Thelma and Louise, chapter 5
"Bitches! I told you to hurry up!" Frankie was standing in the bus doorway, her hands up in the air in exasperation. Frank looked at her, then me, and down at his feet. "We're coming," he mumbled, looking a bit pissed that she had caught us. Frankie gave him a death glare, then looked at me expectantly, turning around without a word and walking away. I looked at Frank, who was staring at the ground, his hands shoved in his pockets. Nudging his arm slightly, I smiled when he looked up and exited the bus.
Turns out that we had stopped for food: The two buses were parked in a deserted field where a picnic blanket and Asian take-out bags were set up, obviously signalling that Green Day and My Chemical Romance were sharing meals tonight. I looked around, wondering where they had gotten the take-out when someone answered it for me.
"While you were changing, we stopped for food," Frank said, stepping out of the bus finally, still obviously ticked off but resigned at the same time, as if he had given up being mad for the moment. "You probably heard Frankie yelling at me. She was asking what I wanted to eat." He ran a hand through his hair unconciously, turning to where the others were: Gerard was talking up Mike, Billie Joe was demonstrating to Ray how to play a particulary difficult riff on his guitar, and Frankie, Bob and Mikey were all laughing at something humorous that Tre had said. At the moment, I forgot that Frank was standing next to me. All I felt was alone.
"Sometimes I still feel I'm walking alone..."
Once Frankie had stopped laughing long enough to pull herself away from the others, she bounced up to me, her voice a happy chirp. "Hope you like take-out, Nic! Yeah, I'm gonna call you Nic from now on. It's easier," she announced, then turned to everyone and said, "Attention: Nicole is now only answering to Nic. Are we clear?" she said, walking up to everyone and looking them in the eyes. Everyone but Billie Joe blinked. When she was satisfied that everyone understood, she turned to me, a grin plastered on her pretty face. "Okay, Nic, they accept your new nickname. Let's eat! I'm starving..." Cries of astonishment and disbelief sounded from the others.
"You're always hungry--"
"I'd like to know how you stay so fuckin' thin--"
"Frankie, you eat more than I do, and that's saying a lot!"
Waving off everyone's comments, she plopped down on the blanket and ripped open a blanket, which caused more cries of protest to echo throughout the small clearing.
"God, Frankie, you can't even wait for everyone?"
"We'd better start too, or she'll eat all our food!"
"I'm not hungry right this second!"
"Too fuckin' bad! Do you want Frankie to eat all of your food? I didn't think so."
I sat down hesitantly, and everyone laughed and started up the protest again.
"Oh, God, she's just like Frankie!"
"Even her hair is like hers!"
"One Frankie's enough, but two?! Please end my misery!"
I laughed off the comments, and took some of the Pad-See-Ew, and took a fork and started eating. Frankie was already done with her General Tso's Chicken and was staring on some green beans.
"Hey, those are mine!"
"You'd better go save your beans, Billie, or your niece will eat them all!"
Billie Joe rushed to the safety of his green beans and stole them from Frankie, who had already stuffed some of them in her mouth and was chewing them happily. "You're so mean!" he whined, stroking the carton of beans lovingly. "You knew that I don't eat anything else but these when we order out!"
"Hey, like Tre said, too fuckin' bad. First come, first serve." I was suprised to hear Frankie talk like this to her own uncle, but he just stuck his tongue out at her and she did the same, swallowing what she had in her mouth and taking a swig of a Smirnoff wine cooler that had appeared in front of her. When she realized that I was staring at the drink, she pulled out a cooler and held out a Mike's Hard Lemonade for me. "Want one?" she offered, waggling it in front of my face. I looked up at Billie Joe, who was giving me the thumbs-up. "It's your life," he said, shrugging. "Might as well..." I took the drink hesitantly from Frankie and opened it with my bare hands. Hey, all those years opening bottles for my greedy good-for-nothing dad paid off.
Examining the bottle, I said promptly, "To the life I just threw away," and everyone murmured their approval. I threw the first sip back, the sour yet soothing spirit numbing my throat, yet making it tingle at the same time. It was sweet but made my mouth pucket at the same time. Tre whooped, obviously impressed at my drinking skills (I HAD to do something every Saturday night when I was left alone while my dad and stepmom went out and got hammered themselves, why not do the same?) while Mike urged me to take another sip. Frankie starting laughing and winked, wanting the same.
And so I did.
-----
I don't know how drunk I got that night, but all I remember is that I woke up the next morning with a thundering headache and a couple notes under my pillow. Clutching my throbbing head with one hand and feeling under the pillow with the other, I fished out the first scribbled note and read it hastily:
Nic, darling!
Never knew you were much of a drinker! You were impressive until about the fifth bottle of 'lemonade', and then you offered to sing with Tre (who was drunk too) and you two did the most beautiful rendition of 'Respect' that I ever heard drunk people do! Well, when you get this, I might be chilling on another bus with Uncle Billie or Gerard, so don't feel left out! Advil's in the cupboard, water's in the fridge. Help yourself!
Love, Frankie xxxxx
I smirked, and pulled out the next one, which was shorter. Not wanting to read anymore until I got something for my head, I stumbled into the kitchen and pulled out the Advil from the cupboard and popped two in my mouth. After retrieving a bottle of water and swigging it gratefully, I pulled out the note that i had stashed in my jean pocket and looked it over:
Nicole,
We're playing a gig tomorrow night. And it would be extra-cool if you and Frankie were in the front row so that BJ would pick you for "Knowledge". Don't know the chords? I can help you. Give me a call, and I'll make sure I forcefully stop the buses with my mighty power in order to make sure that you learn it. (I was kidding about the 'mighty powers' part, but I WILL make sure that you learn it)
Give me a call,
639-7294
Love, Frank xxxxx
I smiled at Frank's note, then went over to my purse to get out my cell phone when I realized: I had destroyed it most violently in Billie Joe's dressing room. I just stood there for a moment when I started laughing, partly from my sheer stupidity from chucking my phone, another for realizing that my parents will never know where I am again. A feeling of relief washed over me; I was free!
Flopping back on my bunk, I relived what had happened in the last 48 hours: I had gone to a Green Day/MCR concert, I met Frankie, Frankie introduced me to Billie Joe, Tre, Mike, Reggie (the security guard), Gerard, Mikey, and Frank. I had been invited to go on tour with Green Day and My Chemical Romance. I woke up with a new future and a new haircut. I sang with Frank. I kissed Frank. I got drunk in front of Frank.
Frank. He never mentioned that I had gotten drunk, had he? I knew that he didn't like alcohol; he had seen it wear away at one of his friends, Gerard. I sat up as a wave of embarassment settled in, I probably looked like a drunk fool in front of him! But maybe he put it behind me and was alright with it? Was he?
The only way I would know is if I called him. I got up out of my bed and went into the living area, looking around for a phone of some sort. At last, I found a cord phone that was blue and fuzzy. Frankie obviously has picked it out. Taking out the note that Frank wrote me, I punched in the digits and waited for him to pick up. It took three rings before I heard his voice melt my eardrums.
"This is Frank."
"Em, uh--Hello. I mean, hey, It's Nicole."
"Oh, hey. Feeling better?"
Oh, God. He had brought up my hangover. I laughed into the receiver, and replied with a "Yeah..."
"You don't sound very convincing." He sounded amused.
"Pfft. Whatever. I do feel better. Amazing what Advil can do for you."
"Yeah..." Oh, dammit! He sounded sad! Shit, shit, shit. It made me feel bad, knowing that he was disappointed in me. But I couldn't let him know that!
"So, about those guitar lessons..."
Turns out that we had stopped for food: The two buses were parked in a deserted field where a picnic blanket and Asian take-out bags were set up, obviously signalling that Green Day and My Chemical Romance were sharing meals tonight. I looked around, wondering where they had gotten the take-out when someone answered it for me.
"While you were changing, we stopped for food," Frank said, stepping out of the bus finally, still obviously ticked off but resigned at the same time, as if he had given up being mad for the moment. "You probably heard Frankie yelling at me. She was asking what I wanted to eat." He ran a hand through his hair unconciously, turning to where the others were: Gerard was talking up Mike, Billie Joe was demonstrating to Ray how to play a particulary difficult riff on his guitar, and Frankie, Bob and Mikey were all laughing at something humorous that Tre had said. At the moment, I forgot that Frank was standing next to me. All I felt was alone.
"Sometimes I still feel I'm walking alone..."
Once Frankie had stopped laughing long enough to pull herself away from the others, she bounced up to me, her voice a happy chirp. "Hope you like take-out, Nic! Yeah, I'm gonna call you Nic from now on. It's easier," she announced, then turned to everyone and said, "Attention: Nicole is now only answering to Nic. Are we clear?" she said, walking up to everyone and looking them in the eyes. Everyone but Billie Joe blinked. When she was satisfied that everyone understood, she turned to me, a grin plastered on her pretty face. "Okay, Nic, they accept your new nickname. Let's eat! I'm starving..." Cries of astonishment and disbelief sounded from the others.
"You're always hungry--"
"I'd like to know how you stay so fuckin' thin--"
"Frankie, you eat more than I do, and that's saying a lot!"
Waving off everyone's comments, she plopped down on the blanket and ripped open a blanket, which caused more cries of protest to echo throughout the small clearing.
"God, Frankie, you can't even wait for everyone?"
"We'd better start too, or she'll eat all our food!"
"I'm not hungry right this second!"
"Too fuckin' bad! Do you want Frankie to eat all of your food? I didn't think so."
I sat down hesitantly, and everyone laughed and started up the protest again.
"Oh, God, she's just like Frankie!"
"Even her hair is like hers!"
"One Frankie's enough, but two?! Please end my misery!"
I laughed off the comments, and took some of the Pad-See-Ew, and took a fork and started eating. Frankie was already done with her General Tso's Chicken and was staring on some green beans.
"Hey, those are mine!"
"You'd better go save your beans, Billie, or your niece will eat them all!"
Billie Joe rushed to the safety of his green beans and stole them from Frankie, who had already stuffed some of them in her mouth and was chewing them happily. "You're so mean!" he whined, stroking the carton of beans lovingly. "You knew that I don't eat anything else but these when we order out!"
"Hey, like Tre said, too fuckin' bad. First come, first serve." I was suprised to hear Frankie talk like this to her own uncle, but he just stuck his tongue out at her and she did the same, swallowing what she had in her mouth and taking a swig of a Smirnoff wine cooler that had appeared in front of her. When she realized that I was staring at the drink, she pulled out a cooler and held out a Mike's Hard Lemonade for me. "Want one?" she offered, waggling it in front of my face. I looked up at Billie Joe, who was giving me the thumbs-up. "It's your life," he said, shrugging. "Might as well..." I took the drink hesitantly from Frankie and opened it with my bare hands. Hey, all those years opening bottles for my greedy good-for-nothing dad paid off.
Examining the bottle, I said promptly, "To the life I just threw away," and everyone murmured their approval. I threw the first sip back, the sour yet soothing spirit numbing my throat, yet making it tingle at the same time. It was sweet but made my mouth pucket at the same time. Tre whooped, obviously impressed at my drinking skills (I HAD to do something every Saturday night when I was left alone while my dad and stepmom went out and got hammered themselves, why not do the same?) while Mike urged me to take another sip. Frankie starting laughing and winked, wanting the same.
And so I did.
-----
I don't know how drunk I got that night, but all I remember is that I woke up the next morning with a thundering headache and a couple notes under my pillow. Clutching my throbbing head with one hand and feeling under the pillow with the other, I fished out the first scribbled note and read it hastily:
Nic, darling!
Never knew you were much of a drinker! You were impressive until about the fifth bottle of 'lemonade', and then you offered to sing with Tre (who was drunk too) and you two did the most beautiful rendition of 'Respect' that I ever heard drunk people do! Well, when you get this, I might be chilling on another bus with Uncle Billie or Gerard, so don't feel left out! Advil's in the cupboard, water's in the fridge. Help yourself!
Love, Frankie xxxxx
I smirked, and pulled out the next one, which was shorter. Not wanting to read anymore until I got something for my head, I stumbled into the kitchen and pulled out the Advil from the cupboard and popped two in my mouth. After retrieving a bottle of water and swigging it gratefully, I pulled out the note that i had stashed in my jean pocket and looked it over:
Nicole,
We're playing a gig tomorrow night. And it would be extra-cool if you and Frankie were in the front row so that BJ would pick you for "Knowledge". Don't know the chords? I can help you. Give me a call, and I'll make sure I forcefully stop the buses with my mighty power in order to make sure that you learn it. (I was kidding about the 'mighty powers' part, but I WILL make sure that you learn it)
Give me a call,
639-7294
Love, Frank xxxxx
I smiled at Frank's note, then went over to my purse to get out my cell phone when I realized: I had destroyed it most violently in Billie Joe's dressing room. I just stood there for a moment when I started laughing, partly from my sheer stupidity from chucking my phone, another for realizing that my parents will never know where I am again. A feeling of relief washed over me; I was free!
Flopping back on my bunk, I relived what had happened in the last 48 hours: I had gone to a Green Day/MCR concert, I met Frankie, Frankie introduced me to Billie Joe, Tre, Mike, Reggie (the security guard), Gerard, Mikey, and Frank. I had been invited to go on tour with Green Day and My Chemical Romance. I woke up with a new future and a new haircut. I sang with Frank. I kissed Frank. I got drunk in front of Frank.
Frank. He never mentioned that I had gotten drunk, had he? I knew that he didn't like alcohol; he had seen it wear away at one of his friends, Gerard. I sat up as a wave of embarassment settled in, I probably looked like a drunk fool in front of him! But maybe he put it behind me and was alright with it? Was he?
The only way I would know is if I called him. I got up out of my bed and went into the living area, looking around for a phone of some sort. At last, I found a cord phone that was blue and fuzzy. Frankie obviously has picked it out. Taking out the note that Frank wrote me, I punched in the digits and waited for him to pick up. It took three rings before I heard his voice melt my eardrums.
"This is Frank."
"Em, uh--Hello. I mean, hey, It's Nicole."
"Oh, hey. Feeling better?"
Oh, God. He had brought up my hangover. I laughed into the receiver, and replied with a "Yeah..."
"You don't sound very convincing." He sounded amused.
"Pfft. Whatever. I do feel better. Amazing what Advil can do for you."
"Yeah..." Oh, dammit! He sounded sad! Shit, shit, shit. It made me feel bad, knowing that he was disappointed in me. But I couldn't let him know that!
"So, about those guitar lessons..."
