You're My Little Secret, chapter 11
Awhile later I watched from the side of the stage as My Chemical Romance got the crowd fired up for Green Day's set and smiled. Adrienne stood next to me, a drink in her hand, grinning over at me. "You're usually not this star struck." She teased.
"I know! For some reason I am just enthralled with him." I said motioning to Gerard who was just finishing up "The Ghost of You".
"There is something about him... he's mysterious or something." Adrienne agreed before Billie Joe beckoned her to come help him with something, leaving me standing alone next to the stage.
The band was just starting "Give 'Em Hell, Kid" when Tre stepped up beside me a smirk on his face. "They're good, huh?" He inquired glancing down at me. I felt like I was trapped in some bad soap opera or something, all of this unnecessary drama and the run-ins with the ex-boyfriend that only took place to add more angst and confusion to the plot.
"Indeed." I simply said, trying to ignore him and focus on the music.
Tre shifted a little next to me, crossing his arms. "Why did, umm, why did you ask me if I was partying a lot earlier?" he asked.
I turned to look at him and I could almost make out traces of the kindness that I used to see in his eyes, causing me to soften a little. "Mike mentioned something to me about you partying a lot and I was concerned. That's how you used to cope with everything... you know, with alcohol and drugs. I just would hate to see you go back to that when you've been doing well for so long." I replied honestly.
Tre's face turned a little sour and I resisted the urge to claw his eyes out for being so moody. "Thanks for your concern, Ava, but I'm fine. And what? Is Mike giving you daily reports on me or something?"
And there it was again; the familiar surge of anger that only he seemed to cause. "Yes, Tre. When I wake up every morning and before I go to bed every night I call Mike and get a fucking update on you. Jesus." I snarled sarcastically.
I turned away from him and started walking back towards the lounge when he came up behind me and grabbed my elbow, turning me around.
"I don't understand why you are being such a BITCH? I'm just trying to have a conversation with you!" he yelled angrily, causing a few people to turn and look at us.
"FUCK OFF. Do you understand THAT?" I yelled back, just as loudly. I turned around to walk away and almost had a heart attack when I saw Billie Joe and Adrienne standing a few feet away with confused looks on their faces. We really needed to stop having confrontations right in front of God and everyone.
I turned the other way and stormed off towards an empty hallway and sighed in relief when I saw an exit for an enclosed outside area. I really didn't feel like dealing with Adrienne's prying right now. I mean, Tre and I had fought before simply because we got irritated with each other, but nothing to this extent. I didn't feel like explaining why my anger was justified or why he was calling me a bitch. Because the truth was I didn't know, I didn't understand why he was so angry, in turn making me angry.
I slumped down on the ground, leaning against the brick wall, drawing my knees up to my chest and pulling my smokes out of my bag. The door creaked open and I looked up in shock as Billie Joe sauntered out with a cigarette perched between his lips. He was just all kinds of daring lately; usually he avoided me like the plague when he knew I was irritated or angry, because I found it so easy to make him into my prime target for venting.
"Hey." He simply greeted leaning against the brick wall on the other side of the door.
I blew out a stream of smoke and nodded in his general direction, which I doubt he saw because it was fairly dark outside.
"So, uh, how long you and Tre been sleeping together?" Billie Joe casually asked, lighting his cigarette, not bothering to look at me.
I sucked in a mouthful of air and accidentally dropped my cigarette, cursing, I picked it back up and entertained the idea of chopping him into little pieces and hide him amongst the many rooms of the arena. "You're a fucking comedian." I muttered, feeling my heart start to race. Shit. Shit. Shit.
He shrugged. "You've called me worse."
I glanced over at him, barely able to make out his shadow; the glow of his cigarette giving away that he was in fact looking in my general direction.
"We're not sleeping together. He just pissed me off." I insisted, my stomach doing somersaults at what it would mean if Billie Joe knew... after all the times I've tormented and made fun of him he would surely squeal like a little girl. And I really couldn't blame him.
Billie Joe scoffed. "Bullshit, Ava. I think there's more going on then you two are letting on."
I rolled my head back against the brick wall and sighed in frustration. "Come on, haven't you ever been so angry at him you've told him to fuck off?" I demanded. "Doesn't mean we're screwing each other."
"Oh fuck yeah, there's no denying that Tre can drive you crazy, but that little display in there wasn't a pissed off, irritated with each other kind of fight... it was like a lover's spat or something. And believe me; I've had a few of those in my day with your sister."
"You're crazy." I muttered stubbing my cigarette out and reaching for the door. "And I don't appreciate you trying to stir up shit." I concluded throwing the door open and walking back towards the lounge.
Adrienne was on the phone, more than likely with Ollie, but she quickly ended the conversation and made her way over to me when I walked in the room.
"Hey, what was all that about?" she asked, concern clouding her eyes.
I shrugged and tried to explain enough to pacify her, but to be casual enough so not to have to make up a pretend conversation.
"I'm just in a shitty mood, you know, jetlagged and stuff... and Tre was being obnoxious, and I kind of took it out on him." I said shrugging.
She raised an eyebrow. "That was some 'fuck you' though." She muttered, grinning a little.
I managed a small laugh. "You know he can get on my last nerve sometimes." I said nonchalantly.
She giggled. "Oh, I know, Ava." She agreed nodding. "And can you BELIEVE that little bitch, Sidney?" She said lowering her voice to a menacing whisper. "I'd like to kick her skanky ass right across the fucking border."
I sighed in relief at the change in topic, Adrienne could rave all night about this if I played my cards right.
"Not even fucking cool." I agreed.
Adrienne opened her mouth to say something else but shut it again when Billie Joe came strolling in.
"Weren't you supposed to be on by now?" Adrienne asked curiously.
He shook his head. "They're having difficulties." He simply said, avoiding eye contact with me while he took his cigarettes out of his pocket and threw them on the table. "Everything is going wrong today with the fucking sound system."
Adrienne nodded. "Scott mentioned something about that earlier. Where is Mike and Tre?" she asked.
He shrugged. "Fuck if I know. Probably wandering around the stage somewhere." He replied as he straightened his hair in the mirror.
I almost bit clean through my lip holding back a comment about the pretty, pretty princess fixing his hair, but I behaved. I suddenly had a whole new reason to loathe him, and the more I was in his presence the more I anger I felt, which was ridiculous in retrospect because I was the one in the wrong, not him.
"Well, have a good show. We'll be watching." Adrienne said, encouragingly.
Billie Joe walked over and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Thanks babe." He said before throwing a knowing glance in my direction and heading out of the room.
"So we're going out tonight with the guys from My Chemical Romance, huh? That's what Tre told Mike anyway." Adrienne chattered, grabbing my hand and leading me out into the hallway. This was news to me.
"Did you have coffee this morning?" I joked. "You have vast amounts of energy."
"I have something to tell you." She said stopping suddenly, before looking sideways and pulling me into an empty room, about as big as a closet.
"Umm, you can't tell me in the hallway, Adi? I'm claustrophobic you know." I muttered sarcastically.
She giggled. "I was going to wait to tell you, but I can't. I'm too excited."
I gave her a confused look. "What is it?" I asked curiously.
"Billie Joe and I are trying to get pregnant again." She said squealing with excitement.
My heart warmed a little at the thought of having a new niece or nephew. I pulled her into a tight hug. "That's great! Is that why you wanted to come out so bad? You wanted to get going on the baby making?" I teased, pulling back to look at her.
Her face soured a little, which surprised me. "I was just kidding." I added softly, feeling a little confused at her reaction.
She forced a smile. "I wanted to come out mainly because I missed him... but that part is fun too."
I nodded my head. "Alright, well, congratulations! I look forward to being an aunt for the third time." I said giddily.
She laughed. "Let's get out of this damn closet."
"Amen sister." I said throwing open the door and breathing hallway air as we made our way towards the stage.
"You know I thought Billie Joe seemed lighter on his feet." I mumbled to her, meriting a slap on the arm.
I giggled. "Bown chicky wow wow."
Later on we were sitting in the back of a club drinking and smoking as the night dragged on. I had been pulled into a very fascinating conversation with Gerard after realizing we smoked the same kind of cigarettes. He also told me that he had been sober for a year after a very long run-in with alcohol problems. We chatted a bit about this and that, and I found that I generally enjoyed being in the company of the entire My Chemical Romance gang; they were quickly becoming the preferred group to tour with, but Blink still pulled rank.
I watched as Tre grabbed and groped anything in a skirt, and I had rolled my eyes so many times that I was sure they were just going to automatically start rolling on their own in another half hour or so.
I excused myself from my lovely conversation with Gerard and walked towards the table that Mike and Jason were currently occupying.
"Hey boys." I said climbing up on stool between them
"Hey Ava." Mike responded. "You know, this is supposed to be your make-up post graduation party that we never got to throw because we were gone. You should be having a bitchin' time."
I grinned. "Bring on the booze then." I replied happily.
Jason laughed. "You haven't been drinking?"
"A few here and there, but I've been talking to Gerard for the past hour or so and I was so impressed with his sobriety over the past year that I thought it would be in poor taste to guzzle a beer in front of him." I said. "I mean, that's tough shit. I love my booze so he gets all my kudos for the month for giving it all up." I added, grinning up at Mike as he passed me two shots of Jagermeister. Oh, this was going to be rough.
I threw them back and giggled as Sidney came out of nowhere and grabbed my hands, pulling me out on the dance floor. She danced us right over to where Tre was grinding against some chick who was wearing a top that was held together by a single string. And that mere string was struggling.
"HEY!" he called, ambling towards us while attempting to maintain a rhythm dancing with the girl. "This is Layla." He announced pointing to the girl who was rubbing him down.
I rolled my eyes... again. "She'll fit nicely into your collection!" I yelled at him sarcastically. "No brains just big tits and brown hair."
His eyes narrowed. "Jealous?" He answered running his fingers over her back as she danced against him, oblivious to the conversation... and wearing a cowboy hat. She DESERVED my condescending mocking simply because she was wearing a cowboy hat.
I threw my head back and laughed. "YEAH. I mean, that was totally the shirt I was going to wear." I said twirling a piece of hair around my finger and impersonating a really ditzy girl.
Tre's eyes glowed with anger as he continued to grind against his own personal Barbie. I turned my back to him and tried to get lost in the bad rap music as Sidney shot me a confused look, but she didn't say anything which I was grateful for. I didn't need two confrontations with curious onlookers in one night. I danced with Sidney for awhile to a couple of bad songs and then headed back to the bar for some more shots, my attitude was borderline resentful towards everyone in the building. I was also getting a little sick of Tre shooting me daggers over the girl's heads that he was dancing with. I didn't care that he was dancing with anything in a skirt; I was just irritated that he felt the need to make a show out of it; apparently I had given him too much credit when I used to tell him that underneath it all he was a good guy.
Adrienne and Billie Joe were leaning against the bar giggling and kissing as I approached.
"Hey kid." Adrienne called. "What are you drinking?" She asked, leaning over Billie to talk to me.
"Jagermeister. And should you be drinking?" I asked quirking an eyebrow.
She giggled. "I'm not actually. Club soda!" She replied holding up her glass with fake enthusiasm.
Billie Joe smiled. "And if she's not drinking I'm not either."
I put a hand to my chest and feigned shock. "Holy shit, someone jot this down. Billie Joe is sober for one day of his life." I said, sarcasm lacing my words.
"Ava." Adrienne's voice was sharp as she shot me a warning look.
I shrugged. "I told you I was in a shitty mood." I said throwing down a ten on the bar and picking up my shots. "Sorry." I muttered in Billie Joe's general direction before taking off towards the table Mike was still occupying. I think Mike was about the only person who I didn't feel irritated by in this entire zip code.
I slumped down on the stool next to him and took the cold shots, loving the way they were numbing my brain.
"Looks like you're pissing everyone off." Mike commented, moving the empty glasses away from me as I clumsily laid my arms on the table.
"Billie Joe knows." I muttered turning to look at him.
He looked surprised. "Fuck, did he tell your sister?" he asked.
I shook my head. "Nah. He brought it up today and I denied it, telling him I didn't appreciate him trying to start shit and then I walked away." I replied. "Hopefully he tricks himself into believing his retarded notion is wrong." I added miserably.
Mike chuckled. "Except that it's not, kid." He said nudging my arm with his elbow.
"Shhh." I said placing a finger to my lips. "Don't tell anyone."
"I heard about you and Tre's little display earlier... from one of our crew members." He said frowning a little. "Exactly how loud were you yelling?"
I shrugged. "In so many words he called me a bitch, I told him to fuck off. It really wasn't the most eloquent use of words. If I had a few more minutes I probably could have come up with a more colorful phrase." I mumbled, pretending to be disappointed in myself.
Mike frowned again. "This has to stop, Ava. You and Tre need to work this out... or something."
"I'm not even sure why we're so angry at each other." I admitted.
"You're pissed because you've never been blown off before, and he's pissed because no one has ever had the intelligence to call him on his shit before." Mike summed up, taking a sip of his beer and grinning. "Plus, you've got all of this business with your love being forbidden, you know all of the really cheesy Harlequin romance novel bullshit." He added smartly, as though he had just solved a murder mystery.
"Well, aren't you smug?" I teased, smirking. "By the way I resent you for the Harlequin remark."
"It'll work out." He said, ignoring my comment and glancing back out on the dance floor at Sidney, frowning. "I'm so appalled at what she said to your sister today." He admitted, turning back to look at me.
I frowned. "That was awkward." I replied. "But Adrienne is to blame too... she's not exactly subtle in her dislike for your girlfriend."
"That still doesn't justify calling your sister a bitch to her face. I think her and I need to have a serious chat about how you treat your significant other's friends." He mumbled. "I think maybe we should call it quits."
I set my beer down on the table and looked at him in shock. "Is that really what you want?" I asked. "You've been together a long time and it's not like she's acting any different than she did when you first started dating. Or is that the problem?"
He shrugged. "I would like to find someone a little more serious. And who wears a whole shirt more often than just inside a courtroom."
I giggled. "It's your call, Mike. You deserve to be happy. I like Sidney and everything but I see your point, maybe you need someone who suits you a little better."
"I really care about her, but it's getting to be a pain to try and keep her in control. Jesus, listen to me, I shouldn't even have to worry about keeping her in control. I don't like controlling people. I like people who can maintain themselves like a normal human being." He rambled, before clinking his shot glass against mine and tipping it back.
I nodded. "What was the deal earlier? She bitching at you or something?" I asked, loving the way the cold liquid was making everything seem a little easier to deal with.
He frowned. "She forgets sometimes that just because she argues with people professionally doesn't mean she can never be wrong. I don't know, we've hit a rough spot I guess." He mumbled. "I've got some shit to work through in my head."
"I hear ya, brotha." I said, grinning a little and nudging him.
He turned to me and smirked. "When did things get so complicated?" he asked.
"Umm, about 11 years ago when my sister married Princess Armstrong over there." I said motioning to Billie Joe with my head.
Mike chuckled. "He won't tell Adrienne, the last thing he wants to do is get between the two of you... he's a lot smarter than you think. He probably just wanted to give you a heads up that people are starting to figure this shit out."
I nodded. "Let's hope he keeps to himself... I'll break his scrawny neck." I scanned the club looking for the nearest bathroom. "Alright, I'm going to go use the bathroom. I'll be back." I said stumbling off the stool. I was really beginning to feel the effects of my shots.
As I was walking to the bathroom I saw Tre making his way in the same direction so I grabbed his arm and told him I wanted to talk, which I could tell surprised him. We stepped out a side door into an alley, which looked less than welcoming.
"What?" he asked impatiently. I could tell he wasn't as drunk as I was which was good because an irritated and drunk Tre would be less than tolerable at this point. "I want to call a truce." I said, grabbing at his arm when a rat in close proximity squealed. "Ewww." I looked around and tried to see the disgusting creature but the alley was dark and unkempt, it could be anywhere.
He chuckled. "Here, stand on this concrete ledge." He said, grabbing my waist and lifting me up onto a small platform that was probably two feet wide. I giggled when I looked down to see that his head now came to about my shoulder.
"It's one big step." I muttered.
"Are you drunk?" He teased, still gripping my hips to keep me steady. "You're going to fall off this fucking thing and break your skull open or something."
"Come up here." I insisted, ignoring his mothering. "I feel stupid talking to the top of your fucking head. Although I'm diggin' the height of your mohawk tonight."
He laughed. "I don't know, I kind of like where I am." He teased, looking straight at my chest and smirking.
I gently grabbed a handful of his hair and he quickly complied with my previous request, jumping up next to me, still holding on to my waist. I wasn't sure if that was for my benefit or his, but either way it kept me from falling over.
"So a truce, huh? What are the terms?" he asked suspiciously.
"Don't be so dramatic." I replied. "I just think for the rest of the weekend we should just do our best to ignore each other."
Tre nodded. "I can do that."
I looked up into his eyes, his facial features dim in the dark alley. "Billie Joe knows." I muttered.
"What?" he asked, his eyes widening a little. "What did he say to you?"
I sighed. "After our little display backstage he followed me outside and asked how long we've been sleeping together. Obviously I denied it... I told him I didn't appreciate him stirring up trouble, blah blah blah."
Tre leaned his head against the brick wall and closed his eyes. "Fuck." He muttered. "Does Adrienne know?"
I shook my head. "No. She doesn't know anything... she just told me today that her and Billie Joe are trying to get pregnant again though."
Tre brought his head up off the wall and looked at me. "Are you serious?" He asked smiling. "That's kinda cool. Bill hasn't said anything to Mike or me."
I nodded. "I'm excited too... but she's been acting really weird." I told Tre about both incidents of Adrienne acting strangely and he agreed; something was up.
"Maybe she's having a midlife crisis." He offered.
I rolled my eyes. "Tre, she's thirty-five years old for Christ's sake."
"Menopause?"
I giggled. "That doesn't happen until you're like fifty."
He shrugged. "I've got nothing."
"Apparently not." I said, teasing him.
He smiled down at me. "We're not doing a very good job of ignoring each other." He said quietly, pushing a strand of hair out of my face.
"We'll just call this 'tolerating one another'... I just wanted to make you aware of Billie, so we really need to cool it this weekend."
He nodded. "I think I can stand to be in your presence for two more days." He replied.
"How sweet of you." I mumbled sarcastically.
I jumped suddenly and grabbed Tre when someone swung the door open and stumbled out into the alley.
"Yuck." I muttered, burying my face into Tre's chest when the person starting throwing up on the ground next to a trash bin. "I hate the sound of someone puking."
He wrapped his arms around me and sighed. "Oh Ava, what am I going to do with you."
"Take me home." I mumbled, closing my eyes and reveling in the feeling of having my cheek pressed against the soft material of his shirt. "In a non-sexual kind of way... because that's what we decided on." I added a moment later.
He chuckled again and then pulled away to jump down off the ledge, and then turned around to help me down.
"We better get back inside." He said tugging on my hand and leading me towards the door. "I'll let everyone know we're heading back."
I shook my head. "You don't have to leave, Tre. I'm sure you'd rather take someone else home to your bed." I mumbled.
He held the door open for me as I walked under his arm. "You're wrong." He replied, but his reply was lost in the sounds of the bass and people yelling.
We struggled to get through the club, mostly because the previous shots had officially kicked in, making my legs a little numb and my head a little oozy. I had felt better outside in the fresh air. Tre rested his hand on the small of my back as he guided me through the club.
I reached the table where Mike was sitting, now with Sidney. I found it difficult to form a sentence to explain what was going on, but luckily I didn't have to.
"I'm taking Ava back because she's really drunk." Tre explained when Mike raised an eyebrow.
Sidney looked unsure. "I don't know, after your little exchange on the dance floor I'd be worried you would leave her somewhere." She teased.
"Don't be fucking stupid." Tre mumbled, grabbing my hand and leading me away from the table.
"Wait." I said planting my feet firmly on the floor and pulling Tre's arm. He turned around and leaned down to talk to me.
"What baby?"
Through my drunken haze it vaguely registered that he had just used a pet name when talking to me, which we never did. Well, at least none that could be said out in public.
"Adi, we have to tell Adi."
"That you're leaving?" he clarified, looking panicked for a moment.
I nodded. "Ok, Ava. Wait here with Mike then." He said backtracking a few steps and leaning me against Mike's shoulder who looked up in confusion. "Thought you were leaving?"
"Hiiii." I said grinning up at one of my dearest friends.
He chuckled and maneuvered me around to sit next to him.
"I probably should have told you that Jagermeister kicks my ass." I said, giggling a little.
"No shit." Mike replied. "Tre went to tell Adrienne you're leaving?" Mike asked.
I nodded. "He's taking me home." I leaned a little closer, trying to whisper in his ear but I only managed to lay my head on his shoulder. "But we're not having sex." I informed Mike, as he laughed and shook his head.
I looked over for the first time and remembered Sidney was sitting with Mike.
"Hiii." I said.
She chuckled. "You're going to feel shitty in the morning."
I nodded. "That's a truuuuue story." I agreed.
"Tre can hold your hair while you vomit." Mike teased as he wrapped an arm around my waist when I teetered backwards on my stool.
I giggled hysterically when Tre magically appeared at my side again. "No puking, ok?" he said leaning down and looking into my eyes.
"Vomit is a fun word. Vomit. Vomit. Vomit." I said giddily.
Mike and Tre both laughed. "I haven't seen you this trashed since we went to Cancun last year in March. Damn, Ava, you were shitfaced." Mike said.
"It was those fun fishbowl drinks with the bigass straws. Yum." I said looking up at Tre. "Huh, Tre? You had one."
He chuckled. "Alright, we're going back to the hotel." Tre said lifting one of my arms around his shoulder and wrapping a steady arm around my waist.
"Byyyeee." I sang to Mike and Sidney as Tre practically dragged me away.
I laid my head against his shoulder on the ride back in the cab and closed my eyes, all of the objects on the side of the rode whizzing by made my head hurt. Once at the hotel he managed to drag me to the elevator, as I giggled and chatted mindlessly. When we reached our floor he took a different route; leaning down to wrap an arm under my knees and one around my waist he lifted me up against his chest and carried me to my door. I guess he figured it was faster.
He set my feet down on the ground and let me lean against him as I made myself busy looking through my purse for my room key. When I couldn't find it I pushed my purse into Tre's hands.
"Here, I can't fucking find it." I said angrily.
"Jesus, Ava, you sure go through a range of emotions when you're drunk." He teased rifling through my purse.
He dug around for a moment before he pulled out my favorite tube of lip gloss and gasped. "I TOTALLY HAVE THIS. It's just SO SUPER." He squealed wide-eyed. "My lips feel so PLUMP and JUICY when I use this!" I giggled and shoved him a little as he put the item back in my bag and continued looking.
"I don't think you carry enough SHIT with you." He complained, stopping for a moment to peek at my driver's license and to steal a piece of gum.
Finally he found my key, after which he did a small victory dance before turning to open the door. He gestured for me to enter before him.
"Finally, Jesus." I teased walking in and plopping down on the couch.
He bent down and took off my shoes. "Thank you." I muttered.
"You're welcome. Do you need anything else?"
"I have to take my contacts out." I sighed, sitting forward and looking at him, as he was still crouched on the ground in front of me.
He shuddered. "I don't think I can touch your eyeball, that's fucking gross."
I giggled. "How come you're being so nice to me?" I asked running a hand across his face. I watched as he closed his eyes for a moment as if committing the feel of my hand on his face to memory.
"You're easier to tolerate when you're drunk." He teased. "You're not bitching at me."
"Aww, mean." I replied, sitting back against the couch and pouting.
He stretched forward placing a hand on either side of my torso as leaned over me to lay his head against my stomach. My hands automatically went to intertwine in his hair as he sighed and lifted my shirt a little to kiss my stomach.
I giggled and shoved his head playfully. "Take my contacts out first and then I'll let you take advantage of me."
He brought his head up and smiled. "Baby, I don't think I can touch your eye." He shuddered again. "I'm serious, it grosses me right the fuck out."
"Alright, well, at least carry me into the bathroom and set me in front of the mirror." I requested lazily. "Baby." I added, smirking at his sudden use of pet names.
He smirked as he got up and picked me up off the couch, carrying me into the bathroom and placing me on the counter.
"Why the fuck do these hotels have fluorescent lights in the bathroom?" I complained, rubbing my eyes as he walked to the other side of the counter and dug around in my overnight bag for my contact case and solution.
"To torture you when you're drunk." He muttered sarcastically.
"This it?" he asked holding up a bottle of Renu.
I nodded. "Did you find the case?"
He shook his head and dug around again for a moment, producing a small white case.
"K, pour some solution into each side of the container for me please." I requested.
He did as he was told and when he was done he set the case down next to me.
"Now what?" he asked.
"Now I take out my contacts." I replied.
"I wanna watch." He said placing his hands on my thighs and peering curiously at my face.
I giggled. "Oh, a minute ago you're noncommittal about my eye process and now you want to watch." I teased.
I watched in amusement as he cringed when I removed each lens, placing them in the container and putting the tops on.
"K, I'm ready for bed." I announced, kicking him a little with my feet.
"I feel like some sort of servant." He mumbled, but it didn't sound like minded.
I slid off the counter and almost fell right over before he grabbed a hold of my waist. I laughed as he threw me over his shoulder and carried me into the bedroom. He slapped my ass right before he set me down in front of my bed, grinning.
"You wanna change?" He asked.
All of a sudden my stomach felt a little off and I groaned. "I don't feel good." I whined looking up at him. "And it's your fault because you tipped me upside down."
He looked concerned. "You going to puke?"
I shrugged. "My tummy hurts, Tre." I replied, miserably.
He gently picked me back up again and carried me into the bathroom.
"If you're going to puke, puke in the toilet, ok?" he said, as we awkwardly took up space in the bathroom. I sat on the edge of the tub as he leaned against the counter and watched me.
My stomach turned over as I pointed to the door. "I have this thing about puking... I don't want you to see me throw up." I insisted. "Leave."
"Ava, I don't care." Tre replied coming over and bending down in front of me.
"I do!" I said stubbornly. "Please leave."
He looked concerned but he complied. "Alright, but if you need me I'll be right outside the door, just call." He got up and walked out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.
I clutched the sides of the toilet as I emptied the contents of stomach, cursing Jagermeister and myself for drinking too much. It had been awhile since I drank too much and gotten sick, but usually just taking shots didn't make me feel this way; I think it was all the added anxiety of the day's events, they didn't mingle too well with my stomach. After flushing I crawled towards the counter and pulled myself up, glancing in the mirror and cringing. Death warmed over anyone? I turned the sink on and splashed some cold water on my face as I dug around in my bag for my toothbrush and toothpaste.
I watched in the mirror as the bathroom door opened slowly and Tre stuck his head in.
"You ok?" he asked, walking over and wrapping his arms around my waist, his hands wandering under my shirt to rub my stomach. I leaned my head back against his chest as I continued to brush my teeth.
"I feel better." I muttered through the white liquid in my mouth, some of it spilling down my chin as I tried to talk.
He grinned. "Good." He reached up to wipe some of the toothpaste off my chin, and then wiped it on his jeans, which made me giggle. He held my hair out of my face as I leaned over the sink to rinse, and then handed me a towel to wipe my mouth on.
I couldn't believe how sweet he was being, it felt like we had been married for twenty years or something. I turned around and leaned against the counter as he placed a hand on either side of my body.
"You're sweet." I said, as way of thanking him.
He smirked. "Just looking out for you, kid. That's what friends do." He replied.
I felt my stomach turn again, but this time it wasn't because I had too much to drink.
"Friends, huh?" I asked, my eyes dropping to look at our feet. "I keep forgetting about that."
He frowned and lifted my chin up. "Well, we're just friends outside the room. But inside... well, I'd be willing to alter the title a bit."
I grinned up at him. "I missed you while you were away sulking and being mean." I said wrapping my arms around his waist and pulling him against me.
He chuckled. "You know that message you left me the day before I left?" He asked.
I nodded as he continued, "I saved it and I've listened to it like four hundred times." He admitted quietly. "I love when you ramble."
I felt my heart warm. "Aw, you're such a nerd." I teased leaning forward to rest my head on his shoulder as he laughed.
"Tre?" I mumbled into his shirt.
"Hmm?"
"I'm tired of standing in the bathroom." I replied looking up at him expectantly.
He chuckled. "Done being sick?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I feel better. I just want to lay down."
He gently lifted me into his arms as he flipped off the bathroom light and rounded the corner into the bedroom.
"Did you want to change?" he questioned for the second time, setting me down.
I shook my head. "I just don't want to sleep in my jeans." I said, unbuttoning them as he walked over and pulled the covers back.
I stepped out of my jeans and looked up at him as he slowly made his way back over to me.
"Are you sleeping over tonight?" I asked shyly as he placed his hands on my hips.
He nodded. "I told your sister I would keep an eye on you."
"Ohh, you've been given official clearance." I snaked my arms around his neck and closed my eyes as he leaned down to kiss me. It seemed like ages since we had been together, and I guess Tre was feeling the same way because he wrapped his arms so tightly around me I thought he was going to break my ribs.
I don't remember being picked up and carried to bed, but suddenly we were lying side by side in bed and he was drawing imaginary words on my hand.
"My feet are cold." I complained, snaking my feet up the pant legs of his jeans.
"Ever hear of socks?" he teased.
"Your legs are hairy enough, I'm sure they'll give off enough thermal heat to make my feet happy again." I replied.
He looked offended for about half a second. "I happen to think I have very delicate leg hair... thank you." He stuck his nose in the hair and scoffed like some snotty prince as I giggled.
"You're not that hairy." I agreed. "I don't like hairy."
He chuckled and looked away for a moment. "Is Ian hairy?"
I turned my head to look at him better and frowned. "What?"
"Your so called new friend, what's he like?" he asked quietly, leaning over to undo the choker around my neck, placing it on the table next to the bed.
I shrugged and rubbed absent mindedly at the spot where my necklace used to be. "He's... different. I don't know." I said feeling rather uncomfortable discussing this with Tre, as I still didn't know how I felt about Ian. Hell, I didn't know how I felt about the guy laying next to me.
He looked at me for a long moment. "It says a lot to me that you don't want to talk about him." He muttered.
I sighed in frustration. "What do you want to know? If we're sleeping together? Is that what you're getting at? Because just fucking ask me straight out if that's what you want to know."
He rolled over on his back and fixed his glare on the ceiling. "I'm not sure if I want to know that or not."
It felt like all of the sweet moments since we left the club were erased as we stepped backwards again into this confusing and agonizing place that we kept pushing each other into...the unknown.
"How come you never came over that night?" I asked, switching subjects a little. "And be honest."
He rubbed at his eyes and shrugged. "Didn't seem like a good idea... I didn't think you really wanted me to come over, like you just said it because you didn't know what else to do."
What a fucking idiot. "That's such bullshit." I muttered angrily as I rolled away from him to lay on my side. "You never intended to come."
"Are you sleeping with him?" He asked quietly from the other side of the bed.
"Now I really think we should take a break from each other. And this time I mean it... there, no confusion over what I say and what I mean." I replied back seconds later.
He sighed in frustration and I felt the bed sag as he moved closer to me.
"Maybe I shouldn't be here when you wake up in the morning?" He whispered against my shoulder.
"Maybe not."
My eyelids were getting heavy and I felt my brain threatening to shut down after such a retarded and maddening conversation... I think we could have chosen a different and more appropriate time to discuss this, preferably when I was sober.
"Can I hold you?" he whispered, his voice a little hesitant as he ran his hands up and down my back.
"Only if you promise to let me go." And I knew he caught the double meaning because his hand froze mid-stroke on my back.
"I'm not very good at making you promises, Ava." He whispered back, regrettably.
I sighed as he move closer to me, bringing the blankets up to rest around me as I shivered a little.
"So just friends then?" I asked, clarifying that this was the final result of our conversation.
"Friends." He muttered, sealing the deal.
I felt a tiny part of something inside of me heal and break at the same time as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me against his chest. He swept my hair away from my neck, kissing my shoulders and neck softly, so softly in fact, I wondered if I was imagining it. I intertwined my hands with his and snuggled back into him, wondering if this would be the last time I ever fell asleep in his arms.
"I know! For some reason I am just enthralled with him." I said motioning to Gerard who was just finishing up "The Ghost of You".
"There is something about him... he's mysterious or something." Adrienne agreed before Billie Joe beckoned her to come help him with something, leaving me standing alone next to the stage.
The band was just starting "Give 'Em Hell, Kid" when Tre stepped up beside me a smirk on his face. "They're good, huh?" He inquired glancing down at me. I felt like I was trapped in some bad soap opera or something, all of this unnecessary drama and the run-ins with the ex-boyfriend that only took place to add more angst and confusion to the plot.
"Indeed." I simply said, trying to ignore him and focus on the music.
Tre shifted a little next to me, crossing his arms. "Why did, umm, why did you ask me if I was partying a lot earlier?" he asked.
I turned to look at him and I could almost make out traces of the kindness that I used to see in his eyes, causing me to soften a little. "Mike mentioned something to me about you partying a lot and I was concerned. That's how you used to cope with everything... you know, with alcohol and drugs. I just would hate to see you go back to that when you've been doing well for so long." I replied honestly.
Tre's face turned a little sour and I resisted the urge to claw his eyes out for being so moody. "Thanks for your concern, Ava, but I'm fine. And what? Is Mike giving you daily reports on me or something?"
And there it was again; the familiar surge of anger that only he seemed to cause. "Yes, Tre. When I wake up every morning and before I go to bed every night I call Mike and get a fucking update on you. Jesus." I snarled sarcastically.
I turned away from him and started walking back towards the lounge when he came up behind me and grabbed my elbow, turning me around.
"I don't understand why you are being such a BITCH? I'm just trying to have a conversation with you!" he yelled angrily, causing a few people to turn and look at us.
"FUCK OFF. Do you understand THAT?" I yelled back, just as loudly. I turned around to walk away and almost had a heart attack when I saw Billie Joe and Adrienne standing a few feet away with confused looks on their faces. We really needed to stop having confrontations right in front of God and everyone.
I turned the other way and stormed off towards an empty hallway and sighed in relief when I saw an exit for an enclosed outside area. I really didn't feel like dealing with Adrienne's prying right now. I mean, Tre and I had fought before simply because we got irritated with each other, but nothing to this extent. I didn't feel like explaining why my anger was justified or why he was calling me a bitch. Because the truth was I didn't know, I didn't understand why he was so angry, in turn making me angry.
I slumped down on the ground, leaning against the brick wall, drawing my knees up to my chest and pulling my smokes out of my bag. The door creaked open and I looked up in shock as Billie Joe sauntered out with a cigarette perched between his lips. He was just all kinds of daring lately; usually he avoided me like the plague when he knew I was irritated or angry, because I found it so easy to make him into my prime target for venting.
"Hey." He simply greeted leaning against the brick wall on the other side of the door.
I blew out a stream of smoke and nodded in his general direction, which I doubt he saw because it was fairly dark outside.
"So, uh, how long you and Tre been sleeping together?" Billie Joe casually asked, lighting his cigarette, not bothering to look at me.
I sucked in a mouthful of air and accidentally dropped my cigarette, cursing, I picked it back up and entertained the idea of chopping him into little pieces and hide him amongst the many rooms of the arena. "You're a fucking comedian." I muttered, feeling my heart start to race. Shit. Shit. Shit.
He shrugged. "You've called me worse."
I glanced over at him, barely able to make out his shadow; the glow of his cigarette giving away that he was in fact looking in my general direction.
"We're not sleeping together. He just pissed me off." I insisted, my stomach doing somersaults at what it would mean if Billie Joe knew... after all the times I've tormented and made fun of him he would surely squeal like a little girl. And I really couldn't blame him.
Billie Joe scoffed. "Bullshit, Ava. I think there's more going on then you two are letting on."
I rolled my head back against the brick wall and sighed in frustration. "Come on, haven't you ever been so angry at him you've told him to fuck off?" I demanded. "Doesn't mean we're screwing each other."
"Oh fuck yeah, there's no denying that Tre can drive you crazy, but that little display in there wasn't a pissed off, irritated with each other kind of fight... it was like a lover's spat or something. And believe me; I've had a few of those in my day with your sister."
"You're crazy." I muttered stubbing my cigarette out and reaching for the door. "And I don't appreciate you trying to stir up shit." I concluded throwing the door open and walking back towards the lounge.
Adrienne was on the phone, more than likely with Ollie, but she quickly ended the conversation and made her way over to me when I walked in the room.
"Hey, what was all that about?" she asked, concern clouding her eyes.
I shrugged and tried to explain enough to pacify her, but to be casual enough so not to have to make up a pretend conversation.
"I'm just in a shitty mood, you know, jetlagged and stuff... and Tre was being obnoxious, and I kind of took it out on him." I said shrugging.
She raised an eyebrow. "That was some 'fuck you' though." She muttered, grinning a little.
I managed a small laugh. "You know he can get on my last nerve sometimes." I said nonchalantly.
She giggled. "Oh, I know, Ava." She agreed nodding. "And can you BELIEVE that little bitch, Sidney?" She said lowering her voice to a menacing whisper. "I'd like to kick her skanky ass right across the fucking border."
I sighed in relief at the change in topic, Adrienne could rave all night about this if I played my cards right.
"Not even fucking cool." I agreed.
Adrienne opened her mouth to say something else but shut it again when Billie Joe came strolling in.
"Weren't you supposed to be on by now?" Adrienne asked curiously.
He shook his head. "They're having difficulties." He simply said, avoiding eye contact with me while he took his cigarettes out of his pocket and threw them on the table. "Everything is going wrong today with the fucking sound system."
Adrienne nodded. "Scott mentioned something about that earlier. Where is Mike and Tre?" she asked.
He shrugged. "Fuck if I know. Probably wandering around the stage somewhere." He replied as he straightened his hair in the mirror.
I almost bit clean through my lip holding back a comment about the pretty, pretty princess fixing his hair, but I behaved. I suddenly had a whole new reason to loathe him, and the more I was in his presence the more I anger I felt, which was ridiculous in retrospect because I was the one in the wrong, not him.
"Well, have a good show. We'll be watching." Adrienne said, encouragingly.
Billie Joe walked over and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Thanks babe." He said before throwing a knowing glance in my direction and heading out of the room.
"So we're going out tonight with the guys from My Chemical Romance, huh? That's what Tre told Mike anyway." Adrienne chattered, grabbing my hand and leading me out into the hallway. This was news to me.
"Did you have coffee this morning?" I joked. "You have vast amounts of energy."
"I have something to tell you." She said stopping suddenly, before looking sideways and pulling me into an empty room, about as big as a closet.
"Umm, you can't tell me in the hallway, Adi? I'm claustrophobic you know." I muttered sarcastically.
She giggled. "I was going to wait to tell you, but I can't. I'm too excited."
I gave her a confused look. "What is it?" I asked curiously.
"Billie Joe and I are trying to get pregnant again." She said squealing with excitement.
My heart warmed a little at the thought of having a new niece or nephew. I pulled her into a tight hug. "That's great! Is that why you wanted to come out so bad? You wanted to get going on the baby making?" I teased, pulling back to look at her.
Her face soured a little, which surprised me. "I was just kidding." I added softly, feeling a little confused at her reaction.
She forced a smile. "I wanted to come out mainly because I missed him... but that part is fun too."
I nodded my head. "Alright, well, congratulations! I look forward to being an aunt for the third time." I said giddily.
She laughed. "Let's get out of this damn closet."
"Amen sister." I said throwing open the door and breathing hallway air as we made our way towards the stage.
"You know I thought Billie Joe seemed lighter on his feet." I mumbled to her, meriting a slap on the arm.
I giggled. "Bown chicky wow wow."
Later on we were sitting in the back of a club drinking and smoking as the night dragged on. I had been pulled into a very fascinating conversation with Gerard after realizing we smoked the same kind of cigarettes. He also told me that he had been sober for a year after a very long run-in with alcohol problems. We chatted a bit about this and that, and I found that I generally enjoyed being in the company of the entire My Chemical Romance gang; they were quickly becoming the preferred group to tour with, but Blink still pulled rank.
I watched as Tre grabbed and groped anything in a skirt, and I had rolled my eyes so many times that I was sure they were just going to automatically start rolling on their own in another half hour or so.
I excused myself from my lovely conversation with Gerard and walked towards the table that Mike and Jason were currently occupying.
"Hey boys." I said climbing up on stool between them
"Hey Ava." Mike responded. "You know, this is supposed to be your make-up post graduation party that we never got to throw because we were gone. You should be having a bitchin' time."
I grinned. "Bring on the booze then." I replied happily.
Jason laughed. "You haven't been drinking?"
"A few here and there, but I've been talking to Gerard for the past hour or so and I was so impressed with his sobriety over the past year that I thought it would be in poor taste to guzzle a beer in front of him." I said. "I mean, that's tough shit. I love my booze so he gets all my kudos for the month for giving it all up." I added, grinning up at Mike as he passed me two shots of Jagermeister. Oh, this was going to be rough.
I threw them back and giggled as Sidney came out of nowhere and grabbed my hands, pulling me out on the dance floor. She danced us right over to where Tre was grinding against some chick who was wearing a top that was held together by a single string. And that mere string was struggling.
"HEY!" he called, ambling towards us while attempting to maintain a rhythm dancing with the girl. "This is Layla." He announced pointing to the girl who was rubbing him down.
I rolled my eyes... again. "She'll fit nicely into your collection!" I yelled at him sarcastically. "No brains just big tits and brown hair."
His eyes narrowed. "Jealous?" He answered running his fingers over her back as she danced against him, oblivious to the conversation... and wearing a cowboy hat. She DESERVED my condescending mocking simply because she was wearing a cowboy hat.
I threw my head back and laughed. "YEAH. I mean, that was totally the shirt I was going to wear." I said twirling a piece of hair around my finger and impersonating a really ditzy girl.
Tre's eyes glowed with anger as he continued to grind against his own personal Barbie. I turned my back to him and tried to get lost in the bad rap music as Sidney shot me a confused look, but she didn't say anything which I was grateful for. I didn't need two confrontations with curious onlookers in one night. I danced with Sidney for awhile to a couple of bad songs and then headed back to the bar for some more shots, my attitude was borderline resentful towards everyone in the building. I was also getting a little sick of Tre shooting me daggers over the girl's heads that he was dancing with. I didn't care that he was dancing with anything in a skirt; I was just irritated that he felt the need to make a show out of it; apparently I had given him too much credit when I used to tell him that underneath it all he was a good guy.
Adrienne and Billie Joe were leaning against the bar giggling and kissing as I approached.
"Hey kid." Adrienne called. "What are you drinking?" She asked, leaning over Billie to talk to me.
"Jagermeister. And should you be drinking?" I asked quirking an eyebrow.
She giggled. "I'm not actually. Club soda!" She replied holding up her glass with fake enthusiasm.
Billie Joe smiled. "And if she's not drinking I'm not either."
I put a hand to my chest and feigned shock. "Holy shit, someone jot this down. Billie Joe is sober for one day of his life." I said, sarcasm lacing my words.
"Ava." Adrienne's voice was sharp as she shot me a warning look.
I shrugged. "I told you I was in a shitty mood." I said throwing down a ten on the bar and picking up my shots. "Sorry." I muttered in Billie Joe's general direction before taking off towards the table Mike was still occupying. I think Mike was about the only person who I didn't feel irritated by in this entire zip code.
I slumped down on the stool next to him and took the cold shots, loving the way they were numbing my brain.
"Looks like you're pissing everyone off." Mike commented, moving the empty glasses away from me as I clumsily laid my arms on the table.
"Billie Joe knows." I muttered turning to look at him.
He looked surprised. "Fuck, did he tell your sister?" he asked.
I shook my head. "Nah. He brought it up today and I denied it, telling him I didn't appreciate him trying to start shit and then I walked away." I replied. "Hopefully he tricks himself into believing his retarded notion is wrong." I added miserably.
Mike chuckled. "Except that it's not, kid." He said nudging my arm with his elbow.
"Shhh." I said placing a finger to my lips. "Don't tell anyone."
"I heard about you and Tre's little display earlier... from one of our crew members." He said frowning a little. "Exactly how loud were you yelling?"
I shrugged. "In so many words he called me a bitch, I told him to fuck off. It really wasn't the most eloquent use of words. If I had a few more minutes I probably could have come up with a more colorful phrase." I mumbled, pretending to be disappointed in myself.
Mike frowned again. "This has to stop, Ava. You and Tre need to work this out... or something."
"I'm not even sure why we're so angry at each other." I admitted.
"You're pissed because you've never been blown off before, and he's pissed because no one has ever had the intelligence to call him on his shit before." Mike summed up, taking a sip of his beer and grinning. "Plus, you've got all of this business with your love being forbidden, you know all of the really cheesy Harlequin romance novel bullshit." He added smartly, as though he had just solved a murder mystery.
"Well, aren't you smug?" I teased, smirking. "By the way I resent you for the Harlequin remark."
"It'll work out." He said, ignoring my comment and glancing back out on the dance floor at Sidney, frowning. "I'm so appalled at what she said to your sister today." He admitted, turning back to look at me.
I frowned. "That was awkward." I replied. "But Adrienne is to blame too... she's not exactly subtle in her dislike for your girlfriend."
"That still doesn't justify calling your sister a bitch to her face. I think her and I need to have a serious chat about how you treat your significant other's friends." He mumbled. "I think maybe we should call it quits."
I set my beer down on the table and looked at him in shock. "Is that really what you want?" I asked. "You've been together a long time and it's not like she's acting any different than she did when you first started dating. Or is that the problem?"
He shrugged. "I would like to find someone a little more serious. And who wears a whole shirt more often than just inside a courtroom."
I giggled. "It's your call, Mike. You deserve to be happy. I like Sidney and everything but I see your point, maybe you need someone who suits you a little better."
"I really care about her, but it's getting to be a pain to try and keep her in control. Jesus, listen to me, I shouldn't even have to worry about keeping her in control. I don't like controlling people. I like people who can maintain themselves like a normal human being." He rambled, before clinking his shot glass against mine and tipping it back.
I nodded. "What was the deal earlier? She bitching at you or something?" I asked, loving the way the cold liquid was making everything seem a little easier to deal with.
He frowned. "She forgets sometimes that just because she argues with people professionally doesn't mean she can never be wrong. I don't know, we've hit a rough spot I guess." He mumbled. "I've got some shit to work through in my head."
"I hear ya, brotha." I said, grinning a little and nudging him.
He turned to me and smirked. "When did things get so complicated?" he asked.
"Umm, about 11 years ago when my sister married Princess Armstrong over there." I said motioning to Billie Joe with my head.
Mike chuckled. "He won't tell Adrienne, the last thing he wants to do is get between the two of you... he's a lot smarter than you think. He probably just wanted to give you a heads up that people are starting to figure this shit out."
I nodded. "Let's hope he keeps to himself... I'll break his scrawny neck." I scanned the club looking for the nearest bathroom. "Alright, I'm going to go use the bathroom. I'll be back." I said stumbling off the stool. I was really beginning to feel the effects of my shots.
As I was walking to the bathroom I saw Tre making his way in the same direction so I grabbed his arm and told him I wanted to talk, which I could tell surprised him. We stepped out a side door into an alley, which looked less than welcoming.
"What?" he asked impatiently. I could tell he wasn't as drunk as I was which was good because an irritated and drunk Tre would be less than tolerable at this point. "I want to call a truce." I said, grabbing at his arm when a rat in close proximity squealed. "Ewww." I looked around and tried to see the disgusting creature but the alley was dark and unkempt, it could be anywhere.
He chuckled. "Here, stand on this concrete ledge." He said, grabbing my waist and lifting me up onto a small platform that was probably two feet wide. I giggled when I looked down to see that his head now came to about my shoulder.
"It's one big step." I muttered.
"Are you drunk?" He teased, still gripping my hips to keep me steady. "You're going to fall off this fucking thing and break your skull open or something."
"Come up here." I insisted, ignoring his mothering. "I feel stupid talking to the top of your fucking head. Although I'm diggin' the height of your mohawk tonight."
He laughed. "I don't know, I kind of like where I am." He teased, looking straight at my chest and smirking.
I gently grabbed a handful of his hair and he quickly complied with my previous request, jumping up next to me, still holding on to my waist. I wasn't sure if that was for my benefit or his, but either way it kept me from falling over.
"So a truce, huh? What are the terms?" he asked suspiciously.
"Don't be so dramatic." I replied. "I just think for the rest of the weekend we should just do our best to ignore each other."
Tre nodded. "I can do that."
I looked up into his eyes, his facial features dim in the dark alley. "Billie Joe knows." I muttered.
"What?" he asked, his eyes widening a little. "What did he say to you?"
I sighed. "After our little display backstage he followed me outside and asked how long we've been sleeping together. Obviously I denied it... I told him I didn't appreciate him stirring up trouble, blah blah blah."
Tre leaned his head against the brick wall and closed his eyes. "Fuck." He muttered. "Does Adrienne know?"
I shook my head. "No. She doesn't know anything... she just told me today that her and Billie Joe are trying to get pregnant again though."
Tre brought his head up off the wall and looked at me. "Are you serious?" He asked smiling. "That's kinda cool. Bill hasn't said anything to Mike or me."
I nodded. "I'm excited too... but she's been acting really weird." I told Tre about both incidents of Adrienne acting strangely and he agreed; something was up.
"Maybe she's having a midlife crisis." He offered.
I rolled my eyes. "Tre, she's thirty-five years old for Christ's sake."
"Menopause?"
I giggled. "That doesn't happen until you're like fifty."
He shrugged. "I've got nothing."
"Apparently not." I said, teasing him.
He smiled down at me. "We're not doing a very good job of ignoring each other." He said quietly, pushing a strand of hair out of my face.
"We'll just call this 'tolerating one another'... I just wanted to make you aware of Billie, so we really need to cool it this weekend."
He nodded. "I think I can stand to be in your presence for two more days." He replied.
"How sweet of you." I mumbled sarcastically.
I jumped suddenly and grabbed Tre when someone swung the door open and stumbled out into the alley.
"Yuck." I muttered, burying my face into Tre's chest when the person starting throwing up on the ground next to a trash bin. "I hate the sound of someone puking."
He wrapped his arms around me and sighed. "Oh Ava, what am I going to do with you."
"Take me home." I mumbled, closing my eyes and reveling in the feeling of having my cheek pressed against the soft material of his shirt. "In a non-sexual kind of way... because that's what we decided on." I added a moment later.
He chuckled again and then pulled away to jump down off the ledge, and then turned around to help me down.
"We better get back inside." He said tugging on my hand and leading me towards the door. "I'll let everyone know we're heading back."
I shook my head. "You don't have to leave, Tre. I'm sure you'd rather take someone else home to your bed." I mumbled.
He held the door open for me as I walked under his arm. "You're wrong." He replied, but his reply was lost in the sounds of the bass and people yelling.
We struggled to get through the club, mostly because the previous shots had officially kicked in, making my legs a little numb and my head a little oozy. I had felt better outside in the fresh air. Tre rested his hand on the small of my back as he guided me through the club.
I reached the table where Mike was sitting, now with Sidney. I found it difficult to form a sentence to explain what was going on, but luckily I didn't have to.
"I'm taking Ava back because she's really drunk." Tre explained when Mike raised an eyebrow.
Sidney looked unsure. "I don't know, after your little exchange on the dance floor I'd be worried you would leave her somewhere." She teased.
"Don't be fucking stupid." Tre mumbled, grabbing my hand and leading me away from the table.
"Wait." I said planting my feet firmly on the floor and pulling Tre's arm. He turned around and leaned down to talk to me.
"What baby?"
Through my drunken haze it vaguely registered that he had just used a pet name when talking to me, which we never did. Well, at least none that could be said out in public.
"Adi, we have to tell Adi."
"That you're leaving?" he clarified, looking panicked for a moment.
I nodded. "Ok, Ava. Wait here with Mike then." He said backtracking a few steps and leaning me against Mike's shoulder who looked up in confusion. "Thought you were leaving?"
"Hiiii." I said grinning up at one of my dearest friends.
He chuckled and maneuvered me around to sit next to him.
"I probably should have told you that Jagermeister kicks my ass." I said, giggling a little.
"No shit." Mike replied. "Tre went to tell Adrienne you're leaving?" Mike asked.
I nodded. "He's taking me home." I leaned a little closer, trying to whisper in his ear but I only managed to lay my head on his shoulder. "But we're not having sex." I informed Mike, as he laughed and shook his head.
I looked over for the first time and remembered Sidney was sitting with Mike.
"Hiii." I said.
She chuckled. "You're going to feel shitty in the morning."
I nodded. "That's a truuuuue story." I agreed.
"Tre can hold your hair while you vomit." Mike teased as he wrapped an arm around my waist when I teetered backwards on my stool.
I giggled hysterically when Tre magically appeared at my side again. "No puking, ok?" he said leaning down and looking into my eyes.
"Vomit is a fun word. Vomit. Vomit. Vomit." I said giddily.
Mike and Tre both laughed. "I haven't seen you this trashed since we went to Cancun last year in March. Damn, Ava, you were shitfaced." Mike said.
"It was those fun fishbowl drinks with the bigass straws. Yum." I said looking up at Tre. "Huh, Tre? You had one."
He chuckled. "Alright, we're going back to the hotel." Tre said lifting one of my arms around his shoulder and wrapping a steady arm around my waist.
"Byyyeee." I sang to Mike and Sidney as Tre practically dragged me away.
I laid my head against his shoulder on the ride back in the cab and closed my eyes, all of the objects on the side of the rode whizzing by made my head hurt. Once at the hotel he managed to drag me to the elevator, as I giggled and chatted mindlessly. When we reached our floor he took a different route; leaning down to wrap an arm under my knees and one around my waist he lifted me up against his chest and carried me to my door. I guess he figured it was faster.
He set my feet down on the ground and let me lean against him as I made myself busy looking through my purse for my room key. When I couldn't find it I pushed my purse into Tre's hands.
"Here, I can't fucking find it." I said angrily.
"Jesus, Ava, you sure go through a range of emotions when you're drunk." He teased rifling through my purse.
He dug around for a moment before he pulled out my favorite tube of lip gloss and gasped. "I TOTALLY HAVE THIS. It's just SO SUPER." He squealed wide-eyed. "My lips feel so PLUMP and JUICY when I use this!" I giggled and shoved him a little as he put the item back in my bag and continued looking.
"I don't think you carry enough SHIT with you." He complained, stopping for a moment to peek at my driver's license and to steal a piece of gum.
Finally he found my key, after which he did a small victory dance before turning to open the door. He gestured for me to enter before him.
"Finally, Jesus." I teased walking in and plopping down on the couch.
He bent down and took off my shoes. "Thank you." I muttered.
"You're welcome. Do you need anything else?"
"I have to take my contacts out." I sighed, sitting forward and looking at him, as he was still crouched on the ground in front of me.
He shuddered. "I don't think I can touch your eyeball, that's fucking gross."
I giggled. "How come you're being so nice to me?" I asked running a hand across his face. I watched as he closed his eyes for a moment as if committing the feel of my hand on his face to memory.
"You're easier to tolerate when you're drunk." He teased. "You're not bitching at me."
"Aww, mean." I replied, sitting back against the couch and pouting.
He stretched forward placing a hand on either side of my torso as leaned over me to lay his head against my stomach. My hands automatically went to intertwine in his hair as he sighed and lifted my shirt a little to kiss my stomach.
I giggled and shoved his head playfully. "Take my contacts out first and then I'll let you take advantage of me."
He brought his head up and smiled. "Baby, I don't think I can touch your eye." He shuddered again. "I'm serious, it grosses me right the fuck out."
"Alright, well, at least carry me into the bathroom and set me in front of the mirror." I requested lazily. "Baby." I added, smirking at his sudden use of pet names.
He smirked as he got up and picked me up off the couch, carrying me into the bathroom and placing me on the counter.
"Why the fuck do these hotels have fluorescent lights in the bathroom?" I complained, rubbing my eyes as he walked to the other side of the counter and dug around in my overnight bag for my contact case and solution.
"To torture you when you're drunk." He muttered sarcastically.
"This it?" he asked holding up a bottle of Renu.
I nodded. "Did you find the case?"
He shook his head and dug around again for a moment, producing a small white case.
"K, pour some solution into each side of the container for me please." I requested.
He did as he was told and when he was done he set the case down next to me.
"Now what?" he asked.
"Now I take out my contacts." I replied.
"I wanna watch." He said placing his hands on my thighs and peering curiously at my face.
I giggled. "Oh, a minute ago you're noncommittal about my eye process and now you want to watch." I teased.
I watched in amusement as he cringed when I removed each lens, placing them in the container and putting the tops on.
"K, I'm ready for bed." I announced, kicking him a little with my feet.
"I feel like some sort of servant." He mumbled, but it didn't sound like minded.
I slid off the counter and almost fell right over before he grabbed a hold of my waist. I laughed as he threw me over his shoulder and carried me into the bedroom. He slapped my ass right before he set me down in front of my bed, grinning.
"You wanna change?" He asked.
All of a sudden my stomach felt a little off and I groaned. "I don't feel good." I whined looking up at him. "And it's your fault because you tipped me upside down."
He looked concerned. "You going to puke?"
I shrugged. "My tummy hurts, Tre." I replied, miserably.
He gently picked me back up again and carried me into the bathroom.
"If you're going to puke, puke in the toilet, ok?" he said, as we awkwardly took up space in the bathroom. I sat on the edge of the tub as he leaned against the counter and watched me.
My stomach turned over as I pointed to the door. "I have this thing about puking... I don't want you to see me throw up." I insisted. "Leave."
"Ava, I don't care." Tre replied coming over and bending down in front of me.
"I do!" I said stubbornly. "Please leave."
He looked concerned but he complied. "Alright, but if you need me I'll be right outside the door, just call." He got up and walked out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.
I clutched the sides of the toilet as I emptied the contents of stomach, cursing Jagermeister and myself for drinking too much. It had been awhile since I drank too much and gotten sick, but usually just taking shots didn't make me feel this way; I think it was all the added anxiety of the day's events, they didn't mingle too well with my stomach. After flushing I crawled towards the counter and pulled myself up, glancing in the mirror and cringing. Death warmed over anyone? I turned the sink on and splashed some cold water on my face as I dug around in my bag for my toothbrush and toothpaste.
I watched in the mirror as the bathroom door opened slowly and Tre stuck his head in.
"You ok?" he asked, walking over and wrapping his arms around my waist, his hands wandering under my shirt to rub my stomach. I leaned my head back against his chest as I continued to brush my teeth.
"I feel better." I muttered through the white liquid in my mouth, some of it spilling down my chin as I tried to talk.
He grinned. "Good." He reached up to wipe some of the toothpaste off my chin, and then wiped it on his jeans, which made me giggle. He held my hair out of my face as I leaned over the sink to rinse, and then handed me a towel to wipe my mouth on.
I couldn't believe how sweet he was being, it felt like we had been married for twenty years or something. I turned around and leaned against the counter as he placed a hand on either side of my body.
"You're sweet." I said, as way of thanking him.
He smirked. "Just looking out for you, kid. That's what friends do." He replied.
I felt my stomach turn again, but this time it wasn't because I had too much to drink.
"Friends, huh?" I asked, my eyes dropping to look at our feet. "I keep forgetting about that."
He frowned and lifted my chin up. "Well, we're just friends outside the room. But inside... well, I'd be willing to alter the title a bit."
I grinned up at him. "I missed you while you were away sulking and being mean." I said wrapping my arms around his waist and pulling him against me.
He chuckled. "You know that message you left me the day before I left?" He asked.
I nodded as he continued, "I saved it and I've listened to it like four hundred times." He admitted quietly. "I love when you ramble."
I felt my heart warm. "Aw, you're such a nerd." I teased leaning forward to rest my head on his shoulder as he laughed.
"Tre?" I mumbled into his shirt.
"Hmm?"
"I'm tired of standing in the bathroom." I replied looking up at him expectantly.
He chuckled. "Done being sick?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I feel better. I just want to lay down."
He gently lifted me into his arms as he flipped off the bathroom light and rounded the corner into the bedroom.
"Did you want to change?" he questioned for the second time, setting me down.
I shook my head. "I just don't want to sleep in my jeans." I said, unbuttoning them as he walked over and pulled the covers back.
I stepped out of my jeans and looked up at him as he slowly made his way back over to me.
"Are you sleeping over tonight?" I asked shyly as he placed his hands on my hips.
He nodded. "I told your sister I would keep an eye on you."
"Ohh, you've been given official clearance." I snaked my arms around his neck and closed my eyes as he leaned down to kiss me. It seemed like ages since we had been together, and I guess Tre was feeling the same way because he wrapped his arms so tightly around me I thought he was going to break my ribs.
I don't remember being picked up and carried to bed, but suddenly we were lying side by side in bed and he was drawing imaginary words on my hand.
"My feet are cold." I complained, snaking my feet up the pant legs of his jeans.
"Ever hear of socks?" he teased.
"Your legs are hairy enough, I'm sure they'll give off enough thermal heat to make my feet happy again." I replied.
He looked offended for about half a second. "I happen to think I have very delicate leg hair... thank you." He stuck his nose in the hair and scoffed like some snotty prince as I giggled.
"You're not that hairy." I agreed. "I don't like hairy."
He chuckled and looked away for a moment. "Is Ian hairy?"
I turned my head to look at him better and frowned. "What?"
"Your so called new friend, what's he like?" he asked quietly, leaning over to undo the choker around my neck, placing it on the table next to the bed.
I shrugged and rubbed absent mindedly at the spot where my necklace used to be. "He's... different. I don't know." I said feeling rather uncomfortable discussing this with Tre, as I still didn't know how I felt about Ian. Hell, I didn't know how I felt about the guy laying next to me.
He looked at me for a long moment. "It says a lot to me that you don't want to talk about him." He muttered.
I sighed in frustration. "What do you want to know? If we're sleeping together? Is that what you're getting at? Because just fucking ask me straight out if that's what you want to know."
He rolled over on his back and fixed his glare on the ceiling. "I'm not sure if I want to know that or not."
It felt like all of the sweet moments since we left the club were erased as we stepped backwards again into this confusing and agonizing place that we kept pushing each other into...the unknown.
"How come you never came over that night?" I asked, switching subjects a little. "And be honest."
He rubbed at his eyes and shrugged. "Didn't seem like a good idea... I didn't think you really wanted me to come over, like you just said it because you didn't know what else to do."
What a fucking idiot. "That's such bullshit." I muttered angrily as I rolled away from him to lay on my side. "You never intended to come."
"Are you sleeping with him?" He asked quietly from the other side of the bed.
"Now I really think we should take a break from each other. And this time I mean it... there, no confusion over what I say and what I mean." I replied back seconds later.
He sighed in frustration and I felt the bed sag as he moved closer to me.
"Maybe I shouldn't be here when you wake up in the morning?" He whispered against my shoulder.
"Maybe not."
My eyelids were getting heavy and I felt my brain threatening to shut down after such a retarded and maddening conversation... I think we could have chosen a different and more appropriate time to discuss this, preferably when I was sober.
"Can I hold you?" he whispered, his voice a little hesitant as he ran his hands up and down my back.
"Only if you promise to let me go." And I knew he caught the double meaning because his hand froze mid-stroke on my back.
"I'm not very good at making you promises, Ava." He whispered back, regrettably.
I sighed as he move closer to me, bringing the blankets up to rest around me as I shivered a little.
"So just friends then?" I asked, clarifying that this was the final result of our conversation.
"Friends." He muttered, sealing the deal.
I felt a tiny part of something inside of me heal and break at the same time as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me against his chest. He swept my hair away from my neck, kissing my shoulders and neck softly, so softly in fact, I wondered if I was imagining it. I intertwined my hands with his and snuggled back into him, wondering if this would be the last time I ever fell asleep in his arms.
