Possessions
Chapter 14
By: Makena
Paul had branched away from Joel and Billy when the three hit the sidewalk; Paul headed towards the down town area while Billy and Joel jumped aboard the parked bus after realizing they had nothing better to do.
Missing the cracks on the sidewalk, Paul kept his eyes cast down as he strode towards New Moon. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and kicked a small rock. It stopped at a black tennis shoe before a black polished hand reached down and picked the stone up, tossing it back towards Paul's feet. He glanced up and noticed Makena, eyebrow cocked and a small smile on her lips.
"Hey!" Paul said. "I was just going to go look for you."
"Oh?" Makena asked. "And I was just going to go for a drink." She paused. "What'd you need me for?"
Paul sighed. "Uh... remember in high school when Benji drank a lot and you came in and helped him out?"
"Yeah."
"Can you do that again?"
Makena frowned in confusion. "Come again?"
Paul sighed again. "Benji's... Benji's not feeling well. Again."
"Yeah?" Makena asked, not so much interested in the news. "Well neither am I." She stormed past Paul, purse strap clutched tightly in her fist as she walked. Paul stood in his place for a minute, trying to go over the previous conversation to make sure it hadn't happened in his mind.
Once he decided that the conversation had, in fact, happened, he turned and started back for the hotel.
------
Benji sat and stared blankly at a rerun of Sponge Bob Square Pants.
'Drink, drink - I need a drink,' half of his brain kept chanting.
'You gave that up because you're sick,' the other half reminded. 'You'll be sick again if you drink.'
And then there was the thought Benji was able to control; 'Do I care if I get sick again?'
As all these thoughts clashed together, there was a knock on the door and Benji didn't seem to notice it at first. Who ever was on the other side knocked again and he slowly turned his head before slowly rising and opening the door.
In the hall stood Makena, wearing black flair jeans and a blood red tank top under a long black coat. Surprised to see her, Benji rubbed his eyes and remained silent.
"Uh, hi," Makena said. She paused and held up a bottle of tequila and two shot glasses. "Can I come in?"
Benji stepped aside and widened the door. Makena stepped inside and kicked her shoes off, making herself comfortable. Benji didn't mind - he was too melancholy to care for much.
"Sponge Bob, eh?" she asked, shaking her coat off and carelessly tossing it across Benji's bed. Benji nodded.
"It's a marathon or something," he said in a tired voice.
"Well," Makena said, making herself comfortable on the floor before setting the glasses down and ripping the wrapping off the top of the tequila bottle. "Paul told me you were feeling a little unwell, and seeing as how I too am a little unwell, I figured we could be unwell together."
Benji forced a small - yet appreciated - smile to his lips as he stepped over the glasses and tequila bottle and settled on the floor.
"Uhhh..." Makena said suddenly, looking around until her eyes rested on the TV. "Gary."
Benji raised an eyebrow. "Gary?" he echoed. Makena nodded.
"It's our drinking game," she said simply. "Every time Gary comes on the show" - she motioned towards Sponge Bob and his slow friend, Gary the star fish - "we drink."
"Ah," Benji said with a nod. "I see."
Makena turned towards the TV and instantly caught sight of Gary. "Gary!" she cried, pouring tequila into the shot glasses. Her and Benji lifted the glasses and quickly downed the liquid.
------
Benji glanced around, unsure of his surroundings at first. As his vision began to adjust to the light he seemed to remember where he was. An empty tequila bottle was laying on the floor and Sponge Bob flashed across the television, placed on mute.
In the bed next to him - fully clothed - lie Makena, who appeared to be fast asleep. Not exactly sure of how she got there but not exactly excited to find out, Benji unwrapped his arm from around Makena and very slowly began to sit up. The familiar headache came to him with each inch he raised himself until finally he stopped and sat at the end of the bed until he could collect his bearings.
The door opened quite suddenly and too loudly for Benji's liking and he groaned, holding his head in his hand. He hadn't bothered to see who had entered - he already knew it was Joel.
"Well?"
Benji groaned. "Please don't yell."
Joel rolled his eyes. "Benji, just what the fuck were you thinking?" Joel questioned, his voice only raising. Benji sighed.
"You know, I think the problem was that I wasn't," he responded, his eyes closed. Joel rolled his eyes.
"You're making yelling at you very difficult," he said. Benji nodded a little.
"I know."
------
Billy walked around his hotel room, pacing in front of the TV. Joel and Paul - who were growing used to his pacing - would move their heads when Billy would block the TV. Benji was still locked in his own room with Makena, both suffering from hangovers.
"You know, I'm really getting worried about Chris," he said.
"He's fine," Joel said, not taking his eyes off the television set.
"Have you seen him recently?" Billy asked. Joel hesitated.
"Well... no," he replied slowly. He paused. "I'm sure he's fine."
"Uh, no offense Bill, but - why do you care?" Paul questioned.
"Well, no one's seen him for a while," Billy replied before turning towards Paul. "And he IS one of my friends, you know."
Paul shrugged a little. "Yeah," he admitted. "But weren't you the one yelling at him before he, you know, "disappeared into thin air"?"
"Well... sure, but I'm done yelling now."
"Why'd he yell at Chris?" Joel asked while shoving some popcorn into his mouth, eyes never leaving the TV.
"That thing about sleeping with Makena," Paul replied. Joel nodded.
"Oh yeah."
Billy frowned. "Don't you guys care!?" he half screamed.
"Not while Sponge Bob is on," Paul replied. Joel laughed a little.
Billy let out a small, frustrated noise before stomping towards the door. He found himself in the hallway before knocking on the twin's door. The door flew open to reveal Makena wearing one of the clean white hotel towels around her body. Surprised, Billy averted his eyes slightly.
"Uhh... hi," he said. "Umm... uhh..."
Makena shifted weight from one foot to the other, waiting for Billy to make sense until finally a small smile spread to her face.
"Is there anything I can do you for?" she asked. Billy paused and smiled, looking up at her.
"Sorry," he apologized. "Uh, have you seen Chris lately?"
Makena paused to think about it for a second. "No," she responded finally. "Why? Have you lost him?"
Billy rolled his eyes. "Haha," he said dryly. He paused. "Umm... actually, I DID lose him."
Makena laughed a little. They stood in silence for a minute, Billy staring at her half naked body until she cleared her throat. He looked up at her and grinned sheepishly.
"Yeah, I'm gonna go," he said, slowly backing away. Makena rolled her eyes.
"Good bye, Billy," she said before shutting the door. Billy grinned to himself before turning and crashing right into a hatless Chris. Their heads hit each others and they stumbled backwards.
"Watch it, dude!" Chris said, rubbing his now throbbing forehead. Billy laughed slightly and rubbed his own head.
"Yeah, that was my fault," he said sarcastically. Chris rolled his eyes.
"You're such an ass some times, you know that?"
"So? At least I didn't go behind Benji's back and fuck his girl!"
"Ugh! We're back to THAT again!?" Chris whined. "And she's not "his girl"! They haven't even talked for, like, a year and Benj said nothing about how much he "loves" her."
"If you look at the clues, Chris, you'd sort of figure that out!"
"Hey, I haven't been in the band for that long, okay? I didn't really know! I wasn't here for that whole fucking thing, so excuse me for not exactly knowing!"
Billy, ready to respond with an insult, paused and then laughed slightly. "Sorry, man," he said finally. Chris' angry expression softened into confusion before a small smile formed and the two shook hands in apology.
"It's okay," Chris said. "I guess."
Billy laughed a little. "Where were you, anyway?" he asked.
"Bus," Chris replied. "There's no where else to go in this god forsaken dump of a town."
Billy laughed again. "Something we can finally agree on!"
------
Makena shut the door and turned back around, facing the rest of the twin's room. Benji was sprawled out across his bed, lost either in a deep sleep or indisputable thought. Makena walked around and gathered her things before kissing Benji lightly on the top of his head.
She turned her attention to the TV for a second - it was some afternoon soap opera she didn't know. The young couple on the television set kissed, and it was obvious even from Makena's view that they were in love - they would stay together for the rest of their lives.She sighed and turned the television off before looking back down on Benji.
"I'm going to be alone forever."