B L O O M

Chapter Nine

It was getting close to midnight and the shift had gone by fairly quickly. Tiny was working tonight but stayed busy enough between dancing on stage and private dances, that she hadn't gotten a moment to speak to me yet. Any time she had wandered near the bar I found a way to sneak off to check the stock or go for a smoke break. I just knew deep down she'd give me what for over the Joey situation. I'll make it up to him in my own time. I returned from another smoke break only for Marco to collar me. Marco could be a fairly chilled out boss. I mean fuck I work behind a bar and I'm 19, I'm not even old enough to drink - legally. After the day I'd had I should have known my luck wasn't about to kick in anytime soon.

"I don't pay you to stand outside all night and smoke." Marco appeared in front of my face as I walked back behind the bar. I jumped out of my skin from his sudden appearance.

"Sorry I've just had a stressfu-"

"I don't want to hear it! Get out there and service those tables I don't want to see you the other side of this bar tonight, James can handle it behind here, right?" He looked between me and James and we both just nodded. Marco really was a great boss but you could tell when he'd been doing coke in his office, he'd just loose it over the smallest thing. Tonight was one of those nights.



"Sorry Al I tried to cover for you." James apologised whilst making up a tray of drinks. "Here this is for the red booth." The red booth was close enough to the stage but also secluded enough you couldn't see who was sat inside from the bar. It was usually reserved for flashy business men 9 times out of 10. The other times would be for Marco's friends so it was always best behaviour for the red booth, if you wanted good tips. It's where Chris sat with his work friends the night I first met him. "Bit of a wild lot came in just after you went out back." I just nodded still a bit pissed off from the stripping down I got from Marco.

"Thanks for the heads up, I'm really not in the mood to be fucked with tonight. Have they opened a tab or?" I asked grabbing the black tray which had; 2 bottles of Jack Daniels, 1 bottle of vodka, 4 screwdrivers, 8 shots of tequila and 4 empty glasses stacked on top of one another.



"No that's why Marco was out here, said it was on the house." I furrowed my brows. "I know I thought the same thing, but I've never seen them in here before so who they are is anyones guess."

"Well colour me intrigued." James held the bar hatch up for me and I made my way through the club trying to keep the heavy tray balanced. I started to get closer to the red booth, Tiny was dancing on stage again now. Urgent by Foreigner playing as some regular slips some bills into her silver thong. If the music wasn't so loud I would have known who it was a mile off. Sat in the red booth was Mick at one end, Vince, Tommy practically jumping in his seat and Nikki at the other end of the rounded booth.

"Dude you're working tonight too? This is sick have a drink with us!" Tommy yelled over the table at me.



"Working Tommy." I replied back as I sat the tray down and started to place the drinks in the middle of the table. Mick took hold of the vodka and nodded at me before I'd even had chance to move it from the tray.

"Well at least sit with us for a bit princess." Nikki said grabbing me and pulling me onto his lap. I looked into to his green eyes, how could I say no.

"Okay but not for long I'm already in trouble tonight as it is." I wasn't even sure any of them were listening to me as I looked round they were all staring at Tiny dancing on stage. "What are you guys doing in here anyway, thought you didn't have any money." I spoke into Nikki's ear.

"We're recording the album next month and we convinced Alan we'd need some money for the recording sessions in advance. Only thing is Vinnie here is banging some chick that will get us money off so we thought we'd spend the rest wisely." He grinned up at me as he squeezed my waist making me wriggle in his lap.

"Shouldn't you be buying food or paying rent?" I raised my brow at him.

"Ahh come on don't be a spoil sport, you love a good time as much as me. Gary was round earlier to drop off and told us Tiny was working and we should check her out so here we are. Got Alan to call in a favour so we could get some free drinks." Nikki started to place soft kisses up my arm to my shoulder which caused goosebumps. "What time do you get off come back to apartment with us Gary dropped off some good shit." He cooed into my ear.

"I finish at 1 but I can't I have plans already. You're still coming by mine tomorrow though right?" He looked at me head cocked and puzzled. "So I can dye this, remember?" I reminded him running my hands through his hair.

"Oh yeah yeah what time should I come over?"



"Say about 7, it should have calmed down by then." He gave me that confused look again. "Long boring story I'll fill you in tomorrow, now enjoy your night I'm gonna get back to work before Tiny sees me." I pulled out of his hold and went about the rest of my shift glass collecting and serving drinks.

As soon as 1am came around and James offered to clear away the bar on his own I was out of that place. Stepping out onto Sunset Strip I heard voices I recognised.

"Hey there she is! Come 'ere princess." It was Nikki practically falling over, waving his arms in the air for me to come over. I lit a cigarette and walked up to them all.

"Did you have a good night then?" I asked them as I took a drag.

"Oh yeah Gary was right, Tiny is a great dancer." Mick chuckled. Tommy whispered something to Nikki which made them both cry out laughing. I still wasn't in a great mood so I just ignored them. I walked over to the curb and looked across the road for Chris' car but nothing, so I sat on the curb side smoking the rest of my cigarette.  Where the fuck is he? I really didn't want to go back to apartment tonight. I don't even know his home number yet to call him. Before I could finish my thought Nikki came and sat down beside me wrapping his arm round my shoulder.

"Smells like you drank the bar dry Sixx." I could smell the whisky on his breath his face was so close.

"Celebrating." He flashed a cheesy smile at me.

"Yeah I know, I'm happy for you guys, making an album? that's big stuff."

"Will you come to the studio?" Nikki slurs out arm still around me. His head is all animated, nodding about with every word he slurs like one of those nodding dogs.

"You want me there? Why?"

"Because." He said softly. I waited for him to continue but the silence made it obvious that was his answer.

"Okay sure, plus how can I pass on documenting the making of the first Crue album. I'll sell the pictures for hundreds one day, watch."

"Here's hoping." He said squeezing my shoulder. At the same time I heard a car horn blare out which made my head whip forward to across the street. Chris.

"Hey I gotta go my rides here." Nikki looked in the direction of the car and his voice changed from the soft drunk tone he had going on to something resembling a child being told they can't have any more candy.

"Not the stiff Alyx, ah come on!" he whined whilst I stood up.

"Goodnight Sixx." I waved off as I ran across the road towards the car. "Hey how come you were-". I started to ask Chris as I shut the passenger side door.



"Who was that with their arm round you?" I hadn't even caught my breath from running across the road and Chris was already down my throat. The day was continuing to test me. I didn't even have time to get angry about it, it caught me off guard.

"What?" I whipped my head to look back to Nikki to see them all walking down the strip away from the club stumbling as they went. "You mean Nikki? Oh come on Chris I thought we went over all this, he was just drunk I didn't even know the band would be there tonight." He pulled my face back round by my chin to look me in the eyes.



"From what I heard you've been sleeping with someone in that band, now I know who." His voice was dark and serious. My eyes darted all over his face only to realise how serious he was.

"Get your fucking hands off me." I warned in a low and slow voice trying not to show the fear I was starting to feel in my stomach. He let go of my face and sat back in his seat. "I'm not sleeping with anyone in that band and even if I was I'm not your property." We stayed silent for what felt like forever but realistically was no more than 2 minutes. He hadn't even looked back at me, just sat staring out onto the road. I'm not even sure he was listening to me. "You know what? Fuck this." I got out of the car and started to walk in the direction of home as quick as my legs were allowing.

"Alyx get in the car, I'll take us home." Chris rolled down his window to shout. I didn't stop and soon I heard the car start up to drive along side me, cars passing and honking their horns at him driving so slow to stay beside me.

"Are you out of your mind? Why would I come back to that house with you just so you can bitch at me some more." I stopped in my tracks and Chris followed suit by stopping the car. "Jealousy really doesn't look good on you, you know." He rolled his jaw and let out a sigh.

"Please get in the car, I'll even take you back to your place if you want." His voice was softer now, maybe he realised how ridiculous he was acting. Did I even want to go home? I guess I'd figure that out when I got there. I didn't respond I just got in the passenger side again.

"Just take me to my place." I said looking out of the passenger side window. My anger and fear had melted away and I was just left with disappointment. I just felt let down by Chris and by Joey. They were the two people out here in LA I thought really understood me. I knew I had to go back home and face the music sometime it was just earlier than I had planned. I got out of Chris' car without a word or a goodbye.

"Alyx I'll call you okay?" It stopped me in my tracks. Now could be the time I say don't bother, don't call me again, go away. Cut my losses. But I should never be trusted to make my own decisions when it comes to men.

I turned around to face him sat in his car, "Just give me a few days. I need space." I didn't give him time to reply, I span back around and made my way up the apartment steps.

Turning my key in the red door of our apartment I softly opened it and stuck my head in first, just to be safe. The lights were off and it was deadly silent. Shutting the door behind me I reached for the lamp in the corner behind the sofa. I slumped down on the sofa my head tilted up to the ceiling. My mind was full. Joey - our fight, it wasn't a big fight to most people but this was me and Joey we were never like that with each other, it blindsided me. Chris - did I want what he wanted? to be more, to be in a relationship? but he got so jealous of Nikki do I really want that? Jesus, can't a girl just live. Then Nikki - I feel like he understands me, like were on the same level, maybe I should have gone back to Motley house tonight and got high. Sat with my head still staring at the ceiling as if it was going to give me the answer to my troubles, I hear a click. I turn my head to see light coming from the bottom of the corridor. I guess Joey is in after all.

Joey's POV

I rolled over in the dark to face my alarm clock, the glowing red numbers informed me it was 1:56am. I'd left my door slightly open to hear if Alyx would come home after work but obviously not. As my eyes focused more I noticed light creeping round my bedroom door. I clicked the switch on my bedside lamp. As I sat up in bed and my eyes started to adjust to the light I heard footsteps approaching, maybe she had come home after all. First her small hand then her bleached head peeped around the door.

"Hi." She said sheepish. I know I was a bit rough earlier but I'm just trying to look out for her, she knows that deep down.

"Come on," I open my arms as to signal my white flag to the whole petty mess. She smirks and jumps onto the bed hugging me tight. "we're good, don't worry about that Al but I'm sorry if I pushed you."

"I just think I'm a bit lost, I'm sorry for being a bitch about it." Alyx mumbled into my shoulder.

"I mean I'm glad you've come home but thought you'd be staying at Chris'." She removed herself from me and sat on the edge of the bed to take off her chucks. Her silence told me everything. "Wanna talk about it?"



"No. Not tonight, I just want to sleep. Can I stay in here tonight? I don't want to be on my own." She sounded defeated I knew not to push her. Alyx was already under the covers anyway still fully clothed.

"Course but you can switch the lamp off." She stretched to turn the lamp off and spooned me from behind. Nothing more had to be said we'd put this morning behind us. 
___________

The next evening.


Alyx was in the process of washing the dye out of Joey's hair in the bathroom while Tiny sat in the living room dressed to the nines watching MTV.

Tiny's POV

"Hey Al how much longer?!" I shouted towards the bathroom. I was waiting on Joey to be ready so we could go out tonight. Alyx said she wasn't coming as she already had plans. I wouldn't call sitting in the apartment getting high plans but each to their own. I checked my watch again to see it was just after 7pm. "We're going to be late Joey!".

Before I could hear a response there was a knock on the door making me jump. I opened the door and quickly realised why Alyx wasn't coming out tonight. "Nikki, hey come in. Alyx is taking her time making me and Joey LATE." I shouted towards the bathroom. 



"Hey Tiny, how you doing? Gary not with you tonight?"



"Oh we're supposed to be meeting him at this house party if we ever leave here." I said with a huff as I sat back on the sofa. Nikki just stood awkwardly. "Might as well sit down Sixx god knows how long they're gonna be." He sits down on the arm of the sofa scanning the room.

"Hey Sixx." Alyx came striding out from the bathroom in just a black bra, black jeans and black palms from dyeing Joey's hair.

"Hello princess." He smirked.

"Don't you think you should put on some clothes when you've got a guest." I gestured towards Nikki who was practically drooling.

"That's rich coming from a stripper," We both started laughing, either Nikki felt awkward by the joke or he was still too zoned in on Alyx's tits to notice, "besides I'm sure he's seen tits before."

"Well maybe you should tell his face that." I mumbled.

"Ignore her Nikki, I'm just finishing Joey's hair now then I'll get started on yours, there's pizza and beer in the kitchen just help yourself." Nikki made his way to the kitchen to eat. From what Gary tells me they have hardly any money, the little they do have is spent on booze and drugs from Gary.

Alyx's POV

"There you go all dried, now throw a nice shirt on and get out there before Tiny kills us both." I say only half joking.



"Does it look good?" He said buttoning a white and black polka dot shirt halfway up.

"It's different, it suits you though." I ruffle his newly died black hair, it hurt me to cut it short but if that's what Hollywood agents wanted that's what they were going to get.

"Ta DA." I said pushing Joey through the kitchen and into the living room towards Tiny.

"Wow looks great Joey, but we really need to leave we're so late." And just like that Tiny grabbed him by his wrist and pulled him out of the apartment like someone had told her we were about to fumigate.

"Okay then, have a good night!" I shouted after them although the door was already shut. The speed Tiny was moving they were probably on Sunset already.

"This is great pizza." Nikki's said leaning against the counter in the kitchen.

"It's really not but you're welcome to it. Guessing Vince hasn't scored any more free food from that girl at the grocery store huh?" 

"No, Beth found out went to the store and beat her ass." He said with his mouth half full.

"That woman's a real buzzkill."I groaned at the mere thought of Beth kicking off. I'd met Beth a handful of times at Motley House, mostly when I'd hung around to watch the guys practice. But she wasn't a big fan of that so I'd try and avoid going if I knew she'd be there. Wasn't worth the headache for anyone. "Did you bring the dye?" Nikki shook his head. "Lucky I bought extra for Joey, you better hope it's enough for all this hair."

"What would I do without you?" He rubbed his hands together to rid the pizza crumbs and pulled me into him by my waist, so that I was stood between his legs. I looked up at him and smirked.

"Go hungry and have bad roots?" I teased. I pulled out two tabs of LSD from my back jeans pocket. "Here another present for you." I motioned him to open his mouth and placed the tab on his tongue. I placed one on my own tongue and kept my eyes on his mouth as we both swallowed them. "Should be enough time to do your hair before it kicks in."

"Should?!" His green eyes went wide.

"Don't worry it'll be fun." I stole a quick kiss and pulled him towards the bathroom.

If someone asked me where it all began, I'd probably say this night. This night is the one I would say started the chain of events that would shape my life over the next decade. Both the good times and the bad times that were to come. Chaos theory in motion.