I'm Not In Love - Chapter Six

She heard pieces of a conversation between Andy and Matt, but she couldn’t bring herself to wake up. It wasn’t in a dream, it was a black emptiness, but it was comforting. The conversation didn’t make sense to her, so she blocked it out.

“What the fuck did she take?” Andy asked angrily.

“She’s actually not on anything” Matt answered.

“Yeah, right” Andy said, but before he could continue Jon walked back to the bunks.

“Dude, she’s seriously not on anything. She hasn’t slept in days, don’t try to wake her, because it won’t work.”

Andy ignored what they said and slipped the curtain back. Matt and Jon lost interest and walked back to join the group outside.

“Jamie, wake up. I need to talk to you. I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you earlier. Can you hear me?” When Jamie didn’t even stir, Andy lost hope and left the bus.
*****
Jamie didn’t know what time it was when she finally woke up. She stretched for a minute then pulled back the curtain got jumped down from the bunk. Matt, Jon, Bob, and a few other people were sitting around watching some sporting event on the television. Jamie could see through the blinds that it was dark outside.

“Hey, why aren’t you guys outside, playing or something?” Jamie asked.

Matt looked over at her and it was obvious that they hadn’t seen her until just then. He unzipped his sweatshirt and put it around her arms, knowing how cold she probably was with the minimum amount of cloths she had on. She stuck her arms in the holes, but the sweatshirt was too big and her hands did reach the end. Matt zipped up the sweatshirt and kissed her on the nose. “Good morning, little razorblade. We had off today and we didn’t want to wake up.”

“What time is it?” she asked.

“Close to 8 pm, why?” Jon answered.

“I have to go talk to someone” She went back to wear her clothes were and changed into jeans and a simple t-shirt. Jamie grabbed her phone before heading off the bus. As soon as she was outside, she dialed Andy’s number on her phone, but again, it went straight to voicemail. Jamie needed to talk to him because she knew he’d be mad, but honestly, he didn’t answer his phone the previous day when she was searching desperately for him.

As she approached the TAI bus, she saw Alexis and William standing outside. Alexis had tears running down her face, and Bill was trying his hardest to comfort her.

“Alexis, what’s wrong?” Jamie asked when she got closer.

“Nothing,” Alexis started and rubbed the tears away from her cheeks, “Everything is fine.”
“Are you sure?” Jamie asked, and when Alexis nodded, she deemed it safe to walk into the bus.

Jamie was greeted by Sisky’s singing as he waiting for his mug to be done in the microwave. “Sisky,” Jamie said, but as soon as she did, Sisky jumped and gave a little scream.

“God, Jamie, you scared me. Are you looking for Andy?” he asked.

“Yeah, do you know where he is?” She asked eagerly.

“He’s in the back, with Michael.”

“Oh,” Jamie laughed, “Are you sure I won’t be interpreting them?”

Sisky laughed and walked over to her. “I’m so glad you’re back.” He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a hug, which lifted her feet off the ground.

When the hug was done she walked to the back part of the bus. She heard Michael and Butcher laughing about something, and she was realized that he was in a good mood. Jamie opened the flimsy door and immediately Butcher stood up and smiled.

“Jamie, you’re awake” he said before he pulled her into a hug. Michael decided to give them space and got up.

“I tried to call you, but your phone was off, so I just came over. I think we need to talk.” She sat down on the couch and Andy sat next to her and pulled her closer.

“Why did you leave Sofapunch? And of all places, you went to the Pink Spiders. You know I don’t like them” Andy started.

“Well, it’s a good thing you’re not sleeping in the bus with them then. I think they’re nice, they’re my friends, and they offered me a job. Sofapunch basically kicked me out, so I had nowhere to go. Why didn’t you answer your phone or talk to me. I spend most of the day called and looking for you so I could talk to you about it, but you were nowhere to be found.”

“I know, I acted really dumb, I should have just talked to you. I panicked, but I’m okay now.”

“It would have been nice if you were there to help me make this decision. If I didn’t chose to go with the Pink Spiders, I would have to leave.”

“You could have lived here.” Andy insisted.

“Are you serious Andy?” Jamie asked. She got up and opened the door. There were clothes littered all over the floor and in the front they could see Sisky sipping something out of a mug, which he spilled and failed to clean up. “There is no room for me here. There are like a million of you guys living on the same bus. The Pink Spiders only had 5 guys and 8 bunks, so I get my own and everything.”

“I just don’t want you to start acting like they do.”

“I was just having fun, but I would never let it get to that level.”
*****
“So, Jamie, there’s a dress code when you work for us” Jon said as they all sat around the table. Jamie had invited Andy over to get to know her busmates better.

“Oh, yeah? What’s that?” Jamie asked jokingly.

“The smallest amount of clothes possible. Booty shorts are a must.”

Jamie laughed and rolled her eyes.

“Hey, I have an idea,” Bob started, “let’s play a game of strip poker!”

Butcher gave Jamie and questioning look and she took it as her cue to cut in.“Seriously guys, isn’t that a little immature?” she asked, hoping they were kidding.

“No. Come on Jamie, we know how you love to be the center of attention. So why don’t we skip the poker and you can just strip for us, right now” Bob said. Jon smacked Bob’s chest and made a not so subtle head movement in Andy’s direction.

This was about all Andy could take, so he got up and walked out of the bus. Jamie ran to catch up with him, “I’m really sorry about them. They don’t always act like that” Jamie pleaded.

“I bet they do” Andy rebutted back.

She grabbed his arm so he would stop walking away from her. “Andy, I’m sorry. Let me make it up to you. Let me buy you dinner. Now. We can go and get some pizza and just have fun. Together and alone.”

He nodded and took her hand and walked down the street to where they saw shop signs.
*****
Jamie’s phone rang with her text message tone “Three Wishes” by the Pierces. She opened her phone and as Nate’s name pop up. The text just said “I miss you! Let’s hang out tonight.” Jamie smiled and texted “Let’s do it. I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever. I’ll call you later.”

Immediately her phone rang again and Gabe’s number came up. It took Jamie by surprise because he had never texted her before. He texted her, “You’re on FBR secrets. They’re calling you the Fueled By Groupie. Just giving you a heads up. XOXO Gossip Gabe.” She rolled her eyes and shut the phone, rolled over and closed her eyes again.

She woke up for the second time at 8 and took a shower. She quickly did her hair and put on clothes, so she could help set up the merch table for the Pink Spiders. When she arrived, the tent and table were already sat up and the guys were sitting around it in lawn chairs.

“You guys look comfy. Anyone hungry? I was going to go to the 7-11 across the street real quick and pick up some coffee.” Jamie asked.

“I’ll go with you” Matt answered and stood up. “We still have some time before gates open, so we should bring our passes.” He handed Jamie a pass with “Van’s Warped Tour: The Pink Spiders” printed on it.

The crossed the street and entered the nearly enter 7-11 and Jamie made her way to the coffee counter. She was pouring in cream and Matt handed her a vial.

“Pour this in your coffee” he said as he slipped it to her.

“What is it?” she asked.

“A low dose of PCP. It’ll make you feel relaxed. It’s really mellow. I promise.” Matt smiled and she couldn’t resist. She took the vial and thought about it for a few seconds. Before she could second guess herself, Matt took the vial back and poured it in the coffee for her. It would have been easy for her to just throw the coffee away, but she was beginning to like her new position as poster child for peer-pressure. Doing the drugs made her feel good and that she was being a little bad. She put the lid on and Matt smiled and she took the first sip.

Matt was holding a coffee carrier but he managed to put his arm around Jamie’s waist as they walked about across the street. When they got in, Jamie immeditaly spotted Andy. He saw her and waved her over. “Hey, um, the Butcher is over there. I just want to say ‘Good Morning’, and then I’ll meet you back at the tent.”

“Anything you say, little razorblade” Matt said as he kissed her on the cheek and watched her walk away.

“Good morning!” she yelled and jumped into Andy’s open arms. He spun her around and kissed her on the lips, and Jamie felt like she was in some romance movie. “Ahhh, don’t spill the coffee on yourself!”

“Um, that’s coffee? Can I have a sip?” He was reaching for her hand, when she pulled it away.

“No! I’m, uh, getting really sick, and I don’t want to get you sick” she pleaded.

“I’m still going to kiss you, so it doesn’t really matter. We can be sick together. And make soup.”

“But, it has a lot of sugar and cream, and nobody really likes their coffee that sweet besides me. I’m rotting my insides, and I don’t want to rot your also, because when my organs do fail, I plan on taking yours.”

Andy laughed, “Well thanks for looking out of me, and ensuring your future organ-stealing.”

“Well, it won’t be stealing if you say yes. And did you know that by law, if you yell ‘Surprise’ before sex, it’s not rape, even when it is!”

Andy smiled and kissed her again. “I’m starting to really love all these useless things you’re teaching me.”

Jamie laughed, “Well, I have to get back to work, but I’ll call you later. I’m hanging out with Nate tonight, maybe you want to do something with us?” she asked, and before he could answer, she turned and walked away. Matt was still waiting for her, so she walked over to him and he gave her another kiss on the cheek as Andy watched a couple of yards away. “Three Wishes” played out of Jamie’s phone again, and when she went to check it, it was a message from the Butcher. All it said was “I hate it when he kisses you.”