Danger Line

When Ian told us it was just a mere audition, that there’s nothing to it, for a single second- I believed him. Such a stupid move from my part. Note to self – never, ever, ever trust Ian. I had completely forgot that in auditions, in order for someone to get in, you have to turn someone down. That was the hardest part of it. I was a teacher for god sake, that’s not correct to tell a kid- you suck at this. I knew every single one of them tried and did their best. So in the end I was completely mentally drained and laying with my head in Chris’s lap as the driver drove us back home.

„It meant the world to those kids just to be in front of you and play for you, Hills.” Chris caressed my head. He even offered me to choose the radio station, but I still felt pooped. Chris started humming a melody. Oh god no. „Rising up... back on the streeeet...did my time, took my chances..” He looked down on me, „come on, Hills, do this with me! - Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet
Just a man and his will to surviiive...” He raised his fist to his mouth as if singing in the microphone. I hid my face behind my hands, containing a chuckle, feelin slightly embarrassed For him. „So many times it happens too faaast... you trade your passion for glory..don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past, you must fight just to keep them aliiive... Come on Meg, I can’t do this without you!” I knew he had moved his „microphone”to my face, just like he always did. I chuckled in my hands.

„It's the eye of the tiger, it's the thrill of the fight, rising up to the challenge of our rival--” I stated, not even with the slightest signs of signing.

„And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night,”

„And he’s watching us all with the eye—„

„And here come’s my solo part... ekhem” He cleared his throat and I figured I should see this. My hands slid from my face and my eyes raised to look as he took a deep breath and sang out like he’d be Andrea Bocelli himself, „—of the tiiiiiiger!” Slightly off key of course. He looked down at me expectantly, „So? How was it?”

„It was so, sooo bad, dude...” I laughed, sitting up.

„Nothing has improved in over a year? Goddammit.” Last time he sang me this song was when I told the band we had to quit the Hail to the King tour. Everyone else were ready to eat me up without salt and pepper, he was the only one who didn’t ask questions and even gave two or three attempts of cheering me up.

„I think you’ve become worse...” I chuckled, running fingers through my hairsprayed hair.

„You mean to tell me I’ll never be a singer?” he made his best puppy dog eyes.

„Sorry to crush your dream, but you’re as good of a singer as me of a model.” I looked at the rear view mirror to see our driver, trying to act all professional and contain his laughter. „Driver person?” I figured to address him, the poor thing could’ve died from laughter containment, who knows in what did it result. Possible internal bleeding, perhaps? „It’s okay to laugh.”

„Thank you...” He replied very much macerated. Still he remained professional and laughed in silence, only his shoulders moving.

„See? It’s a good thing you turned me down. Hell would freeze over and purgatory gates would open if I’d become a front man of some unholy community. Some people are just not meant to be on stage, Hills.” He explained.

„I know... It’s just... hard. Guitar playing is not like singing, you could always learn to play guitar even if you don’t have the talent for it. It just takes time and motivation and if I turn down those kids, they’ll never pick the instrument up ever again.” A sad smile ghosted on my lips.

„Sure they will.” He said, „As long as you’re not a bitch about it. Look, do you honestly think that guy who came in with the sloppiest Smell’s Like Teen Spirit solo I’ve ever heard, would’ve pulled it through the whole show? He would’ve been laughed at and we’d received a bad publicity for openly making the world laugh at the poor kid. Is that what you want?”

„No...” I frowned. Was that how people would interpret it? If that’s so, I’m going to turn down as much kids as possible and leave only the best of the best. Even if I become the evil judge, just like Simon Cowell, I’d be doing it in the name of greater good.

„Just take an example from Bails. You think she gives a fuck about what people think?” He had a point there. „Remember the Download festival, when that interviewer came up to us?”

„I can’t believe you called that guy out,” Frank addressed Bailey as we all went to our trailer. She pulled a smoke out of her Marlboro pack.

„Hey, that jackass was asking for it,” She shrugged, placing the cigarette between her lips, „Nobody comes to a Beautiful Wasteland show with a self made wallpaper telling we suck balls...”

„Still, I think it was a little too much,” I added, seeing her light up her smoke. That was the first I saw her coming down to one of the backvocal microphones and starting her rant about hater-skater people and ending her statement with a high raise of her middle fingers.

„Guys, guys?” We all turned around to see a girl running up to us, escorted by a camera man, „You mind commenting on tonight’s show?”

„I think Bailey already commented enough,” I spoke, raising a bottle of Corona to my lips.

„Here’s what I can say,” Chris turned to the camera man, „A little heads up, people... never, ever, ever get in Bailey’s face,” Chris said in to the mic, „you’d think you should fear McQueen, cause she has a badass name, or... or.. or Paul with the fucking muscles - na-ah” He shook his index finger, „You should fear the midget with anger management issues.”

„That’s... That’s actually fucking true,” Bailey smiled, gesturing with her freshly lit cigarette.

„Aren’t you afraid of what they’ll think about you?” The interviewer asked. She looked rather young if I may add, and that means- lacking experience on how to deal with people like Bails.

„Who? The fans?” Bailey raised her eyebrow, looking very skeptical. „Here’s what I think and I give zero fucks if it will offend anyone or not...” She pointed out to the camera, „If you care for me flipping out on some douchebag, who hates on my band mates, you can run back to your mommy and make yourself cozy under her armpit, cause, obviously, there’s no place for you in Download, where people are mean and fucking ANGRY all the time.” She took a short drag, „And furthermore- go fuck yourself!” We all started laughing, cause we didn’t actually know what to really do in this situation. It was obvious she had had thirteen too many drinks. As for Bailey? She just turned around and left with no further a due.

„Now I can see what you meant by the anger management issues, I mean—„

„Holy shit, right?” I laughed, my eyes still narrowed on Bailey’s back as she walked away. The girl joined in with a good laugh.

„You didn’t know this was coming?”

„If McQuen would’ve known, she probably would’ve taped her mouth shut,” Paul explained, with a cocky smirk.

„You would?” The brunette turned to me. Oh please, god, no direct questions about Bailey’s behavior, it’s hard enough explaining it to people who are close, not mentioning the fan base.

„If she wouldn’t, I would,” Chris answered, saving me from the unpleasant situation. „I find the whole thing kinky.” He winked. God, what were with them tonight? Were they high? „Yes, people, Chris Achilles is in to bondage and rough sex. Write that down.” He smirked, „Next time if any of you meet me, just come up and say, hey Chris, I heard you like bondage I have a rope in my bag, we could tie each other up and spend countless hours just watching in each others eyes. That shit’s fucking romantic.”

„Like a foreplay?” The interviewer asked.

„What? No. The foreplay is when the chick comes up and says she has rope... That’s the actual act.” I couldn’t stand it anymore, I think I was gonna explode from the laughter.

„If you don’t want to hurt those kids, then leave only the ones you see can pull this thing off.” Chris brought me back from the memories. The car stopped outside Brian’s house. I hadn’t noticed how late it was when I realized none of the lights were on.

„That’s going to be hard.” I sighed.

„Hey – no one said it’s easy what we do.” I took my bag, which we picked up from the studio earlier and opened the door, „When am I going to see you? We still have to write something that’ll shut Paul’s big mouth closed. Once and for all.”

„Haner’s got a concussion so I don’t know...” I sighed.

„Okay, then I guess just give me a call, when you’re ready, ‘kay, Twinks?”

„Will do, Achilles.” I stepped out of the car, closing the door and walking up to the front door, hearing Chris drive off. My hand dug deep in my bag in the search of the keys. I unlocked the door and stepped in a pitch black darkness.

I flipped the light switch on, only to see the couch in mess from Brian’s earlier sleeping. I walked up the stairs and walked to the bedroom, silently opening the door. Was it just me, or no one was sleeping in the bed? I turned on the light. The room was empty. „Okay...?”

I walked over to guest bedroom to also see it empty, and the same went for the other two bedrooms, his studio and even bathrooms. I figured maybe he got confused because of the concussion, I’ve heard it could happen, and he’d just stayed on the patio, but even there I didn’t find him. Only an empty pack of his Marlboro red’s.

I hurried back to the hallway to find my phone in the bag and dialed up Brian’s number. It went straight to voice mail. Not good. I searched up Matt’s number. After a couple of beeps, he picked up, sounding very much asleep, „What’s up, Meg?”

„I was just wondering...” I didn’t know how to better put it, I couldn’t just tell him his best friend was missing, knowing he had a concussion. Fuck, I should’ve stayed with him.

„Yeah?”

„Is... Brian with you?”

„No,” Finally he sounded awake, „Has something happened?”

„I don’t know. I just got home and he’s not here.” I started pacing through the hallway. Back and forth, back and forth...

„Did you check the studio? Cause he used to lock himself in, when he was still with Michelle.”

„I did. He’s not there.”

„Shit...” I hated doing this. I hated waking people up at midnight and telling their best friend went missing, but I had no other idea of finding him. „He seemed fine when I left him. We even ordered pizza.” I have one other idea of where he’d gone. To one of his girls, although I told him—

„Come on Pinkly, go inside,” I swoon around as soon as I heard his voice. My eyebrows shot up when I saw him, holding Pinkly in a leash.

„Okay, Matt, everything’s cool. He’s here...” I ended the conversation not even waiting for Sanders reply and ran to him. I jumped Brian, throwing my arms around his neck, before pressing my lips against his.

„Well that’s one heck of a welcoming...” He smirked, kicking the door shut behind him.

„Are you okay?” I cupped the sides of his face, piercing deeply into his browns. He pulled his eyebrows together.

„Yeah?” A confused smile glorified his face, „I was just taking Pinkly for a walk...”

„Never do that, Haner!” I shouted in his face, soon after sighing heavily. I needed something to sooth my nerves.

„Never do what?”

„Don’t go disappearing like that. You could’ve left a note or something!” I walked to the kitchen island and took a bottle of JD from the counter. As I was pouring myself a glass, I noticed a sheet of paper on the surface.

If by any chance you get home before me - Pinkly and I went for a walk. –B.

I turned around still holding the note in my hand. Brian was leaning against the door isle with a satisfied half smirk on his face.

„Fine... I’m sorry. My bad... But I thought you’re laying somewhere dead... or even worse--”

„With another chick?” He crossed his arms looking very much amused as he went closer. „Think about it, if I’m too sick to have sex with you, a perfectly stunning, amazingly sexy and funny girl, would I be searching for a one night stand where I’d be positive I couldn’t contain my stomach contents?” I avoided replying that question by taking a good swig of the drink.

„It’s hard to trust you, knowing you this well.”

„Well... If we want this thing to work, you’ll have to try, angel.” He came closer and pulled me in an embrace. „So how was your day?”

„Like shit...” I mumbled, burrying my face in his chest.

„Wanna talk about it?”

I shook my head, feeling his chest muscles against my face.

„Let’s go to bed?” I nodded. „You’re not talking to me?” He chuckled. I twitched my shoulders as he lead me upstairs, on our way turning the lights off in the kitchen and hallway. We went in the room and I fell backwards on the bed. For the first time in god knows how long, I felt almost too exhausted to even breathe.

I watched as Brian strip off his shirt and unbuckle the belt of his jeans. My eyes stayed on that black, fresh looking tattoo on his side. If I wouldn’t feel this tired, I would’ve commented on it and even laughed my ass off, but right now? I just closed my eyes. Next thing I know, a warm body is pressing against my back and a heavy arm is pulling me close. „A woman came by today asking for you...” He started.

„Hmm?” What woman?

„She was hot. Like really hot... And had the same accent you do.” A woman from Boston?

„Did she by any chance leave her name?” I asked sleepily.

„She said her name’s Barbara. You know her?”

Well... fuck.

Notes

Sorry, guys, this time I won't reply to each of your comments personally, I hope you won't take it too personally. I just don't have the time, but I am flattered and your thoughts really mean the world to me and I'm not just saying it cause I don't want to loose my readers... Well, of course, I don't, but... Where was I even going with this? Oh right, anyhow, thank you, thank you, thank you!
As much as I'd like to answer each of you, I can't. Hope you will forgive me.
Peace! :)