Rock Bottom (Sequel to How it Happened is Irrelevant)

6

Craig's POV:

The door to the bus opened, and for a moment I was panicking because I thought it was locked. When I saw that the person who'd opened it was TJ, I relaxed. Except he was eating.....french fries? "You're eating," I gasped. 

His eyes held darkness in them as he looked at me. "Do you want an award, Captain Obvious?" Kevin, who was sitting at the miniature table, looked up from his computer. "Why are you both gawking at me?" TJ looked self-conscious for a moment, but mostly annoyed. 

"Where have you been?" Kevin asked.

"Nowhere." TJ sat down as he answered. I noticed then that his eyes looked red and puffy. He'd probably just been drinking again.

"You've been nowhere for an awful long time." 

"It's a little early to be getting drunk, don't you think?" I asked.

"I'm not drunk," TJ replied. "And even if I was, it's not like I do it just to disappoint you. But that wouldn't make much of a difference because I already have." He looked to Thrasher. "And you," he pointed rather aggressively. "You were the only other person on the face of the Earth to ever see that ring. And what did you do? You kissed me!"

Kevin looked down, typing quickly so as to avoid interface with the Beast. It took me a minute to register what he'd said though. "Why would you make something like that up?" I asked. 

"He's not making it up," Kevin sighed. "It really happened."

"WHY WOULD YOU-?" I stopped myself. "Why?"

"Heat of the moment!" He snapped. "I didn't know what else to do, okay? There's no need to get your panties all in a wad."

"Not sure why you're so jealous, you gave it up," TJ muttered under his breath. Though he spoke just loud enough for me to hear. 

"But he shouldn't have-"

"I told you not to get involved with them," Robert complained entering the scene. "Why would you go and do something so stupid?" He was talking to Kevin.

Kevin glared at his other bandmate, but he said nothing. He just continued to type furiously. "You know, there was once a world where kissing other people meant nothing. Who's to say what it means anyways? What dictates the physical touching of two sets of lips together to be a sexual act?"

"I honestly think the phrase 'physical touching of two sets of lips together' speaks for itself," TJ tried to hide the fact that he chuckled after he'd spoken. "But if my presence is really all that problematic, maybe I should just leave again." He stood up.

"No, don't go!" I called after him. For a split second, I felt the ghost of a feeling I'd once felt so often. Over the years I'd come to know it as a yearning. It faded slowly. "You don't have to go."

Thrasher slammed his computer shut. "Maybe we should just let the Beast do whatever the fuck he wants!" The harsh tone in his voice took all of us off guard. "I'm getting so sick of this. It's all 'you should sympathize with him' this, and 'try to have understanding' that. Well I've tried. And you know what? It's still not the end of the world. If he wants to self-destruct and tell himself that he's only doing it because of you, he can just go and be my guest, because I don't care anymore!" He stormed off of the bus. Robert looked torn for a moment, but slowly followed after him. 

"Maybe he's right," He whispered before closing the door behind him.

"I'm sorry," TJ sat down.

"I think he speaks for all of us," I told him. "How's Max?"

"How did you-?"

"Ronnie told me."

"I should curse him. But Max is fine. He's actually really great."

"Still nosy?"

He nodded. "Still philosophical, too."

This was the first time we'd spoken to each other like normal humans for a while. I wondered how much longer it would last, because I missed this. I couldn't tell him so though, I think that it would piss him off. Instead, I simply nodded after he'd said that. A silence hung in the air. If it were a week ago, TJ would probably be holding me while we sat quietly right about now. I'd ask to switch positions, but he'd refuse. 

Why do I miss it so much already?