Tortured Love
Chapter 5
By:Kerri Vicious
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There she was five hours later standing at the baggage claim area of the Houston airport with suitcases in hand and a worried look on her face, glancing around trying to find a familiar face. She had been on the phone again with Melanie during the flight and she’d said not to get her own cab, that they’d come to greet her. She assumed ‘they’ meant Melanie and either Paul or Billy, or both. Joel and Benji would have to be nuts to show up in a busy airport. Due to their increasing MTV popularity, the twins had the unwanted attention of quite a few of MTV’s younger viewers and would be trampled for autographs and pictures if spotted.
And, yet, she was wrong with her assumption. Melanie was here, of course, but who it was that was with her walking towards Adrienne came as a slight shock. Okay, so she’d forgotten… the twins were nuts. The whole crowd was there to get her, Billy and Paul included. She didn’t think she was that important for the whole damn bus full to show up.
“Jeez where’s the party guys? Didn’t think you’d all be here.” Adrienne commented as they approached.
Paul took her luggage from her and smiled, “Give yourself a little more credit, girlie. We all missed you.”
“Yes!” Melanie pitched in, hugging her briefly, “And are very glad that you’re going to help me with the merchandise!”
Adrienne glanced at Melanie who was sporting a Level 27 shirt and a MADE cap, “Already suckered her into being a walking talking advertisement, eh boys?”
The twins just smiled and shrugged, seemingly in their own little world, while Billy laughed, “You bet.”
She remembered how they had begged her nonstop to wear the MADE and Level 27 merchandise, finally succeeding a month later due to Adrienne getting sick of all their pleading. “So Paul, when are you going to jump on the clothing line bandwagon?”
“Probably never,” he laughed, “Not my thing…”
“I’d wear your shirts if you had one, without a doubt.” Adrienne assured him, then turned her attention to Joel and Benji, “You know, the rest of us who aren’t twins can’t understand the secret psyche language you’ve got going on there.”
“Sorry,” Benji apologized with a lop-sided almost forced smile. “Just a little wary.”
She understood where he was coming from, “You know, the tattoos and the hairstyle don’t exactly scream ‘Don’t pay any attention to me’.” She knew he knew that but had to point it out anyway, she loved pushing his buttons like that.
“Can we get out of here?” Joel asked, “That security guard over there is shooting us dirty looks.” Sure enough Adrienne turned to see a well-built security guard leaning against a wall with hands crossed over his chest watching them with a vigilant eye, she waved at him and shot him a cheesy grin before turning back around to face the group around her.’’
“Yeah.” Paul agreed, “This shit is getting heavy.”
Adrienne laughed, “Are you joking? I didn’t pack much.”
Billy smirked, “A woman’s view of a little is very different from a man’s. I bet you have your whole damn closet stuffed into those two bags.”
As Billy commented, the group began to make their way to the exit with Adrienne trailing at the rear, letting them lead the way to the parking lot because she had no clue where she was going. Melanie took notice and slowed her pace until she was in step with Adrienne behind the rest.
Melanie hesitated a moment before speaking, her voice low so that the boys wouldn’t overhear, “Billy… um, filled me in. About, well… the Joel thing. Now I feel kind of bad for asking you to come. But… thank you.”
“Anything for my best friend Mel.” Adrienne stated with an almost forced lop-sided smile, “Don’t worry about it. I’m still not really over him but I can be mature about it, you know?”
“It’s his loss.” Melanie reassured her, wrapping her in another hug as they walked, “I really am glad that you’re here. It’s kind of lonely being the only girl around a bunch of guys. I mean, there are a few other girls around helping and all but, like the bands, most of them have already known each other for years and it’s hard to fit right in because I don’t understand any of the stories or private jokes.”
“I know what you mean.” Adrienne nodded, “Being the newbie is hard. But after it’s over I bet you’ll have quite a few stories to tell everyone back home.”
Melanie cracked a grin, “Yeah I have quite a few to tell already… about you.”
Adrienne pretended to be worried then smiled as well, “Oh really?”
“Like the first time you met MxPx’s Mike.”
“Oh Goddd…” Adrienne groaned, “I was so embarrassed… that was Jeremiah’s fault. If he hadn’t tripped me I wouldn’t have come face to face with Mike’s crotch... I swear to God I could kill Jeremiah.”
“What’s the deal with you and Jeremiah, anyway?” Melanie asked, “Most of these stories involved the two of you battling it out… sexual frustrations, perhaps?”
“Oh please!” Adrienne yelped, “That is so elementary school Melanie... guys stop doing that when they reach puberty. After then they move on to flowers and candy, you know that.”
“Maybe you don’t know guys as well as I do.” Melanie smirked. “You’ve only had… what? Three boyfriends?”
“Four…” Adrienne said somewhat quieter, nodding her head towards Joel.
“It could have been jealousy.” Melanie stated simply.
“Whatever.” Adrienne retorted, annoyed at the stupid all-knowing grin in Melanie’s face.
They finally reached the bus and climbed in. Once they got situated, the driver started the engine and they were off. The ride was a fairly quiet one as they rode to their destination – a venue on the outskirts of the city where they would be spending the night and spending the afternoon at the next day.
“Grab your stuff.” Melanie told Adrienne.
Adrienne gave her a confused look, “Why? Aren’t we staying here?”
Melanie shook her head, “Staying with Heather and Rae in theirs.”
Heather and Rae were Mest’s merch girls. Adrienne spent most of last summer with them, but slept on Good Charlotte’s bus and them on Mest’s. “What? The boys got them their own bus? I’m jealous.”
Melanie nodded, “Yeah. Sweet girls, they took me in my first day.”
“They are awesome.” Adrienne agreed, then giggled, “Nutcases too. See you guys later!” There was a chorus of ‘see you’s and ‘later’s as the girls made their way to the door with Adrienne’s luggage. Melanie reached out to grab the door knob but before she could, someone else opened it from the outside. Tony Lovato.
“You never knock… do you?” Adrienne asked.
Tony shook his head, “Nope, don’t have to. I know I’m always welcome here.” He then grinned cheekily, “I see GC returned with their other hoe.”
Adrienne knew he was joking, so she didn’t think anything of it and shot a light comment back as he stood aside to let them pass. “And you aren’t going to get any either. Nor is anyone else on this bus.”
“Ooh. Hear that Joel?” she heard Tony say as he walked into Good Charlotte’s bus closing the door behind him and she couldn’t help but smirk.
They walked in silence until Melanie broke it, “I wouldn’t have any problem staying on their bus with them but… Benji and his… erm… groupies…”
She didn’t have to explain further, Adrienne understood and shot her friend a sympathetic look, “You must’ve been devastated to learn that… I know you liked him a lot.”
Melanie attempted to crack a smile, “Yeah, but I guess no one’s perfect.”
It was Adrienne’s turn to hug her friend, and unfortunately for Melanie Adrienne broke out singing her own version of an MxPx song, “Boys ain't no good anymoooore anywaaay! Not for one second have I understood why they do what they do, why they say what they saaaay!” Melanie's smile was genuine this time as she shook her head amused at her friend who continued to sing as they entered the bus that they'd call home for the remainder of the summer.
“ADRIENNE!” yelled an unseen voice from the back.
“RAE!” Adrienne hollered back.
“ADRIENNE!”
“RAE!”
“ADRIENNE!” a girl with thick short blue and green hair that framed her oval face and a pair fake glasses with thick black frames resting on her nose came bounding down a narrow hallway and collided into Adrienne. “Hey bitch!”
“Hello slut!” Adrienne greeted merrily in return. “Long time no see, Rae! How’s it going?”
“Better now that I got my partner in crime back!” Rae answered jovially, hugging her.
A girl with long jet black hair and purple eyes courtesy of colored contacts came into view after Rae, choosing to stand next to Melanie while the two girls had their mini-reunion. “Heather I’m scared.” Melanie joked, dramatically hiding behind the raven-haired girl.
Heather nodded, “I’m glad that at least you’re normal…”
“Hey Heather!” Adrienne greeted, pulling her into a hug.
Heather smiled and hugged her back, “I’m pissed off at you, nerd.”
“Why?” Adrienne asked, pulling away.
“You didn’t come over to our booth when we were in Atlanta!” Heather scolded, though not really mad, “I know you were there too. The boys told us they saw you.”
“Well you would have seen me if you’d have come clubbing with them that night.” Adrienne countered playfully.
“Right.” Melanie poked Adrienne, “You left before the night even got started well.”
“Oh?” Rae and Heather acquired.
Melanie smirked, “Her and Joel split not long after arriving.”
A wide smile crept its way across Rae’s face, recognizing it Adrienne was quick to crush the thought running through Rae’s sick head. “No, nothing happened pervert.”
“No benefits?” Rae asked dejected, Heather whacked her upside the head, “Ow!”
“Someone please tell me we have duct tape on the bus somewhere so I can tape her mouth shut.” Heather commented lightly.
"No but I found a pair of fuzzy handcuffs." Adrienne jumped at the unexpected voice, looking down the hallway to see Matt Lovato approaching them with said pair of handcuffs in hand. His short spiky hair was colored in the same fashion as Rae's. The two were an inseparable couple, Adrienne envied their relationship. "Ha, jumpy much Doc?"
Doc was his nickname for her that stemmed from two sources, her previous nickname Dre and the fact that there was a rapper who called himself Dr. Dre. Adrienne shook her head, "Didn't expect you here."
"Hey, that's my line." Matt joked, pulling her into a friendly hug, "Good to see you again, felt a little weird without you around to tease. Now I feel complete."
Adrienne playfully pushed him away from her and into Rae, "Reprimand your man Rae."
"Gladly!" Rae giggled, grabbing Matt by the hand and leading him towards the back.
"Well, I'm gonna catch some Z's girls. It's been a long day and I expect that tomorrow will be too." Adrienne told Heather and Melanie, making her way towards the back as well to the bunks. After she'd climbed into an empty one she claimed as hers, she yelled at Matt and Rae half-seriously, "I don't want to hear you two getting it on while I'm trying to sleep!" As expected they didn't answer, probably too caught up in their make out session.
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The day was going just as expected. The sun beat relentlessly down on the huge crowd that had turned out for the tour and it felt as if all of them made it a point to stop by their booth to buy either Good Charlotte, Level 27, or MADE merchandise. Adrienne and Melanie were being worked hard but they were situated next to Mest's merch table so it wasn't that bad having the other two girls nearby to make idle chitchat with as they all worked. It wasn't all work and no play though of course, things were never that boring with the Warped "family".
Never.
Something was always guaranteed to happen that made you laugh so hard you nearly peed your pants. Warped was where memories were made. That's why most of the veteran bands were such close friends. Today was no exception. And the fun and games weren't limited to the bands, athletes, or crews. Sometimes a fan would find themselves amidst the action accidentally.
As was the case earlier that afternoon.
Rufio who was performing at the time had a fan throw a nerf ball on stage, hitting Jon, Rufio’s bassist, on the shoulder. Only slightly annoyed he tossed it back at the fan. The fan threw it back, this time hitting Jon square in the forehead and he took a moment to zero in on the fan and jump off stage to confront them. The fan freaked and ran off, Jon on his heels, running all over the place including past the Good Charlotte and Mest merch booths, trying to nail the kid in the head with the ball. Everyone had a good laugh over watching that fan haul ass. Granted Jon didn't find it very amusing. It was the first time in the history of Warped that a musician was dragged off by security instead of the fan.
Good Charlotte had already performed for the day and were scheduled to sign autographs in a few there at the merch booth, the line of waiting fans was already growing strong. It seemed to go on for forever.
Melanie glanced at her watch as the minutes ticked past the scheduled time, “Where are they?”
“Who knows.” Adrienne shrugged, unfolding two more folding chairs for the guys to sit in, the girls would stand or go elsewhere during the signing for a little while. Maybe check out what was going on somewhere other than their booth.
Billy walked into the tent and sat on Adrienne's lap, "Hello ladies."
Adrienne made a face, "Get your bony ass off me William."
He shifted his rear around playfully, meaning to grate her nerves a bit, before standing and seating himself in the folding chair between the girls, "But you love my bony ass, admit it."
"Keep telling yourself that." Adrienne smirked, patting him on the head as she stood to poke her head out the back of the tent to see if the rest of the guys were coming, "THOMAS AND MADDEN FREAKS! HERE! NOW!"
"Yes Mother." came a sarcastic response from Benji as he, Paul, and Joel made their way over.
Benji and Joel seated themselves in the empty seats while Melanie stood so Paul could have her chair. Melanie followed Adrienne as she left and entered Mest's booth, where she was greeted by Heather, Nick, and Jeremiah. She assumed Rae was somewhere with Matt making out. Without hesitation, she sat on the table while Melanie took a seat on the ground next to a running fan. “Howdy neighbors.”
“Already in bitch mode, huh?" Jeremiah joked, an eyebrow raised, referring to her previous command yelled at three-fourths of Good Charlotte.
She gave him a sickeningly sweet smile, “Watch it Rangel.”
“I mean, what is your deal?” he pressed, almost challenging, “It’s like you are constantly PMSing.”
She stared him down a moment before stretching a leg out so that one of her pink converse sneakers was resting comfortably on his chest. “I said watch it Rangel.”
He smirked, “I’m supposed to be afraid of a shoe? C’mon Adrienne it’s a simple question, just answer.”
Melanie watched the two with interest while Nick suppressed a groan and Heather did her best to ignore the scene, her gaze fixed on the passersby… but she snuck a glance every now and then as she and Nick carried on their own conversation. This was a common occurrence to Heather and Nick, Melanie however was finding it very intriguing.
“Bite me.” She said, pushing Jeremiah with her foot causing his chair to go back onto only two legs. In an attempt to balance himself, he grabbed her ankle. The effort was futile, he fell backwards in the chair, and his strong grip on Adrienne caused her to slide off the table and onto his stomach, screeching in surprise as she landed on him.
All eyes were suddenly turned on them as they stay there on the ground a little stunned. Tony had heard the noise as he was making his way to the tent, stopping in his tracks when he walked in and saw the two. A devilish grin erupted on his face and he started laughing along with Melanie, calling a bunch of people to come take a look. Adrienne scrambled off of Jeremiah quickly, shooting daggers at Melanie, Tony, and Jeremiah as she did so, before anyone else could see what had happened.
Brushing herself off just as Ian and Chad and a few others had come over to see what Tony was yelling about, she hit Tony upside the head and started yelling at Jeremiah for grabbing onto her foot and causing her to fall with him. Everyone curious enough to come by just shook their heads and left the scene. Nothing to see there, just a usual occurrence no one cared for.
“Hey it’s not my fault!” Jeremiah retorted, “You’re the one who pushed me.”
“Yeah well you didn’t have to grab my foot!” Adrienne shot back, stalking past him and leaving the tent, intending on cooling down in the bus.
“Jesus Christ.” She heard Sugarcult's Marko sigh, “Not even her first full day here again and they’re already fighting.”