It invaded my dreams and brought me crashing back to reality. The pain in my head washed a white, hot glaze over my vision. My head felt like it had been cracked open from the inside. I tried blinking but that only made my vision unclear. With all the experience I have, when it comes down to hangovers I'm the expert. We all make mistakes with a hangover but I know exactly what to do.
Realisation swept over me, almost knocking the breath out of me. He has a girlfriend and I've been sleeping in their house. On the bedside table a glass of water with two Aspirins sat waiting for me. Aspirins never work, they don't give me that high I crave unless I take at least ten.
Tossing the thoughts to the back of my head, I swallowed the pills without the need of water. I threw the claret coloured sheets off my body, still dressed in the clothes that I arrived at Johnny's Bar in. The white walls of the bedroom were streaked with light flooding in from the open window that showed a beautiful view of an impressive flower garden.
I dropped my card next to the full glass of water; it had my name, number and address written on a picture of my candy apple red, Signature 1988 Fender Stratocaster.
My destroyed, black, Converse high tops lay waiting for me at the door. Sliding them on, leaving my shoelaces untied, I sat down on the wooden floor. My ear was plastered to the door listening for movement.
Nothing. I'm going to have to run for it.
When did I wake up? What time was it?
Crap! I have to be at the studio. I shot up and the door swung open, knocking me to the ground where I was sitting moments before.
"Wow! I'm so sorry. I just came to check on you, you know, make sure you haven't died of a hangover. Do you need anything like a bucket? I mean the last time Lisa had a hangover she didn't come out of her room for three days, um, yeah," Jack rambled as he extended his hand and I gladly took it. He gently pulled me up and I dusted off my black skinny jeans.
"I'm fine. The hangovers get easier. After about the fourth time you know what to expect," I looked passed Jack to see a short girl scowling at us. She must be the girlfriend, Lisa. Well, she seems pleasant. Lisa kept on staring daggers at me until Jack turned his head. Luckily something caught her attention down the hallway and she stalked after it.
"So do you want lunch 'cause it's one o'clock?" Jack questioned as he lead me out of the room I had slept in and down the white walls of the hallway until we reached the last door at the end. All I can say is that white walls are not very practical. If I lived here and these walls saw as many parties as I held then there would be beer dripping down the walls, leaving yellow stains and puke specks running along the skirting boards. That's what maids are for I guess but I lost the last one, Maria because apparently I have attitude. It's my job to have character and you can't be a rock star without ego.
Jack's hand waved in front of my face, inches from slapping me. I flinched away from his warm hand.
"Hey, you spaced out for a bit there," Jack laughed briefly and carried on. "So do you want lunch or a ride anywhere?"
He was being sweet but so many people know never to be nice to me because I'll just ruin their life without even realising it.
You know when your mom says, 'it takes one minute to take drugs and a whole life time to kick the habit.' Well it's true and it's going to take me a hell of a long time to kick this addiction. Then I have to pick up the pieces of my shattered life and try and put them back together like a puzzle but everyone knows that when you put a puzzle together there's always a piece missing.
"Damn!" I cursed my memory as I sprinted for the door. I could hear Jack panting lightly as he followed behind me. I didn't stop or look at Jack.
"Where is your God damn front door?" I yelled over my shoulder. Turning the corner I slammed into a hard chest and fell backwards only to be caught by two waiting arms. Jack's warm hands clasped mine and pulled me away from the ground that I was painfully going to fall onto, again.
"Jeez, what are you, a brick wall?" I laughed at the guy as Lisa crept up behind him and jumped on his back.
"Wow, hey there kitten. Where have you been?" The guy asked while his eyes locked on Lisa's, gazing dreamily at her and getting lost in deep thoughts. You got to hand it to the kid; he knew how to show his love for Lisa.
"Hi, I'm Lisa. Sorry about the mean look I gave you this morning, I was stressed beyond belief," she didn't waste any time in wrapping her arms around me and enveloping me in a hug that suffocated me. I'm not the hugging type, no one other than my band really hugs me but that's always man hugs, short and brief. Slowly wrapping my arms around Lisa and attempting a smile at her, she finally let go of me.
"Um, thanks," I stared at her blankly. That wasn't to be expected, not from Lisa. The sound of bells chiming rang through the air and down the hallway to us signally that it was 2pm and about time I left.
"Crap! Jack do you have a car? Stupid question. Can you drive me to Hopeless Recording Studio? Please," Jack stared at his car for what felt like ages.
"Fine," I got down on my knees and clasped my hands together. "Please Jack Barakat will you drive me, your best friend, to the recording studio," I begged.
He looked into my eyes. I gave him my best puppy dog eyes in return. Come on Jack.
"Only if you let me watch you and your band record in the studio," Jack finally answered.
"Oh, can we come please?" the Lisa asked hanging off the mystery guy with the brown eyes that shone intensively in the sunlight flooding through the open, hallway window.
"Course you can," Jack answered between her squealing. "Do you want to come Alex?"
Alex. It's a nice name, I didn't think he would be an Alex but it stuck. He nodded and took Lisa's hand. They walked in front of Jack and I until I walked into another wall.
"Jeez! What the hell?!" Alex and I said at the same time. I held the top of my head and he rubbed the back of his neck. Alex blushed as Jack and Lisa erupted into fits of laughter. A laugh slipped from my throat, followed by my lame disguise, coughing. What are these people doing to me? I never laughed with anyone other than the four guys in my band.
"Um, guys, I kind of need to get to the studio before my manager kills me for being four and a half hours late. I don't think he's going to be impressed," I walked to the door and ushered out Jack and Lisa, who were still giggling, and Alex who's cheeks were, like before a soft red.
He watched me as I opened the door and let him out. Closing the door behind me, I looked up to see Alex's face inches from mine and his hazel eyes starred profoundly into my light emerald eyes. I could feel the warmth radiating from his warm body and his breath smelt like peppermint. How is that possible? My breath never smelt this good ten minutes after I brushed my teeth let alone four bloody hours later. Man, this guy is like a freaking god!
I took a tentative step back; I could feel my back being pressed up against the now locked front door. The cold wood cooled my sweating hands and my eyes wouldn't move from his. Damn they are a nice shade of brown. I got lost in his amazing bistre-brown eyes while his breath-taking smile brightening his features.
The sunlight shone behind him, illuminating the beautiful shades of brown in his eyes. Alex took a step back and waved his hand at the car. The red lights flashed on the car and everyone walked to Jack's black Chrysler.
Alex and Jack's eyes locked, they stopped still and stared daggers at each other. The tension was thick and awkward. Lisa was leaning over the front seats and fiddling with the radio station. Jack and Alex were getting closer together with only a couple of meters between them. Neither of them would say anything but it was like they both knew what was wrong, except me.
"Guys! Come on, I don't know what's happening but I really need to get to the studio before my manager tracks us down and kills us all," I waved my hands in their faces but neither of them moved or even flinched.
Lisa must have found her favourite station because the sound of JLS filled the front garden and spilling into the neighbour's peaceful front lawns.
"Get that crap off of my car radio!" Jack screamed at Lisa who just sat back and waited for Jack to start the car. "No! I'm changing the station."
"What! No, please Jack. Let them play, please." Lisa grabbed Jacks arm and whined in his ear.
"Not happening. I'm changing to Rock FM whether you like it or not." Jack played with the station dial while I took my seat in the front passenger seat next to Jack.
"Hold up. Isn't that...?" Alex prodded his finger at the radio. "That's...us."
The sound of The Next Best Thing rang from Jacks car.
"Jack, please start the car and drive to the studio unless you want to be killed by my manager. It's your choice," I stared deeply into Jacks eyes. The car lurched to life and sped down the driveway in a mad speeding frenzy.
"So, didn't I see you at the CD store?" Alex asked from behind my seat. This is going to be a long story.
"Well, yeah. I have a little sister that listens to your music. She wanted me to get her CD signed because I could get into the line before everyone else," I explained.
"So you work at the CD store, record music, go on tour and do all the interviews?" Lisa interrogated me next.
"Yeah. I get summer and any tour dates off; my manager negotiates everything with Matt's Music owner. It's a lame job but I get paid enough for working only three hours a day."
"Aren't you meant to be at school? I mean you're 16," it was Jack's turn to ask the questions.
"I bunk a lot of the time. I don't need school," I replied honestly, murmuring the last part. "Not the way I'm going to need much of an education with the way I'm going."
"What was that?" Jeez, Lisa has good hearing. Jack didn't even hear me saying anything and he was sitting next to me.
Jack was still speeding down the Baltimore roads. A traffic light was looming just in view, it flashed a dull amber.
"Jack, we aren't going to make it. Jack! Jack!" I screamed in his ear.
"Jack stop the damn car, right now," Alex shouted, leaning in between the two front seats and holding the top of Jack's shoulder.
"Jack. Stop the car! Jack please just stop the bloody car. I want to see tomorrow so hit the breaks now," I joined Alex in screaming at Jack.
The next minute passed so slowly. We were ready for the worst and then the worst came.