Dearest Dad, from this point until the chapter "Nobody's Fault But Mine", read at your own risk!
Jimmy grabbed two guitars and left. Vicky didn't knew what to do, so she watched Robert get up and check himself out in the mirror. Vicky stood up and stretched. John Paul and John left, leaving just Vicky and Robert. She knew that she wanted to ask him questions about Led Zeppelin, but she didn't want to seem like the obsessed fan.
"You probably want to know everything about Led Zeppelin, don't you?" Robert asked as she stood next to him in the mirror. Damn, are they all mind readers? she thought. She stuck her tongue out and screwed up her face, making him laugh.
"It would be rude to ask," she spoke simply, sitting back down. "But it is normally the first thing on one's mind when they meet their favorite band, huh?"
"Well, ask and I'll answer," Robert told the mirror. "Depending on the question of course."
Vicky turned to face him. "Why are all your songs so long?"
"Oh," he chuckled, "well, you see, we had a fight with the record company and--"
"Are you flirting with my bird?" Jimmy interrupted as he walked in. He lent down a hand for Vicky to take. She took it and he pulled her up, then spun her as if they were dancing. She fell into him and instantly pushed away. But it was so wonderful, being right next to her idol and all. Vicky couldn't get the sting off her chest from where it had touched Jimmy. She was shaking even more.
"She was coming on to me, Jim-Jam, I swear," Robert laughed and walked away, holding his hands up in surrendering. Vicky looked around Jimmy to try and tell Robert that she wasn't, not catching on to his sarcasm, but he had left. She looked up at Jimmy and smiled. He was amazing.
"Come on, love, to my hotel room," he told her, putting his arm around her neck. She grinned and smiled at him. This is great, Vicky thought. Together they walked out of the room and down the hall.
She had completely forgotten that she was still in the Civic Center, but there they stood, at the top of the stairs looking down at a half-demolished stage. Janitors were cleaning in between seats and the whole basketball court, carrying bags behind them.
Jimmy took his arm off Vicky and trotted down the stairs, his hair bouncing wildly. Vicky followed a bit slower. When she had made it two steps down, Jimmy had already ran down all the steps. He power-walked toward a man in a business suit holding a rolled up piece of paper making directions and started a quick conversation.
Vicky, after she had walked down the stairs, went to join them. She stood a bit away so that they didn't feel uncomfortable and put her hands in her back pockets.
When Jimmy and the man cut their conversation, Jimmy walked over to Vicky and took her by the waist, leading her away and giving one last glance at the man. When Jimmy was sure the man wasn't looking, he returned his full attention to Vicky.
All of the instruments had been taken to the tour bus, but the boys were to be riding in a limo. John Paul, Bonzo, and Robert were all in the back with girls on their laps. Some one had broken out a bottle of Champagne. I sat next to Jimmy on the farthest wall of the carpeted limo, smiling like an idiot because I had never ridden in one before.
"Do you guys always ride in limos?" Vicky asked. "I would have figured you road in tour buses."
"No, we ride on elephants," Robert snapped, his face serious but the humor in his eyes betraying him. Vicky sunk into the couch she was on and Robert grinned. "Only joking, sweetheart. We ride in submarines, preferably yellow."
"Knock it off," Jimmy spat. Even he couldn't hold back his laughter when he stared at Robert's straight face. He looked at me sweetly. "Robert's an aggro sometimes. Don't mind him, he won't bite."
Robert made a biting motion with his teeth and Vicky laughed, then rested her head on Jimmy's shoulder, not wanting contact with anyone else, should they have a faster wit or retort than her.
Jimmy looked down at her and chuckled. "Don't be shy, love. I rather think you're quite enjoyable." Vicky smiled but didn't look at him. Honestly, are my feelings really that readable? Poker face, Vicky, breathe...
"Why me?" she asked.
"What?" Jimmy spoke curiously, looking back and forth between her and the boys.
"Why did you call me backstage out of thousands of fans?" she rephrased, curious. She really wanted to know. Why had he picked Vicky put of them all?
He rested his head on the window, closing his eyes as if he were trying to sleep. His arms were comfortably placed next to each other on his inner thighs and he looked like a real human being for a change. "Well, for one, you're beautiful." He looked over at Vicky who was blushing, and when she didn't say anything, he continued. "And I've seen a lot of groupies, and none of them are as polite as you. Even in the crowd, you were a real lady. I like that."
Jimmy knew that this was true, but he knew also that this was all aimed towards his ulterior motive.
♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪
The limo pulled into the hotel parking lot and the other boys and groupies surged out, not saying where they were going. Jimmy took my hand and we left the limo and made our way inside.
She looked over at Jimmy, who had made his way to the sidewalk, and joined him, holding one of the guitars around the neck. It was heavier than she had expected. While walking in, Vicky looked over and up at Jimmy, prepared to ask him the question that had burning her mind since she got into the car. "So what are we going to do?"
Jimmy looked down at her casually. "Have a glass or two of some wine. If you need a ride home, Robert would be more than happy to drive you where ever-- I can't drive. But you can stay over if you want. I have a guest bedroom."
"I......" Vicky began. She didn't know where she was going with her thought, so she dropped in and walked into the building before Jimmy. Jimmy motioned for her to take the elevator and she waited near the two silver doors. A light over top the door flicked on, indicating that the elevator was coming down.
The two doors opened and Jimmy hid his face. A couple walked out, conversing, and left without noticing Jimmy. Together he and Vicky boarded the elevator and waited for the doors to close.
A lady talking to a manager at the lobby desk glanced at Jimmy and looked back. Then she realized who she had just seen. She turned tail and ran toward the elevator. Jimmy pressed the "CLOSE DOOR" button five times quickly and the doors closed before the lady even had a chance of getting in.
Elevator music began. Vicky smiled up at Jimmy, who grinned back. She still couldn't believe how lucky she was to be with him.
The elevator dinged every time they passed a floor until it got to the sixth one. On that one, it opened and Jimmy walked out, looking back for Vicky. She followed and together they walked down the hall until they got to the very last room on the floor next to an artfully crafted mirror.
Jimmy took some keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door, putting his Les Paul against the wall. Then he pushed the door open and allowed Vicky in first. Inside was like an every day rich hotel room (not that it was something Vicky saw every day), crowded with all sorts of guitars that littered chairs and couch. Paper music was all over. Jimmy set down his guitar in a chair and collected a handful of the papers.
"Sorry about the mess..." he mumbled as he cleaned. "I've only been here two days and it's already a pig's stye." Vicky assured him that it was okay and bent down and helped pick up paper, pulling a strand of hair behind her ear.
"It's amazing, actually," Vicky whispered. Jimmy smiled at her and stood, a handful of paper gripped tightly in his left hand. Vicky stood, too, and handed him the papers she had collected. Then she looked around, oo-ing and ah-ing.
Jimmy walked past her and into the kitchen. He walked around a bit, but finally came out holding two stemmed glasses and a bottle of red wine. He smiled at her and sat on the cream couch, moving his Two-neck to the ground. He patted the space next to him.
Vicky sat, somewhat uncomfortable with the whole thing. He poured two glasses of wine and handed her one, not taking his eyes off the dark liquid.
They toasted and took a swig. Jimmy set the wine glass down and eyed Vicky. She smiled and looked away, taking another drink. Eventually, under the gaze of Jimmy, she had finished the whole thing. By this time she had begun to feel a bit dizzy. Jimmy was still watching her. She set the glass down and put her hands in her lap.
Then something happened. Jimmy's body lunged forward and his hands were on her face, their lips locked. Vicky didn't know what had just happened, but didn't pull back until her conscious returned. She pushed him off.
"What are you doing?" she hissed. Jimmy looked horrified at her attitude change.
"I thought you felt the same way... I... I like you.... A lot...." he stuttered. "I'm sorry."
"I think I should leave..." Vicky responded, standing. Jimmy grabbed her hand and pulled her down.
"Please don't. Look.... Vicky.... I've met no other girl like you. You're more amazing than you give yourself credit for and you're absolutely beautiful. I suppose you feel differently, though."
"I......" she began to fell a stab of pity at his sincere face. "It's not like I've never fanti-- No....."
"Understood," Jimmy sighed. Then a mysterious look crossed his face for a second, then it was gone. He stood and picked up the wine bottle, then dropped it by accident, although it was only 2 inches off the table. It didn't shatter but fell and tipped over. All the wine poured out onto the white carpet.
"Oh...." Jimmy sighed suspiciously. Vicky didn't notice the mysterious nature of his new behavior. He turned to Vicky. "I have another bottle.... let me go get--" He walked to the kitchen quickly and returned with a differently shaped bottle full of a clear liquid, along with a handful consisting of a lime, knife, two shot glasses, and a salt shaker. He set them all down on the table and grinned expectantly at Vicky.
"Oh, I'm not doing that," she told him. "Too much for me to handle."
"Come along now, if I do it, you have to." Jimmy sliced up the lime into quarters.
"Then don't do it," Vicky compromised fiercely. She had done Tequila shots before, but they were too strong for her. She refused to do it.
"Come now, love," Jimmy persisted as he licked the back of his hand and coated it in a thin layer of salt. Vicky's eyes widened. She knew Jimmy was a party-man, but this was strange still.
Jimmy poured a shot for them both. He then proceeded to lick the salt patch, gulp the shot, and suck the juice out of the lime. A quick spasm shot through his body, then he shook his head, making his long hair whip every which way.
Vicky giggled a bit, but ignored him. She felt as if she were his mother, telling him not to do it. He looked at her and smirked. "You, now. I can help you. Lick your hand..." Vicky shook her red head.
"No, Jimmy..." she barely protested. He held her hand, making electricity shoot through her body, and put it up to her mouth gracefully. She sighed and licked it. Then he brought it down and put salt on it. He let her do the rest.
She eyed him nervously. She hadn't done this since last month, and she was a total wreck than, and would be now. She licked the salt, gulped the shot, and devoured the lime's pulp. A sharp spasm was sent through her body and she shivered. Jimmy reclined and clapped his hands together once, laughing.
"See!" he responded, leaning forward and looking into her eyes. "That wasn't bad, right?"
"No...."she sighed. Jimmy held up a finger and got up, walking over to the record player. He set the needle on the vinyl and the sound of The Rolling Stones filled the whole room. He danced back to the couch.
Vicky did two more Tequila shots while Jimmy drank straight from a bottle of rum. Eventually they were both buzzed to the point that The Rolling Stones began to sound good. Vicky laughed at that thought.
"Jimmy, you should really give me a ride home now," Vicky slurred as she stood and watched her idol ingest tons if rum in one sitting. He raised a finger for silence, although Vicky had said nothing.
"I can't..." he swooned. "I've rum too much drank..... you... I have a guest room... Or you could stay with me."
Vicky widened her eyes to wake herself a bit, then walked over to Jimmy and took the bottle of rum, then set it on the coffee table. Jimmy stood and walked towards her. She backed up until she was against one of the tan walls. Jimmy walked right up to her and pushed her into the wall even more.
Their lips met it and it was like Vicky's lips had received an electric shock. She breathed out, making it sound as if she had moaned. Jimmy intensified the kiss. Then Vicky pushed him back and looked into both his hazel eyes.
"Jimmy..?" she spoke.
"What?"
"Lock the door."