V & V - Rageous Rageon Rise

Headache, Heartache

Veneer POV:

Ven: "Okay, so, let me pull over."

I pull over to the side of the road as Velv huffs. I park, then put the call on the car speaker.

Ven: "Okay, so what's wrong?"

Velv: "Why did I find out about you doing a solo tour over the internet? You couldn't have been bothered to call me?"

Ven: "Well, I barely found out about it Friday. It's not like I secretly tried to keep it from you."

Velv: "That's how it feels like."

Kid Ritz: "Listen, Velvet, we were given the news mid-break between the BOT show. I barely gave Ven time to think about it before he agreed, so he didn't know much about it."

Velv: "So you pressured him into doing this?"

Kid Ritz: "What? This was a suggested offer to us by our Management, your manager."

Ven: "Ritz and I are excited to do this, Velv. I don't see why you're upset."

Velv: "I'm upset because I wasn't told about something this big! You're hiding things from me! Again!"

Ven: "I really wasn't trying to, Velv. And what else have I hid from you?"

Velv: "Your addiction. I won't be pushed to the side so you can go off and live some pop star life. Why wasn't I offered this deal? I've been just a part of our duo as you have."

Kid Ritz: "Velvet, he was told he would do this. There was no mention of you. I'm sorry, that's just how it happened. And you bringing up his addiction and about him hiding it initially isn't helping. I'm sorry you're upset, but you know, sometimes big things happen, and others aren't immediately informed. We had something big to do today, so you just weren't on a first thing to do list."

Velv: "I don't need your input, Ritz. This is between me and my brother. He just essentially gave up our job! Is he just going to be a thing on his own now long-term? What about me? Have I been screwed over?"

I can't say anything as the windows start to fog; I'm steaming so much.

I take my hands off the steering wheel as I see them glow bright orange.

Kid Ritz: "Okay, we can't continue this conversation right now."

Velv: "Why? Because I'm asking the hard questions?"

I open the car door and step out quickly as Ritz tries to finish the call.

Kid Ritz: "Because my fiancé and your brother is about to melt the sidewalk. Please think for a moment that maybe he has nothing to do with you not getting a job offer. He's not the one who stepped away from music to do fashion, he's not the one to bring up an addiction, and he's not the one to call angrily over not being informed of something that honestly has nothing to do with you. You're mad at him but did the exact same thing to him."

I hear the phone be taken, then Orchid's voice. I can barely listen as I'm heaving, my hands melting the street as I try to calm down.

Orchid: "Ritz, can't you see why she's upset?"

Kid Ritz: "Can you see why Ven is? Why I am? She just brought up something incredibly hard for him! He had to leave for rehab! This kind of negativity is not what we need before the wedding. I need to go help my husband, which, news flash, if she can be this upset over something that really doesn't involve her, then we can be upset that my lifelong best friend and his sister couldn't even be bothered to tell us they got engaged!"

Orchid: "Kid Ritz, we-"

Kid Ritz: "Don't call us. I will not let my husband take this scrutiny over something he didn't have control of."