front and back of his upper thigh. “They left me?” He gaped, arms dropping to his side with dead weight while he watched the street light just up forty to fifty feet change and only people cross at suck a late hour. The group watched him as he pulled his phone out dialing a memorized number, not one looking at the keys as his thumb walked over the buttons.

Slipping of the hood of her car she watched him lift his long arm to pose him phone next to his ear. Sighing she held Puff against her chest protectively as she wandered closer to him.

“You Asswhole’s…” Trace growled into his phone the second the person picked up. “You fucking left me!” He gasped throwing his free hand in the air before crossing it over his chest and under his elbow. “No, I’m not, I’m standing on the cold dark street in front of Berkeley High school and community center.” He stated glancing at Charlie as she walked right up to him, waiting for him to finish his conversation. Trace’s mind began to work in over time as he tried to plan out ways to get Charlie to torture his band members for him. He could simply tell her they all just stare at her ass and chest… but that could possibly get them killed and near or even in the same position as Ronnie and that wasn’t good. “No kidding, I haven’t had a chance to get in it yet since… oh I don’t know, you left me.” He growled lifting his free hand to push his hair out of his face while he tore his gaze away from Charlie’s face. Slowly he looked back and down at the hamster tucked against his chest. “Why do you have a hamster?” He asked lightly ignoring the ranting of Anthony on the other end of the phone.

“Because he’s awesome.” She stated holding Puff up to him. “His names Puff.” She muttered softly as Trace lowered his face to Puff looking the hamster in the beady eyes.

“Lucky guy never gets left behind.” Trace sighed rising to his full height. “Sorry doesn’t cut it; I’m still stuck on a sidewalk… What if they don’t want me to ride with them? Hmm? We did just meet and all.” He gasped throwing his free arm in the air again letting his hand fall on top of his head. “You obviously have yet to meet some of the people on tour.” He muttered softly rolling his eyes as he glanced at Charlie petting Puff, who was still cradled in one hand. “Who said it was okay to leave in the first place?” He paused not understanding Blake as his voice cut in and out. “Who?” He asked lightly mouth dropping open eyes wide. “And you believe him?! They left already! They left ages ago… How long ago did you… hours? You guys suck!” With that said Trace snapped his phone shut glaring at it debating if throwing it at the ground would do any good.

“So what’s going on?” Charlie asked not even taking a set back or looking at him as she played with Puff a bit.

“Well, they left about the same time Escape the Fate did because Ronnie’s a douche.” Trace muttered nodding slowly watching as Charlie’s blue eyes lifted to him, confusion filling them. “He told Mason that I was ridding with them, so there for Mason told the others and they left before Escape the Fate who then left me standing on the street with out a clue that either where gone.” Reaching up Charlie tucked a long piece of black hair behind her ear smiling at him. With a sigh he grabbed the front of his black fringe pulling at it annoyed. “Jerks.” He breathed out letting his arms drop.

“You can ride with me, ‘cause Paul’s already taking up our extra bunk.” Charlie mused lightly as she looked at the large black bus. “You could use mine if you want… or the couch.” She shrugged thinking about all the places he could sleep at for the short drive. He shrugged as well, his knees giving way. Sinking to the ground he sat on it staring at the changing stop light, everyone watching him. “It’s up to you.” She whispered sinking down next to him and facing him. Glancing over at him he smiled at her as he placed a hand on her shoulder squeezing it.

“I don’t care.” He muttered softly pulling his hand back as he looked at his phone ringing in his lap. “It’s your bus and your car. You pick.” He muttered glaring at the phone for a moment as he noticed the caller ID. He didn’t want to talk to any of them at the moment; he’d rather make them suffer.

“I say he rides with Charlie!” Brendon declared looking at Tony and William for support.

“Agreed.” Tony muttered holding a hand up as William tapped his thin thinking of all the options.

“I agree as well, only because it’s easier to drop him off at their hotel in a car than it is a bus then have to get the bus back to Lacey’s.” William muttered as he rolled his eyes lifting his hand in the air. “Agreed.” He muttered softly. Nodding Charlie understood the logic in his words and wasn’t too sure why Tony and Brendon had just refused to let Trace stay on their bus, maybe he was right about some of the people on tour; they just didn’t want him on their bus.

“Works for me, let them know so they don’t come back.” Charlie muttered, nodding Trace flipped open his phone answering. He waited as Mason began to gasp out sorry’s at him.

“I’m getting a ride form Charlie.” He cut in quickly as Mason drew in a deep breath. There was a pause on the line. “So don’t worry about it.” With that Trace hung up glancing at the small woman as she stood up, for once towering over him. He smiled up at her as she held her hand down to him. A few of her fingers clad in silver rings, her nails painted black, the index finger having a green frog on it, and around her wrist she had a few hemp bracelets, some thick leather bracelets with a few plastic colorful ‘support’ type bracelets; her tattoos making almost impossible to notice the bracelets.

Taking her hand she helped him into a crouching position in which he could easily stand from. Laughing lightly at the fact that she wasn’t tall enough to help him stand all the way up she let her hand drop back at her side as he smiled at her gratefully and rose to his full height.

“Thanks.” He muttered scratching the side of his neck a bit unsure if a simple ‘thanks’ for enough to prove how grateful he was to be getting a ride, a ride with her none the less. Shrugging lightly she smiled skipping off towards the bus and on it. He watched her as she went, a bit unsure of her actions.

Charlie placed Puff in his cage and turned to Paul sitting on the couch reading the book clasped in his fingers.

“Pauly.” She muttered placing her hands on her hips as she watched his with narrowed blue eyes. Paul shifted his eyes over the top of his book, taking in the way she held her self. Slowly he placed a finger in his book and closed it, letting it rest in his lap with his hands.

“Yes Pum?” He asked smiling at her. She sighed letting her ridged shoulders go limp and her hands slide of his well curved hips. Walking over she sat next to him leaning against his arm, head on his shoulder, knees tucked up to her chest.

“Well you take care of Puff for me?” She asked sweetly. Wrapping his arm around her he smiled down at the small looking girl staring back up at him with eyes that made him think of the movie ‘children of the corn’. “Normally I trust him to William, but I trust you more, you’ve had to take care of Billy’s hamsters before.” She muttered tucking herself into his side a bit more watching Puff run in his wheel happily.

“Of course I’ll take care of him for you Pum.” He muttered lightly, smiling up at him she wrapped her arms around his slightly pudgy middle giving him a tight squeeze. “When are we leaving by the way?” She asked as she stood up ready to exit the bus.

“Soon, Trace got left behind so I’m giving him a ride.” Charlie muttered shrugging lightly at the thought. “So, I figured if I leave soon with him the sooner I get to see bloodshed.” She smiled as Paul chuckled with a nod of his head understanding a bit where she came from. “Besides it’s really late.” She added lifting her hands in a odd gesture close to a shrug. “So, you know whatev’.” She added as she walked off the bus looking at everyone. “You, Lackey.” She laughed pointing at Trace who was sitting on the ground again surrounded by apologetic girls. “In the car.” She muttered removing the keys and hitting the unlock button. She could hear the doors click as the lights flashed.

Standing with a grunt he nodded doing at told.

“Bye.” He waved at the girls staring at him with as he walked to the car moving through the small group drooling over the perfectly polished car. Opening the door he slid into the car and gently shut the door afraid to damage it. His eyes running over the pure black insides of the small car: black leather seats, black vinyl covering the dash and center consol with dark cherry wood pieces accenting it across the insides of the door and on the shifter head.

Charlie pointed at her band members.

“you three, on the bus.” The guys waved leaving. Tony patted her head as she left William waved and Brendon picked her up in a hug. “I’ll see you in a matter of hours.” She gasped.

“I know, also first thing in the morning I’m taking your car in.” Brendon muttered setting her down and patting her on the head. With a nod she waved at the group by the car.

“By Crystal, Jamie.” She muttered moving around the front of the car. “Send me a message on MySpace or something.” She added, the girls nodded a bit dumbfounded at the response.

Sliding into the car Charlie closed the door a bit rougher than Trace had as stuck the keys in the ignition while he pulled on his seatbelt. The car roared to life vibrating their seats a bit. It sounded like one of the older mustangs to Trace, the ones that have nice engines in them with nothing to take away from the roar of it.

Charlie hardly noticed the roar of the car as she pulled her seatbelt on, her eyes focusing on the side mirror next to her. A blue van pulled up along side her and seemed to stop.

“Oh come on lady.” Charlie breathed a bit annoyed as she flipped on her turn signal hoping the lady would figure it out. She stopped hearing yelling to pull up as the woman rolled down the window, the woman yelling at her kids to get in the van. Slowly Charlie’s hand moved to the window button rolling it down. “Hey, excuse me.” She called as Trace leaned over a bit to see the woman in the van. “Could you please move? We’re trying to pull out, and you’re blocking all three of us.” She stated noticing the golden bus in front of them had roared to life and the van was parked on the street in the perfect spot that is the bus pulled out it’s take out her front end because it couldn’t pull straight up with other cars parked in front of it.

“What?” The woman gasped, as if she’d been insulted.

“I’ve got it.” Trace muttered unbuckling and getting out of the car. He moved around the front of it quickly leaning in the window towards the bleach blonde woman. “The way you’ve stopped we can’t pull out, and there are cars in front of this bus,” He pointed at the golden one as someone appeared in the back lounge window watching. “And if we can’t pull out, they can’t back up to pull out.” He stopped at the woman looked at the buses then at Charlie leaning in the window of her mustang with a rather blank expression.

“Just have them pull out, they can do that.” The woman barked trying to ignore the fact that she had a rather good looking, nineteen year old leaning in her car window, a smile on his face as he watched her.

“I don’t think they have enough room, and even if they did,” Trace muttered glancing at the bus then back at her. “If they pulled out now, they’d take off the front of your van. So if you could go up, there is a spot for you to pick up who ever it is your picking up, or you could even back up enough to let us,” He pointed at Charlie and he black mustang. “Out, that’d be awesome.” The woman forced a smile at him. He smiled back standing up a bit patting on the open window. “Could you do that for us?” He asked as kindly as he could.

“No.” She stated, Trace’s smile feel. “Crystal Maria get your butt in this van right now. Jamie you too.” She called. Charlie leaned over to the passenger seat to looked at Crystal and Jamie.

“Mom just pull up!” Crystal gasped complete and utterly embarrassed while Trace slowly made his way back around the car, a bit stunned by the woman. Sliding in he looked at Charlie’s annoyed face as she shut off the car waiting, the bus behind her died as well. The second the large black bus died the bus driver of the golden one killed his engine as well. Everyone waiting on the woman to move.

Hurrying around the mustang Jamie got in as Crystal followed, looking at Charlie through the rolled down tinted window and mouthed a sorry at her. Waving a hand lightly Charlie waited, smiling at the girl knowing it wasn’t her fault.

Rolling up her window Charlie glared at the van turning the key in the ignition knowing the second she had room to pull out she would.

“I should have pulled out when I saw her coming up, I could’ve made it.” Charlie grumbled to herself as Trace clicked his seatbelt into place and shrugged a bit at her.

“The lady flat out told me no.” Trace mumbled lightly still amazed she hadn’t just agreed with sorry, most people did. Charlie shrugged cutting the wheel waiting; both girls were in the van even though it hadn’t moved. Slamming her hand on the horn Charlie lifted her hands as Crystal looked at her and shrugged as well.

“Fucking bitch.” Charlie whispered killing the engine again and getting out of the car. Walking up to the window she smiled at the woman behind the drive seat messing with her nails. “Lady.” She growled, the woman looking at her. “If you don’t move this van I will have that bus there,” she pointed a the gold bus. “Pull out and take the front of your car off, and because of witnesses you won’t be able to sew us for a dim, you’re parked illegally on a street, refusing to move and I’m not the bitch you wanna mess with.” She growled ignoring the wide eyes all three were giving her. “We have some place to be, to do out jobs.” The woman laughed.

“Jobs? You call playing on stage every night a job?” Charlie placed her hands in front of her mouth as if she were praying, her eyes closed.

“Yes I do, because not only do I love doing it, but I get paid for doing it and just so you know for something to be a job you have to work for it, which I do, and you have to get paid for doing the work.” Charlie gasped hands over her mouth. “Oh would you look at that I do!” She smiled for a second shrugging lightly at the woman. “Now move.” She growled.

“Young lady,” Charlie stopped as she turned away from the window. Turning back to her she stared at the woman with a blank expression. “That may be so, but it’s not a real job it’s not hard.” Twitching slightly Charlie leaned back in the window.

“Okay, not hard? Try living on a bus for months on end with three guys, having to deal with a bunch of Asswhole’s all day long, moving heavy equipment, standing under hot stage lights every night, while moving around and not only having fun but giving a good show for the crowd who paid, not being able to eat everyday, or eat healthy food everyday, not getting to always shower after shows, not getting to wash your cloths for several days, and oh… having to do it when your sick or PMSing in my case. Yeah that’s not hard.” She muttered the woman laughed. “If we have the flu and are throwing up, not even able to keep down fluids, we have to go on stage and give a good show and hope to god we put a bucket close enough that we can throw up into at any point on stage. If I hurt my wrist I still have to play guitar and I have horrible carpel tunnel in my right wrist which I use every nightly. Yay.” She muttered lifting her hands a bit to add to the sarcasm. “We’re late because we spent our time talking with fans because they helped us get to where we are, now if you don’t move lady I’ll make you move.” She snapped.

“Well, I guess that is work but only boys and ugly girls such as your self could get.” Charlie grabbed the window turning to the woman once more as Crystal tried to sink in her seat embarrassed and dead sure Charlie was going to hate her after this.

“Well, I may be ugly,” Charlie started lightly. “But more the time I’m riding on a bus with three hot guys, and tonight I’m going to be riding in a car with another one you were eyeing and can’t have. Hmm… take a regular job day and possibly be prefect and pretty, or…” She pursed her lips shrugging lightly. “Do what I do because of talent, be ugly and travel and meet and hang out with hot guys all day long?” Charlie laughed. “You may find me ugly, but I’ll probably marry one of those hot guys I meet and am friends with over the years because I hang around them soo much. I mean my boyfriend’s pretty hot.” She muttered referring to the man she was dating at the moment.

“What’s your boyfriend’s name because I dought you have one.”

“WiL Francis.” Charlie muttered in all honesty. Sure she wasn’t admitting they were in a massive fight and probably wouldn’t last much longer but she was still dating him and had been dating him for a while now. “Oh I see you know that name. Yeah, mine.” Charlie laughed moving to her car. “I’ll talk to you later Crystal.” She called as she left her mom sitting there with her mouth hanging open. Pulling her phone out she dialed Joel’s number. “If she doesn’t move soon you have the full right to pull out on her.” She muttered as Joel picked up.

“That’s kinda mean isn’t it?” He asked lightly as he paced the front room of his bus trying to shush his crying baby girl with one arm. Nicole watching from the back window unsure of why they weren’t moving leaving yet and what was going on outside the bus walls.

“No because she’s refusing to move.” Joel nodded at Charlie’s worlds.

“Alright, Nicole.” He called putting his phone to his shoulder with out noticing Charlie had hung up on him.

Sighing Charlie turned the key once again and waited, her fingers tapping against the leather wheel impatiently.

“Do you want me to ride on the bus, because I can…?” Trace muttered slowly looking down at his lap, Charlie’s phone in the cup holder catching his attention as the screen smiled up at him.

“You’re fine don’t worry about.” She whispered not a hit of anger in her voice as she smiled at him. Looking up at her, Trace smiled back at her and looked back down at him hands and the picture of Charlie and WiL Francis smiling up at him. WiL’s small smile seemed to taunt him as his stomach tightened.