Just A Slave To Rock n' Roll [Brustoff]

Chapter 6

A/N: Do you guys think my chapters are too long? I'm starting to be ridiculous to myself even XD... Anyways enjoy my lovely readers! 💚✌️

Andy and I calmly walked through the sunny streets of Mexico while Lzzy ran around us admiring literally everything. She pointed to every building, every stand with clothes, accessories or food and sweets as her eyes were lit up by a spark. She was just like a dog catching his treat or like a kid in a toy store just a few days before Christmas.
I couldn't help the smile that played on my lips as I watched her.
There was just something about that girl that made me want to be around her all the time. I didn't know if it was because she generally wasn't afraid of making a fool out of herself like me and my guy friends or if it was the fact that around her I was just happy all the time.
"Guys look what I found!" She exclaimed making Andy and I stop and turn around to look at her. "A sombrero!" She yelled excitement leaking from her voice as a tall Mexican guy covered in tattoos put the giant hat onto her head.
She held the hat on her head as she jumped and span in circles with a huge grin on her face. She was actually adorable.
The Mexican guy laughed. "It looks good on you." He said his spanish accent thick.
Lzzy just giggled and that's when I realized that The Fortuneteller and Lzzy were in fact two different persons. Well, not really but kind of. Back on the ship Lzzy gave everything she had to create this image of a secretive, intelligent girl that knew everything or how she called herself - The Fortuneteller. But actually, Lzzy was this goofy and playful girl that longed for never ending teasing contests.
I remember her telling me that the 'outside' world hasn't been very kind to her and I wondered what happened to her to make her hide her true self in front of people she wasn't 100% comfortable with.
"I love it!" Lzzy exclaimed again fixing the sombrero on her head.
"Too bad 'cause we haven't got any money." I said reaching out to the sombrero on her head so I could take it off and give it back to the Mexican dude.
Before I could the Mexican guy got my hand pulling me towards him.
"What the f..." I started, but I cut myself off as I realized he was looking at my green card that I was still holding in my hand.
"You are Denis Stoff?" He asked, but it didn't sound like a question. It sounded like a statement said in disbelief as his eyes were locked with my name written on the white card with a green blistery line across it.
"Yes." I said nodding my head trying to appear cool.
Why the fuck did my name shock him?! Did he, like, know who I was? But how would he ever know who I was? I wasn't famous or anything and neither was anyone related to me.
The Mexican guy seemed to get his shit back together as he let go of my wrist and smiled at Lzzy.
"You can keep it signora." He said.
Wait, what?
"Really?!" Lzzy practically screamed in excitement.
"Yes, I am glad you are enjoying Mexico. Come back again, won't you?" I was fairly certain he was looking at me as he smiled at us one last time.
To be honest this whole situation crept me the fuck out and as I waved to the Mexican guy I grabbed Lzzy's hand and pulled her away.
He could've easily be one of the people that tolerated our green cards - not that even that made sense to me - but there was just something about the way he said my name. Like it was impossible.
There was something terribly off with that guy and I just wanted to disappear from his view as fast as possible.
"Should we head back to the hotel?" I asked. "Iron Maiden is playing in like two hours." I said looking on my watch.
We weren't really aloud to have phones. Apparently not a lot of people were aware of The Labyrinth Cruise and I couldn't exactly blame whoever came up with this for not trusting a bunch of teenagers with modern technology. We had a techno room back on the ship with tablets and laptops, but everything we'd post was checked and limited so we were practically kept in secret. We could see the outside world and google whatever we wanted, but the ones from outside couldn't see us.
It is mind blowing, I know.
"And you need two hours to put on an Iron Maiden tee?" Andy raised an eyebrow at me. He wasn't exactly what you'd call stoked for this concert.
"Well, I need to put on make up and get myself into the zone." Lzzy said. "Denis is right, let's go back."
Andy rolled his eyes. "Why did I even think it would be exciting to be with you two?"
"Because Juliet is my friend and I can ruin your chances with her forever." Lzzy answered his rhetorical question. Well, more like threaten answered him making me laugh.
"Actually when I think about it... We can go right now, I'll even do your make up. I mean, you have to look magnificent for the best band on the planet." Andy faked a smile bringing every bit of enthusiasm he had into his voice making me laugh even more.
"That's right! Listen to the sombrero queen!" Lzzy smiled contently gently gripping the sides of her huge hat.
We went back to the hotel and after I picked up my Maiden shirt from my room we went to Lzzy's.
"It's about time girl." A female voice said as we entered the room.
My eyes fell on a tall girl. Her hair was the color of caramel going lighter and lighter to eventually her blond ends. She had big lips and I couldn't help but notice how unusual but pretty her face was. She was wearing a black Iron Maiden crop top and short jeans that revealed her long legs. She had on white converse and lot of jewelry on her hands and around her neck.
"We still got time, Juliet." Lzzy emphasized her name throwing a glance at Andy who stopped dead in his tracks with his mouth practically on the floor.
I couldn't help the smirk that tugged on my lips as I leaned on the wall behind me looking at my friend who almost stumbled in his footsteps as he tried to appear cool quickly gathering his shit back together.
Juliet sat on the bed crossing her legs. She was extremely feminine if I were to compare her to Lzzy. Sure, Lzzy was feminine too, but like in a tough girl way. She could take care of herself and she let it be known while Juliet appeared like she needed a man in her life. Like she needed the muscle, if you know what I mean?
I could see why Andy had a thing for her. She didn't even look his way while most girls stare at Andy not even trying to hide it.
"I don't even like Iron Maiden that much and I'm already ready." Juliet said. Her voice was a bit squeaky, but it had a unique tone to it that actually made it kinda cool. "If I'm gonna go to a concert then I want to at least be within the first few lines."
"I'll be quick." Lzzy said grabbing a few things from her drawer before disappearing into the bathroom.
"I don't really like Maiden either." Andy said sitting next to Juliet.
I raised an eyebrow hiding my smirk. This is gonna be interesting.
She turned to him like she just noticed him now and she didn't hold her attention on him for long. "See, I'm not the only one!" She yelled after Lzzy.
"Well, you both suck!" Lzzy yelled from the bathroom.
"And you swallow, so what?" Juliet shot back.
"If you're not really up to that concert the two of us could go somewhere else." Andy suggested to Juliet giving her one of his looks that usually made girls faint.
"I'm sorry, what's your name again?" She asked.
I snorted earning a death glare from Andy.
"Andy. Andy Biersack." We've met already."
"There's a lot of people on the ship. Don't take it personally." She just said totally dismissing his offer from just a few seconds before.
Perhaps that was her plan.
"Let's go, I wanna be first row." Lzzy yelled when she exited the bathroom.
She only threw on her Maiden shirt and fixed her eyeliner and lipstick. I noticed that she didn't really like make up.
"We were only waiting for you anyways." Juliet jumped to her feet leaving Andy staring at her ass.
I almost laughed out loud. I admit that to me Juliet seemed kinda like a bitch, but then again, Andy deserved that kind of a chick for a change.
"Wait, wait." Juliet stopped us in front of the hotel door.
"What now?!" Lzzy snapped.
"We're waiting for James and Sam." Juliet said calmly.
"Who?" I couldn't help my surprise.
"James and..." She wanted to repeat herself, but I heard her too well.
"Does that mean Bruce is gonna come with us too?" I asked ignoring the look Andy gave me.
"Who? Ben? No. His head is too far up his ass for that." Juliet said and although I wrote her off as a basic bitch I liked her answer.
I looked at Lzzy who had a major frown on her face. "No... No..." She stuttered quietly and before I could ask her what was the matter Juliet yelled at James and Sam who appeared on the top of the staircase both in their Maiden shirts.
"I'm gonna have a baby before you two get your asses down here." She said.
"Wouldn't surprise me." I rolled my eyes.
Juliet turned to me absolute annoyance on her face. "And you're like the legend now, right? Because you stood up to Bruce? Oh please."
"And what have you done?" I raised my eyebrows. "Besides everyone?"
The utter shock on her face gave me so much satisfaction that I wanted to throw another snarky comment at her, but before I could Lzzy got my hand pulling me out of the hotel.
"What are you doing?" I asked her as she made me walk faster away from the hotel.
"I don't like being around James." She told me. "He's like... touchy... if you know what I mean?"
"Isn't that normal for The Labyrinth Cruise passengers?" I asked.
"No... I... I don't like to be touched." She told me.
"You don't mind me touching you." I said.
She stopped turning to face me. "No, that's different. You're different." She smiled at me.
What was that supposed to mean? "Do you, like, have a crush on me?" I asked awkwardly. "Lzzy, I mean, I like you too, but..."
She shut me up by lightly slapping me. It didn't hurt, but it sure did shock me.
When I looked back up at her she was smirking at me with her hands on her hips. "Don't flatter yourself Denis, I didn't mean it in that way." She laughed then punched my shoulder playfully. "You're like my bro."
I rubbed the spot where she punched me. "You're pretty strong for a girl." I said.
"For a girl huh?" She smiled at me. "Do you want me to show you just how much a girl can do?"
"I'm not even exaggerating, that sounded sexual." I said.
"You probably shouldn't take it like that from me." She told me. "I'm kinda asexual."
I looked at her confused as we continued our walk towards the concert area.
"Didn't we hook up on like my second night ad a passenger?" I asked.
Lzzy just chuckled. "No, I just wanted you to think so."
"Okay, why?"
"Because people tend to stick around stuff that intimidate them and I figured you'll come back to me if you don't know for sure." She explained. "You seemed cool and kinda fresh. I wanted you as a friend."
"So you couldn't just be like 'hey let's be friends?" I asked chuckling myself.
That girl was weird, but she was right. Exactly her weirdness was the reason why I felt so comfortable with her. It was like I couldn't embarrass myself in front of her because I knew she would do even sillier things if it came to her.
"And where's the fun in that?" She laughed.
When we got the the concert area a few hundred people were already there, but we still managed to get to the fence. Mainly because of Lzzy elbowing everyone in the ribs.
Butcher Babies was the band that opened for Iron Maiden and although I knew a few of their songs the real fun started when the headliner came to the stage of course.
Lzzy was out of her mind the whole time with her screaming, jumping, headbanging and shouting the lyrics, and just when I thought she couldn't get any crazier she got my hand and pulled me away from the fence heading backwards as we dived into the criwd.
"Lzzy what the hell?" I yelled trying to pull away, but let me tell you that girl wasn't weak at all.
"My favorite breakdown is about to..." But she didn't have to say another word as we stumbled out into the middle of a mosh pit. 
Lzzy automatically pulled me back into the mass as the band started to hype the crowd demanding a wall of death.
We pushed back along with the mass opening the place up bigger and better, just like the band wanted.
"Are you crazy?! We're gonna get eaten alive!" I yelled at her, but she only gripped my palm harder.
"I've always wanted to this!" She yelled and I could see a spark of excitement play in her eyes.
"And you choose a fucking Maiden concert to do this at for the first time?!" I yelled. I was never the guy for moshing. 
"Just hold my hand and don't let go, okay?" She directed me.
"You're acting like we're gonna die."
"Maybe we will, who knows?" She shrugged just before the drummer slashed across his kit and the wall of death started to close up.
"You owe me one!" I yelled gripping onto her hand as we stormed straight towards the middle of the pit with the mass eventually running into other people that pushed us around.
A rush of adrenaline followed by unrealistic amount of energy erupted through my body just like a trigger had been pulled in me. I suddenly wondered why haven't I ever done this before.
Honestly, the feeling was unreal, it was like I could let go of all of my emotion right there with a thousand more people. Whoever said this was like group therapy was right. I just let go of all of the stuff that ever bothered me and moshed.
And then as sudden as the feeling of euphoria came it was gone when I realized I wasn't holding anyone's hand therefore that Lzzy had slipped away. Instead of adrenaline panic rose in me as I pushed through all the people trying to spot a girl with slightly reddish hear and dressed from head to toe in spiky clothes.
"Lzzy! Lzzy!" I yelled not even expecting her to hear nor answer.
I ran through the crowd pushing and dodging people as I was determined in my search.
It was ridiculous how I've grown to care for that girl so much in just two weeks, but there was just something about her that felt familiar and like home.  Like real home. How real home should feel.
"Lzzy!" I yelled once again not even realizing I was close to the side fence.
That's when I spotted her.
Someone had her in a grip with one of his hands over her mouth and the other around her hip. There was clear horror in Lzzy's eyes and as soon as I my gaze landed on them I ran faster getting her hand and pulling her towards me breaking the man's grip around her.
She fell over the fence gripping onto me breathing heavily and shaking furiously. The only thing I managed to get about the man that attacked her was that he was tall and skinny - probably a lot stronger than he seemed to be, before Lzzy gripped on my hand and made me sprint in the opposite direction.
We stormed to through the crowd, dodging elbows and pushing people out of our way until we finally haven't stumbled out of the concert area and into the tiny streets of Mexico.
Lzzy purposely ran into a wall leaning her back onto it then sliding to the ground as she let out a sob. She covered her face with her hands as she started crying leaving me in a state of utter shock.
I had absolutely no idea how I should react, so I did what my instincts told me. I knelt down beside her and got her hands trying to calm her down.
She stopped crying, but it was because she flinched so hard that she almost slammed her head back into the wall as she looked up at me with an expression of pure horror on her face.
Then I remembered her telling me she didn't like to he touched. Maybe it didn't effect her in every moment of the day, but it definitely could effect her while having a breakdown, so I immediately let go of her hands just keeping the eye contact.
I nodded at her slowly waiting for her to nod back. Then when she did I spoke.
"Are you okay?" That was such a stupid question, but I had to say it. "What happened back there? Who was that guy? Is it someone you know? Someone from the ship?"
I probably shouldn't have bombarded her with questions, but I relied on my tone being soft and my sentences being said practically in slow motion.
Lzzy just shook her head furiously before rubbing her temples like she was thinking.
I gave her the time she needed. I didn't really have experience with crying girls, but I knew how I'd get when an episode would hit.
"That... He... I..." She took a deep breath then tried again. "I know him. He... He was the guy that... took C-Cameron." She stuttered.
Cameron? Wasn't that the name that Bruce had mentioned last night?
"Cameron? Who is Cameron?" I asked slowly.
Suddenly she sobbed again, but this time she pulled me down next to her and hugged me tightly.
I let her, lightly hugging her back waiting for her to calm down. When she did she moved away from me so she could look at my eyes.
"Cameron... He was... We were friends." She blinked and a few more tears escaped her eyes. "A little more than friends. He was my boyfriend... And Ash took him away from me!" Her voice suddenly fell into poison.
"What happened? Who is Ash?" I asked.
Not only did I want to calm her down, but this was somehow connected to Bruce too. He seemed pretty upset last night. Out of his mind even, if I dared to say.
"Ash was a passenger that was in the position Ben is now. Captain's favorite." Lzzy started. "He had a thing for Cameron just like Ben has for you. He hated him for the exact reason why Ben hates you. Because he had the guts to stand up to him. That's why I liked you from the very beginning you reminded me of Cameron. When I first got aboard I didn't really fit here. People here were punks and sure I lived and breathed rock back then too, but in the outside world my parents left me in foster care when I was five years old and since then my life's been hell. I was bullied my whole life one way or another. Before my 14th year it was all verbal and later when I developed lady parts boys started to chase me trying to get me in as less clothes as possible." She shook her head taking a breath. "Although I never let anyone touch me there was always someone who would manage to take my bra or something and soon I was the schools slut. It was hell and by the time I woke up on this ship - although it had saved me - I already had high functioning anxiety. I was scared to even cross a hallway so it was extremely hard for me to make friends. Cameron found me when I was ready to jump into the ocean and since then he spent all of his time with me. He's the main reason why my anxiety is almost completely gone now. He's the reason I have the reputation of The Fortuneteller. He's responsible for people respecting me here. He helped me build myself from literally nothing and then one day a pirate attack happened. This time there was no going around it, we had to give them one of us so they'd go and leave us alone. There was no lockdown - nothing. They brought us all up on deck and I can remember as if it had happened yesterday how the Captain of the pirates pointed to Ben and said 'choose'. Ben was a part of the crowd Ash ran with and it took only one glance from Ash for Ben to look at Cameron and say his name. We all wanted to stop it, but no one could. They took him and they probably killed him - that's what pirates do. That happened two and a half years ago. The Labyrinth Cruise went a far way from then, but since that day no one ever stopped fearing Ben Bruce. That's why it was such a fuss when you did what you did. People love you because of this. They are willing to fight for their rights. This ship is awesome, but the wrong people ate ruling it. If only you were the one to become the Captains favorite maybe things could be a bit different. Maybe this place could really become heaven. We like it here and I first wouldn't trade it for anything, but we have to find a way of defending ourselves against pirates and a leader who we don't fear. It's you Denis. It's you. If only you're willing to stop Ben Bruce."
She sounded desperate and in full honestly I could understand that. I could totally understand that - her, but what I couldn't understand was the thing about Bruce and Cameron.
Yesterday, if I recall correctly, Bruce was out of his mind, he was on the verge of crying almost if I dared to say at the mention of Cameron maybe being dead. He said he was going to get him back - what did that mean?
His behavior didn't add up with Lzzy's story, not even in bits, but I agreed with my friend.
Bruce was up to something and whatever it was it wan't good. Whatever it was I had to stop him and I had to take his place.
"Ben Bruce has to be stopped." Was all I said - more like thought out loud, but it was enough to regain at least some of Lzzy's energy as she hugged me.
"I knew you were the one." She said pulling that Fortuneteller vibe on me again as she practically sighed into my neck.
I wasn't focusing on her right now though. My thoughts were all the way back on the scene with Bruce, James and Sam I witnessed last night.
'It was never his ship, it was Cameron's', 'it was his idea to connect with The Black', 'He's dead, just like everyone from Project 1'...
What did all of this even mean and where were they aiming with that conversation? Hm, I guess there was only one way to find out, and that was to get close to Bruce.