The Rockstar and The Graduate//L.A. Guns •Kelly Nickels•

The Rockstar

We were at our wedding reception. Of course several girls that Laurie and Janey went to school with kept asking how far along Laur was.

I hated that people automatically assumed that, that two people who were so young couldn't get married just because of love.

It had to be because she was pregnant. Laurie was not.

I'm Kelly, a 21 year old bass player about to start touring with my band. I had an okay life. My parents who always supported me, former bands that I was happy for. My current band finally getting somewhere. And then her. My wife. Laurie Nickels. Killer looks, killer music taste, killer vibe, and killer personality.

The year was 1983. I was born on January 5, 1962. We were at the reception. I was sitting at the bride and grooms table with Laurie. She was talking about how we wouldn't be here right now if she and Janey didn't go to that show on that Friday. "Laurie, even if you did or didn't go to the bands show then, I'd look for you. Even if I didn't know your face, name, your existence; I gotta feeling we were always gunna meet." I explained to her truthfully.

I ain't ever felt the way about someone the way I feel about Laurie before.

"You're probably right. But what mattters is that we found each other now. Found each other sooner than later." She told me, agreeing.

"Exactly babe" I said as I kissed her cheek.

Everybody then started giving speeches. Some of them were funny, some of them were sad, some of them were stupid snd some of them really had Laurie and I looking at each with fake smiles mentally going 'what the fuck'.

It was all good though. Eventually it was time for she and I's first dance and I gladly stood up and offered her my hand which she took.

As we danced I noticed a few of the stuck up girls that the Osbourne Twins went to school with. They looked pissed that Laurie had a great guy and was married before either of them. So, I smiled at them, grabbed my wife and kissed her with utmost affection and passion.

They could be pissed off and jealous all they wanted. I stopped kissing her and then started dancing again- and she didn't question it.

Eventually she and I's first dance was over and we sat back down at our table.

That's when she turned to me and smiled. "I've got something for you." She said. I furrowed my eyes and smiled. "Have something for me?" I questioned, wondering what it could be.

She then pulled out a decent sized box from underneath our table and held it out for me. I still didn't know what it was. She told me to open it, a shit eating grin still on her face.

I took the box from her and opened it. I smiled. I picked up what was inside and smiled as I looked at her. "My hat." Is all I said. She nodded. "It sat in my car for so long, I forgot it was there and you probably did too, but it's different now." Laurie explained to me.

I nodded. I then put my hat down on the table and looked at her with a smile. "What?" She said through a small laugh. "I've gotta show you something." I said. She looked at me still, waiting patiently for whatever it was.

I then took my left arm out of my tux jacket, rolled up my dress shirt to my elbows and turned my arm over. Her eyes went wide and she looked from my arm to my face several different times before reaching out and bringing my arm closer to her face so she could look at it better.

"No fucking way." She stated.

I nodded even though she wasn't paying attention, she was more focused on my forearm.

I had several tattoos, and I had several way before I met Laurie, but I got more as time went on.

And when I met Laurie and knew that what we had between us wasn't gunna burn away anytime soon, I got a tattoo on my arm. I had actually gotten it done the other day, but things were shit.

We all know what happened and how Laurie, Janey, and myself ended up in Fresno.

I had honestly forgotten about it. Between Laurie and I actually making it through the bullshit once more, planning this whole big event, and the band and its upcoming tour. There was no space in my brain for it.

She continued to stare at it. It was of a cassette tape, given that she loved music the same amount as, if not more than me. And on either side of it was a rose.

And every cassette or sad sappy mix tape a teenager makes in his/her room has gotta have a name. So in the blank space where the title of it would be, I had the artist put,

Laurie Jean

I watched at she continued to examine it until I abruptly felt her wrap her arms around my neck in a hug.

She eventually pulled away, our faces a few inches apart as she put her hands on my shoulders. "Dude, I'm like totally in love with you." She said. I laughed at that and placed a short sweet kiss onto her lips and then looked at her.

"And dude, I'm like totally in love with you too." I said, mocking her a bit, but meaning the love you part full force with all my heart could give.

She laughed and we pulled away. We joined hands and we both looked out onto the other tables and the dance floor.

My parents were talking and laughing with hers, Janey and Tracii were slow dancing with one another even though it wasn't a slow song, and the rest of the band was talking to either my or Laurie's family members.

This was our really weird family.

All because me, the rockstar fell in love with her, the graduate.