Punch Drunk

  Chapter One  

Eli's POV  

"Yo! Eli, we're on in five!" I hear Ross call. I groan. I shouldn't have drunk all those beers last night, but I had to keep up with Heather. Now I have the worst hangover ever and I have to go on soon. The guys are going to kill me. I can't even talk.It feels like my head going to explode. My throat starts to feel tight so I rush to he toilet. All of last night's dinner decides to come up. I take a sit on the bathroom floor and put my head in my hands, trying to make the pain go away.  

"Dude! What are doing? We are on!" Ross screams. Woah! Man, he needs to calm down and lower his voice. It's way too loud.  

 "I -" I was cut off by my gagging. I lean over the toilet and it burns like fire as it comes out.   

 "Jeez, Eli,again?! We're supposed to be on stage right now! " I glance up to Ross and he looks pissed.   "Just reschedule. I can't go on today," I manage weakly.   

 "Hey, Ross, what's going on ? The crowd is getting rowdy. All war is going to break out if y'all don't get on stage right now!" Walking over to us I see a girl, nondescript in all physical departments. She's likeRoss's girlfriend or something. I think her name is like Bonnie or Connie.   

 "Ross, tell your girlfriend to keep it down," I moan, placing my heads against my pounding head.   He starts to blush and looks away from her.

 "For the millionth time, she is notmy freaking girlfriend. She's my bestfriend, got that? Now get your ass up, we gotta perform!"  

 "I can't sing right now.I don't feel good."    His "bestfriend" comes to calm him down because it looks like he's about to explod.  

 "Ronnie, what are we going to do?" Ross asks. Oh, so her name is Ronnie. She pushes her long red hair behind her ear and slaps Ross across the face.    "What was that for?" He yelps, rubbing his cheek. Again, with the loudness!  

"Guys, shut up," I plead, trying to stand up.  

"I'm sorry, but you looked like you was about to go into a mental break down," Ronnie explains shyly.  

 "So you hit me in the face? When I have to go on tonight?" he accuses her.  

 "Oh my gosh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. It was the only thing I could think of."  

"Punch drunk. What are you doing? Ya'll been suppose to go on 10 minuets ago." Willie the power of the warehouse where we are playing at.   

 "Sorry, man. We can't go on. Our piece of Sh*t lead singer is sick." Ross says pointing to me.   

 "No, I'm sorry, but ya'll have to go. They will tear down my warehouse if you guys don't go!" He starts to sound impatient and annoyed. His voice is loud and tough, like he's ready to beat the crap out of the person who doesn't do things his way. I wince. Willie is a huge guy.  You'd have to be stupid to say no to him.  

 "Okay. Give us another ten so we can figure it out."   

 "Fine." Willie stomps off to calm down the crowd.   Ross went to sit down and Ronnie follows.   

 "Ross what's going on?" Johnny and Lenny ask. They're the bass guitarist and keyboardistin our band.   "Jacka** over there has a hangover."

  "Dude,seriously? You have got to be kidding me." They glare at the same time. Just because they're twins doesn't mean have to say everything at the same time. It gets annoying.  

"Yes, and big Willie said we have to go."   

"What are we going to do? We don't have a lead singer," Johnny says, pointing out the obvious.

  "And it's not like we can get one in less than ten minutes," Lenny adds.  

 Ross head shoots right up. I recognize the look he has on his face immediately. He has idea. I smile and something moving catches my eye. I turn and see Ronnie slowly back out, looking panicked. What the hell is she doing?  

"Ronnie, please!" Ross begins to run after her.   

 "No. No way," She says. She darts out of the room and Ross chases her. Ross comes  back a few seconds later with her over his shoudlers.   "No, Ross! I said no, okay? I. Don't. Want. To." Ronnies voice sounds stern but shaky. What's going on?    He sits her down and kneels in front of her putting on his "begging face" which always works.

"Please, please, please, please,Ronnie?" She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.  

 "But Ross,I don't have anything to wear."   

He smiles. "Yo, Eli, where's Heather?"   

 "I'm not wearing that slut's clothes!" Ronnie shrieks.  

 "She is not a slut and you are not taking my place on stage," I confirme.   

Ross pulls me aside. "Dude, she can really sing, and since you got your stupid self hungover, you're going to find your girlfriend ask her to change clothes with Ronnie. That way, we don't get killed tonight," He hisses. I agree because my head is killing me and Idon't want him to start hollering.   I picked up my phone and dialed Heather.

 "Hey, babe.Where are you?  

 "I'm outside about to come in, why?"  

"We have a problem. I need you to trade clothes with Ronnie so she can take my place on stage."  

"What!"? She screams. I pull the phone away from my ear. Why is everyone being so loud?   

 "Babe, please,I'll make it up to you, I promise." I sayas flirtedly as I could manage. I know just how to talk to her, and even with a pounding headache.   

 "Fine," She grudgingly agrees.  

 "She's coming," I tell Ross after hanging up.   

 I glance over at Ronnie again and she lookspissed. I wonder why I never saw her before. Ross says she's his bestfriend, but I would probably remember his bestfriend. Right? Well, apparently not.  

"Ok let's hurry up and do this." Heather'svoice sounds clipped and annoyed as she comes through the door. Ronnie punches Ross in the arm and heads to me.  

 "I really despise you," she snaps with venom in her tone.I stand there looking shocked as she walks away to follow my girlfriend to go change.   Five minutes later, a grumpy Heather comes out in sweats and a oversized t-shirt. Did Ronnie really come to our concert looking like that? No wonder I didn't notice her. Then Ronnie steps out. She's dressed in pink converse, super tight grey jeans and a tight crop top that stops at her navel.On the front is a mouth with vampire teeth and blood dripping from them and on the back it says,"BITE ME."Damn, she actually looks really hot. She has a really nice body. I wonder why she hides behind her big shirts and sweats? She's even hotter than Heather and I can see that Heather can tell. She has her jealous face on.  

 "Ok, your ten is up! Let's go!" Willie orders, signaling the start of the show.