“Like what you see?” I asked back, staring him in the eyes.
“Yes, in fact, I like everything I see,” he replied.
He came to kiss me on the lips. “Now, get ready before I have to ravish you again.”
“I wouldn’t object,” I answered boldly.
He groaned and pulled my shirt down covering the top half of my body. “Later.”
The boys had already left by the time I finished getting ready, needing to get to The Note to set up. Alone in the quiet house, I allowed thoughts of Kill’s impending success bubble into my thoughts. It took me a couple times to crush the thoughts from my head. In a sour mood, I crunched on a handful of Tums as I drove to The Note.
The boys were at their usual table. Amy was perched on Jet’s lap, trying to clean out his ear with her tongue. Van wore a scowl on his face. The fact that Jessie was nowhere to be found made me assume she’d let the guilt over her past pull them apart again.
D was absent from the table, most likely, making sure everything was set up for the show. Kill’s eyes lit up when he saw me. I felt a giddy smile cross my face when I saw his response to me.
Kill didn’t grab me and kiss me as I thought he would. In fact, he seemed to be keeping his distance, refusing to touch me or make eye contact any longer than necessary.
“Hey, we're on in a couple of minutes. You want anything before we go up?” he asked, distracted.
I tried to push down my fear as it rose to the surface. “Yeah, can you get me an amaretto sour?” I asked, thinking I might need liquid courage to get me through the night.
“Yep, I'll be right back.” He kissed the top of my head before heading over to the bar.
I watched him retreat, confused by his behavior. “Hey, sis. How are you doing?” Van asked, hugging me tightly.
I melted into his body letting it envelop me in security. “I’m good,” I answered, trying to push away my negative thoughts.
“How are you doing?” I asked, studying his face.
He had dark circles under his eyes, and his whole demeanor seemed broken down. I hugged him again before letting him go. “I don’t know.”
Before he could tell me more, Kill had placed my drink in front of me and was pulling Jet free of Amy’s grasp.
“See you in a few, Slick,” Kill said, winking at me before disappearing at the back of the stage.
I stole one of Amy's licorice sticks and slipped it into my drink, using it as a straw. We watched the boys as we screamed and yelled along with everyone in the bar.
Kill belonged onstage. He knew how to work the crowd into a frenzy. Jet fed off his, while D and Van worked at keeping them both in line by starting song intros before they went off on a tangent. When they finished their set, and left the stage, they stopped and talked to all their fans, taking pictures and signing whatever was shoved in their faces along the way. The whole time, I couldn't help but think the worst, since Kill hadn't invited me onstage.
“Ready to get out of here?” Kill whispered in my ear.
I nodded exhausted from being stuck inside my own thoughts for so long.
“Let me help the guys load up, and I'll come back to get you.” He took off again. Helplessly, I watched as he made his way back to the stage.
Amy moved over next to me with a huge grin on her face. “So, how is it?”
“I have no idea what you're talking about,” I replied, my voice high with embarrassment.
“Yes, you do. You just used your squeaky voice. Come on; I want details,” she said, leaning closer to me. “Is it huge?”
“Amy, I'm not going there with you.”
“It’s that little, huh? That's disappointing.”
“He isn’t little,” I said, whipping my head around to stare at her.
“Ahh... Gotcha. Come on; spill it.”