Booze, Boys, and Buses

“Max, don’t pull on my hair.” I said, doing my best to be rid of the child’s death grip around my brown locks.

Kacie laughed and shook her head. “Already he’s a pro at annoying you. I guess Matt’s made quite the impression on him.”

“Yes, yes he has.” I placed Max down on the ground and stroked his head. “In the grand scheme of things though, Max is a pretty good kid.”

Kacie rubbed her belly as she watched Max play with a stuffed bear while watching Spongebob Squarepants on the television. Matt hadn’t called me in a week, which had me a little worried, but I wasn’t going to ruin his fun. I had to learn to trust him. It could be worse. I could be in Kacie’s situation. I looked back up at her. She looked happy, but she held a definite sadness in her face.

“We should go to Europe and meet up with the guys.” I suggested, grinning from ear to ear.

Kacie sighed loudly and laid back on the couch. “I don’t want anything to do with him right now. Ever since the whole blow up, I can’t help but hate him.”

“I understand how you feel, but trust me, if he loves you at all he’ll come around.” I hugged her and then sat back up.

My belly was starting to show quite a bit. I felt like a hog all the time. All I ever wanted to do was eat and sleep. Max was mimicking a strange noise that Patrick had made. I laughed and stood up. Leana was out grocery shopping, if she had been home, I knew she would have forced me back on the couch and gotten water for me.

“Do you think he’s having sex with other girls right now?” Kacie asked, walking into the kitchen with me.

“Don’t say things like that! I’m sure that everything is going fine over there.” Or at least I hope it is.

Matt’s POV

I was sitting down at the far end of the bar looking around at everyone. Val was sitting down next to me talking about our next album, Syn was dancing with Michelle, Zack was grinding with a groupie that had followed us from the show, Lacey and Johnny were sitting at a table, and Jimmy running around yelling at his fellow band mates. I laughed at him and got up from the bar.

“I have to go break something up.” I said, not meaning to interrupt Val.

“Okay.” She called over the music.

I walked over to Zack and pulled the groupie off of him.

“Do you want a turn too?” She asked, beginning to grind on me.

As sex deprived as I was, I needed to think of everything I had going on back home. A kid and one on the way meant no cheating on Cass in any way shape or form.

“Don’t touch me.” I said, backing up from her.

I grabbed Zack by the arm and pulled him away. Even though he was technically broken up with Kacie, I wasn’t about to let him make the mistake of sleeping with a whore. Besides, he was going to end up with Kacie again once we got home. How do I know that you ask? It’s because I said so.

“Hey man, what are you doing? I don’t mind if you want to share, but you can’t take me away from her.

“Think about what you’re doing! What would Kacie think?” I reminded him, crossing my arms.

“That bitch slapped me! Besides, we aren’t together anymore, so I don’t even care about what she thinks. It’s her fault that she’s pregnant.” He shouted back at me.

“Dude, I don’t know if you just haven’t passed second grade yet or what, but just so you know, it takes two people to get pregnant! So unless she can reproduce on her own, it’s your fault too.” I shouted.

“No it’s not! I wore a condom, she never told me that she wasn’t on the pill.” He was truly hilarious when he knew he was wrong.

“Zack, she must’ve bought pads or something during the course of living with you. Get a clue.” I turned on my heel and left the bar.

I wasn’t in the mood for him right now. It’s not very often that I tried to patch up relationships, but I was willing to try for the sake of Cassandra. I didn’t want Kacie to leave California all because of Zack. That would ruin Cass. I made my way out to our bus and then went straight to bed. We had a long day tomorrow and I knew I could use some shuteye.

When I awoke, I peered at the clock. I groaned when I saw that it was one o’clock pm. Val was standing next to my bed. I raised an eyebrow.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“Nothing, I was just wondering who you were talking to. You were talking in your sleep. You only do that when you’re upset about something.” She commented, sitting down next to me.

“I miss Cass a lot.” I honestly stated.

She sighed loudly and stood up. A dumbfounded expression covered my face. When she turned around, I glared at her.

“What did I say?” I raised my hands into the air.

“Matt, we’ve been over this. I’m still having a hard time getting over you okay? I just hate hearing you talk lovey dovey about her okay? Just don’t talk about her.” She said, running her hand through her hair.

“Okay Val, we’ve been over this as well. Cass is my girlfriend, I don’t know how else you want me to talk about her.” I got out of bed and walked toward the bathroom.

“I want you to talk about ripping her head off, or you know, something more than ‘I miss her a lot.’ It’s bullshit.” Val complained, walking out the door.

I rolled my eyes and walked into the bathroom. After doing my business, I walked into the bitter cold air of London. I pulled out my cell phone and dialed the number for home.

Cassandra’s POV

The phone rang and I was already there to pick it up. “Hello?”

“Hi baby, it’s me.” Matt said, I could hear a smile in his tone.

“Aw hi! I missed you so much!” I shouted, jumping up and down. “How is everything? Is Val behaving herself? What about Zack? Is he being good? Are you being good? You’re not sleeping with anyone are you?”

“Relax woman. Everything is great. Val is being more than good. Zack is behaving, and of course I’m being good!” He laughed at me.

“Shut up, I’ve been really worried about these things. More so Zack than you. Just make sure that he’s not doing anything with anyone else while Kacie isn’t around. He can do all he wants with his hand, but other girls are off limits.” I scolded, placing my hand on my hip.

“I know! I know.” He said, chuckling at me.

“Alright, well Leana just got back with the groceries, so I’m going to go help her with those.”

“Okay, I love you.”

“I love you too.” I hung up the phone and walked outside to help Leana.

Each arm was loaded with grocery bags. She seemed to be struggling with them. I went to take one off of her arm.

“I can handle it. You’re pregnant, so go do pregnant things.” Leana ordered, pushing past me to get inside.

“Leana, I can help you with groceries. What else do I have to do? What’s your definition of ‘pregnant things’?” I asked, following her to the kitchen.

“It means like, sleeping, and watching TV while I take care of you, Max, and Kacie.” She dropped the groceries on the ground and they hit with a thud.

She leaned back to stretch. “I hate it when you make me feel like I can’t do anything. You’ve been doing it all week! I can do stuff. I can go grocery shopping, I can take care of my son, I can do these things!”

“I know, but Matt said…”

“I don’t care what Matt said! I’ll call him up and bitch him out! I want to do things and you make me feel so limited. I’m not that pregnant.” I started grabbing things out of the grocery bag.

“I’m sorry. I guess that as long as you promise to tell Matt that I didn’t let you move an inch, then I can let you do whatever.” Leana said, patting my back.

“I can do that.” I agreed, smiling.

After we finished putting away all the groceries, I sighed and went back into the living room. Leana sat down next to me. Kacie was playing with Max on the floor.

“I can’t wait for Matt to get back. I miss him a lot already and it’s only been how long?” I laughed at my dependency I’d formed with him.

Kacie let out and annoyed sighed and I’d realized how ‘in your face’ that sounded. I was about to apologize when she rose up and trudged up the stairs.

“This has got to end. I can’t be walking on pins and needles around her all the time.” I wasn’t about to let that happen at all.

Matt’s POV

Zack was sitting all alone at the bar the next night of our tour, much as I was. I didn’t mind it though, I had a good girl waiting for me when I got home. The way Zack was acting, he wasn’t going to have a girl at all waiting for him. I watched two girls walk up to him and pull him out on to the floor. He had one grinding him from behind, and the other one he was grinding. I wasn’t going to break them off this time, I was just going to have to do something to get Kacie here.

Cassandra’s POV

I had just gotten back home from my three month doctor’s appointment. This really made it even harder to miss Matt. He was supposed to be with me during these things. Oh well, I was going to be seeing him soon anyway. Today was the day that we were going to pull our whole act together to get Kacie to come with me to Europe. I walked in through the door, pretending to be on my cell-phone.

“No Matt! I have to come! There’s no way I’m going to just sit here while that fucking skank is trying to make a move on you!” I shouted, grinning on the inside because Kacie was right on the couch where she needed to be. “I’m coming over there, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

I “hung up” the phone and walked over to the couch. I plopped down on the couch next to Kacie. She looked at me quizzically.

“What happened?” She asked, staring at me full of confusion.

“Matt and Val, put them on a tour bus alone and wham! She tries to fuck him.” The words tasted bitter on my mouth even if they weren’t true.

“Oh man, so what, you’re going to go to…wherever they are?”

“Yeah, I’m going to fuck that bitch up I swear to god. I think they’re in Italy right now.” I said, standing up and grabbing Max off of the floor. “Leana!”

Leana jogged down the stairs. She was already aware of our little charade. “What?”

“I’m going to go to Italy to get Val.” I explained, handing Max to her and running upstairs.

I had some suitcases sitting in the closet that belonged to me and to Max. I started packing mine furiously. I was getting really into this. Maybe I would try some acting once I was back in shape.

“Cass, you’re crazy! You’re pregnant! You can’t be getting into fights anymore like you do!” Kacie shouted, running over to me.

“Kacie, I can’t help it, so either you can come with me or stay here, but it’s up to you.” I said, continuing to pack my suitcase.

“I suppose I should come with you just to make sure that you don’t get into any trouble.” She said, grabbing some of Max’s suitcases.

“Thanks Kacie, but you really don’t have to.” I said, grabbing the suitcase in her hand.

“No, I want to. I’m honestly afraid for Val’s life this time.” She said, walking out of my room.

Leana walked in after she left and stood next to me. “You’re good.”

I laughed. “Thanks. I feel bad though.”

“Don’t, it’s for their own good. You should know better than anyone how it feels to grow up without both of your parents.”

That hit hard, but I tried not to show it. I didn’t want her to feel bad for saying something as innocent as that. I knew she didn’t mean any harm, but it felt like I’d just been stabbed in the heart.

“Yeah I know.” I choked out, standing up.

I walked over to the drawers and started pulling some clothes out and tossing them into the suitcase. Leana walked over and helped me. Soon, we had everything packed.

“Ready to go?” Kacie asked at the door.

“Of course I am.”