28th December 2015 New Jersey
4 days before the ball
Rosie's POV
Dancing round the living room to the blaring of Elle King-- Ex's and Oh's echoing through the house, wearing nothing but booty shorts and a crop top. I have the house to myself while The band are in town and I figured while they're out, I'll have some fun. I've been jumping all over the sofas, rolling on the floor, darting up and down the stairs like a complete maniac while dancing to the music. After a couple of days of being completely smothered by the band, they finally left me alone, so naturally I'm going a little crazy with my new found freedom. There's a lot of dance music blasting through this house, which I don't usually listen to but it's quite catchy and good to dance to. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOIN ON!!!" The familiar husky tones yelling from behind me. My head whips round so fast I nearly give myself whiplash. I see Jon and the whole band standing there, Jon looking rather agitated.
The all scurried into the living room, turning the music off and sitting me down. After a couple of minutes of listening to him yelling, I sort of just drowned it all out, not even bothering to lift my head to look at him. A feeling of anger shot through my body causing me to clench my fists. Who was he to come in here and yell at me for having a good time, I'm a grown woman who can make my own decisions. I jolted out of my seat "Who are you to tell me off Jon" Yelling out my words like fire whilst giving him a glare that could kill. "Well it is my house Rosie...." Shouting right back at me. "You guys smother me for days and now I finally get a moment to myself, I finally have some fun after months of drowning in depression and you come storming in here, giving me a bollocking? I don't think so" Shaking my head swiftly while crossing my arms, ready to disarm anything he throws my way. "You need to grow up!!" That was it, he had completely pissed me off. A low growl slipped from my lips and before I could stop myself, my hand swung out and slapped him across the face, leaving him clutching his cheek in utter shock. I feel bad but I also feel so pissed off so before he even has a chance to utter a word, I sprint out the house, running down towards my favourite spot by the water.
At least 20 minutes later, I heard the pitter patter of foot steps behind me, gradually getting louder. I didn't turn round to look at who it was, fearing it was Jon to give me a piece of his mind. He came right over, sitting down next to me with a deep sigh "I'm sorry" Jon's husky voice tickling my ear. I remained silent seeing as I still feel rather pissed off "I didn't mean to get angry or yell at you.... I'm not usually an angry kinda guy". "Don't blame me for you getting angry" Spitting out my words like venom. "I'm not your wife... I'm not your girlfriend.... I'm not one of your kids or your employees.... I'm a single woman who can make her own decisions.... So if I want to have some fun... I'm fuckin gonna have some fun" Giving him a glare before looking back onto the peaceful water. "I know that Rosie and I'm not blaming you" ... "But why didn't you just tell us you wanted to be alone... instead of letting us think we were helping" He sounded a little hurt over what I had said. "At first, you were helping... you all were but I don't want to spend every single minute of my life with you... I thought you of all people would understand that" A deep sigh slips from his lips. "I do understand that.... We were only doin it because we thought that's what you wanted or we would have left you alone" Giggling quietly as he tails off. My body softened slightly, giving him a faint smile "Am I forgiven?" His words bringing a bigger smile to my lips "As long as I'm forgiven". A quiet laugh escapes his mouth as he lifts his hand to caress my cheek "Always". He pulls me in for a quick hug, quickly easing the tension with his touch. "I'm looking forward to hearing your songs at the ball.... What are you singing anyhow?" A curious expression on his face. "It's a surprise, I'm not telling you and don't even think of asking Dave because I've sworn him to secrecy" Pointing right at him with my finger. "Alright Alright... I won't" Holding his hands up defence, snickering as he trails off. We sat for a while, just watching the still water glowing orange from the sunset.
2 days before the ball
Rosie's POV
My fingers strumming over the strings of my guitar, the acoustic melody echoing through the air. I'm not particularly playing anything specific, mainly just plucking and messing around. getting completely lost up in the playing that I don't even realise that Dave is watching me "Oh Hey Dave.... Didn't see you there" Voice coming out a little breathy from the shock. "Is that your guitar?" Pointing to the black acoustic in my arms "Oh yeah... It was my dad's guitar" Smiling down at the guitar then back up to Dave. "How come you brought it with you? seems like you brought everything you own?" Furrowing his brows together in confusion. "You're gonna think I'm crazy" Shaking my head in disbelief. "Try me" Walking over to the bed and sitting down beside me. "Well ever since you called me and asked to sing at that ball... I've had this strange feeling that something is going to happen.... I just don't know what and the closer it gets to the day... The stronger that feeling gets" Clutching at my chest as the words spill from my mouth. He had a strange expression on his face which only added to my suspicions. "What do you think is gonna happen?" , "I don't know.... But this feeling is deep inside me and something told me to pack up all my shit and bring it with me.....and there's no one else I'd rather have my things than Jon" Sighing out my words. "Nothings gonna happen to you if that's what you mean Rosie" Wrapping his arm round me and giving me a tight squeeze. "No Nothing bad or anything like that.... That's not the feeling I'm getting.... More like..... Something big" Widening my eyes dramatically, using my hands to emphasise what I'm saying. There was a moment silence before we both burst out into laughter "Alright Madam Psychic.... Come down for some lunch" Patting my back with a laugh. "Hey how about we have a jam after lunch? me on piano and you on guitar?" His suggestion making me smile. "I'd love that" Nodding excitedly.
So after lunch, we headed into Jon's studio with guitar in hand. Dave sat at the piano while I sat next to him with the guitar plugged in. I wasted no time in screaming out the lyrics into the mic to Little Richard-- Long tall Sally followed by Dave's piano and the guitar. We were blasting the roof of the building, we were having so much fun. Dave couldn't sit still on his stool while tickling the keys of the piano. On the other hand, I was dancing round the room, belting out lyrics while shredding the guitar. I opened the next song with the guitar "Take it Davey..." Shouting out for him to start singing along with Piano. " Deep down in Louisiana close to New Orleans.." Dave belting out the lyrics along with the piano while I play guitar. He mainly sang this song and I just danced around like a lunatic. After that we played a few more songs like Lucille-- Little Richard and The Coasters-- Yakety Yak. "Hey... Ummm seeing as we're alone... can I ask you a favour?" Biting my lip nervously "Sure... anything" Dave nodding his head with a smile, his curly locks flowing with his movements. "For the ball, Could you play piano for me while I sing..... I can play piano but I'm gonna be putting all of my emotions in the singing" , "I'd love to.... you wanna practice them now? It's always good to get some practice time in before hand" My head nodding swiftly with excitement. We started by practicing Hoobastank-- The Reason, the song Jon and I danced to. We actually breezed through it, quickly figuring out how I wanted to sing it and what to do with the piano. Lastly Bound to you-- Christina Aguilera was left to practice and this was the one I was most nervous about. "So this is the one you're pretty much baring your soul to him?" Dave quizzing me "Yeah... It's very pure and soft" Scratching the back of my neck nervously. "And I've noticed as well, when you sing you tend to close your eyes....Try not to do that on the night because part of singing a song is the emotion and selling it and if you've got you're eyes closed they're not gonna feel it" I was taking mental notes of all the advice he was giving me, he's been doing this a lot longer than me so I was all ears. He opened the song with the soft, romantic notes of the piano followed shortly by my soft, elegant vocals.
" Sweet love, sweet love
Trapped in your love
I've opened up, unsure I can trust
My heart and I were buried in dust
Free me, free us
You're all I need when I'm holding you tight
If you walk away I will suffer tonight
I found a man I can trust
And boy, I believe in us
I am terrified to love for the first time
Can't you see that I'm bound in chains?
I've finally found my way
I am bound to you
I am bound to you
So much, so young, I've faced on my own
Walls I built up became my home
I'm strong and I'm sure there's a fire in us
Sweet love, so pure
I catch my breath with just one beating heart
And I embrace myself, please don't tear this apart
I found a man I can trust
And boy, I believe in us
I am terrified to love for the first time
Can't you see that I'm bound in chains?
I've finally found my way
I am bound to you
I am bound to you
Suddenly the moment's here
I embrace my fears
All that I have been carrying all these years
Do I risk it all? Come this far just to fall? Fall
I can trust and boy, I believe in us
I am terrified to love for the first time
Can't you see that I'm bound in chains?
And finally found my way
I am bound to you
I am, ooh I am
I'm bound to you"
I was left gasping and sighing in relief when I eventually finish the song. Suddenly feeling another weight taken off my shoulders. I sang the song with so much emotion and soul, keeping my vocals soft and beautiful. Which I have never done before, I was more of a rock singer so this is definitely new to me. Dave's piano playing was so elegant and soft throughout the entire song which helped me keep my vocals where they're supposed to be. "What do you think?" Eager to here Dave's opinion. "That was beautiful Rosie" A gentle smile on his lips "So anything you think I should change or improve?" Raising my brows at him. "Just stop closing your eyes so much and it'll be perfect" A laugh burst from my lips "I honestly don't realise I'm doing it". "It's because you're an emotional singer.... It's an amazing quality just don't put too much emotion in it" Nodding my head, appreciating every bit of advice he's giving me.
After we practiced the songs, we trudged back over to the house, our stomachs rumbling so loud. The aroma of pizza hitting us in the face as soon as we step through the door. "Ahh you're back..... I ordered pizza" Jon gesturing to the boxes of pizza on the kitchen bench. "Great..... We're starved" Dave taking the words right out my mouth "What you guys been up to anyhow?" Jon shifting his gaze between Dave and I. "We had a jam session then practiced the songs she's gonna be singing, she asked me to play piano for her on the night" Jon simply nodded with a smile before breaking the silence "That's a great idea". Once we finished our chat, we broke into our pizza boxes, A wall of steam hitting us in the face. We couldn't stuff our mouths with the pepperoni pizza fast enough. Gradually filling our empty stomachs up, silencing the rumbles.
At least half an hour later, I was sitting in Jon's pub with Jon and the band, filling ourselves up with beer. "I still can't believe you have an English pub in your garden" Shaking my head in disbelief. "Well after going to so many over the years, I figured I wanted one of my own... that I could go to anytime I wanted" Taking sips of his wine as he trails off. "I see you're still a Wine-o" Gesturing to the bottle of wine in his hands. "Oh of course darlin... Once a wine-o always a wine-o" A smirk raising his lips. My eyes were wandering all around the pub, he had a real bar with beer on tap, a dart board, jukebox and a pool table. "I've always wanted to learn to play pool but never got around to it" Staring over at the large pool table in the far corner. "You want to play a game? I can teach ya?" My brows raise in shock "Really?". "Yeah... we can all play a game after I teach you...... Come on" Ushering me over to the pool table. "Okay.... Pick out a cue stick" Pointing to the wall with all the Cue's on them. "Umm... Which one" There were large ones and small ones and medium ones and one's with extra bits on he end. "Here.... Try this one.... You're pretty short so... That should do" Handing me a medium sized cue while he takes a large one. He takes the cover off the balls, my brows furrowing together when I notice there are different kinds of balls. "You want spots or stripes?" , "Wait.... What? spots or stripes for what?" Feeling completely and utterly confused. A quiet snicker escapes his lips "The balls, so they're either spots..." Holding up a ball which is all one colour with a number on it "Or you can have..... stripes" Holding up a white ball with a strip of colour across it and a number. "Uhhh I'll have spots" Thinking it might be easier for me. "Okay so you need to use the white ball to hit your balls into the pockets and once you get all your balls in the pockets, you need to try and get the black ball in a pocket... if you do it you win" Trying my best to listen to everything he's telling me. He places the cue ball at the top of the table before getting ready to hit it "Okay so watch the way I do it alright". My eyes watching every little thing from the way he's bent over to the way his fingers grip the top of the cue stick to lastly the way he strikes the ball. My turn eventually came after he hit 3 of his balls straight away, he's clearly really good at this game. So I circle the table to where the cue ball is, scanning the table for one of my balls, picking out a blue ball that is in line with the cue ball and a pocket. I bend over, gripping the way I think i'm supposed to do it, Just about to thrust the cue stick towards the cue ball when he stops me. "Wait.... Have your fingers more like this" Slightly adjusting my fingers round the top of the cue. "And just move your hand just a little further down.... Like this" Sliding my other hand further down the bottom of the cue stick. Taking in a deep breath before thrusting the cue stick towards the cue ball, but it all went horribly wrong. A shriek burst from my mouth when the cue ball went flying off the table. Jon was stood there laughing his head off while I'm stood there, covering my mouth in utter shock. "Here I'll show you" He let me bend over with the cue stick before he caged his arms round me, his large hands resting on top of mine. His hot breaths tickling the skin of my neck "So you make sure everything's in line.... work out where you want it to go.... If you want it to go straight forward, make sure everything is straight.... If you want the ball to go off to the left.... move the cue stick just a nudge to the right and the same if you want it to go off to the right okay?" Nodding slightly in response. We line up a shot and he counts down before thrusting the cue stick, sending he cue ball hurtling towards one of my balls. To my surprise it actually went into the pocket, but that was because he helped me, now I have to try it without him.
After a few failed attempts to get my balls into the pockets, I eventually started to get better and gradually my balls started to disappear from the table. He was miles better at it than me and he had fewer balls left than I did so no doubt he was going to win the game. Before I knew it, the game had came to an end and as I suspected, Jon had won. I didn't mind, It was a lot of fun playing it and I'm so glad I finally learned how to play it. We ended up all playing a few games of pool, it was Jon's team which consisted of Jon, myself and Alec against Richie's team which consisted of Richie, Dave and Tico. But the more the night went on, I was getting far to drunk to play so I ended up stumbling off and turning the jukebox on. 'Put the x in sex-- Kiss' Blaring through the speakers. They were all so engrossed in their game of pool that they didn't even see me climb up on the bar and start dancing away. Winding my hips round whilst waving my hands round in the air. "Uhhh Jon.." I could hear Richie calling out to Jon, he sounded concerned about something but I'm too drunk to care less. I have no idea what happened to my clothes but all I seem to be wearing is my bra and tiny lace knickers. "Hey you chargin by the hour honey?" Richie shouting out with a snicker. "It's not funny Rich" Jon snapping back at him.
All of a sudden I was whisked off the bar by someone, all I could see was someone's sexy ass seeing as I was draped over their shoulder. "OooOOoohh Sooo sexxxyyy" Slurring out my words before spanking their ass. "You smell.....SoOOOooo good" .... "Who are you?" There was a moment silence before they broke it. "Why don't you guess" My hearing was clearly affected by the alcohol so that certainly wasn't going to help. "Uhhh Dave?" A quiet laugh escaped their mouth "Not even close". "Ummm Richie..." , "If I was Richie, you'd be giving me a lap dance by now" A loud giggle burst from my mouth. "You're funny..." Mumbling out my words. I swung my hand down, connecting it with the sexy ass that was jiggling in front of me. "I hope you're not Tico or Alec..... They're old enough to be my grandpa" He snickered loudly in response. "Are you sure there's no one else you're missing?" , "No... I.....there's... No one" Slurring out my words, feeling rather confused. "What about...... Jon?" My brows furrow together "Jon's not here silly... He's.... gone". "Then who's house are you stayin at honey?" , "Ummm Jon's of course...silly" Giggling out my words. A loud gasp elicited from my mouth as the realisation hit me "Waitt..... Jon". "Yep... That's me" Letting out a tiny moan as he takes us up the steps to his house. "Don't tell Jon... I stripped... That would....embarrass...me" Hiccupping through my words. "Ever since he went..... back.... I've been having.... dreams" Giggling out my words. "What kinda dreams?" , "We're having hot....steamy....sexxxxx....but I always wake up just as he.. putshisdickin....I wake up...feeling....disappointed" Tiny moans spill from my lips as he heads up the stairs causing me to bounce on his shoulder. "Why disappointed?" His hand wandering up and down the back of my thigh. "Because it's not real" Gasping as he slides me down onto the bed. "I love.....him..." Whispering off as I instantly drift off to sleep when my head hits the soft plushie pillow.