Chapter 6 - Wonderless
We pulled into the parking lot behind the pub. The pub is located down town, on the beach. All of use started to unload the heavy equipment off the truck.
A guy with dirty blonde hair came out of the pub’s back door, holding a clip board. I couldn’t help but to notice that he looks like any typical guy down at the beach. He is wearing a tank-top, swim shorts with a Hawaiian design and not to mention some worn out sandals. The stranger flashed us a smile. "Awesome! You guys are here!"
"Oh and just bring your stuff through this door and the stage is up a head. My name is Jeremy by the way. There are already people asking for you guys." Jeremy smiled.
"Sweet," Mike said while he picked up one of the amps.
We all grabbed the equipment. We managed to find our way inside, the poor lighting made it difficult to walk through without banging up all the gear. The back stage area was tiny, with a leather coach to the side then the back part of the stage was literally up a head with 3 steps of stairs that help you get on the stage.
We walked upon the stage and set everything down. Standing on the stage, the first thing I noticed were the group of kids around my age standing there waiting. My eyes flicker up to the bar on the left full of strangers sitting there. All of them were enjoying their drinks and having small conversations. Tables were placed in the back of the pub, which made a lot of sense. It wouldn’t make sense if someone were to put tables in a pit where people would be standing. To the right of the bar, there were large windows that looked straight out to the ocean. There’s a porch right out front, with small little tables for the option of outside dinning.
"You can go sit in the back while we set up." Tony smiled at me. I nodded my head and returned the smile, walking off the stage and into the back of the pub.
I recall seeing this man when I was walking into the pub. He was now smoking a cigar with a lady on the leather couch.
“Come sit over here.” The stranger grinned at me with such a disturbing smile. The creepy smirk sent shivers down my spine, making me feel off edge. His black hair was slick back and he had a goatee. He could pass the age of being in his forties and he looks Cuban, which wasn’t such a huge shocker living down in California. Although the lady who was sitting next to him, or should I say basically hovering over him was in her early twenties at the least. She has the short platinum blonde hair and the blood red lipstick.
I quickly shook my head and wondered off. Sooner or later, I found a cozy corridor. It was filled with broken chairs and loose screws along with many other miscellaneous items. I leaned against the wall, sliding down on the dirty carpet. Sighing, I pulled out my phone.
"Iris." I heard a faint whisper.
I looked up from my phone and looked around, but no one was there. Returning to my phone, I went back to the game I was playing.
"Iris."
There it was again.
But no one was there, no one in sight.
I start to panic and closed my eyes.
"Iris! You're worthless!"
"Iris, seriously?"
Putting my hands over my ears, I started to shake my head rapidly.
"Stop!" I screamed out.
"You're so pathetic!"
I started to yank on my hair, pulling and tugging on it. It’s a habit I’ve grown to come while I was having a panic attack. My heart rate was rising and I started to hyperventilate. Sweat started to race down my head as my grip grew tighter on the strands of my hair. I couldn’t bare myself of thinking of all the terrible moments that happened to me.
You're so pathetic Iris!" I heard my mother yelled. I shivered to the thought of what she might do to me. She came storming into the living room. "Guess where your father went?" She asked.
I kept quiet because I knew the answer. I just sat there on the couch like a helpless child. She stomped her feet over to where I was sitting and smacked my face. I gasped as tears flowed down my face. I held my hand to my face where it stings the most.
"I want you out of my face!" She spat. I quickly got up, but I guess I wasn't fast enough since she yanked my hair and started to drag me upstairs. She opened one of the empty rooms and threw me in there like a rag dog and closed the door shut. I crawled to the corner and grip my legs up to my chin and rocked myself to sleep.
I started to sob from the horrific scene that played in my head like a broken vinyl. I felt like I should run. I wanted to run away from all this pain and torture that was keeping my hostile in my own brain. I glanced around in the corridor filled with useless items. Almost like me. Something caught my eye though. There was the female in a ripped dress that I noticed from the other morning.
Freaking out once again, I quickly moved myself up off the floor and ran my way out of the narrow place. I managed to make my way to the backstage without the strange man making more strange comments. I came to a halt when I noticed that the back stage was filled with an ample amount of people. The smoke didn’t help either, everyone here seems to have their own poison, but everyone just picked the same old cigarettes
I attempt to make my way to the back door, but the crowd was holding me back. As I struggled to escape, every now and then some person would grab my arm and ask if I wanted some beer or a cigarette myself.
The sweat was coming back to me and my hands start to shake promptly and then it was a domino effect. My legs felt like they are turning into jelly. I look around frantically and to my left, I burst out the back door.
Right as I stepped outside, I heard chanting.
"Pierce the Veil! Pierce the Veil! Pierce the Veil!"Indicating the boys was on stage. It was all too loud. I could hear pounding on the drum, which I assumed to be was Mike starting the song.
When my eyes landed on the one thing I wanted, I couldn’t be any more elated to see Vic’s truck, and then even more when I saw his red hoodie lying on the floor of it once I got in.
After I regain confidence and cooled down from the panic attack, I got out of the truck and made my way to the front of the building. It was already dark out, and only the street lights were lighting my way.
There were a few people walking around on the sidewalks considering the beach was only two yards away. I opened up the doors to the pub and walked in.
My jaw dropped when I saw how many teenagers there was, there had to be forty kids. More than the last time I was out on the stage helping out.
Wiggling my way through the sweaty crowd, I finally made my way to the front of the stage. The boys were dripping in sweat as they played there instruments with deep passion.
I softly smiled at the song that they were playing. I remembered when Vic played it for me a long time ago. He was so proud of how the song came together.
"I don't care if your beautiful lips
Exist out there 'cause I'm wonderless
Why the best can't make it in Hollywood
No more
And I can't wait just to see you again
And your two faces are locked on mine
Had the worst time chasing the thought away
No hope
My mistakes I've made won't leave me alone
Oh no" Vic sung into the mic.
This was one of their slower songs. I'm sure the crowd wasn't like how it is now when they were playing their other songs.
The song rapped up and the set was finished.
"Thank you so much for coming out! We're Pierce the Veil! And I hope you had a fun time! Night!" Vic yelled into the mic.
The guys waved and slowly made their way off the stage. I was surprised when I saw the clock on the wall that read 12am. I didn't realize it was that late.
I made my way to the back stage with my eyes being tired and yawns constantly trembling out of my lips.
"Hey Iris! I was looking for you." Vic greeted me with a hug.
"You guys did really well." I said, despite only getting to see them play for one song.
“Thanks,” He cheekily smiled
Suddenly, he bit his lip, and the whole atmosphere shifted. "Do you uh, want to go to the cliff tonight?"
"Or I should say Wonderland. I have something to tell you." He smiled with more confidence.
"Sure, sounds lovely." I said.
"Okay, let me just get the equipment loaded into Tony's car and we are set to go." He grinned, and then walked away towards Mike and Jaime.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
By the time the boys packed up, it started to down pour.
"Ready to go?" Vic asked before he put the keys in the ignition.
"Yeah," I hesitated. I was thinking about what happen when I was sitting down in the small corridor, and how I saw the strange ghost. Why am I seeing things like this? Cause you're psycho. Let's just all agree that you are, Iris. You're a crazy lunatic.
"No, I am not!' I blurted out. I quickly put my hand over my mouth and shook my head back and forth with tears brimming my eyes. I saw Vic's expression, and it was not pleasant. His eyebrows furrowed and his lips pouted.
"Iris? Darling, are you okay?" He frowned.
Heavily sighing, I stared out the window to restrain myself from looking at him. I didn't know how to answer him.
"I don't know, Vic. I don't know." Tears were filling my eyes. I didn't like who I was, and how I was imagining things, or maybe I wasn't? I looked down at my nails and started to pick at them. Vic moved one of his arms on my knee and gave me a gently squeeze with his hand.
"We're going to talk about this, Darling." He said. I liked how Vic genuinely cared about my well-being. Although I was scared to what he was going to say if I told him what had happen earlier. Would he find me a freak and leave me? What if he thinks I'm pathetic? He won't Iris, remember he's your best friend.
We pulled into the cliff, and parked the truck. The rain finally stops but a few sprinkles here and there and a couple of lightning bolts in the distance.
Vic moved over in his seat and slide next to me, wrapping his arm over my shoulder. I laid my head down on his arm and looked out to the dark horizon, which every so minute was lit by a bolt of lightning. I appreciated how Vic was holding me in every way possible. It was comforting and friendly - Warm and inviting.
I liked how we were still friends and yet did this. I don't think I could ever see myself dating Vic anyway, besides I'm sure Vic has a girl on his mind that's way lovelier and better than me.
"Iris?" He softly whispered. I looked up and stared into Vic who was doing the same, as if he saw right through me. Our faces were just inches away. I could feel his breathing trembling down my face when I closed my eyes.
Finally, I decided it was time to tell.
"When I went back stage," I started.
Vic was slowly moving his hand up and down my back, trying to ease the hesitation of trying to explain what happened.
"I was in a small corridor sitting down, and all of a sudden," I stopped there, trying to get the confidence to tell.
"Go on," Vic mumbled.
"I heard my name being called, but no one was there," I knitted my eyebrows. "Then the voice started to call me awful names, and I know it's wasn't the voice inside my head," I shook my head. "or maybe it was. Anyway, and then I saw the same ghost I saw that one night, when you stayed at my house. And the one I drew on the piece of paper before you picked me up to go to Tony's bond fire."
Flash back~
"Wow, that's really good." . I jumped from the sudden voice. I turned around and notice it was Vic.
"Oh, hey ,Vic." I said, putting my hand over my heart which was beating a mile a minute.
"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you." He said. I must have not heard him coming into the house since I was in listening to my music. Vic keeled down next to me and grabbed the paper I was drawing.
Wow, this is amazing." Vic said in awe.
"Thanks" I blushed.
"Why did you draw it? I mean what made you draw it?" he asked. "I'm not quite sure. I just drew it randomly." I said. "Looks like a girl who's a ghost to me." Vic smiled. I grabbed the paper and sat it down on the desk and stood up.
"Let's not be late." I said.
"Iris, maybe you should," Vic paused.
"I should what?" I glared.
"I hate to be the one to say it," Vic hesitated. "Go to a therapist? I know how you are with them but..." He trailed off.
I was a little bit mad at what he suggested. That's all he could say? After many years of much advice but this one time he could only come up with this? It reminded me of all the times I've been in a psych ward, the terrible nights I've spent in the ward and hospital itself. Never do I ever want to go back. Even though I know if I ever relapsed again that I'd be right back in there again.
"Just think about it. Okay, darling?" Vic said. I started to tear up to the thought of losing my mind. I just wanted to be normal. A sob came out of my mouth as I snuggled my head into Vic's chest and started to cry my eyes out, wrapping my arms around his waist.
"I-I c-can't" I cried onto his jacket. He laid his chin on my head and caringly rubbed circles on my back. "I don't k-know Vic,"
"Darling you'll be okay." Vic said whole-heartedly. I removed my head from him and looked into his eyes, his sweet caramel brown eyes.
"Do you mean that?" I asked.
"I promise."
After a few minutes passed by of nothing but pure silence, I remembered something. "Vic?" I asked.
"Yeah?"
"What were you going to tell me?" I asked.
"Oh, about that, I forgot." He shrugged.
"Oh, alright,”
___________
A.N!
What do you think Vic was going to tell Iris? Hmmmm...
Please vote and comment!
I wasn't even going to update tonight! But I did anyways! Sorry for it being short and any errors.
I've been busy with school and stuff.
Wonderless by Pierce the Veil on the side!
-Kc Nov.20.2013