Quiet Like a Ghost

Chapter Seven: To Begin

It's been about a year since I first met Opal and we're still together. She moved in to my apartment and like any girlfriend, slowly turned it from bachelor pad to a normal apartment with a girlish flair. I don't mind. I just like her around. She could paint the wall bright pink and I wouldn't mind. If it makes her happy, it's cool with me.

Now we are cuddled together on the bed, watching some cartoons like we do every morning. I always end up ignoring the show making flirty gestures, like kissing her cheek or running my hands over her body, sometimes if she's in the mood I even get morning sex.

"What's wrong?" She asks noting I haven't tried to kiss her yet. "Nothing. Just lost in thought." I whisper back, moving my hands to pull her closer, she straddling me. "Really. What's wrong?" She asks, playing with my long hair. "Well you know how the bands going on tour for a few months? I don't want to leave you." I whisper, trailing my hands down her back, down her hips, back up to her butt. "I know. I don't want you to go either but the guys need you." She smiles sorrowfully, resting her head on my shoulder.

"Come with me." I suggest, pulling her glance to my face. "Babe, That's not fair for the other guys." She points out, always thinking of others first. "Please be selfish for once..." I beg, pulling her up to my face. "Dev." She sighs, caressing my face looking like she was going to say no. "Please just say yes, I need you." I kiss her, holding her close. She breaks away, nodding, "I'll go." I smile, flipping us over, kissing her neck.

It's a week later and we are getting settled into the bus, the guys already settled, watching TV. Opal was bending over, pushing her bag under the bunk, failing miserably. "Babe. Let me." I pull her back, moving it over then shoving it under. "There's a wheel there." I explain, kissing her, holding her close.

She kisses me back, deepening it, her hands on my chest. We've got to the point of the relationship where it wasn't necessarily exciting to kiss, it was just lovely and sweet. She breaks away, "I believe you are part of a band you should be tending to..." She says, fixing my beanie. "I also have you..." I smile kissing her nose. "Go. This is why I didn't want to come." She complains. "Come out with me then." I try.

"Ghost! How long does it take to settle yourself and the chick?" Balz asks. "I have a name, you--" Opal starts, things like that really piss her off, feminist rights I guess. I look at her begging for her not to finish. "What?" He asks, not hearing anything she said. "Nevermind, just don't call me 'the chick.'" She sighs getting in our bunk. "Babe..." I hate it when she gets in these moods where she drops any argument willy-nilly and gets depressed.

"Hurry up Dev. We want to talk about tour..." Chris rushes me. "Give me a minute." I tell him getting in the bunk with Opal. "What's wrong?" I ask, forced to press our bodies together from lack of space. "Nothing." She mumbles. "What is it? Talk to me..." I whisper, rubbing her back. "I just feel like your better off without me." She says, about to cry. Ok. It's definitely her monthly, she wouldn't cry over that.

"O... Opal, trust me. I love you. As much as I love the band, if I had to choose, I'd choose you." I tell her, combing my fingers through her hair while she holds me. "Dude. We gotta talk... I don't know what's going on with her but you gotta prioritize." Chris says next the bunk. "Go. I'm fine." She swallows hard, trying not to cry. "Ok. I'll be back." I kiss her and get out.

Chris is looking at me like I was crazy. "What? You wanted me you have me." I say with more of an attitude then I ment. "Your making a girl your entire life..." He states. "Yeah, I am. She is my everything, dumbass." I tell him, walking over to the lounge. "Idiot." He mumbles back.

They talk, rarely letting me speak. They force me to listen to them when I have little to do with it and my girlfriend is crying ten feet away. After an hour of listening to them, and small little spurts of sobs from Opal, I silently get up, going back to her. "Shh. I'm back... Don't cry..." I whisper, holding her close, her face nuzzled into my shoulder.

Soon enough she falls asleep, my legs tangled in hers and my arms protectively around her. I listen to the guys talk; "Chris, he loves her. He's going to choose her over us everytime." Ryan says. "How about you? Your married." He asks, "Fuck yes. If Allie was crying? I wouldn't have been able to hold off as long as he did. You just haven't felt like that yet." He tells him.

"No I haven't and I don't understand. I wouldn't drop this for anything." Chris says. I hear Balz chuckle. "What?" Chris asks. "Just something Dahl said." He says, you could almost hear the smile of his face. "These girls are destroying my boys..." Chris sighs. "We are not your boys and I bet your being all anti-love because you have your nickers in a twist over that Penelope girl." Balz says what we were all thinking. "Don't even bring her up or I swear to god..." Chris threatens. "I was right..." Balz chuckles.

I just fall asleep listening to them bicker and Opal's shallow breathing that tells me she'll be out for awhile.

"Wakey wakey, time to eat and get ready for the first show of the tour!" Ricky says in a funny motherly tone. "Rick or should I say 'mother,' please give me five more minutes." I mumble like a child, shifting to look as far away as possible, annoying the peacefully asleep Opal. "I sent in the nice one, now you have me. Up!" Chris pulls my belt so I fall on the floor. "Thanks you fucker!" I curse at him.

"What is going on?" Opal's small, tired voice asks from the bunk. "Nothing I just got to get ready for our set." I get up, leaning into the bunk, kissing her goodbye and walking to get some food.