better friends - eddie roundtree x oc

Los Angeles, 1973

Teddy didn't just hand us a deal right away, contrary to popular belief. For months he put us through the wringer, but it was worth it. We were playing at all the right places. The Whiskey became a regular spot for us. It felt like we were The Doors. One night, leaving the Whiskey, Teddy pulled Billy aside. For some reason, I had a good feeling about whatever he was gonna say. I nudged Graham and he looked down at me. "Today's the day, Dunne. I can feel it." He knew exactly what I was talking about. Three nights ago, I joked that the ghost in my room told me that we'd get a record deal soon. I nodded toward Billy and Teddy and he beamed. "I hope you're right, Mal." I shook my head and laid a hand on his shoulder. "I'm always right, Graham." Not even two seconds later I heard Billy shouting.

"What's happening?" Eddie asked. Billy turned to us and threw his hands up in the air. "We're making an album!" he announced. I turned to see Graham staring at me in amazement as I winked, then we all started screaming and jumping like kids on Christmas. We started surrounding Teddy and, thinking we were going to touch him all drenched in sweat, he put up his hands, ready to fight us off, while chanting, "Be cool. Be cool. Be cool."

Before I knew it we were in the studio, just like Teddy said, recording an album. It was insane. Everything had been going so slowly, and then suddenly, it was all happening so fast. We recorded our album in six days, had two weeks off, then it was time to hit the road. But the night before we left, we got some exciting news. Well, exciting, depending on who you asked. Camila was pregnant. And her and Billy got married that same night. It was a crazy night. I mean, all that news in such a little amount of time. It was a miracle we got the decorations to look nice, and an even bigger miracle we got people to show up. But people will do anything for free booze and drugs. That was the first night Warren and I tried mescaline. Powerful drug. Fun, but powerful.

I was high off my rocker, Camila was dancing, Billy and Graham were talking to their mom on the phone, Warren was who knows where, and Eddie was sitting alone in a corner. "Hey," I said, slightly dragging the word out due to my impaired state. He looked up for a second before returning the word. I said down next to him and frowned. "What's wrong?" He took a sip from his Heineken bottle before muttering, "She's married." I scoffed and looked away. "Yeah? Did you really think she'd ever leave him, Eddie? Much less, go for you if she did? Camila's not that kind of girl." He groaned a little and started to get up. I realized I had unintentionally upset him. I grabbed his arm. "Hey, I'm sorry. Don't go. I'm sorry." He looked down at me and softened his expression. I got up and took his hand in mine. "Here, let's go inside. Get you away from all the happy people."

After successfully dragging him into my room, we sat down on my bed. "So you're still hung up on her?" I asked, mood dropping. I could be on any drug in the world, higher than heaven, but he'd always be able to bring me down. Sometimes that was good, sometimes it wasn't. This time, it was the latter. "I just don't get what she sees in him." He shook his head, his voice quivering ever so slightly. He was crying. I'd never seen him cry before. It wasn't enjoyable. In fact, it made me want to cry, too. But instead of making things worse, I tried to make them better. I held his hand and laid my head atop his shoulder blade. "Billy's the only thing about Camila's life that's unpredictable. If she'd never met him, she'd still be in Hazelwood, going to college to become a teacher. He made her follow her dreams. He gave her a life she never knew she could have. I know you don't like him, but Billy's good for her. At least, right now he is. And she's good for him. Hell, she's the best thing that's ever happened to him. And I think it's time to close the book on that chapter of your life. Find someone new. Someone who will love you back the way you deserve."

By now his tears had evaporated, but he was still in pain. "I wish I could find someone like you." he sniffled. I was barely paying attention, still tripping hard. "Hm." was all I could manage. He shuffled, causing me to move my head and look to him. He was already staring down at me. Next thing I knew we were making out. Then he took off my clothes; you can figure out what happened after that. I couldn't believe it. It was finally happening and I knew I was too doped up to remember in the morning. He was probably too drunk, as well.