He's So Aggravating, But I Think I Like Him

Chapter Thirteen

Three Months Later

Max

Our tour was officially over, and I was walking around, saying my goodbyes to other bands. It was time to go back home to Vegas, but I always missed touring once it was over.

Insomniac Outcasts was able to get Bryan to fill in for Mandy for the rest of the tour, and no one had heard from her since she walked out. About a week after she left, we were playing in San Diego, the hometown of IO, and Corey went to their shared apartment to see if Mandy was there. He came back and told us all of her stuff was gone, and she left only her furniture.

I couldn't stop wondering what she wanted to tell me the last time I saw her, because looking back now, I should've known she had something to say. Maybe she was planning on telling me about her plans to leave, but my irritation with my manager when she showed up may have scared her off. I really missed her.

While I was leaving the back door of our last venue, some girl walked up to me. Bleached blonde hair, too much make up, a tanktop, no bra, and "shorts". The exact type of groupie I would have slept with, before Mandy.

"Hey, Max. I'm a really big fan of yours. I love bass," she said.

Yeah I bet you fucking do.

"Well thanks," I said awkwardly. The way she looked at me was making me uncomfortable. I was about to walk away when she grabbed my arm tightly.

"I need help carrying some things to my apartment. Can you help if you aren't too busy?I'm just right down the road," she said, then smiled seductively.

How should I tell her no without hurting her feelings?

"No, thank you. I'm very busy," I settled with. I tried to walk off again, but she refused to let go.

"Why not? You know you want to," she said in a whiny voice. I pulled my arm out of her grip.

"No, I don't. I have a girlfriend. Please leave me alone," I finalized.

"She doesn't have to know," she said lowly, and smiled at me in a way that made my skin crawl. I turned and walked away. She didn't reach for me again, though, so I guess she finally got the hint.

Not that being faithful to a girlfriend who walked away without telling me was worth anything.

Mandy

"Ronnie!" I called out.

"What?" He yelled back from his bedroom in the back of our house.

My stomach growled loudly, "I'm hungry!"

"You know where the kitchen is!"

"But I need Taco Bell!" I screamed.

He came into the living room to have his conversation face to face, "No pregnant person needs Taco Bell," he said.

"But I want it," I said with a pout.

"Fine," he said, "I'll take you to Taco Bell," then he walked over to me and threw me over his shoulder.

"Put me down!" I yelled at him while I squirmed. Luckily, my belly was still pretty small and it wasn't hurting me or my child to be draped over the shoulder of a Neanderthal. He walked out of our house and began walking to our car.

"Stop squirming, you're heavy," he said with a laugh.

I gasped, then reached down to smack his butt, "Asshole, I'm not fat!" I yelled. We were drawing attention from our neighbors and he stopped us in front of my car to set me down.

"I never said you were fat, I said you were heavy, which you are. And you spanked me, which hurt, so now you're laying for yourself," he playfully lectured while he pointed his finger at me.

I laughed and we both climbed into my car, a shiny black Ferrari. Just kidding. I can pretend it is though. It's actually a Mustang, without the convertable top.

Ronnie was in the drivers seat and pulled out of our driveway. I hooked my iPod up to the audio jack as we drove. I pressed play on my favorite Ellie Goulding song and began talking my hand to go along with the beat.

"Sing Ronnie!" I cheered.

He shook his head no, so I put my hands together and made puppy dog eyes.

"Pwease?" I begged.

"Okay, I will. But only out of pity for how bad your puppy dog eyes were," he laughed.

"I'm a rocker, not a toddler," I defended. He started singing 'Lights' for me. I sat there watching him, with a goofy smile on my face.

"What?" He asked with a smile.

"You have such a beautiful voice," I joked in a high pitched voice.

He laughed and we spent the rest of the short drive in comfortable silence.

"We're here," he said, and I looked out the window at the fast food restaurant and I swear my head almost exploded.

I turned to Ronnie, "This is not Taco Bell!" I yelled, pointing at the Del Taco we parked in front of.

He smiled slyly, "Del Taco is better."

"No it isn't! Take me to Taco Bell," I said, crossing my arms.

He raised an eyebrow at my childish behavior, "What's the difference between Taco Bell and Del Taco?" he asked.

"The difference if that Taco Bell fucking rocks and Del Taco is trying to feed you tortillas people wipe their asses on!" I yelled. We were both silent for a moment as we fought to keep straight faces. Both of us crumbled after a second, though, and I clutched my stomach as I laughed.

"Okay, mama, calm down. I was just messing with you," he said as he put the car in reverse. He drove me to Taco Bell as promised, and even paid for me, despite saying he wouldn't. We hung out in town for the rest of the day, just having fun, and I began to wonder how life could get any better.