‹ Prequel: Changes
Making the Album
Best Friends Mean.
"Tony?"
Robert slipped into the booth. The opening chords of 'Ain't it Fun' assaulted his ear drums. Apparently, after she'd mastered the actual chords, she'd decided to start fucking around with the feedback. The room was literally trembling from the noise. Tony had somehow wired three amphs together and turned them up. Loud.
"Tony? " He asked again, walking over to her.
Her shoulders shook and she played the opening again. Robert gently took the guitar away from her.
"Tony, talk to me."
She shook her head, reaching for her guitar. Robert grabbed her hand, staring at her bloody fingers.
"What have you done to yourself?"
"NOTHING. Nothing, Berto, now give me the fucking guitar." Her voice trembled.
"Tony, sweetie, this isn't fixing anything."
"Yes, it is. Now give me my fucking guitar."
"You're bleeding all over it."
"I don't care." She swiped at the guitar
Robert pulled the guitar firmly away from her. Then he wrapped his arms around Tony. She struggled for a moment, then dissolved into harsh, shuddering sobs that shook her entire body.
"It'll be all right...it'll be all right..." Robert crooned, patting her back.
"No...it can't be alright, ever, ever again."
"He'll come back, Tony."
"He won't. He hates me."
"Then he's an idiot. You're beautiful, and talented, and great to be around."
"Then why did we break up, Berto? Because I'm an idiot and do things that hurt people. He's not coming back."
Robert was silent for a breif moment. Tony pulled away from him, heading towards the guitar. Before she could reach it, Robert grabbed her arm spun her around towards him. He put both hands on either side of her head, forcing her to look at him.
"Tony, don't." He touched his forehead to her own, closing his eyes. They were too close, he could feel the tears sliding down her cheeks...
"I'm all alone again, Berto."
"You're not. It's you, and it's me. And we'll get through this. We always do."
Tony started crying all over again. Robert didn't pull away, just held her, and felt her arms around his waist.
***
They stood like that until the door opened, then reluctantly pulled away. Billie stared at them for a moment. Then he opened the door and pointed to the hallway.
"Out, Robert."
Billie had been expecting some sort of argument, but the younger man just nodded at him. He squeezed Tony's hand. Billie noticed her fingers were dripping blood.
Robert paused for a moment, studying Billie. The lead singer sighed and returned his gaze. After a moment, Robert nodded at him, and stepped aside.
"Why?" Billie whispered to him. Robert sighed.
"Because she loves you so much...I don't have the heart to fuck with that."
Then Robert patted Billie on the shoulder and shut the door behind him.
Robert slipped into the booth. The opening chords of 'Ain't it Fun' assaulted his ear drums. Apparently, after she'd mastered the actual chords, she'd decided to start fucking around with the feedback. The room was literally trembling from the noise. Tony had somehow wired three amphs together and turned them up. Loud.
"Tony? " He asked again, walking over to her.
Her shoulders shook and she played the opening again. Robert gently took the guitar away from her.
"Tony, talk to me."
She shook her head, reaching for her guitar. Robert grabbed her hand, staring at her bloody fingers.
"What have you done to yourself?"
"NOTHING. Nothing, Berto, now give me the fucking guitar." Her voice trembled.
"Tony, sweetie, this isn't fixing anything."
"Yes, it is. Now give me my fucking guitar."
"You're bleeding all over it."
"I don't care." She swiped at the guitar
Robert pulled the guitar firmly away from her. Then he wrapped his arms around Tony. She struggled for a moment, then dissolved into harsh, shuddering sobs that shook her entire body.
"It'll be all right...it'll be all right..." Robert crooned, patting her back.
"No...it can't be alright, ever, ever again."
"He'll come back, Tony."
"He won't. He hates me."
"Then he's an idiot. You're beautiful, and talented, and great to be around."
"Then why did we break up, Berto? Because I'm an idiot and do things that hurt people. He's not coming back."
Robert was silent for a breif moment. Tony pulled away from him, heading towards the guitar. Before she could reach it, Robert grabbed her arm spun her around towards him. He put both hands on either side of her head, forcing her to look at him.
"Tony, don't." He touched his forehead to her own, closing his eyes. They were too close, he could feel the tears sliding down her cheeks...
"I'm all alone again, Berto."
"You're not. It's you, and it's me. And we'll get through this. We always do."
Tony started crying all over again. Robert didn't pull away, just held her, and felt her arms around his waist.
***
They stood like that until the door opened, then reluctantly pulled away. Billie stared at them for a moment. Then he opened the door and pointed to the hallway.
"Out, Robert."
Billie had been expecting some sort of argument, but the younger man just nodded at him. He squeezed Tony's hand. Billie noticed her fingers were dripping blood.
Robert paused for a moment, studying Billie. The lead singer sighed and returned his gaze. After a moment, Robert nodded at him, and stepped aside.
"Why?" Billie whispered to him. Robert sighed.
"Because she loves you so much...I don't have the heart to fuck with that."
Then Robert patted Billie on the shoulder and shut the door behind him.