Booze, Boys, and Buses

“No Matt, that’s not funny!” I shrieked as he tickled my sides. “Ah!” I yelled, trying my hardest to squirm away, but Brian and Zacky had me pinned to the bed so Matt could torture me.

I don’t know if it was the warmer weather, or just the fact that we all decided to settle our differences, but everyone was getting along great. Val and I had gone shopping in Virginia together. Matt and I have been getting along like every great couple does. Kacie and Matt had made up a while back when she finally realized that he was good for me. Kacie had also gotten over her rage with Mr. Zacky. Things couldn’t have been going better. Once Matt and the other guys stopped their tickle torture, Matt lay down on the bed and cuddled with me. I lifted my left hand to look at my ring. I smiled.

“I’m so lucky.” He whispered into my ear.

“You’re so lucky? Ha! I’m the one that won the contest remember?” I asked, laughing a little.

“Yeah, but I was the one that decided to do it in Maine because I noticed that Maine doesn’t get much attention.” He said, entwining his fingers with mine.

“I love you.” I said, kissing his lips.

“I love you too.”

“Hey love birds. Who wants to make lunch? I don’t, and you two are the only two I haven’t already asked.” Brian said, looking at us both.

“I will.” I said, sitting up and walking over to the stove.

Matt put a hand on my hip as I began picking some Ramen noodles out of the cupboard. I put a pot of water on the stove and turned it on. He kissed my neck.

“Not right now babe.” I said, moving my neck from his sucking lips of doom.

“Fine.” He said, sighing and walking off.

I sat down at the kitchen table and tapped my thumb on the edge. Time passed so slowly when there wasn’t any fighting going on. It was actually, kind of nice. As soon as the water began to boil I started cooking the Ramen noodles. I heard someone sit down at the table behind me and I turned to see the whole crew.

“I’m cooking for everyone?” I asked, slightly dumbfounded by the ten hungry mouths all pile up around the bus.

“Well, that’s what making lunch means.” Brian said, rolling his eyes.

I sighed and grabbed quite a few more packages of Ramen noodles out of the cupboard. I tossed them in the pot as well. I was worried that the pot was going to start to overflow.

“You know we love you!” I heard Johnny say, but I didn’t turn around.

“Shut up Seward.” I said, grumbling.

“Jeez, in a bad mood or what honey?” Matt asked me, I imagined that he was raising an eyebrow.

“I’m in a fine mood.” I said behind gritted teeth.

I was just messing with them. I wasn’t really angry, but it was always fun to make them work a little. I felt something touch my sides and I jumped, causing the spoon I was holding onto to fly into the air, sending a mass amount of piping hot Ramen noodles all over the rock stars and their girlfriends.

“Fuck Jimmy!” I yelled after seeing that it was him.

Everyone was shedding clothing after the hot water began seeping onto their skin. Not that the reasoning behind this was good, but I didn’t mind seeing five buff guys all shirtless. But my heart stopped when I saw Zacky staring at his hands. He had gotten the shit end of the stick. His hands were filled with the Ramen noodles that had been flung. His hands.

“Zack drop them!” I yelled, swatting his hands. But that wasn’t the smartest thing I’d ever done. The noodles flew up and landed on Jimmy’s face. Luckily for him they had probably cooled down by then.

Jimmy walked over to the trash and tossed the noodles in the trash. Zack was still looking in awe at his hands.

“Are you ok babe?” Kacie asked, looking at his hands in concern.

“They look alright…ish.” Matt said, looking at his hands and raising his lip. “Do you think you could still play?”

I ran into the back room of the bus and grabbed Zack’s guitar out of the closet. I handed it to him and he winced as he tried to play.

“I don’t think so.” He admitted, sighing loudly. “Fuck!”

“Well what are we going to do? I mean, we don’t have time for a replacement.” Jimmy said, leaning against the counter.

“Could you shut that off please Jimmy?” I asked, pointing to the stove.

He turned and shut it and then went back to facing us. Then Kacie had to open her trap.

“Cass knows how to play all of your songs on guitar.” She said; petting Zack’s burned money makers.

“Say what?” Matt asked, looking at me like I was a crazy person.

“Nuh uh.” Johnny said, looking at Kacie disbelievingly.

“Yeah. I’m sure she’s a bit rusty, but she could pull it off.” Kacie insisted, nodding in approval.

I looked down and felt the heat rise to my face. Her words were the truth, but we were talking thousands of people here. The most I had played in front of had been a small gig for a local band seating about three hundred. And I was nervous even then.

“Is she telling the truth?” Matt asked, eyeing me.

I sighed and picked up Zack’s guitar. He gave me a painful look in indication to be good to his baby. I gave him a nod back, indicating that I would.

“Ok.” I said, sitting on the bed and strumming the guitar.

“Play Bat Country.” Johnny said, sitting up and getting all excited. I don’t think he believed that I could really do it.

I began playing flawlessly. I looked up once in a while to see the guys’ expressions go from cocky, to in awe.

“That was awesome.” Brian said as I finished. “Now do, Girl I know.” He said, smiling at me, knowing I didn’t have a clue how to play the song yet.

“Alright you got me there. But you can teach me right?” I asked, setting the guitar down on the bed.

“You think you can learn how to play our whole CD by the time our show starts in seven hours?” Brian asked, raising an eyebrow.

Was it me or did it seem like only these guys raised their eyebrows a lot. They did that every time they talked to me.

“I think so.” I said, picking up Zack’s guitar.

“Then let’s go.”

* * *

By the time the show had come around, Brian and I were completely prepared. Or as prepared as we were going to get. I wasn’t a professional guitarist, so I knew I was going to make some mistakes, but I was going to try damn hard not to. Matt began talking to the crowd while I waited off stage for my cue.

“Hello North Carolina!” Matt yelled into the microphone, walking from one end of the stage to the other. “I know you all don’t want to hear this, but our poor friend Zacky Vengeance burned his hands.” With that being said, Zacky walked out onto the stage. He waved his bandaged hands in the air to prove that this was legit. “So, please welcome his replacement, and a mighty fine babe I might add, Cassandra Wakeman!” He yelled, and I took that as my cue to walk out onto the stage. Matt put his arm around me and grinned from ear to ear. I heard some wolf whistles. I heard some approving noises and some discouraging ones. I guess some people weren’t too hot on the fact that I was dating Matt Shadows. Well, it was time for them to grow up.

As the show heated up, I got more and more intense. I started head banging like I had for that band.

* * *

After the show Matt and I hung out on the guys’ bus for an after party. Kacie had long past gone to bed, but now it was my turn to get drunk with the guys, much like she had the night I hit Val.

“I want some more Jeggar please.” I slurred to Matt, who was asking me what I wanted to drink.

I took a couple more shots and then the night was over. I remembered a few things. I remembered Matt pressing his lips to mine and then taking me out to the rental. He drove and drove. I think he stopped to let me throw up. But after it felt like he had been driving forever, he stopped at I guess a hotel. Then my memory skipped to what we did in the hotel. He sucked on my breasts one by one, causing me to feel amazing in more than one place. As he sucked down my stomach, he made his way to my clit. I was worried that my moaning and screaming might wake or disturb the people in the other room, but that soon wasted away as I released myself into Matt’s open and waiting mouth.

He climbed back over me and then pressed himself into me. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. As he pumped, the pleasure over took me, causing both of our bodies to tremble from the wave of ecstasy that we soon face. I gasped from the pleasure. And that’s all I could remember.

When I awoke I looked over at the clock. It read nine o’ seven. I jumped upon hearing the vibration of my cell phone. How long had that been going off for? I answered it and groaned.

“Hello?” I asked.

“Where the fuck are you guys? We were supposed to leave two hours ago and I’ve been trying to get a hold of you forever!” Brian yelled at me over the phone.

“Sorry, we’re both a bit hung over.” I said, rubbing my eyes and looking over at Matt. He was sound asleep. “We’ll be there in a couple minutes.” I said, shaking Matt. He groaned.

“Alright you’d better be.”

I hung up and shook Matt forcefully. “Wake up!” I yelled.

Matt fell out of bed with all his glory hanging there. Not that I was complaining. He groaned and yawned. Upon realizing that he was naked, he covered himself.

“It’s not like it’s something I haven’t seen yet.” I pointed out, getting out of bed myself.

I put on some pants and a shirt and began heading out the door. He looked at me a little dumbfounded. I raised an eyebrow at him; it’s something I acquired since coming here.

“Why do we have to leave right this second?” He asked, scratching his head.

“South Carolina isn’t going to entertain itself!” I exclaimed, running out the door. “I’ll meet you in the car!”

I went down the elevator and then out to the lobby. I checked us out and then got into the car. I started it up and then waited for Matt. After checking the radio and realizing that there was nothing on I shut it off. Matt came out and sat down in the car. He sighed and stared at me.

“What?” I asked.

“Nothing, you’re just so pretty.” He said, pushing some of my bangs behind my ears.

I rolled my eyes and pulled out of the parking lot. I drove back to the venue and then got onto the bus. Matt was following shortly behind.

“We’re here!” I shouted, tossing the keys on the kitchen table and lying down on my bunk and Matt did as well. All I wanted to do at this point was sleep.