Uproar

Chapter 56

Chester

I woke up feeling somewhat refreshed the next morning. Unfortunately, the pain hadn't gone away, but it lessened. I got up to use the bathroom and shower. As I washed my hands, I stared at myself in the mirror. I had gained some weight after being off drugs, I was actually at a healthy weight. I still looked beyond tired. That was something I wasn't able to fix.

I knew it was from the lack of sleep. I always stayed up, thinking. For the past few weeks, I was thinking about what Mike had told me before we left to Prague. It had hurt so bad. At the time, I sort of felt like I was beginning to feel ready to be with Mike. I couldn't stand Rob anymore, sadly. After what he had done after one of our shows, I couldn't chose him.

I continued to stare at myself. My hair had gotten ugly. The blonde was fading and my roots were showing. I was starting to hate the bleached hair. I could just buzz it all off again. Then I remembered I had a brown dye, close to my original hair color, under the sink. I take out the box, along with all the materials I needed to get the job done. I look at myself again. I always changed my hair color, always cut it all off. I changed it too much. Looking back, I don't think the guys had ever seen me with my natural hair.

I began prepping the things to dye my hair, already knowing the procedure all too well from previous times. I applied the paste everywhere, trying to cover as much blonde as possible.

I showered an hour after. As I dried myself, I looked at myself in the mirror again, trying to see how I could style it this time. I could go back to that small mohawk thing I have been doing. I decide against it and run my hands through my hair, spiking it out just like how I used to in high school. 

I sat on my bed for a while, still thinking about Mike's words. Each word ran through my head over and over again. It may've been true. Mike and I's relationship was already so tattered and torn, there was nothing we could ever do to erase the horrible things. Maybe it was actually time to move on...

***

I walked into the new rehearsal room we had in NRG. It was a pretty spacey area, each band member had a good amount of space for themselves and their equipment. Rob was already there with Joe, both of them fiddling with their instruments. I greeted them both, Joe returning the greeting happily, Rob only murmuring in response.

I shrugged it off. I was trying to be in a good mood. After a while, Mike, Brad and Phi showed up a few minutes after I did. 

"Hey Chaz," Dave greeted, hugging me. "How are you feeling."

"Not perfect, but a bit better," I tell him. Dave nods.

"That's good. Do you think you can sing today?"

"If I didn't think I could, I wouldn't be here, would I?" 

Dave laughed, checking his notepad where he had the setlist written down, choosing his bass according to the song. "Well you do have a point."

A few of our techs showed up. Ben, who was Brad's guitar tech, walked in, all smiles, another guy following him. "Joe! Good news! I found you your new tech!"

Joe hopped off his podium, walking over to Ben and the new tech. "Awesome! I'm Joe," Joe grinned as he shook the younger man's hand.

"Warren," the tech replied, shaking Joe's hand firmly. 

Ben walked up to me, Warren trailing behind him. "And this is Chester." I held out my hand towards Warren, he chuckled breathlessly as he shook my hand.

"No way," I heard him utter happily. I couldn't help but chuckle too. Ben went around, introducing Warren to the others. I stared after him, pursing my lips.

Everyone was still getting their equipment set up, taking their time getting everything ready. No one seemed to be in a rush. Warren was standing with Joe, plugging things in, soundchecking everything that needed to be checked. He was still a little young, maybe Rob's age. And he wasn't bad looking. He had tattoos covering his arms, gages, and he wore the usual techs' black tee and some cargo pants.

Warren glanced up and caught me staring at him. I kinda jump and look away, my face heating up. Ben handed me a mic and I turned it on, tapping on it and speaking into it. Mike is also checking his own microphone.

"Check, one, two. Check," He says into the mic, nodding at the tech who's helping with levels. "Okay, we're opening with Don't Stay, so Brad, please for the love of god tune your guitar right for this song."

Brad laughed and takes a guitar from Ben. "Don't worry Mike, I got him."

I was able to get through the song fairly well. I was still in some pain, but not enough to make me get sick again. I was trying my best to keep the nausea away. We decided to only work on the first half of the set, deciding to work on the second part tomorrow. As we wrapped things up and all the other guys were off doing their own thing outside, I decided to approach Warren.

"How was the first day?" I asked him as he shut down all of Joe's equipment. 

"It was good," he laughed. "I was a little nervous to be honest." Warren gets off the podium and grabs a few cables, winding them up and tying them in place.

"Really? Why?" I lean slightly against a cabinet, stuffing my hands into my pockets. 

"I've been a fan since the last album," Warren admits, "I kinda was afraid that I would embarrass myself in front of you guys." He laughs again. I could tell he was still a little nervous by the sound of it.

"Well you did really good. Joe seems really happy to have you here," I smile at him.

"Thanks," he smiles back. Then he pauses. "I--I'd hate to ask, but...do you wanna grab lunch?"

My breath catches. This was fast. "I mean--I just don't know the area...that...well," Warren tries to give himself an excuse. I laugh and shake my head.

"Yeah, we can. I know a few really good places, depending on what you're craving right now."

"Anything is fine." He grins and I grin back. 

"Alright, let's go."

Mike

"Hold up, I just need my keys," I called out behind me, jogging back to the rehearsal room. Brad shakes his head.

"Hurry up Shinoda! I'm starving!"

I open the double doors. Warren and Chester are still inside, talking. Chester was asking him about the job and such. I quickly sprint to one of my amps and quietly grab my keys. I head back to the doors.

"I--I'd hate to ask, but...do you wanna grab lunch?" I pause before my hand reaches the door. I turn around and look at Chester and Warren. They still don't seem to notice I'm here. "I mean--I just don't know the area...that...well."

"Yeah, we can. I know a few really good places..." I don't even hear what Chester says. I'm already storming down the hall. I felt a bit hurt. Chester seemed to move on from me so quickly. 

I couldn't blame him though, I did give him a lot of false hope and then I yank it away from him. But that familiar anger that had build me up for the past couple of years was creeping back. I was angry at Chester again, and I couldn't really give an excuse to why. 

I met up with Brad and the others in the parking lot, trying to compose myself. "Hey do you know if Chester is coming with?" Brad asks me as I near my car.

"I think he has plans already," I mumble. Brad looks at Dave and shrugs. Everyone begins to pile into my car, barely fitting. As I pull out of the parking lot, I turn on the radio, one of our singles is playing and I mentally groan. I turned on the radio to get Chester out of my head. I decide to just leave it, since the others were giddy about our song playing. Brad hummed the song while Dave and Joe talked about Chester's new hairstyle. Rob was sitting quietly, his hands tapping at his lap. 

"I've never really seen his hair like that, all brown and natural," Dave says. Joe says something in agreement, but I wasn't even paying attention to them. I wanted to just get out of the car. Chester's voice was blaring on the car's speakers and Dave and Joe were chattering on about him. My chest begins to feel heavy.