Chapter 3

Monica pov

Waking up quite refreshed, I felt on the desk feeling for my phone. After grabbing and looking at my phone, I saw that I had three missed called from Janine and at least twenty texts from her. I wondered what could be so serious. She had seemed so thrilled about her date last night. Before I let myself think of the worst possible case, I'll just send her a text to let her know that I'm here.

Hey Jan, made it to Pittsburgh in one piece! We have 3 shows today. Hope your doing alright, love you :*

While waiting for her to text back I went to the bathroom with my toiletry bag to find out that everything I needed was already there. Geez it was going to take me a while to get used to all of this. I set my phone down on the counter of the sink and let it play music. Ashley was knocked on the door and I turned my music down.

"I'm heading downstairs for breakfast, if you need me just call my phone." She said.

"Okay! I'm about to hop in the shower. Would you mind getting me a few blueberry muffins?"

"Sure I'll be back in thirty minutes."

"Okay, thank you so much Ash!"

After hearing the door close shut I jumped in the shower. There were so many options for body wash. Cotton candy, cocoa butter, pomegranate blast, honey suckle, and many others. I decided to go with cocoa butter since it would compliment my cocoa butter lotion. When I got out the shower I straightened my hair, applied a little mascara and eye liner, and brushed my teeth. My phone then lit up with a text from Janine.

I'm so happy for you! I got some really bad news last night, could you please call me?

I wasted no time, I hurriedly called her as I made my way to the bed so I could sit down to prep myself for the bad news. To my surprise, Janine picked up on the first ring. Though the only thing I could hear was her sobbing through the phone.

"Jan what's wrong, your scaring me!" I said.

"B.. B.. Bryan has enlisted into the army and he's leaving tonight." She answered sounding shaken up.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry Janine, why didn't he let you know sooner?"

"He said he didn't want me to worry about him and that he was going to promise me that he'd make it back. He's going to the army you can't promise shit like that!"

I started to cry though trying to keep my composure for Janine. I didn't want her to know that it hurt me to hear her torn up like this. You could clearly hear the pain in her voice like she was on the verge of giving up.

"Was this planned? Why is he doing this all of a sudden?" I said frustrated, but not at Janine but at Bryan. He knew he was her ace and now he was leaving her to fend for herself.

"His job let him go and he was going to get evicted from his apartment soon, he said this was the only way. He had been struggling all this times to make ends meet and never let me in on this once. I could've helped him pay his bills even if he would've pleaded me not to. He only wanted us to go out last night so he could tell me this."

"I'm so so sorry. I'm at a total loss for words right now. I can only imagine what your going through, what your even thinking. If you need anything you let me know, alright?"

"Yeah, I have to go these bills aren't going to pay themselves." Though she said this jokingly the pain was still there.

"Bye Jan, have a good day and you better text me when you get home from work!"

Without a reply Janine hung up, making me feel alone. She was the one going through the hard time and yet I felt like I was the one who just took a blow to the face. It made me feel selfish to think like that but I couldn't control it.

I heard the door of my room swing open as Ash had presented four muffins on a plate.

"I believe someone asked for blueberry muffins!!" Ash said cheerfully.

I couldn't reply, my throat was sore from crying and the bitterness I felt in my chest swallowed me whole. She sat the muffins down on the desk near the TV and then ran over to me at the sight of my swollen eyes and tear stained cheeks.

"What's wrong sweetie?" She asked as she wrapped her arms around me and rocked me back in forth on the bed.

This is where I felt most comfortable, in the embrace of another person. A person who made me feel loved, someone who was there when I couldn't be there for myself.

"Bryan enlisted in the army and I can already tell Janine is going to result in her old ways." I answered half way through sobs.

I was so grateful for scientists or whomever made waterproof mascara or I'd really be a mess. Ashley got up and left the room for a couple of minutes. My magical world of feeling loved and appreciated disappeared and I was back in the hateful world known as reality. I stood there confused. Here someone was comforting me and then decided to randomly leave, that must've been how Janine felt when she heard the news from Bryan. To my surprise she came back with a box of tissues and assisted me in wiping my face. Was I dumb for feeling like she would ever leave me hurting by myself?

"We need to be downstairs in ten minutes. Take a few deep breaths, drink a cup of water and lets have ourselves a good day." She sounded so calm and in complete utter control of herself which was usually the total opposite of me.

I had to admit I could always depend on her to bring me back to a good place. Janine was my best friend and all but I mainly helped her through her issues and she was hardly ever there to listen to mine. As selfish as that sounded now at a time where she needed me the most it was true. High school tore us apart and I never felt like our friendship was a priority in her life anymore. After I finished a glass of water, Ash and I took the stairs to the lobby just in case if I wasn't fully calmed down yet.

As we opened the door revealing the lobby, I saw someone I hadn't seen in a long time.

"Hey ladies, y'all ready to make things happen?" Tezo asked in excitement.

I gave him a big hug, I hadn't seen him in months due the guys' crazy schedules and touring all the time.

"What's been up with you Tez?" Ash asked.

"Nothing much, its about time you decide to come on tour with us, Nini!" He said glaring at me.

"I had to finish my last two years of trade school, so now I'm actually able to do stuff like this."

"Well its glad to have you on board Nini."

The three of us walked to the bus as we were greeted by the rest of the gang including Kells. He had taken my seat on the couch but I didn't mind it. I sat in the seat next to him hoping that he wouldn't mind.

"The party has just arrived!" Tezo said holding a bottle of Bacardi.

The bus exploded with laughter.

"Man sit yo drunk ass down, we need to get going." Kells said.

Tezo sat down by me and we spent the entire bus ride catching up on each other's lives. He told me how one day on tour he decided to crowd surf and that it was the scariest moment of his life. I told him how terrible my experience was at trade school and how I should've dropped out and joined them. The bus came to a halt and I knew we had finally made it to the venue. My stomach started doing back flips. Maybe I was nervous about the show or just the fact that I'd be doing hair and makeup for new clients. We all got off the bus and the boys and Ash headed to their dressing rooms. I was a little confused on where to go, including that this was my first time in a touring environment.

"So.. I heard your the lucky girl that is helping with my Mohawk." Kells said.

"Yep that's me, makeup and hair."

"I don't think I introduced myself properly, I'm Colson but everyone calls me Kells. I'm the guy that carried you to your room." He said giving me a shy smile. He seemed nervous and that gave me confidence knowing I wasn't the only one who was being tormented by my over thinking brain.

"Nice to officially meet you! I'm Monica but everyone usually calls me Nini. Thanks again about last night, will I ever manage to live it down? I said giggling as I stuck my hand out to shake his hand.

"Nice to meet you as well Moni! You'll live it down when I find another memorable moment to tease you about!" He said before turning to walk away.

"It's Monica!" I yelled after him but I don't think he heard me.

No ones really ever called me anything other than Nini or Monica. I don't know if him calling me Moni made me aggravated or made me feel special. For all I know he probably made nicknames for everyone he ever met.