Booze, Boys, and Buses

“Hey.” Matt said, shaking me awake.

“What?” I groaned, stretching.

“We’re going to Jimmy’s today. So I guess just get in the shower and stuff. I’ll wait for you downstairs.” He said, getting up off my bed.

I got up and skulked over to the shower. I sure was a piece of work when I first woke up in the morning. My hair looked like Jimmy’s on a bad hair day. I grumbled at my appearance and undressed myself. This time I had made sure that there were some towels so I wouldn’t fall down and hurt myself again. My thoughts trailed on to what Matt had said about the bet last night. I would never admit it to him, but I wanted to lose the bet, in a sense. It would be nice to have him do whatever I wanted for a day, however, staying a night in Matt’s bed may not be so bad. It actually might be kind of nice. I guess I would have to wait and see until that night.

After my shower, I got out and grabbed a towel. I picked out a pair of pants and a tank-top. I wanted to make sure that I prepared for the heat. I went downstairs and Matt was waiting for me there. He held his hand out and smiled at me.

“You look great today.” He said, as I took his hand.

“Thanks.” I said blushing.

He opened the door for me to enter. I did and then started for the hummer. The one day I decide to dress cooler and it’s raining.

“Shit.” I said, covering my head.

I ran to the hummer and Matt opened the door for me. This was impressive. Maybe I wouldn’t have to win the bet to get what I wanted. Maybe I would just have to keep him trying. He chuckled and then looked at how wet I was.

“Here.” He said, pulling off his sweatshirt.

When he was pulling it off, a little bit of his tee-shirt came up with it. I stared, slightly wishing I could just touch his chest. I would save that for tonight. Tonight, if I lost, I would get to touch his chest. This excited me a little and I smiled to myself.

“Impressive huh?” He asked, rubbing his chest.

I smacked his arm. “Enough. You’re dumb.”

I put his sweatshirt on over my head and then put on my seatbelt. He started driving and then he spoke.

“I have some stuff to talk to the guys about, so you can get to know the girls a little better while we’re there. Lacey and Leana really like you. I think Michelle is just upset about the fact that you’re not her sister. You know?” Matt asked, turning left.

“Yeah I know. This is pretty difficult, trying to get everyone to like me.” I said, biting on to my nail.

“Yeah, but you’re a tough girl, I know you can do it.” He said, placing his hand over mine on the seat.

“Thanks Matt.” I said, smiling.

I ended up turning my hand around and holding his hand. This felt so right. I knew at this point that we had to get together. If we didn’t, there would be something wrong. This felt too right to be wrong.

“Here we are.” He said, pulling into another house that was just as large as his own.

I put the hood up when I got out of the hummer and Matt came over to my side of the vehicle. He took my hand. I assumed to show his friends when we got inside. Sure enough, we got some “I didn’t know you guys were together!” And some, “you guys are so cute together.” I just unlinked fingers with Matt and he gave me a hurt face.

“What? You said that you had some things to talk to the guys about. So go!” I said, shoving him in the direction of the band room.

“Ok ok!” He said, walking away.

The other girls and I laughed. I sat down in the seat next to Kacie that she patted.

“Alright so, let’s talk about these guys ok? It’s always the greatest. I mean, now that you two are officially part of the ‘girlfriends’, this should be cool!” Leana said, sitting at the edge of her seat.

“Well, Matt didn’t exactly ask me out.” I said, shrugging and feeling slightly left out.

“Oh well, we pretty much know it’s going to happen anyway, so just deal with it.” Kacie said, giving me a small smile.

“Wait. When did you and Zacky hook up?” I asked, being a little surprised about the fact that she and Zack were already together.

“It was in Matt’s kitchen, a couple days ago. He asked me if I would be his girlfriend that night. How could I say no? He was looking at me with those huge green eyes. So here I am, the girlfriend Vengeance.” She said, sitting back with a smirk.

“No Johnny! Don’t touch my drum sticks!” We heard Jimmy yell from downstairs.

Both Lacey and Leana laughed at their boyfriend’s foolishness. Kacie, Michelle and I couldn’t help but laugh as well. The girls started talking to each other about silly things that the guys had done to each other over the years. I sort of spaced out and picked up my phone. I decided to check the weather in Maine.

“Eek!” I exclaimed happily when I saw that it was snowing in Maine.

All four of the other girls just stared at me.

“Are you ok?” Kacie asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“Yeah, I’m more than ok! I lost a bet.” I said, smiling from ear to ear.

I still had all four of the girls staring at me the same way they had been before.

“Matt said yesterday that if it’s snowing in Maine today, then I have to spend the night with him. If it’s not, then he has to do whatever I say for an entire day.” I explained, rolling my eyes.

“And you’re excited that you lost?” Lacey asked.

“Yeah, can’t you see that the girl likes Matt! I knew this was coming. You guys are going to fuck, yeah?” Leana asked, staring at me wide-eyed.

“No, I told him no sex. I’m just not ready for that yet.” I told her, looking down.

“Don’t be ashamed, this is coming from a porn star don’t forget.” Michelle said, pointing her thumb in Leana’s direction.

Leana pouted and the rest of us erupted into laughter.

“I’m sorry Leana, I just couldn’t resist.” Michelle said, still laughing.

“Ok, we have to talk to all you girls about something.” Jimmy said, coming into the room.

“Man, I thought that when Matt said I was going to have time to get to know you guys, he meant more that two minutes.” I said, looking around at all of the girls.

“Yeah, no kidding. What do you have to talk to us about.” Kacie said, moving over so Zacky could sit next to her.

“Ok, we’re going back out on tour in a month.” Matt said, taking a seat next to me and putting his arm around my shoulders.

“You’re what? You were just out on tour! And not to mention, you guys are booked for Taste Of Chaos. You already talked to Kevin Lyman and The Used about that.” Leana said, seeming to be a little frustrated with the men.

“Yeah, what are you going to play for songs? The same shit again?” Michelle asked, appearing to agree with Leana.

“No, I was thinking we would play the B-Sides. You know, give them a little something else. We’re going to put them out on a CD this month, and then next month we’re going to go out on tour and give the kids a little something new.” Matt said.

“So which one of us are you taking out on tour this time? I hate not being able to go on tour.” Lacey complained.

“Ok, we were thinking. Perhaps we could get you girls your own buses apart from ours? That way you have your own little space.” Johnny said, comforting his girlfriend.

“That could work.” I said, agreeing with the guys. “I haven’t even heard the B-side.”

“Well, we’ll have to get you girls to listen to that sometime soon, but right now, we have some asses to kick at Halo.” Brian said, standing up and turning on the television.

“I could kick all of you guys’ asses at Halo.” I said, smirking.

“Yeah right!” Came from every guy’s mouth.

By the end of the game, every guy was dumbfounded, and nearly in tears. I had brutally beaten every single guy at Halo. I wasn’t a super Halo addict, but I was pretty good at the game if I do say so myself.

* * *

“Shit. You really beat us today.” Matt said as we were on our way back to the house.

“Yeah I know.” I said, laughing to myself. “You guys did come pretty close though. Good job.”

“Yeah. Well, we’ll beat you next time. I’m going to need your help with something.” Matt said, biting his bottom lip.

“What?” I asked, being a little skeptical.

“Johnny has a birthday coming up, and Val always used to help me pick it out. I’m not so good with getting birthday presents.” Matt admitted, shrugging.

“So what did you do for Val’s birthday?” I asked, being truly curious.

“I had to take Michelle with me every time.” He said.

I groaned. “Fine, I guess I can help.”

“Awesome. You’re the greatest.”

I truly felt like I was filling in for Val. I wanted to know what made me different than her to Matt. I didn’t want to be just a filler. Getting down to the bottom of this would hopefully be easier than it seemed like it was going to be. When we got home, Matt sat down on the couch and pulled out his cell phone.

“Hey man. Yeah we are gonna put the CD out. You’ll handle the producers? Sweet.” Matt said.

I assumed that he was talking to the manager. I went into the kitchen and decided to start supper. I rummaged through the freezer and found some pork. That looked good. That with some Shake n’ Bake and some barbeque sauce would be awesome tonight.

“What did I do for veggies last night?” I asked into the living room.

“Rice and peas!” Matt yelled in to me.

I pulled a bag of corn out of the freezer and then searched for a cutting board. I cut up some potatoes and threw them in a pot full of water. I then threw the corn in a pot of water. Matt, again, lingered into the kitchen upon smelling the pork. He sat down across the island table from me and then chuckled.

“It snowed in Maine today.” He said, smiling.

“Did it? That’s great. Just so you know. I kick in my sleep.” I told him pulling the pork out of the oven.

“Do you now? Well, I can take it. I like my girls rough.” He said, winking at me.

I stuck my tongue out at him.

“No sex, no matter what.” I said, getting two plates out of the cupboard.

“Right. Even if you were naked, I could resist. I have amazing will power.”

Oh we shall see Mr. Shadows. We shall see. I thought, putting some pork on each plate. I then put some potato and some corn on both of the plates. I handed him his plate and we decided just to sit at the island table for dinner. I didn’t feel like setting up the dining table and dealing with all that.

“You’re a really good cook you know?” He asked, shoving another piece of pork in his mouth.

“Yeah I gathered that.” I said, laughing at his chipmunk cheeks.
I knew he was looking forward to spending the night with me because he finished his dinner only a few minutes after I had set it down in front of him. I went into my room after dinner and said that I was going to be changing into my pajamas. I wanted to make him regret saying he would keep his hands off of me. I decided to wear my lingerie. It couldn’t hurt, right? I went out into the hallway after I was one hundred percent sure that he was in his room. I knocked on the door.

“You don’t have to knock babe.” He said from inside.

I threw the door open. All he did was gape. I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Like my pajamas?” I asked.

“Uh huh.” He said with an expressionless face.

I walked over and crawled into the bed, back-to to Matt. I pulled the covers over myself and then two large arms wrapped themselves around my waist and pulled me backward. I felt Matt start kissing and sucking on my neck. I was instantly turned on in the naughtiest way. I turned around in the bed and faced him. I pressed my lips against his and my tongue demanded entrance. He stopped.

“No, I am way to horny right now, and if we start keeping up with this you’ll do something you’ll regret. I don’t want you to know me as your regret.” He said. “I want to be known as your boyfriend.” He took my hands in his and his eyes pierced through mine. “Cassandra, would you be my girlfriend?”

Everything went still. I wanted to say yes, but what if things got bad. Then I could just break up with him right? My heart, and other places I might add, were telling me to be his girlfriend, and fast.

“Yes Matt. I would love to be your girlfriend.” I said, smiling.

I turned back around and nestled myself into his chest. I had felt his chest, and I’d felt it with my hands, and my bare back. What a story this was going to be for Kacie to hear. Matt had to stop me from going too far. I was nearly one hundred percent sure that it was going to be the other way around, but it wasn’t. This was a good thing though. He was truly going to prove to be a great boyfriend.