Sleeping, With Saints And Apparations

(A couple days later)
3:04 a.m
“DJ turn it up, it’s about damn time tolive it up.”

The breeze flowed into the car, setting of an eerie positive vibe. The perfect mood to sing along to Ke$ha. It’s about three in the morning in Cali. I’m currently finishing the long drive to San Diego, because I can. Justin, the guy from Greensboro, keeps calling me and it hurts to even think that he misses me. Me. The girl who drove her family away.
Isn’t that cliché enough.

I was serious when I said I like the night better, which is why when the sun peaks up; I stop for a rest break. I’ve stopped and slept in motels in the other states, the cheapest motel I could by and sometimes, those motels are cheap and disgusting. But driving at night gives me more millage and I can speed. I’m about fifteen hours six hours away from Levi’s place and then I have to rest because tomorrow is the tour.

The night smells of mist and cow ass.

It used to smell like this at home all the time, mainly because my family loved to farm. My mum kept one of the cows as a pet. She ironically named it Betty. Betty, in the end, made some pretty good steaks.

I laughed at the thought, but slumped further in the seat at the thought of my mum. I miss her so much and it hurts to know she wants nothing to do with me.

I sigh and grip my hands tighter on the steering wheel. I wonder how they are and if they even miss me.

Of course not, they left you.

The hard, yet subtle truth. But yet, I can still see my family as clear as day in my mind;

“Mum! Look, look, we caught a big one!” I exclaimed holding a big bass fish my dad caught. It was really heavy, but I didn’t want to drop it.

“That’s wonderful dear.” She exclaimed as she wiped her hands on the apron and bent down to my height. “Now, where’s your sister and father?” she quickly tied back her brown hair.

“Over here!” My dad walked in with a hat covering his blonde (Grey haired) hair and Luce tailing behind him. Luce is my older sister. She’s three years older than me, making her 14.

“Jeff, what are we supposed to do with that huge a-”

“Barb dear,” My dad raised an eyebrow at her, while Luce snickered. “We can grill it and invite the Stanley’s over.” Luce’s face flushed a deep red.

“Oooo! Luce has a boyfriend, Luce has a boyfriend!” I taunt.

“I don’t! Now shut up you little bimbo!” Although it sounded mean, I knew she didn’t mean it. I have a strong bond with my sister and we get along just fine.

“So, Lukas Stanley isn’t your boyfriend?” I raised my eyebrows at her as my parents engaged in their own conversation.

“You little twerp.” She whispered. “I wouldn’t call him my boyfriend, now shush! I tell you more about it later I promise.” She bent down and squatted to my level, her blonde hair swinging as she held her pinkie out for me. I stared into her grey eyes as she did my green ones.

“Promise?”

“Promise” I hooked my pinkie with hers. “Love ya Ame’s.”

“Ew!” I exclaimed as she planted a wet kiss to my cheek. “You’re gross! Now I got Stanley cooties on me!”

I wipe my tears with the sleeve of my crewneck and step on the gas a little harder. I would give up this band, the fans, the fame, I would give it all up if it meant I could have my family back.

Even the cootie filled Lukas Stanley.

-Tony Point of View-
2:48 p.m
“Hey, this is my shit!” Jaime yells as we walk in Vic’s house.

“It’s the band we’re supporting, Hands Like Hearts. I’m listening to their recent album.” He said as he picked up the vinyl case. “It’s called Don't Look Now, I'm Being Followed. Act Normal; and it’s pretty good. Their singer has a strong voice.” I quietly walked into Vic's kitchen and pulled a Monster drink out of the fridge and took a seat on the counter.

“Tony, I’m sorry. I just can’t do this.”She exclaimed while walking towards her car.

“What? Come on tour with me? It’s okay, I mean you don’t have-” she laughed a little before turning to me.

“God, I thought you would’ve got it. This is harder than I thought.”

“What’s hard?” I questioned, taking a step forward for every inch she backed up.

“Tone, I’m, I-I, oh god,” she put her hands on top of her head. “Tony, I’m trying to break up with you.” Erin said. As soon as the words left her mouth, my walls came crashing down.

“Erin, you can’t! we’ve been together for a year! You just can’t-you-you just can’t do this.” My voice cracked at the end as I reached out for her. Just to feel her embrace, to hold her one more time. She measly backed up and shook her head. “They all saw us together, forever basically. Mike saw us getting married, Erin, please, just,”

“Tony, I know. And I’m sorry. But, you’re holding me back from doing things I want.” She said.

“I have? Have you-have you been cheating?” I asked, more tears welting my eyes.

“No Tony.” I sighed with relief. “But it doesn’t mean I haven’t been talking to guys.” She sighed.

“Tony, don’t cry.” She put a hand on my shoulder and I roughly shoved it away.

“You’re not going through heart-break. You’re the one breaking up with me.” I whined.

“Well what am I supposed to do?! You’re gone eight months of the year Tony.” She sighed. “I know you will meet someone who is just like you Tony Perry.” She pulled me in for a hug, but I didn’t hug back. I just froze under her touch. “Goodbye Tony.” She got in her car and left. With me standing on the curb, in front of my apartment, frozen and heartbroken.

“Okay, so, I think you and Erin, Lisa and I should double date-whoa, Tone, what’s wrong?”

“Erin broke up with me.” I whispered, lightly shaking.

“Tony, man, I’m sorry.” Jaime put an arm around my shoulder.

“Tony man, are you okay?” I looked up from the purple liquid of the Monster into Vic’s worried eyes. I looked back down into the drink and back at Vic.

“Yeah, I think I’m okay.” I mumble while taking a sip of the energy drink. But I’m not okay. Not at all. How can you be okay when the love of your life just dumps you? I don’t get how Vic can stay so strong.

“Oh, well, you wanna come listen to the record with us?”By now, the rest of the band had walk into the kitchen behind him. I took another sip and nodded.

Mike studied me with those devious eyes and squinted them. “Are you sure you’re okay? He asked. Jaime looked like he wanted to say something, but I shot him a pleading look not to. I didn’t want anyone to know about the break up, otherwise they would hate Erin. And she doesn’t deserves to be hated, because it’s my fault we broke up, not hers.

So I nodded and jumped off the counter and took a seat in the living room, sitting on the arm rest.

“It’s track eight.” Vic informed me as the song began playing. I pick up the vinyl case and went to number eight: Lion Skin (Feat. Tyler Carter and Jonny Craig)

“It’s been a while since we’ve seen Jonny.” Mike said.

“Weren’t you guys in that surplus band with them, started with an I,” Jaime said.

“Isles & Glaciers.” Vic and Mike said at the same time. I wasn’t listening to their conversation, but more of the track. The lyrics are powerful and if this is the band we’re supporting, I’m kinda glad.

I promised not to wake you, so I'll walk light, just so you can hear,

“Have any of you met the band?” Jaime asked.

“Uh, I’ve met the guitarist when we signed the paper for the tour. I think her name is Jillian. That’s what her producer called her. But that’s the only member I met.” Vic grabbed a beer from the table.

“Is she hot?”

“Mike, she looked 19 when I met her.”

“But I’m not thirty.” He said with a smirk, that lustful stare in his eyes.

“Yeah, but you are twenty-nine.” Vic laughed.

“So?! That’s only eight years!” I chuckled at Mike’s desperateness. “So, you’re saying she is hot?” mike raised his eyebrows.

“Yes she’s hot, but also young!”

“Age is just a number!”

“Age is just a ticket to prison!” Mike scowled at Vic.

“You just never want me to have the hot chicks!”

“I let you keep Frenchi!” Mike gasped.

“But you took Welly!”

“You can have Welly!” I groaned and leaned my head back some. Of course today would be the day they actually fight over women. I pulled out my phone and went to Google, looking up Hands Like Hearts.

It wouldn’t load the page, which is weird considering I can look up any band on my phone and not have a problem. I retyped the band’s name again. Then I typed in Amethyst Hands Like Hearts. A search came up. I went to Images, but my phone turned off.

I furrowed my eyebrows together and turned my phone back up. The Google page was deleted.

I rolled my eyes and turned my phone off.

“Hey guys, my phone is dead. I’m gonna head home.” They all nod and I take off, walking towards my apartment.

I just can’t believe Erin would do this. Why would she just do this to me out of the blue? How was I holding her back? I spent all my time I could with her. I loved her, she was the only girl who saw the real Tony and not quiet Tony.

Without Erin, nothing really makes sense.

Notes